I had a dream last night that I was going into a park known for having animals you can adopt roaming around.  A man would bring in whatever animals needed to be adopted and let people interact with them as they sat in the park reading or whatever.  I walked to the park entrance where the guy let people in and explained the rules and such when I saw next to him was this HUGE house cat.  When I say huge, I’m talking the cat when sitting next to the man was as tall as the man.

WOW!

He assured us they were big but just regular house cats and let us go on our way into the park.

We chose a place to sit and read. The grass was lush and a bit tall, and the cats were lounging in the sun, hiding in the grass, and just being cats.  One came up behind me and headbutted me (just like a cat does when it wants attention), so I turned to find myself face to face with this giant cat that looked like he had a mane. It was like he had a lion cut.  I scritched him behind the ears and he plopped down next to me, rolling in the sun, wanting more scritches as he started to nap.  I look up and my companion had also been claimed by another cat.  This one insisted on laying across his lap just like a cat would do – except, this was a huge cat.  They were gentle and docile and just overgrown cats.

And I was in awe….awe that these cats were really just gentle giants – and I got to interact and pet one.  Then I wondered how I could take it home. Maggie would like a kitty.

I bought that image last night at the art show I curate at a local club. Clearly it left an impression – and was meant to be.  I thought when I awoke that it was simply a dream created around that image being in my head when I fell asleep.

Until I looked up what a lion or cat in a dream meant.  I wanted to know if my psyche was trying to tell me something – as it usually is when I have such vivid dreams.

It was.

The large size symbolizes authority and power. Cats symbolize independent spirit, feminine sexuality, creativity, and power.  And Lions symbolize great strength, courage, aggression and power.  They also symbolize overcoming some great emotional difficulties. Parks symbolize an escape from reality – a place of renewal, meditation and spirituality.  The grass suggests there is a part of oneself you can always rely on – it can also symbolize natural protection.

A few days ago, I had a huge melt down.  It was due to a lot of things, but one thing triggered it – something that would elicited more of a “well fuck ’em” attitude in the past, but with everything else, just cause me to melt down.  I was frustrated and I was done and I was pissed and I was, well, feeling I was at the end of my rope – like I cannot escape certain scenarios. And I wondered why.

I got through it with the help of SB.  He talked me down, loved me lots, and understood. I felt better the next day – clearly all that had bottled up throughout the week just needed out.

Now I look at that dream, and I feel reinforced. That I am strong, that I can overcome, that I can be renewed and I have the power especially over the situations and the people creating them. While I knew that from a intellectual standpoint,  the dream clearly was telling me I believed is deep inside as well.

It’s funny how drawn I felt myself to that picture yesterday. I almost didn’t buy it – but it spoke to me.  Clearly, intuitively, I knew why I needed it.

I just needed the dream to spell it out for me.