Analysis for Tony Scully, 22 February 1999

This is how you described the room:

Musty, becurtained with dust-starred scarlet drapes where a thin sliver of sunlight comes through. It's early morning, six or seven or so, neutrally warm with the warmth of the body that had slept here. I have a blanket wrapped around me but am fully clothed in old jeans, grandpa shirt. I am also wearing my spectacles. I feel tired but don't think a hangover is involved. The room is furnished in an Edwardian plush, unfortunately, but there is a comfortable feel to it that might be shattered if I pulled the curtains back, so I stay put for a while. I wish there were something to eat.

The initial room is the subject’s childhood. What interests us here is the general atmosphere of the room, in addition to the level of furnishings described by the subject. This comfortable room suggests a childhood that was pleasant (40.64%). The depth of description tells us that the subject has strong memories of childhood (27.35%).

You wanted to stay in the room.

The subject did not want to grow up.

This is how you described the forest:

It's a lush green deciduous forest, late Spring, Ireland or Wales. Green with rain that has fallen often but isn't falling at present. It's still early morning, there's a light cloud cover through the treetops but the promise of warmth and sunshine later. The trees are close together but there is still comfortable room to swing my arms. I wonder where the room has gone, but reflect that the forest is after all a fine place to be. The air is good.

The forest is growing up, and the trees are those adults with whom the subject interacted at that time. A semi-dark forest tells us that the subject felt somewhat oppressed by the attention the adults gave (28.08%). Tall trees imply that the adults had a strong influence on the subject (54.38%).

This is how you described the path:

The way through the woods is a natural path between the trees which often hid it. It seems more to have evolved from the tracks of animals and, yes, people, although it's difficult to see what sort of footprints have been made since they were muddied and mixed together by the last rains. The suggestion is that not too many people have come by this way, but enough to maintain the pathiness of the path. I tend to have to step from side to side to follow the path as the trees tend to fuddle the way. It's tricky to see very far ahead, but I'm not too pressed to do so.

Adolescence is represented by the path through the forest. That the path is free of obstructions indicates that the subject had no problems during adolescence (60.42%). The lack of evidence of fellow travelers suggests strong feelings of isolation at that time (57.97%). The visibility of the path tells us that the subject had a good idea of what to expect from adolescence (53.40%). A narrow path suggests that the subject had limited options for emotional growth at this time (67.90%).

This is how you described the water:

It is a brook which ran to a low overhang (about one metre high) and now dribbles over this overhang into a small pool from where it flows on into the sedge of the forest floor. The stream after the pool is not very visible, not deep, and is so mixed up with the vegetation that it would be tricky to stop yourself from walking in it, although this would not be too problematic. The water from the stream and in the pool is cool, clear, drinkable and I drink it. The pool itself has red traces of iron oxides on the moss and stone around it. The whole thing is natural, but has probably been kept visible by the animals and people who have thankfully drunk from it over the years.

The water is the subject’s sexuality. What interests us here is the clarity of the water (representing attitude) and its movement (representing libido). Clear water tells us that the subject has no issues regarding sex (88.53%). The movement of the water suggests a normal, average if somewhat playful sex drive (31.23%).

When you came to the water, you went around it.

The subject is not interested in new sexual experiences.

This is how you described the cup:

It's a kuksa, a Finnish wooden drinking vessel. It's made from a parasitical plant which grows from trees, a light wood which absorbs the taste of the drink which is put into it. This kuksa has been used for drinking red wine, as the inside is reddened a rich, browny red. The kuksa is uncarved, smooth but there are the marks from constant use on the rim, on one side (the user was left-handed. I am left-handed, by the way). I am fond of kuksas, so I take it with me.

The vessel, or specifically the practicality of the vessel, is how the subject approaches marriage or bonding. A practical container indicates that the subject is pragmatic when it comes to questions of marriage (63.03%).

You took the cup and filled it.

The subject is interested in marriage, and sex will be a significant part of that relationship.

This is how you described the key:

It is a plain key, Victorian or earlier. Three loops mark the handle. The metal is silver but tarnished from its long stay on the forest floor. The grey key was almost unnoticeable, but I stepped on it. Looking around I see that there is a nail embedded in a tree near the path, and I assume that the key was originally there. I debate hanging this unadorned key on the nail, but being quite acquisitive I take it with me, less from motives of opening a door with it than from the fact that I'm also rather fond of keys. I have no concept of what this key could unlock. It could be anything from a door to a chest or a cupboard. I would tend towards something big and heavy, of old oak.

The key is the ideal career for the subject. What interests us here is how the key appears (representing how others view the career) and what it may open (representing the subject’s goals for the career). Old-fashioned keys suggest that the subject desires a traditional career (46.06%). Having the key open a house, car, or other commonplace use tells us that the subject has no extraordinary expectations about a career (52.47%).

You avoided the bear.

In a crisis, the subject prefers the indirect, non-confrontational approach.

When you came to the wall, you jumped over it.

The wall represents death: by jumping over it, the subject not only acknowledges death but has come to accept its finality.