This document discusses how dreams can be understood as occurring in five different "theatres" or levels of the psyche. It describes each theatre - the ego, persona, shadow, animus/anima, and self - and provides examples of common symbols and themes that appear in dreams from each theatre. The purpose of dreams is to guide individuals towards wholeness, health, and psychological freedom by making the unconscious conscious. Understanding dreams through this framework can help people gain insight into themselves and continue evolving psychologically.

1. DREAM THEATRESDREAM THEATRES
OF THE SOULOF THE SOUL
Dr. Jean Benedict RaffaDr. Jean Benedict Raffa
www.souljourney.netwww.souljourney.net

2. Within each one of usWithin each one of us
there is anotherthere is another
whom we do not know.whom we do not know.
[S]He speaks to us in dreams.[S]He speaks to us in dreams.
Carl JungCarl Jung

3. Understanding Your DreamsUnderstanding Your Dreams
 Your dreams are dramas created just for you.Your dreams are dramas created just for you.
 They show you the truth about yourself.They show you the truth about yourself.
 Their purpose is to guide you to health andTheir purpose is to guide you to health and
wholeness.wholeness.
 Every dream has many layers of meaning.Every dream has many layers of meaning.
 Even fragments of dreams can contain importantEven fragments of dreams can contain important
information.information.

4. The Five Dream TheatresThe Five Dream Theatres
EgoEgo
PersonaPersona
ShadowShadow
Animus/AnimaAnimus/Anima
SelfSelf

5. Theatre of the EgoTheatre of the Ego
Our ego is our organ of consciousness.Our ego is our organ of consciousness.
Ego dreams are about our conscious orientationEgo dreams are about our conscious orientation
to life and our relationship to the unconscious.to life and our relationship to the unconscious.
Common symbols, themes, and images:Common symbols, themes, and images:
– Personal growthPersonal growth (birth, change, problems, death)(birth, change, problems, death)
– Ego’s way of moving through lifeEgo’s way of moving through life (traveling, being too(traveling, being too
busy, striving, hiding, being afraid, taking risks)busy, striving, hiding, being afraid, taking risks)
– Ego’s relationship to instinctsEgo’s relationship to instincts (animals)(animals)
– Ego’s relationship to emotionsEgo’s relationship to emotions (strong feelings, powerful(strong feelings, powerful
natural events)natural events)
– Ego’s relationship to the rest of the psycheEgo’s relationship to the rest of the psyche (houses,(houses,
unknown characters, etc.)unknown characters, etc.)

6. Theatre of the Persona
Our persona is a filter our ego creates to
mediate between our inner and outer
worlds.
Persona dreams are about our personality,
social image, and social concerns.
Common symbols, themes, and images:
Clothes, masks, costumes, makeup, being
naked in public
Public places where appearances are important
(hotels, country clubs, spas, resorts, parties)
Performance anxiety (being in a play, taking a
test, missing a class, worries about pleasing,
impressing, or disappointing others)

7. Theatre of the ShadowTheatre of the Shadow
 Our shadow is a composite of all our unknown,Our shadow is a composite of all our unknown,
repressed, disowned qualities.repressed, disowned qualities.
 Shadow dreams feature disliked or fearedShadow dreams feature disliked or feared
people, places, objects, experiences, andpeople, places, objects, experiences, and
personal qualities.personal qualities.
 Common symbols, themes, and images:Common symbols, themes, and images:
 Our ego’s fear of our shadowOur ego’s fear of our shadow (being afraid, running(being afraid, running
away, hating, avoiding, hiding, killing)away, hating, avoiding, hiding, killing)
 Our ego’s acceptance of the shadowOur ego’s acceptance of the shadow (confronting or(confronting or
befriending something that scares or disgusts us)befriending something that scares or disgusts us)
 Night; darkness; garbage; junk; scary people, places,Night; darkness; garbage; junk; scary people, places,
and situations; witches; vampires; dangerous animalsand situations; witches; vampires; dangerous animals

8. Theatre of the Animus
and Anima
• The animus/anima is our unconscious
contrasexual opposite.
• Our dream ego’s relationships with people
of the opposite gender indicate how well
we accept and honor our whole selves.
• Common symbols, themes, and images:
• People, known or unknown, of the opposite sex
• A negative, undifferentiated animus/anima
(fearing, hating, or being ill-treated by a person
or people of the opposite sex)
• A positive animus/anima (being attracted to,
fascinated by, befriending, or making love to
someone of the opposite sex)

9. Theatre of the SelfTheatre of the Self
• The Self is the center and circumference of our
psyche.
• Self dreams depict our psycho-spiritual status.
• Common symbols, themes, and images:
– Unusual, wise children or elders
– Symbols suggesting pattern, wholeness, union,
centrality, love, the life-giving force
– Psycho-spiritual issues (obstacles to climbing, fear of
heights, feeling alienated)
– Psycho-spiritual maturity (full participation in
meaningful ceremonies, rituals or events; lucid
dreams; levitation; androgyny)

10. To be psychologically free is to beTo be psychologically free is to be
confident in our own inner world,confident in our own inner world,
responsible for our own strengths and weaknesses,responsible for our own strengths and weaknesses,
consciously loving ourselves and, therefore,consciously loving ourselves and, therefore,
able to love others.able to love others.
Dreams guide us in that direction,Dreams guide us in that direction,
However crooked the path may be.However crooked the path may be.
Marion WoodmanMarion Woodman

11. One does not become enlightened byOne does not become enlightened by
imagining figures of light, but byimagining figures of light, but by
making the darkness conscious.making the darkness conscious.
Carl JungCarl Jung

12. Dreams are pathways to anDreams are pathways to an
evolving consciousness.evolving consciousness.

13. The beginning………The beginning………