Dreams about the Pope Can Have a Variety of Symbolic Meanings, Says Dream Analyst, David Rivinus
Well-known public figures who appear in dreams
can symbolize many things, says dream analyst, David Rivinus. Political
personalities, religious figures and movie stars are among those who can leave
a notable impact on a dreamer when they appear in a dream. But the symbolic
meaning of these prominent people can vary widely.
According to Rivinus, the impression they leave and the
symbolism they imply all depends on the dreamer’s attitude. “Suppose you have a
dream about the pope,” he says. “He is largely viewed as a sympathetic, caring
public figure, so those attitudes are likely to be incorporated into the
dreamer’s symbolism.” But Rivinus adds that it’s not always so simple. An
important additional issue is the dreamer’s attitude toward what the pope
stands for: Catholicism. “Is the dreamer devout? Did he or she go to a
parochial school where the nuns and teachers were punitive? Was there a sense
of belonging or betrayal?”
Rivinus claims that all of these factors create a kind of
metaphoric stew that will influence the dreamer’s symbolism. “If the dreamer is
a true believer, a dream about the pope can be a dream about reverence,
devotion and spiritual sincerity.” But if a different dreamer—one whose
attitudes about organized religion are more conflicted—had the same dream, it
could symbolize something about an oppressive authority figure whose outward
shows of sympathy and caring are hypocritical.
“The important thing to remember,” says Rivinus, “is that
the dream isn’t really about the public figure who appears as a symbol.”
Instead, according to him, all symbols in dreams are really representations of
the dreamer’s own attitudes and conflicts. “Dreams tend to be commentaries
about unresolved issues within the dreamer.” Thus, if the dreamer has a dream
about an authority figure—especially a public one—and feels a degree of
hypocrisy in that figure, the dream is most likely an expression of the
dreamer’s own ambivalence about structure and rules. On the other hand, if the
public figure is perceived as supportive, the dream may be suggesting that the
dreamer use conventional structure to resolve problems.
David Rivinus is a dream analyst with more than
three decades experience. He has lectured and facilitated workshops and classes
internationally. He has written the book “Always Dreaming” to document his
methods and theories. For more information, visit www.teacherofdreams.com.
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