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JOAP 6(1):55-67 (1961)

Analysis of Patients Who Meet the Problems of the First Half of Life in the Second

Author: I. Jay Dunn

Initial Dream

Two years ago I saw a patient who came to me because his counsellor planned to leave town for an extended trip. Both the counsellor and the patient knew about Dr. Jung's work, and the patient arrived with two large, well-filled notebooks to prove how faithfully he had worked on his unconscious. One book was crammed full of paintings and the other contained dreams, visions, and anima dialogues that covered a span of eighteen months.

This man was in his early forties, and his chief complaint, when we met, was that “nothing happened”. In spite of all his careful and devoted work on himself, he felt untouched. The following initial dream was brought up at our first meeting. He presented it together with his written associations.

“I am on a high land near the ocean. It is a rocky coast, and the slope between me and the water is strewn with huge boulders jutting high. The way to the water is not easy, but possible.
There are a few others scattered about, like parties having a picnic. They are along the top of the crest and on a few flat areas down the slope. Some are beginning to leave. There are also two or three young fellows. I am not a part of any group and am not on good terms with these fellows.
Now most of the others have gone, possibly because of the approaching rain. I want to go down to the sea in spite of the rain. This is what I came for. The young fellows have already been down there, and they know the terrain well. Therefore, they are not too concerned with going now. They prepare to leave, too, but they seem to hang around in the distance for a while. I feel they think my wanting to go down there is foolhardy.
I start wending my way down. Not straight down, but at times parallel to the shore, heading north. Soon I come to an empty shelter.
Page 55
S. is there. I continue on. Now I feel that the venture will take a long time. When I get to the water, I will keep on going into the ocean. I come to another landing on the hillside. It is not much further to th

JOAP 6(1):55-67 (1961)

Analysis of Patients Who Meet the Problems of the First Half of Life in the Second

Author: I. Jay Dunn

Initial Dream

“I am on a high land near the ocean. It is a rocky coast, and the slope between me and the water is strewn with huge boulders jutting high. The way to the water is not easy, but possible.
There are a few others scattered about, like parties having a picnic. They are along the top of the crest and on a few flat areas down the slope. Some are beginning to leave. There are also two or three young fellows. I am not a part of any group and am not on good terms with these fellows.
Now most of the others have gone, possibly because of the approaching rain. I want to go down to the sea in spite of the rain. This is what I came for. The young fellows have already been down there, and they know the terrain well. Therefore, they are not too concerned with going now. They prepare to leave, too, but they seem to hang around in the distance for a while. I feel they think my wanting to go down there is foolhardy.
I start wending my way down. Not straight down, but at times parallel to the shore, heading north. Soon I come to an empty shelter.
Page 55
S. is there. I continue on. Now I feel that the venture will take a long time. When I get to the water, I will keep on going into the ocean. I come to another landing on the hillside. It is not much further to th