A Woman With Male Genitals: Post #3

 image courtesy of dezigningeye.com

This week, we’re examining a dream that has hermaphrodite imagery. The dreamer—a woman who dreamed that she had a penis—was not upset. She calmly worked to uncover the metaphoric meanings behind her dream symbols.

Now it was time to retell the dream in its metaphoric version. Instead of using her original symbols, we substituted her comments about those symbols. For example, in her original dream, she said, “I’m at a party.” When she was asked to “Tell me about a party,” she replied, “It’s a gathering for pleasure and social interaction.” That last phrase is the one that we’ll use in the retelling of her dream.

We’ll also make another change. We will add phrases from time to time throughout the narrative to remind the dreamer that all imagery and symbolism in her dream represent a part of herself. So instead of her dream beginning, “I’m at a party,” it now begins, “I’m at a gathering within myself for pleasure and social interaction.”

The reconstructed dream

I’m at a gathering within myself for pleasure and social interaction. There’s an element of seriousness about it, as if something important is being considered. There are consequences to what we decide; it’s important. At this gathering, I see a part of myself that, in my youth, was a major influence on me. It’s a feminine part of me; maybe it has a gentler approach to life, maybe it’s more empathetic. Once, I had tremendous respect for it. I approach this part of me to reconnect, but it is busy with other things. This part of me has only a minimal desire to share with me.

The next part of me I see is a masculine, more authoritative part. It gives the impression of being more in charge. In the past, this masculine part of me had knowledge about life and God that I also wanted to have. Again, it is clear that this part of me has his attention focused elsewhere.

Then, within visual range, but still distant—there is space that separates us—is a young, masculine part of me that I admire greatly. It is successful, but also caring and completely conscientious. It is attentive and delightful—again, more caring. This part of me is with a group that is distant from me. But I am startled and impressed with what I guess would be a symbol of its masculinity and procreative power. Perhaps you’d say this part of me is potent.

Next, I see the part of me that is my partner. My friend. My support. My teacher. My lover. This part of me is also potent, but maybe more manageable and less intimidating somehow.

Finally, I concentrate on seeing my own self, blocking out the rest of the group that lives inside of me. I see a male appendage. And it is mine. I am part male.

Observations

Notice how the theme in this dream progresses logically and methodically. The dreamer says that this gathering is for “something important…being considered.” Then the symbols progress from feminine imagery to masculine. And each successive masculine image gets closer and more personal. Finally, she completely owns her own masculine energy.

More tomorrow!