Strange Dream Vignettes

Lately I have had a series of very short dreams, I'll call them dream vignettes. The one I remember from last night: I was in the Bishop's Office. He and I were discussing a potential call to another parish. I was asking him his opinion on whether he thought that church was really viable. He was not too optimistic. (This is a fictional church, I am not in any searches at the moment). In the room with us were his two big dogs, German Shepherd like and a Rottweiler-like. One of my dogs was with us as well, the Viszla). The dogs were curled up sleeping, each ignoring or unaware of the others. My dog was offering her usual "fragrant" gas to the environment, an after effect of eating grass....(yes, in this dream I was conscious of odor, pungent odor)....

We then began to speak about the church I currently work for. Somehow we moved from sitting on chairs to sitting on the floor. This was less formal, the kind of casual sitting one does with friends....I asked him he thought my current church, which is growing modestly and slowly, were viable. He was not too optimistic about this one either. He's main comment, neither church is or will pay you enough. (Ok, that comes from a conversation I had with my accountant...but I digress)...

Then the dogs started to sniff each other and one of them, the Rottweiler-like started to get aggressive with my Viszla, who responded in kind. I try to be the "pack leader" ala "Dog Whisperer" and gain control. But I am too afraid to be strong. So, I pull the dog out of the office and we leave via an elevator.

Suddenly I am on on public transportation bus, heading home. My dog is with me, and so is my daughter, only she is about two, not 19. We are watching a mother with a young baby wrapped in a snugli like carrier. I say to my daughter, "I use to carry you around in something like that."

Then we are home and somehow the Bishop's dog is at my door, but not the Bishop. His dog is after my dog, but this time I manage to gain some control and be the pack leader. No one is hurt, although it was very tense for awhile there...


I once witnessed a vicious dog attack. A Rottweiler lunged after a small poodle and locked it in his teeth. This was at seminary and involved two students. My kids played with the Rot, regularly. I was just returning from walking my dog when it happened. I put dog inside. We were able, eventually, to extract the poodle but the damage had been done. It was awful. Now, I have to work really hard when ever threatening dogs come around my dogs. I do not want a dog fight.

But, this dream is about more than dogs...I'll have to ponder it a bit and see what surfaces. I see the Jungian on Thursday, we will have three of these vignettes to discuss...