Dream Symbol:
Oblivion
Carl Jung's Interpretation:
In the celebrated perspective of pioneering psychoanalyst Carl Jung, oblivion is not just forgetfulness but a profound journey into the unconscious, where the persona dissolves, granting access to the collective unconscious - the psychic inheritance of all humankind. Jung might suggest that encountering oblivion in dreams signifies a deep transformation process, tightly interwoven with the archetypal experience of death and rebirth; it is a stage of individuation, where one abandons their former self to give life to a more authentic version of their personality.
James Hillman's Interpretation:
James Hillman, a post-Jungian scholar given to soulful and imaginative considerations of dreams, would reason oblivion differently. He would see oblivion less as a threatening or harsh nullification, and more as an invitation to depth, to the 'underworld'. For him, dreams of oblivion might express the soul's need to retreat from the external, unforgiving bombardment of the objective world, and to immerse into a more subjective, imaginal realm where one can cultivate richer insights and emerge with a renewed sense of identity and purpose.
Classical Interpretation:
Classically, oblivion is indicative of loss, depletion, and cataclysmic change. The dreamer may be wrestling with feelings of fear, confusion, and powerlessness. But therein also lies the opportunity for growth and liberation, as the old gives way to the new.
Ancient Greek Interpretation:
In Ancient Greek thought, oblivion, or 'Λήθη' (Lēthē), was a river in Hades, the underworld. Those who drank of its water experienced complete forgetfulness. Symbolically, it could suggest an invitation to let go of past hurts, grudges, or memories that impede personal progress and maturity.
Morphology:
Oblivion, as a symbol, is amorphous and endless, mirroring the infinite realm of the unconscious mind. It often takes on the shape of abysses, black holes, or limitless voids in dreams, embodying the obscured aspects of the self and the inherent human fear of the unknown.
Similar Symbols
- void
- abyss
- black hole
- darkness
- amnesia
- river lethe
Opposite Symbols
- enlightenment
- consciousness
- birth
- recollection
- river mnemosyne (memory)
Curious what your dreams mean? Explore other Dream Symbols