It was a bright sunny day on a Wisconsin lake whose name I have forgotten. I was sitting in an aluminum boat with my older brother and a fishing guide named Gary. We were casting our lures into the water some 70 feet offshore when I observed a bright green snake moving towards the boat. (It’s an odd thing to see a snake slither across the water’s surface. At the time, I didn’t know that snakes could float, much less swim.) Evidently, he wanted to join us, but Gary redirected him with an oar when he neared the boat. Back then I hadn’t thought to ask the courageous green messenger what he wanted to tell me. I wish I had, perhaps I would have become conscious sooner of things I have later learned, such as:
1) Fishing is important. Not so much fishing for fish, but fishing the waters of the unconscious. It is important to catch your dreams, learn from them, and dialogue with your inner self. It is important to seek out the life within and get to know the different creatures (aspects of yourself) that reside there. A life of meaning and worth requires that you develop a living relationship with your psyche and God. The food of the soul sustains you.
2) Having a guide is invaluable. You can learn something about fishing from a book or video. You can strike out on your own and learn solely by trial and error. But a guide helps you to learn faster. A guide knows where the fish are, and also the snags. He knows the contour of the lake and its different moods. He knows where to seek shelter when a storm rolls in. He is familiar with the different characters that inhabit your larger personality. And when you catch a lamprey but call it a salmon, he cares enough to set you straight. His instincts and intuition go beyond the written word. God put him/her in your life for a reason.
3) Jesus walked on water and was a “fisher of men.” The snake is a symbol of the psyche. It glides atop the water and befriends those who are fishers of the soul.
.....Copyright © Andy Drymalski, Ed.D. Excerpts may be used provided full and clear credit is given author with link to original article.
Hello Andy, I had this dream this morning at about 3.30 am-
I approach the entrance of a place (feels like I place I am familiar with?) but to the opposite of the entrance (to my left) there is a big pond/lake (where the car parking of the familiar place was).I am happy & wonder if I should swim (since the pond is not clear/dark) but there is something (a sea creature/dolphin?) swimming. Then I see it returning the other way & notice its a person (a woman I know/younger woman?) & I try to recognise her. She appears to be swimming lengths. The pond is dark & green like a pond not too far from my home.
It would be very helpful if you could help me understand what my psyche is communicating
Thank you
Hi John,
The young woman would seem to be a symbol of your inner feminine, or anima. She is youthful, and interacting with the unconscious, symbolized by the water. She seems comfortable in it. She is not overwhelmed by it; she knows how to swim. Perhaps she can help you relate to it as well. The water is dark and green. Its greenness would suggest that it is full of life. But it is also hard to see into. This could suggest that you don’t see very far into your unconscious yet. But within it is life and the promise of a deepened relationship with your inner feminine, or soul. Initially you are afraid of what is in the pond, but the woman is offering the reassurance that it will be ok to swim in and (symbolically) to explore your unconscious.
Thank you for writing.
Andy
Thank you Andy. This is very helpful. It could be said that My anima is leading me to go beyond my fears & explore the unconscious.
While recreating the dream I realised that I may have omitted a tiny but important part. By the pond, I felt concerned about not having the appropriate swimwear to swim & about the clothes I was wearing. I cannot recollect accurately if I was feeling worried about my clothes getting wet (spoilt) or where I would change or of me being naked.
My persona is also coming in the way (adding to the fear) of my exploring the unconscious?
John
Hi John,
Yes, that could be the case.
Andy