I have spotted a dream theme that involves me either coming across a body of water, or I negotiate it weary of some underwater predator that could capture me.  Even if I realize that I am in my thoughts-become-real mode, I am still bothered by it but I am not terrified.

In a past dream that struck a lasting impression in me, my first-person-view observes a lake filled with an assortment of reptiles that swim around.  Venomous snakes, Crocodiles (?), and other livings reptiles inhabit this body of water.  Basically, the water seems a place for bodily destruction or consumption to take place.

[Beginning of Dream Section]

In another dream, I see the entire planet Earth from above in first-person once again.  In a time-lapse animation, I see the continent of South America and Africa merge back to together, east and west respectively, also creating a large lake between the two continents.  I involuntarily move down towards the lake region and pick up the impression of a lush, life filled world teasing me with thoughts of dinosaurs and abundant plant life with species of plants we do not know of in this age.

Down on the surface, about at the South-East end of the lake, A medium-dog-sized animal of some sort (Hyena?  I can not get a definite memory on what kind.) is helping some giant ants, that are about the size of a hand, if I had to give a size estimate.  They begin swimming across and it is at this point that I am given a human body and follow along.  The ants disappear like holograms.  Swimming across, I realize that this lake will respond to my current thoughts like a law-of-attraction machine but my thoughts of a Crocodile consuming me surface and I become bothered.  I increase the pace of my swim even beyond physical-earth limits and swim rapidly towards what I estimate to be the northern shore (I estimate this during my typing).

At the shoreline, I wonder what other animals will come from the water.  Shortly after, two Dolphins come out of the water and seem to pay little attention to me like I am inconsequential.  I wonder if my thoughts can affect how and if they can interact so I alter my thought form into an abstract question about the relevance between me and the Dolphins.  This causes the dolphins to respond by coming over to me where I am passively invited to pet and touch them to satisfy my curiousity.  After not having anything else to do, the dream ends.

***

In yet another dream, the Crocodile theme repeats with me above water concerned with Crocodiles consuming me.  Off to my right, down the lake I am in, I pick up the impression of mermaids that are out of my line of sight.  As I thought, my bit of fear does create a creature that I perceive as threatening that is about the size of my head, and hard to describe.  I make a run for it and jump onto dry land and run down a dirt road at the speed of a dirt bike cruising along leisurely.  Apparently, I have a group of people waiting for me so they can drive me out of this country side back "home" but this event was not pictorialized into memory.

[End of Dream Section]

Without taking interpretations, I realize that this dream carries Shamanic traits as described in Robert Moss's Conscious Dreaming.  (Robert Moss emphasizes, much like Bruce Moen, that the only person who knows what one's dreams mean is the dreamer.)

The dreams repeat the theme of an animal that can dismember a body quite effectively.  Speaking the previous sentence, I realize that I am speaking about my dreams from my lifetime of Bio-education so I expect to discover deeper meanings than just a simple "Dream Monster".

Remembering my reading of "Conscious Dreaming", I see the suggestion that dreams like this imply initiation (into what, I will find for myself), and destruction of the old body to be made anew (again, what happens beyond that I will find on my own so as to be pure to the experience).  On this website, I am also entertained by what traits they attribute to the Crocodile, but I still shall perform my own dream inquiry for greater relevance to my own life theme since experience is key.

Anyway, I welcome your own replies as if "these were your own dreams", but stand by my direct experience philosophy.  I believe your replies can help open my eyes to even more symbols that I missed and your interest can assist in amplifying my own insight into my dreams.

Your Extended Family Member,
Steve Edward Updegraff