Introducing: Daniel Love

Last week, we launched our Trouserless Nightmare campaign. The film portrays an infamous and common nightmare of being trouserless, which many of us have had at some point in our lives. It’s widely considered that these dreams come from a subconscious sense of vulnerability. Of being somehow unprotected.

To celebrate the launch of the Trouserless Nightmare, we’ve enlisted the help of internationally recognised lucid dreaming author and consciousness researcher, Daniel Love. Once a week for the next month, Daniel will be analysing your trouserless nightmares here on the blog.

“In each of us lives a poet, philosopher, and scientist – each offering unique and equally valuable perspectives towards existence.” 

Daniel has been exploring the wonders of the psyche and alternative states of consciousness for over two decades, dedicating his life to the promotion and education of lucid dreaming and personal psychological exploration. 


Dreamer: Dear Daniel,

I have a recurring dream, I’m on a train, on my own, it’s on an old train and the conductor comes into my carriage, asks to punch my ticket, its then i realise i have no trousers on, I wake every time as he walks closer with the ticket puncher.

– Anthony Keaton

Daniel: Dear Anthony,

As with any of the trails, hikes or explorations of an active Craghopper, our dreams should be considered as an adventure into the wilderness, the wild and untamed landscape of the mind.

Unlike the physical world, the inner-universe of Dreamland is entirely subjective; each dream is as unique as the dreamer. Dreams are built from the storehouse of our memories and are as novel as the mind in which they are forged. So, when interpreting a dream, it is important to note that the final “expert” on the meaning of any dream must be the dreamer.

That said, we humans share commonalities, certain archetypes, and assumptions that are almost universal. So, consider my words a guide, a starting point from which to explore your own psychology further.

Dreams involving public transport such as trains, planes and buses are an incredibly common nocturnal theme. If one works with the assumption that dreams contain a hidden message and speak in a form of poetic, metaphorical language, a train would represent an aspect of your life in which your destination is defined; a fixed journey or path through life; one moving you towards an inevitable conclusion. Bear in mind that this is a journey in which you are a passenger, you are being delivered to your destination through agreement, rather than actively sitting in the driver’s seat.

The social aspect of this form of transport is also important to note; while in this dream you appear to be alone, the implication is that this journey is one that may be shared or is regularly undertaken by others. This likely represents a form of social obligation, such as a marriage, relationship, one’s career, education, or a promise that has been made.

The antiquated appearance of the train suggests that this dream does not relate to a new set of circumstances, rather, it relates to a long-term process or direction, a situation that has been brewing for some time.

Of course, the ‘trouserless nightmare’, is a classic hallmark of vulnerability, of ‘bearing all’. This suggests that whichever life-journey you are currently undertaking has its roots deeply embedded in the psychology of your self-worth, especially in regards to how you are perceived by others. Essentially, you feel exposed, unprepared and that your guard is down.

Finally, notice that this vulnerability becomes apparent at exactly the point in which you are asked to confirm your commitment to the journey. It is the punching of the ticket, representing your acceptance and ownership of the path, that instills a fear and shock strong enough to wake you. An emotion this strong is certainly worthy of attention. Therefore, I would suggest that you take a good look at any long-term plans or arrangements in your life, especially those which you feel unprepared or unwilling to face. Perhaps you need to reconsider your direction, is this a path that still suits your needs? Alternatively, you may simply need to invest a little more energy in preparation, taking the time to come to terms with that which is on the horizon.

One thing is clear, this dream is asking you to avoid burying your head in the sand and to face any commitments head-on.

Additionally, you could also learn to lucid dream, allowing you to become awake and aware within your dreams. Such a skill offers you the ability to control your dreaming adventures, offering the option to ask the dream, from within the dream, to explain its symbolism. For a comprehensive guide on developing this skill, pick up a copy of “Are You Dreaming?”.

For a chance to have your trouserless nightmares analysed by Daniel, submit your dream to community@craghoppers.com either anonymously or publicly – whichever you feel most comfortable with!

 

 

 

 

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