Elephant Aquarium

Dear Peregrin,

Hi! I had a dream last night that was wacky. I remember having an aquarium and in it, it had two 'floors'; each one had a tiny, live elephant that was very healthy and happy. There was a couple fishes, but mostly live sea anemones (those animals that look like plants). On the bottom 'floor' there was a cat fish that would get in the way of things, but the elephant would successful fight it off, and on the top floor, there was a squid-like animal. You won't believe this, but the elephant was pulling candy out of the stomach of the squid, as if it was a bag. Every creature was pretty much happy, but I was concerned that there was so much in there, it would be difficult to keep it clean. Then I realized that they needed each other and even the algae to stay healthy. The only reason I was nervous was because I didn't want anything to go wrong, and it was out of my control, and what I could affect I wanted to do well.

Incidentally, the candy that was in the squid was a black, square, wrapped anise taffy that my grandmother had put there. It was old candy, but tasted really nicely. My grandmother, who is in real life very old (95) and not in good health was healthy and stood on her own and totally straight posture in my dream. She was healthy and dessed in brown fur-- from her skirt to her coat and hat. She was giving me something, along with $33,000 that she said was owed to me.

What do you think about this wacky dream?

Thanks,

Liz

Good morning, Liz.

Your aquarium dream does not strike me as particularly whacky, as I have also dreamed about improbable aquariums. The trick is to learn what these little creatures represent, which can be very individual.

The symbols in your dream remind me a great deal of the way the human mind is set up. You have your upper level (the conscious) and the lower level (the subconscious). On the lower level dwells dark urges of the id - your bottom-dwelling catfish which wants to cause problems. The elephants may represent memory, which elephants are well-known for, or they may represent the superego - the rule-keeper of the mind - since the one on the lower level consistently wards off the catfish.

So what I see in your aquarium is a complete mind, and one which by your own admission is fairly healthy. Yet you feel responsible for its well-being, while realizing that there's little you can do to affect things. This tells me that the mind in question may not be your own, but rather someone whom you nurture - a child, perhaps, or maybe even your grandmother, since the anise taffy is hers.

I see the taffy as your grandmother's wisdom. Anise is a naturally sweet herb which is used to treat coughs, both good reasons for making a candy out of it in the first place. This makes the symbol one of healing, and since it exists in the water environment of the aquarium, what it soothes is most likely your emotions or your spiritual needs. Incidentally, it's very difficult to find this kind of candy anymore - my father-in-law has been looking for it for years. This gives the candy a nostalgic (old) flavor - yet it stands the test of time. The wisdom is still good, and it guides you in the nurturing that you want to do so well.

The money which your grandmother says is owed to you sounds like a partial amount - the two threes together make this number sound like a third of a larger number. Because of this, I would guess that you share your grandmother's heritage with two other people - possibly siblings. But she gives you something extra, which is intended for you alone. You may feel as if you are a favorite, especially close to her.

As she is dressed completely in fur, this suggests being prepared for a journey. Travelling clothes at the time of her youth were commonly made with fur, as there were fewer synthetics capable of holding warmth. Your dream may be preparing you for her death - as she is at such an advance age and in ill health this must surely be on your mind. In your dream she has none of these handicaps, further reinforcing the idea of the release of death.

There is another connotation to the fur - as it does keep one warm and feels very luxurious to the skin, I'd guess that the love you feel from her is returned in equal strength.

On the whole, I see this dream as extremely positive, and not whacky at all.

Pleasant dreams,

Peregrin