"There are great things to be done. Claim yourself." ~ Andre GideCarrying on with the dream theme... Here is another of my detailed storylike dreams, this one from about a dozen years ago drawing upon imagery from the ancient Greek story of the minotaur, a creature half man and half bull, who was housed in a labyrinth. Perhaps I had been influenced to dream as such by my readings of Jorge Luis Borges, in which labyrinths are prominently featured. Or, it may have been at the time when I was reading Andre Gide's fabulous story Theseus, which I recommend to you without reservation.
The last portion of the dream involving New York City may be related to my once having been in the fine arts as a young man. At one time I was preparing to do a three man show at a gallery in The City, but walked away from it all to head down a different path. Life, like labyrinths, is a maze that never deposits you back in the same place. Like Frost's Two Roads, "knowing how way leads on to way" we never do return exactly... though occasionally fragments of where we have been will re-emerge in other forms, as dreams and memories.
The last portion of the dream involving New York City may be related to my once having been in the fine arts as a young man. At one time I was preparing to do a three man show at a gallery in The City, but walked away from it all to head down a different path. Life, like labyrinths, is a maze that never deposits you back in the same place. Like Frost's Two Roads, "knowing how way leads on to way" we never do return exactly... though occasionally fragments of where we have been will re-emerge in other forms, as dreams and memories.
Dream of the Minotaur
A very rich man leads me behind his estate to where he has a long, narrow bull pen. Its dimensions I would estimate to be 10 to 15 feet wide and 200 yards long. The pen appears to be a maze of fencing with at least three corridors going the length of the pen. At various places there are openings that would permit the bull to go from the interior section to the perimeter sections, and in certain places allow the bull to exit the fencing altogether.
My host leaves and it is my understanding that the object of this little game is survival. As I see the bull approaching from the far end, I begin examining the fencing to see where or whether I can climb over or whether the bull will be kept from me if he charges. It is mostly made of rickety slats and wire. I soon realize that since the bull can leave the maze of fencing, I must be able to enter it in order to escape, and suspect that the bull will be faster than I, so that survival will become a matter of wits for me, man against beast, as well as a matter of endurance, since I have no weapon. As long as I am pursued, I must make plans for escaping the bull's reach.
The central corridor is lower than the outer alleys. As I pass the bull, he is down below and I am safely able to reach and explore the complex fencing at the other end of the pen/cage/maze, which seems more elaborate, with higher fences. I see that I am able to climb up on the fencing here and perhaps find safety somehow.
Suddenly, the bull becomes a man. Another young man arrives, and after a brief hug (old friends?) they say a few words and this other man departs.
The bull / man turns to me now, a tall red headed fellow with short dreadlock like curls. We strike up a conversation. I learn that the rich man at the dream's beginning was the bull's father. He, the bull / man, is extremely interested in my life, my background, and especially my involvement in the arts. He wants to arrange a trip with me to New York City where we can go take in the New York arts scene.
I wake.
A very rich man leads me behind his estate to where he has a long, narrow bull pen. Its dimensions I would estimate to be 10 to 15 feet wide and 200 yards long. The pen appears to be a maze of fencing with at least three corridors going the length of the pen. At various places there are openings that would permit the bull to go from the interior section to the perimeter sections, and in certain places allow the bull to exit the fencing altogether.
My host leaves and it is my understanding that the object of this little game is survival. As I see the bull approaching from the far end, I begin examining the fencing to see where or whether I can climb over or whether the bull will be kept from me if he charges. It is mostly made of rickety slats and wire. I soon realize that since the bull can leave the maze of fencing, I must be able to enter it in order to escape, and suspect that the bull will be faster than I, so that survival will become a matter of wits for me, man against beast, as well as a matter of endurance, since I have no weapon. As long as I am pursued, I must make plans for escaping the bull's reach.
The central corridor is lower than the outer alleys. As I pass the bull, he is down below and I am safely able to reach and explore the complex fencing at the other end of the pen/cage/maze, which seems more elaborate, with higher fences. I see that I am able to climb up on the fencing here and perhaps find safety somehow.Suddenly, the bull becomes a man. Another young man arrives, and after a brief hug (old friends?) they say a few words and this other man departs.
The bull / man turns to me now, a tall red headed fellow with short dreadlock like curls. We strike up a conversation. I learn that the rich man at the dream's beginning was the bull's father. He, the bull / man, is extremely interested in my life, my background, and especially my involvement in the arts. He wants to arrange a trip with me to New York City where we can go take in the New York arts scene.
I wake.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: "Nothing great, nothing of value, and nothing that will last can be got without effort." ~ Theseus
2 comments:
I love the quotes in this post... just what I needed today. Thanks for another great read!
Julieanne
Thanks for the visit and comments. There are so many great quotes in the world... Glad these connected with you today.
e.
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