Tony Crisp Interpretation: When we will to speak or move, unconscious physical and psychological impulses and processes occur to produce the response. These deeply unconscious processes are often depicted by fish. Also the attitudes and urges we have in common with humanity—the collective unconscious, and the impulses or insights arising therefrom—can therefore represent the Self or Christ; sexual drive in connection with reproduction, the many little fishes being sperm. In this sense we are the fish which swam the incredible journey and grew into a human, but is still on the odyssey of life and death.
The fish may be the wisdom we have not yet brought to consciousness, regarding our personal journey in time and eternity. Fishing: creating a receptive state of consciousness which allows the deep insights or processes to become known; trying to find spintual nourishment. Eating fish: integrating our inner realisations; partaking of Christ. Eaten by fish: feeling threatened by the unconscious; threat of losing conscious or rational direction of life. Dead fish: non-expression of basic urges.
dolphin See dolphin, porpoise under . donkey See ass, donkey above.
fish See .
porpoise See dolphin, porpoise under .
sea lion See .
seal See seal under .
turtle See shellfish under . wolf Although the wolf can depict a feeling that “things” are out to get us, the wolf is often just fear. Fear is one of our instinctive reactions to situations, so is depicted by an animal. We may find ourselves a prisoner of such feelings. The wolf, as is suggested by such fairy stories as Red Riding Hood, also represents the female fear of powerful male sexuality; repressed sexuality or anger; emotions and drives you are frightened of.
When we decide to speak or move, unconscious physical and psychological impulses and processes produce the response. Fish often depict these deeply unconscious processes. The fish can therefore represent something arising from within that could be nourishing or threatening, depending on the dream. For instance, a person might allow feelings to emerge that had been held back. As the feelings flow, a new sense of self might be realized, and be depicted as a fish; the attitudes and urges we have in common with humanity—the collective unconscious—and the impulses or insights arising; sexual drive in connection with reproduction, the many little fishes being sperm. In this sense we are the fish that swam the incredible journey and grew into a human. The fish may be the wisdom we have not yet brought to consciousness, regarding our personal journey in time and eternity. Dead fish: nonexpression of basic urges. Eaten by fish: feeling threatened by irrational urges or emotions; threat of losing conscious or rational direction of life. Eating fish: integrating inner realizations; feeling connected with society and the world, as in communion. Fishing: creating a receptive state of mind that allows the deep insights or processes to become known; trying to find one’s connection with universal life; “fishing” for ideas; compliments or information; seeking intuition. Many little fish in round container: could be sperm, or depict becoming or wanting to become pregnant. crab The shell of brittle emotions we guard ourselves with; grasping or hurtful attitudes. Being nipped by crab: physical or psychosomatic pain, or even illness caused by being too tight or self-protective. dolphin, porpoise Because dolphins are wild creatures of the sea that actively develop a relationship with humans, they are often taken to represent the contact and relationship we have with the deeply unconscious natural forces within. Such dreams suggest life is not operating blindly, but reaches out to us if we reach out to it; powerful unconscious energies in us; conscious awareness of one’s link with all life; contact with the one life within all things. jellyfish Feelings arising from the unconscious that might be painful, sting the dreamer, bring a sense of helplessness/spinelessness, or are from a nonverbal level of memory. octopus Feeling trapped by the influence of one’s mother; dependence upon mother; one’s own possessiveness or desire to cling to someone in a relationship. Hadfield, in Dreams and Nightmares, says that a baby often seizes upon its mother’s breast with this feeling, so it may represent the desire to possess or devour others. The octopus can also symbolize any unconscious fear that may drag us into its realm of irrational terror, or any influence you fear will engulf you. seal As the seal can emerge from the water entirely and live on land, the seal is sometimes used to represent the emergence from the womb and the pleasures or difficulties of life as a “land animal” physically independent of its mother. This is especially so if it is a baby seal. It depicts the emergence into your conscious life of your deepest instincts and life energies—in Eastern terminology, the kundalini. Otherwise the possible meanings are much the same as dolphin, porpoise—see above. shark Fear of death; fear of the collective unconscious, or loss of self in the impersonal Whole or All; the power of the unconscious—so its protectiveness; someone who is a “shark,” or unscrupulous.