Now that I have attempted to analyze a few of my own dreams, I thought I would take a look at the dreams of the character Santiago in "The Alchemist" by Paulo Coelho. The story centers around the journey of a young shepherd who goes on a journey to the pyramids in search of buried treasure there. On his journey he learns about the power of alchemy, the interconnectedness of the world, and the power of following ones purpose.
He describes one of his dreams as follows, "I dreamed that I was in a field with my sheep, when a child appeared and began to play with the animals. I don't like people to do that, because the sheep are afraid of strangers. But children always seem to be able to play with them without frightening them. I don't know why. I don't know how animals know the age of human beings...the child went on playing with my sheep for quite a while. And suddenly, the child took me by both hands and transported me to the Egyptian pyramids. Then, at the Egyptian pyramids the child said to me 'If you come here, you will find a hidden treasure' and just as she was about to show me the exact location, I woke up. Both times."(Coelho 15-16)
The child is acting as a guide for Santiago. The archetypal child represents innocence and hope; the childlike space within us. The child in the dream is a part of Santiago, he is choosing to follow his heart and seek his treasure (treasure being his true happiness). He doesn't want the child to play with his animals because he is afraid of losing the life he already has as a shepherd. He does not find the exact location of the buried treasure because the treasure at the pyramids is not physical, it is a new and greater understanding. The pyramids are a symbol of the long journey he is embarking on, but the real journey is happening inside of him so the location is irrelevant.
http://www.jewelpedia.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Pieter_Bruegel_the_Elder_-_The_Alchemist.jpg
No comments:
Post a Comment