Analysis for Chris, 13 January 2001

This is how you described the room:

the room is warm, that pleasant warmth you get with an electric blanket on a cold day, or a cup of hot chocolate and a warm fuzzy blanket... as for the furnishings and decorations, the walls are kinda a warm soft pale beige color, the sills and door frames are stark white, theres a couple of pictures guys in sports gear on the walls and a poster or two of guys in bondage.. theres sports gear (hockey equipment) strewn about the floor from a late night game, theres a high wingback solid oak & leather chair in the corner beside a students desk covered in paperwork and a laptop computer. its a hardwood floor, with area rugs covering the main parts of the traffic ways. The closet door can't close because of the dirty laundry pilled in the corner, and the wetsuits sticking out. Theres a black wire 5point tiffany chandelier hanging from the ceiling, but one of the bulbs is burnt out.. The big picture window in the south side has the curtains partially drawn, the fabric is a heavy damask to keep out the cold winter air. but despite the disorderly state of the room, theres no dust on the floor or cobwebs in the corners.. overall a cheery room to wake up in.

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 (41.10%). The depth of description tells us that the subject has strong memories of childhood (27.95%).

You wanted to stay in the room.

The subject did not want to grow up.

This is how you described the forest:

it's daylight, but everything is in a kind of omnipresent glory, even the littlest sapling has a glow about it that makes me feel like i could stay there all day, but also that I'd move along to see what other wonders were in store for me along the trail. the Underbrush is densely packed, but the taller trees are sparse, at least sparse enough to let me see where I'm going. theres Mostly maples and a few ancient oaks, i think i see a mighty Redwood off in the distance but can't be certain as to the mist that hangs in the air infused with refracted sunlight...

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 (27.79%). Tall trees imply that the adults had a strong influence on the subject (54.57%). The distant redwood is interesting: could it represent a parental ideal of which the subject felt denied? Possibly it could represent someone else's parent or guardian.

This is how you described the path:

the path while strewn with forest detritus, is relatively easy to navigate, there's only the occasional point where i have to make my own path because of a fallen tree too big to climb over. the first part of the path is readily visible having been trodden by dozens of pairs of feet over the years, but because the trail is so long and areas are beyond normal pleasure walking, it quickly shrinks to a narrow path, and not much beyond, maybe by a hundred yards or so, it almost disappears completely except for the trail markers.

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 (60.47%). The lack of evidence of fellow travelers suggests strong feelings of isolation at that time (57.65%). The visibility of the path tells us that the subject had a good idea of what to expect from adolescence (54.06%). A narrow path suggests that the subject had limited options for emotional growth at this time (66.17%). Note that the subject mentions that the trail is heavily used at the beginning but tapers off, as if the parental support was originally strong but waned quickly.

This is how you described the water:

having reached the undiscovered end of the trail, i am presented with the most awe inspiring, totally intimidating waterfall and stream/river, anyone has ever seen. the waterfall reaches a height of over 80 feet and as the water falls it turns to a mist that keeps the surrounding vegetation a deep lush verdant green. the little pond at the bottom has a couple of gold fish swimming in its crystal clear temperate waters. Beauty this splendid could only have been made by God.

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 (32.25%). It is interesting to note that the waterfall is at the end of the trail—showing a strong belief that a definite maturity must be achieved before engaging in sexual relations

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:

I arrive at the other side, and see, strangely enough, i see what looks like an Urn from ancient Greece on, yes... a low rising stone pillar next to the bank. the urn itself looks ancient with its pictures of dancing ladies and reclining lords consuming grapes from the hands of nubile slaves, but when i pick it up and look at it closer, i see theres an inscription on it. I can't make it out as i don't read Latin, but I get the impression it says something like, "Beware: this urn while beautiful has a power unknown to mortal man. Drink from it and behold the power of God."

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 (63.33%). The inscription is very curious indeed: perhaps the subject expects spiritual guidance in questions about marriage?

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:

Upon warily taking a sip from the cup, i look down just beyond the pedestal and see a glint of what looks like rusted iron. I walk around to the back and bend down to pick it up. it's heavier than it looks, must have some lead content or else why so heavy? it doesn't look like a normal key that you'd use to unlock a house door or the standard lock. it kinda looks like an old skeleton key from days gone by. you know, the ones they'd use to lock castle gates or a grand entrance hall doors with. theres details in the scribing and images on the shaft and head that makes me think it might be something special like a hope chest or treasury vault. but its hard to tell what with the lack of buildings around....

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 (45.57%). Having the key open a house, car, or other commonplace use tells us that the subject has no extraordinary expectations about a career (53.11%). More interesting is the hypothetic purposes: unlocking castles normally indicates a desire for power over others, while unlocking treasure vaults suggest that the subject seeks financial gain. The hope chest, being more intimate, suggests that the subject views the career as a gateway to better self-understanding. The lack of commitment to a potential purpose indicates that the subject has not yet decided on the ultimate career goal.