Dream Interpretation: Corpse

by Shinelle S
(Wellington)

Visitor's Dream: 'Last night I had a very strange dream. I was a younger version of myself, a student, and on an excursion with a bunch of other young people. The excursion was to a something like a funeral home, where a young woman demonstrated how to do something with a corpse. It was not an autopsy, but it was something like putting a stencil over the corpse and then tracing these lines in a certain way over the whole body.

After we all had a go working on the same corpse, the instructor told us that she usually did this job in the nude for ease of movement and also so that the smells in the room didn't get absorbed into her clothing. She said she had done so many of these that she was completely at ease with it - and didn't even think anymore about being naked whilst doing it.

On the way back to campus in the bus, the discussion centred around doing this job in the nude and especially the girls, including me felt strong resistance to it. One girl said that it was bad enough to work with a corpse, but having to do it in the nude meant she had to start dieting and working out as well. Someone else attacked her for saying that, and I said it was the combination that I found offputting ~ firstly having to work with a corpse AND doing it in the nude. Someone else asked if I would do it for a few years for a lot of money so that I could retire afterwards and I still thought it was too much of an ask.

The feeling I had in the dream was a strong aversion. I couldn't understand how someone could be so at ease with something that I found so unacceptable.'




Comments for
Dream Interpretation: Corpse

Click here to add your own comments

.
by: John

Hi,
can you tell me if the instructor was nude while you were present? Also, did you actually see the corpse? if so, was it male or female and how old was the deceased?
J
Corpse
by: Anonymous

Hi John,

The instructor was fully clothed and she was relaxed in telling us about the procedure, but professional. The corpse was on a table / slab in front of us and its face was visible as we could see the lines that everyone drew on its face through the stencil. However, it was impossible to see its age or whether it was male or female. No hair for example, just the face. It was almost like a skeleton but with skin over it. I can't remember seeing much of the body - maybe the chest. Thinking about it now, it must have been male then.

Shinelle
.
by: John

Hey,
this dream seems to me to be about morals. That is, you may be experiencing a conflict about what to do in a certain situation in waking life. There might be a circumstance whereby you don't know which way to go. You being a student in your dream suggests you are in need of teaching/direction/guidance with this. The corpse I am not too certain on. However, the tracing of it may indicate a desire to have the process afforded you in a template so as you know what to do. There also seems to be a moral conflict in the dream toward the end whereby one girl is only concerned about self-image and not what YOU have issue with i.e. working with a corpse as well as the nudity issue.
It also seems as though the dream indicates your awareness of your gender whereby you note none of the males had as strong resistance. Again, the dream appears to be affording the message about morality, however with a sexuality and gender twist.
I believe this dream may fall into what Freud defined as wish fulfilment. That is, you may have a strong desire to engage in something that goes completely against your principles but your personal ethics will not allow you to go there.
Let me know what you think.
J
.
by: Shinelle

Hi John,

This is very interesting. You've given me a lot to think about. I'm wondering if the corpse could have something to do with the past - you know, it's dead and gone. And maybe learning from the past, but needing a template and instruction as you suggested.

I'm amazed at how much we can learn from our dreams. Thanx for the work you're doing!
.
by: John

Yes Shinelle, most definitely could be symbolic of the past. Does the rest of what I wrote ring true at all? Because it's just the foundation to work on to get to the true meaning.
I see you are from Wellington (NZ?), I was born in Napier.
J

Click here to add your own comments

Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How?
Simply click here to return to Share your Dream!




Free Dream Interpretation Service