The Mouse That Mastered the Snake

Dream Description

(02/05/2022)

I found myself in a beautiful garden bathed in sunlight, surrounded by lush green plants. As I walked and enjoyed the day’s beauty, a big brown snake suddenly appeared in front of me, causing me to panic. I frantically looked for something to defend myself with and grabbed my slipper, holding it tightly in my right hand as the snake came closer. Each time it got too near, I quickly hit its head with the slipper, feeling its strong presence against my arm.

Amidst this tense struggle, I noticed something strange – a white mouse sitting on the snake’s back, as if it were riding it. This bizarre sight amazed me, and it stuck in my mind even after I woke up suddenly from the dream.

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Dream Interpretation

I had this dream at the very beginning of my journey into the unconscious realm. At the time, I was reading “Modern Man in Search of a Soul” by Carl Jung and had just begun exploring my dreams. When I first sketched this dream, I felt like I was bringing the scene to life: a beautiful garden on a sunny day, suddenly disrupted by a terrifying brown snake, and a small white mouse perched atop the snake. I had no idea that profound changes were starting within my psyche.

Once I finished the drawing, I studied it. The snake’s negative and destructive energy was clear, but the mouse on top confused me. Typically, a mouse is prey to a snake, yet this white mouse seemed to control the snake. My initial thought was that the mouse must know the snake well to be so close, suggesting the mouse had somehow dominated the snake. I continued pondering this dream until it became clearer through a process called “Synchronicity,” which I was unaware of at the time.

A while after drawing this dream, I visited a music store in Lecco with my wife. While browsing vinyl records, one album cover caught my eye: “Electronic Dreams” by Edgar Froese, featuring a picture of a white mouse. Intrigued by both the image and the title, I bought the album. Listening to it, the music on Side A evoked a dark, menacing atmosphere, while Side B brought a sense of emerging light.

A few days later at work, my boss informed me that I would be hosting two Australian clients. I was then the Industrialization Manager, involved in layout changes and creating new assembly lines based on KAIZEN principles. Before the visit, while listening to the album again, I noticed a track titled “Maroubra Bay.” Curious, I looked it up and discovered it was a beach in Australia. Could this be connected to the upcoming visit?

On the day of the visit, our export agent Monica and I showed the clients around. After explaining our new assembly lines designed to minimize errors and enhance quality, we went to a fancy restaurant near Lecco for lunch. During our meal, the clients asked about my hobbies. I saw an opportunity to share my dream and the connections I had made, culminating in the keyword “Maroubra Bay.” When I mentioned this, they were stunned. It turned out they lived near Maroubra Bay. One client then recommended I watch a documentary called “Bra Boys” about an Australian surf gang from Maroubra Beach.

Through these synchronicities, I realized the power of my unconscious. The events were unmistakably connected.

Revisiting my dream, I considered its symbolism. Snakes often represent transition and rebirth, but in my dream, the snake was attacking me, embodying destructive forces. Snakes in myths, like that of Adam and Eve, symbolize tempting impulses. The brown snake, associated with earth, represented primal desires. These desires can overwhelm us, especially when we’re vulnerable, leading to short-lived heavenly experiences with lasting consequences. To block these temptations, we must understand what fuels them within us.

The white mouse, symbolizing my soul, atop the snake indicated an intimate knowledge of the snake’s nature. The mouse’s ability to control the snake suggested a mastery over these primal desires. Unlike guilt, which stems from bad decisions, shame affects our very existence. Our shame may arise from repeatedly succumbing to these primal impulses, feeding our soul to the snake.

“Shame is a soul eating emotion.”

C.G. Jung

This dream suggested that my soul, represented by the mouse, must learn to navigate and control these desires. It is frightening but necessary for personal growth. The scariest creature is often the human, capable of confronting and understanding its darkest aspects. Through synchronicities, my subconscious showed me the way, exemplified by the Bra Boys’ resilience and strength in overcoming challenges.

“Where your fear is, there is your task”

C.G. Jung

Mastering the snake’s forces requires time and perseverance. We might falter, but eventually, we can learn to control and harness these forces as we choose. Through this dream and its interpretation, I stepped into my individuation process, which led me to encounter my shadow.

“No tree, it is said, can grow to heaven unless its roots reach down to hell.”

C.G. Jung

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