I’m walking home from what seems like a party. I’m alone. I’m in the back streets of Hurstbridge. It’s dark and it’s night time. I feel confused. Am I drunk? There’s a feeling that I’m being evasive - not wanting to be seen in this state. It’s not likely I will be anyway.

I step out over the nature strip - a shortcut I’ve chosen rather than the driveway. The ground is a little wet, muddy. I have to mind my step. Then I’m out onto the open road.

And so I begin the inevitable trek home. There’s a small hilly area to climb. I have to step over and tackle it - in order to push on. As I do so, I become increasingly awake to my environment. Yes. I’m waking up - lucidity gradually takes hold.

The way does not become easier though. Instead new natural obstacles form. At first I find this frustrating, but the voice of a woman reassures me - speaking into the dream, as though there with me, but also from a distance. She reminds me that this testing is a good thing - the physical work and concentration involved in negotiating my way through this terrain is actually helpful.

“Usually we start with our needs and then come back to our bodies”

“If we start with our bodies, then we can come to know our real needs”.

The words make alot of sense - I listen in, still conscious of her voice and observing presence in the dream. I begin to enjoy the challenge - taking the walk back more slowly - wondering to myself about what will happen if I wake up. I get the sense that this journey is an ongoing one - if I “fall out” of lucidity, I’ll come back to this same place - continuing the walk home.

The woman continues to talk to me. I see an image of feet. All white - as though they’ve been sitting in a bath for too long.

“As little kids we tear them up”.

I can imagine myself as a child again - playing with the soft, white, skin.. Playing - perhaps too much, the skin getting all teared up.

As the dream ends, I hear some words of which I make less sense.

“Nails are ok”.
“Wheels are ok”.

Comments: So yeh this was an interesting dream - it all takes place in the ‘shadow district’ of my dream map. This place - the back streets of Hurstbridge - is a place that always had some aspect of mystery when I grew up. It was a place I wouldn’t venture past very frequently.

The feeling of “not wanting to be seen” could relate to things I’m ashamed of, and do not want to share. Walking home alone in the night, along the bushy road home - is an experience which was definitely familiar to me during the years 17-22.

I like how in this dream I took with a certain interest to the task of walking home slowly. I didn’t feel a need to get to any particular destination. It felt like I was honing my skills.

This dream theme of healing to do with feet has been an ongoing one over recent weeks. I should probably reenter the dreams and learn more. That message about the body and needs is one I see as a key communication from the dream.

I can’t make sense of the last bit though - “nails are ok”, “wheels are ok”. It didn’t have the same clarity as the earlier things I heard.