Analysis for Constance, 14 April 2000

This is how you described the room:

The room is very warm. There is a huge four-poster bed made of rich oak. The comforter is a rich burgundy color and there are a ton of pillows. There is an ornate, somewhat oriental rug on the floor. The paintings on the wall are straight from literary classics and of course there is a huge bookshelf full of old volumes of the greatest in British, French, and Russian literature. The sun is streaming through the window and there is a big dresser that matches the bed in the corner.

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 (40.83%). The depth of description tells us that the subject has strong memories of childhood (27.09%).

You wanted to stay in the room.

The subject did not want to grow up.

This is how you described the forest:

It is a fairly thick forest, but there is a nice trail to follow. It is a warm day and the sun is shining, but the trees block much of it until I enter a clearing where the sun is brilliant. There are wild flowers a little stream of fresh water, and little animals scurrying about.

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 (28.26%). Tall trees imply that the adults had a strong influence on the subject (53.91%).

This is how you described the path:

It is fairly easy to follow. You can tell where it is and it is narrow, but manageable.

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 (60.38%). The lack of evidence of fellow travelers suggests strong feelings of isolation at that time (58.08%). The visibility of the path tells us that the subject had a good idea of what to expect from adolescence (53.24%). A narrow path suggests that the subject had limited options for emotional growth at this time (66.47%).

This is how you described the water:

It is a natural stream that is about 10 feet wide. The bottom is lines with big, smooth rocks. The water is cool, but very refreshing. In most areas it is about 10 inches deep.

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 (88.88%). The movement of the water suggests a normal, average if somewhat playful sex drive (31.50%).

When you came to the water, you crossed it.

The subject is open to new sexual experiences.

This is how you described the cup:

It is an ancient clay jar. Sandy brown in color with a chip in the side. You can tell it's been there for a very long time.

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 left the cup behind.

The subject is not interested in marriage.

This is how you described the key:

It is an old looking key. All rusty and large. It is the key to a hidden passage found in some old ruins that lie ahead. In the passage is found the treasures of a family that lived long ago.

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 (45.81%). Having the key open a house, car, or other commonplace use tells us that the subject has no extraordinary expectations about a career (54.77%).

You avoided the bear.

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

When you came to the wall, you tried to go around it.

The wall represents death: by trying to walk around it, the subject shows an acknowledgment of death, but also a need for an alternative to its finality, such as an afterlife or reincarnation.