Approaching the Spring Equinox: A Dream

Dream on 20 March 2007; entry completed 21 March 2007:

The premise of the dream is a bit surreal: There are a series of shops which are at the same time books, and that have been built/written along the road, one after another, every mile or so. The first is The Talk Book, then there is The Talk Doctor, and maybe one more. Then I come to the latest, still under construction/being written, named The Talkshop or something, that is to say the next store/book in the series. I enter what is obviously a construction scene. “Jerry?” I say loudly, concerned that I am intruding, but nevertheless determined to make contact with my old grad school advisor, Jerry Goodman. I haven’t seen him in years, but it seems important to talk to him now, even though he is probably in the middle of something.

There are tarps everywhere, and dust. I am directed upstairs. I go up to the first floor. I come upon him, and say hello, but he seems distracted. He hears a noise from the next room, and goes to check on the person in the next room, which I somehow know is his father. He returns after a couple of minutes, looking very sad, and says that his father has just died. I listen to him, using the Person-Centred listening skills that he taught me and that his books are about. As I do so, I feel very sad also, about his loss, which also seems like mine.

Emotion Scheme Analysis:
-Emotion scheme nucleus (felt emotion):
-Sadness/grief
-Perceptual-memory elements (also: intentionality; associations):
-Perceptions: I notice the construction mess, clutter, dust
-Current life situation: Approaching anniversary of my dad’s death. I have had the feeling over the past couple of weeks that more of his approach to help-skill training (close examination of helper response modes) is needed in the Diploma courses at Strathclyde.
-References/associations: Jerry Goodman wrote The Talk Book and is sometimes referred to in the media as “The Talk Doctor”. I always felt I was intruding on him when I went to see him in grad school.
-Bodily/expressive elements:
-Likely facial expression: Sad face
-Bodily sensations: Heavy, weighed down
-Cognitive/symbolic elements (e.g., metaphors, propositions, identities)
-Propositions: “My father has died”
-Metaphor: Books Are Buildings (“constructing a narrative”)
-Action tendency/wish (also lessons, directions for action):
-Action tendency: Listening/empathizing
-Wish/Fear: Wanting to connect with an important person; fear they won’t have time/interest.