the dream decoder

Full of anticipation, I was on a walking holiday in an unfamiliar, rather exotic country. It was hot and sunny, and I was surrounded by rolling, wild flower-laden, green hills - the beautiful sweet scent was almost overwhelming. I came to a crossroads, but didn't know which turning to take. Eventually, I felt compelled to turn left, although I seemed to know instinctively that if I had turned right, I would have ended up at the same destination, albeit by a longer journey; the roads were circular, in other words. However, the route I took seemed to be the quickest.

Sure enough, as I rounded the first bend, I came across an old church that was brightly decorated with exotic blooms in hanging baskets. At that point, though the general ambience was still nice, it had lost something, and my feelings of anticipation were no longer present. However, I sensed that if I doubled back and took the other road, although my journey would take considerably longer, I would encounter some excitement along the way. It was then that the feelings of expectation returned, and I could pinpoint that the atmosphere surrounding me was one of love. At that point I woke up feeling happy and content.

THE INTERPRETATION

This was a lovely dream to interpret, and it delivers a beautiful message. To begin with, my own research has revealed that when we dream of foreign climes, and there is some confusion as to exactly which country we are in, this sometimes symbolises a spiritual realm. Immediately, if we connect this to Sarah's chosen career and the timing of her decision to pursue theology, we have our first strong cue as to where the interpretation might lead. This point is reinforced by Sarah's description of the landscape, and her emotion (anticipation).

The road she was travelling represents her chosen path in life. The crossroads suggest a time when Sarah had to decide which direction to take. The fact that she describes the roads as circular indicates that, at some future period, they will both rejoin her path in life. Therefore, they truly represented an alternative that she was not obliged to take.

Now we come to the crux of the dream, and one which leaves little doubt as to the final analysis - especially if it is connected with her chosen career. For a while, Sarah was in doubt as to which road she should take. In this instance, the left definitely represents the corresponding hemisphere of the brain, which is allied to cold calculation, study and a measured approach. The right turning symbolises the right hemisphere, allied to emotion, intuition and following one's heart.

There is little doubt that the road of study will be shorter if Sarah employs the disciplined approach of left brain thinking. However, understanding and empathy rarely accompany it. This fact is reflected in Sarah's dream by the lack of atmosphere (something was missing).

However, if she pursues her ambition by following her heart and employing intuition, the road will be longer. Nevertheless, her rewards will be more substantial - she will gain hands-on experience, which naturally leads to understanding and empathy. In short, she will conclude her journey as a more complete person.

Therefore, if Sarah follows her heart in her chosen profession, she will develop her spiritual side, and avoid being efficient at the cost of understanding. You must follow your heart, Sarah!