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Delta, British Columbia, Canada
I took very early retirement from teaching in '06 and did some traveling in Europe and the UK before settling down to do some private tutoring. As a voracious reader, I have many books waiting in line for me to read. Tell me I shouldn't read something, and I will. I'm a happy, optimistic person and I love to travel and through that believe that life can be a continuous learning experience. I'm looking forward to traveling more some day. I enjoy walking, cycling, water aerobics & and sports like tennis, volleyball, and fastpitch/baseball. I'm just getting into photography as a hobby and I'm enjoying learning all the bits and bobs of my digital camera. My family is everything to me and I'm delighted to be the mother of two girls and the Gramma of a boy and a girl. I may be a Gramma, but I'm at heart just a girl who wants to have fun.

Thursday, October 15, 2009

...perchance to dream

Hamlet:"To sleep, perchance to dream
ay, there's the rub."
I had the weirdest dream last night. Briefly, my ear got cut off and someone said to me, "Well, it can't be reattached so you'll need a transplant." Huh?

There was no pain or blood or anything but I did see my ear and the cut edge that looked like it'd be cauterized. Anyway, in the dream I wasn't the least bit upset and just carried on with whatever I was doing.

I couldn't stop thinking about it all day, so I checked online to see if I could find some sort of interpretation. I looked up "amputation."

From my research, I think losing my ear indicates that I've taken on a totally new approach to life. I've abandoned and discarded my former ways of thinking and doing things, including listening to others' criticisms of how I'm living my life. Maybe with my "old" ear, I was unable to stand up for myself and do the things I wanted to do without worrying about what others would think. With a new ear, maybe I'd feel more free. The dream could be a metaphor for what's going on in my waking life and the changes I'm making. I do know that I have an increased level of self-confidence and greater independence.

It's just kind of eerie to dream of losing a part of your body. Maybe it just means that I'm losing my hearing...or could there be some sort of Van Gogh connection?

Anyone else have any weird dreams like this? Or an interpretation for me?

16 comments:

Daughter 2 said...

1. maybe you were sleeping weird and your ear 'fell asleep' as it were?

2. in that line from Hamlet, he's referring to death and the possibility of an afterlife (heaven) - but he isn't sure of it, so that is the difficulty of his choice: to live in misery? or die, but perhaps wandering as a spirit for eternity?

anyway...the reason i point out #2 is that it was disturbing to see that on your post :p

Thumbelina said...

I can understand why daughter 2 might find that quote disturbing from you... hope you two have had a chance to catch up and reassure her!

I have no interpretations for you. I haven't heard of an amputated ear before. I think the best thing is that you are clearly not distressed by the dream, and at the end of the day, that is what matters.

hope you are well.

Bonnie Zieman, M.Ed. said...

Only you can interpret your dream -what others offer are just guesses. But in this forum guesses can be fun.

One of the most important indicators of a dream's meaning is the feeling you were left with about it. Then ask yourself where/how am I feeling that in my life.

Leslie: said...

To D#2 - yes, I realized that, but I just thought it was a neat quote. Not everyone is as - shall we say - familiar with Shakespeare - as you. lol

Jinksy said...

You didn't have cheese for supper, did you?! lol :)

Maggie May said...

That made brilliant reading!
I think daughter 2 might be on to something with her suggestion about the ear going to sleep or being uncomfortable & your brain started to be aware of the ear & made you dream about it!
Maybe you are so laid back that if your ear really fell off....... you could cope with it. In other words, you could cope with anything.
I had heard before that only YOU can interpret your own dream.

Nuts in May

Marcia, Meaning of Dreams said...

How did you feel (emotionally) when your ear was cut off? If you were feeling worried or upset, you could have been concerned that other people aren't communicating with you, or that you have been misinterpreting what other people have been saying.

If you felt relieved, then there may be people in your waking life who are saying things that are bothering you, or who you just don't want to deal with.

"It can't be reattached so you'll need a transplant." - This could be a message from your unconscious that it might help you if you changed the way you "listened" to others.

I had the weirdest dream last night. Briefly, my ear got cut off and someone said to me, "Well, it can't be reattached so you'll need a transplant." Huh?

Marcia, Meaning of Dreams said...

How did you feel (emotionally) when your ear was cut off? If you were feeling worried or upset, you could have been concerned that other people aren't communicating with you, or that you have been misinterpreting what other people have been saying.

If you felt relieved, then there may be people in your waking life who are saying things that are bothering you, or who you just don't want to deal with.

"It can't be reattached so you'll need a transplant." - This could be a message from your unconscious that it might help you if you changed the way you "listened" to others.

nancygrayce said...

If someone analyzed my dreams, they would probably put me away! Far away!

Smalltown RN said...

I love dreams like that....and I would have done exactly as you have....go and find it in a dream interpretation.....yes it could mean many things...but I like the interpretation of changing things...listening to things differently...letting go of the past....that can be a very good sign....

I also love the sketch....did you draw that.....it's just wonerful....

Have a fabulous weekend....

Leslie: said...

MaryAnne..no I got the picture off the net. If only I could draw like that........*sigh*

Shrinky said...

I think only the dreamer can interpret their dream.. it's how you perceive it that matters. I believe you have perfectly worked it out!

Anonymous said...

I don't hold much truck with 'dream interpretations' per se, you know, strangers who profess to know you and your life. But I am more Fruedian than Jung though do not find anything sexual in having your ear chopped off. Our sub-conscious keeps working as we sleep and solve problems [how many times have you gone to sleep trying to remember something, and it is there when you wake?] I think your ear was squashed and was hurting you. Good post.

Welshcakes Limoncello said...

The interpretation you found seems logical to me.

Belizegial said...

I can't help you with the interpretation. However, it sounds like you are finally getting that much needed deep sleep. The dreams only make it more interesting. lol
Nice pics!

Liz Hinds said...

I wouldn't dare to tell you some of the dreams I have!!

I'd blame the menopause/hormones if I were you. There's a reasonable chance they're involved!!