I remember particularly seeing a giant hippopotamus from a distance. (I could hear humans shouting from a distance, warning about the hippopotamus entering the water. I was also aware that my mother was also in the water, but I wasn’t worried so much about her safety). The hippopotamus jumped into the water and made a huge splash, and I was very happy to swim in the waves it produced.
Then I saw a herd of elephants entering. They looked somewhat different. They had almost circular tusks and ruffled hair on their heads. One particular angry elephant saw me looking at them, and started advancing towards me. I went underwater, thinking that this elephant couldn’t see me if I went inside, and I must’ve been somewhat scared, so the dream ended.
What is the meaning of this (was it symbolic at all?), and what is the key to understanding such dreams? I could recall only the last scene when I woke up around 4:30 AM. I remembered all these details and went back to sleep. The next dream I saw wasn’t of very good quality.
The sea is the world consciousness. The area around you is peaceful, and you are happy, enjoying the waves. But the dangers are always there from the animal consciousness within and around us (lower vital movements related to inertia/anger and money). Submerging doesn’t help either because it means we become part of it subconsciously. The right solution is to grow conscious while the sea is quiet and enjoyable. Take up the true spiritual life in real earnest when things are fine, because the animal within is always waiting to draw the lower forces from around.
Its essence is that while the world looks beautiful and gives us a kind of happiness when we swim in it, the danger is always there, even though it is bringing no harm in the present.
Affectionately,
Alok Da
