Bizarre Clown Dream... even for me. Thoughts?

[SweetSiren]

I rarely, rarely have nightmares. I hardly consider this a nightmare because it's not something I am consciously afraid of. But it did get my heart racing amidst the dream, so it's the closest thing to a nightmare I've experienced in a while. Also, if I have a dream I find particularly odd or out of my norm, then it is saying something I probably need to hear.


I had just got back from the library at night and I'm pulling out my keys as I head to my door. I look over, and there's someone dressed as a clown hacking away at my neighbors mailbox with an axe. I am immediately terrified, and as I fumble to get the door open, he charges at me. I make it into my house, and I stay there scared trying to figure out a way to catch him.

The next day rolls around, and somehow the word got out about my experience. The guy who was dressed as a clown was at my door (dressed normal), along with a group of people from the neighborhood. They tell me that he is doing good work and motivating the neighborhood. However many hacks he gives your mailbox is how many books he sees you reading. So if you're mailbox is obliterated... you're well-read. They looked at me like, "Duh!"
For a moment, I felt a bit silly for getting so scared. Then, I snapped back to reality and thought, "He walks around at night dressed as a clown... with an axe... HOW IS THIS NOT A GIANT RED FLAG?"


The most important part for me and what makes it stand out is the end of my dream. I typically just go with the flow of my dreams, no matter how absurd they are. But this time, I looked at its absurdity square in the face and said, "Noooo way." Could this just be I'm getting better at learning to lucid dream? It's not something I'm working on currently, but it usually happens when I see how absurd something is, like a key that gets me out of my normal dream state. This is different, though. I was wrapped up in how bizarre these people were and I was just dumbfounded by how trusting they were of this guy.

 

[celticnoodle]

I looked this up last night, when I first saw it, but never got around to posting about it. I would say that because you were first coming home from the library in your dream that it suggests you are searching for knowledge in some area. (your dreams, perhaps?)

Seeing this clown hacking away at the mailbox with an axe could indicate that possibly you see this knowledge in this area somewhat silly and perhaps you are unsure if it is something that you are also afraid of pursuing? Are you afraid that it could be something that may unleash some severe and troubling things in your life? A place you shouldn't go? Something that could be dangerous for you? I think this especially as you were fearful of that clown and didn't trust his actions, and he also came after you, with you barely escaping.

Then, having your neighbors come forward to tell you that it is all perfectly safe and that this clown is really a good person, you see the absurdity in this whole thing. You seem to overcome your fear of the unknown and more confident as a result of really 'seeing' what that clown was all about. So, I think your dream is telling you to listen to your inner feelings, your intuition and if anything at all seems dangerous or just ludicrous, then don't trust it and stay away from it.

A possible meaning for this dream in my opinion. I looked up all the key points of your dream in a dream dictionary. Hope it helps.

 

[danieljuk]

I wonder if you have personal issues with your neighbours, have they said anything to you or you heard gossip about you?

for me, you want to be seen by them as well read and intelligent. That is how you see yourself but maybe they don't see you that way! I am not sure what you think of clowns, if you don't see them as massively scary or have a phobia, they are a person who portrays our emotions (they are funny and comedic when not scary and terrifying in horror movies). The clown hacked away at their property, could this be an axe to grind with them or some sort of issue?

The clown was dressed as a clown and as a normal person, I think this is all about your identity and people's judgement! just my ideas

I don't think you can control or change what people think of you! just be yourself! it's their problem

 

[SweetSiren]

I looked this up last night, when I first saw it, but never got around to posting about it. I would say that because you were first coming home from the library in your dream that it suggests you are searching for knowledge in some area. (your dreams, perhaps?)

Seeing this clown hacking away at the mailbox with an axe could indicate that possibly you see this knowledge in this area somewhat silly and perhaps you are unsure if it is something that you are also afraid of pursuing? Are you afraid that it could be something that may unleash some severe and troubling things in your life? A place you shouldn't go? Something that could be dangerous for you? I think this especially as you were fearful of that clown and didn't trust his actions, and he also came after you, with you barely escaping.

Then, having your neighbors come forward to tell you that it is all perfectly safe and that this clown is really a good person, you see the absurdity in this whole thing. You seem to overcome your fear of the unknown and more confident as a result of really 'seeing' what that clown was all about. So, I think your dream is telling you to listen to your inner feelings, your intuition and if anything at all seems dangerous or just ludicrous, then don't trust it and stay away from it.

A possible meaning for this dream in my opinion. I looked up all the key points of your dream in a dream dictionary. Hope it helps.

Thank you. I think this dream is telling me to trust my gut. I'm not sure if it's about a specific event, like the pursuit of knowledge you mentioned, or just in general. I'm at this point where I see things very, very differently than everyone around me, and they keep telling me, "Well, if you're the only one seeing it, then it must be something wrong with you." But there's still that nagging feeling that this summation just doesn't fit. It isn't one specific thing, but a lot of things. I think this dream is simply begging me to trust myself and reminding me that people aren't going to like it, but that doesn't mean I'm wrong. I think I'm learning to not let people get in my head so easily.

 

[celticnoodle]

Thank you. I think this dream is telling me to trust my gut. I'm not sure if it's about a specific event, like the pursuit of knowledge you mentioned, or just in general. I'm at this point where I see things very, very differently than everyone around me, and they keep telling me, "Well, if you're the only one seeing it, then it must be something wrong with you." But there's still that nagging feeling that this summation just doesn't fit. It isn't one specific thing, but a lot of things. I think this dream is simply begging me to trust myself and reminding me that people aren't going to like it, but that doesn't mean I'm wrong. I think I'm learning to not let people get in my head so easily.

Y.W. and yes, I do agree with this. You are right. Trust yourself and don't worry about the others around you who may think differently. not always an easy task to do, but important to do so.

 

[MandMaud]

Reminds me of the bizarre dreams I used to have before I stopped having them... cool.

I kept thinking: why the clown suit? Why a clown suit at night but not in daylight? And putting that with the theory that characters in your dreams are aspects of yourself: Maybe you have a fear of appearing silly, with this knowledge which you pursue "in the dark" = in private.

from that I followed through looking at some more details. "hacking away at my neighbors mailbox with an axe." Maybe this knowledge (tarot etc) will give you access to OTHER people's business and you feel that's an intrusion, something you are, or ought to be, locked out of? Just as you have the key (in your hand, after/from the library)...

"They looked at me like, "Duh!"" Well, in our society it's bloomin' obvious that all this knowledge is a load of tosh, isn't it? Any danger - any reason to take it seriously and put care into the way you study it - is pointless.

I agree that the dream tells you to trust your judgment above received wisdom, and I'd add that it wants you to trust yourself above what the neighbours think (including colleagues / family n friends, etc- people who make up your social environment). I think the feeling of terror was supplied because your brain knows that having someone wielding an axe charge at you is scary - but that event in the "story" happened and the brain added the reaction after it saw how the plot was going, if that makes sense - and the emotion was strong because, yes, this dream needed to be remembered and thought about. And yes, I think you're getting better at lucid dreaming. Some of my early lucidity was simply thinking ahead, becoming aware that the plot was heading towards something scary and deciding I didn't feel like having that dream, deciding on a more pleasant story-ending and then dreaming that instead.

I still think it was a cool dream! I miss the elaborate story-dreams of my youth. Determined I'll get back there sooner or later.

 

[SweetSiren]

Reminds me of the bizarre dreams I used to have before I stopped having them... cool.

I kept thinking: why the clown suit? Why a clown suit at night but not in daylight? And putting that with the theory that characters in your dreams are aspects of yourself: Maybe you have a fear of appearing silly, with this knowledge which you pursue "in the dark" = in private.

from that I followed through looking at some more details. "hacking away at my neighbors mailbox with an axe." Maybe this knowledge (tarot etc) will give you access to OTHER people's business and you feel that's an intrusion, something you are, or ought to be, locked out of? Just as you have the key (in your hand, after/from the library)...

"They looked at me like, "Duh!"" Well, in our society it's bloomin' obvious that all this knowledge is a load of tosh, isn't it? Any danger - any reason to take it seriously and put care into the way you study it - is pointless.

I agree that the dream tells you to trust your judgment above received wisdom, and I'd add that it wants you to trust yourself above what the neighbours think (including colleagues / family n friends, etc- people who make up your social environment). I think the feeling of terror was supplied because your brain knows that having someone wielding an axe charge at you is scary - but that event in the "story" happened and the brain added the reaction after it saw how the plot was going, if that makes sense - and the emotion was strong because, yes, this dream needed to be remembered and thought about. And yes, I think you're getting better at lucid dreaming. Some of my early lucidity was simply thinking ahead, becoming aware that the plot was heading towards something scary and deciding I didn't feel like having that dream, deciding on a more pleasant story-ending and then dreaming that instead.

I still think it was a cool dream! I miss the elaborate story-dreams of my youth. Determined I'll get back there sooner or later.

Very interesting for you to point out the different boundaries. Other people's mailboxes... even though you don't need a key to intrude (at least in my neighborhood), you just don't. Someone is not just going through them, but destroying them. Maniacally. I have a key that opens or fortifies my personal boundaries. I think there's something to those symbols.

I have been thinking a lot about boundaries, now that I reflect. About mine, about others'. I think that clown is an aspect of me... the part of me that doesn't like to monitor or hold back. Sometimes I think I act inappropriately or childishly, I think I shouldn't be too odd, and perhaps that is symbolized by my different reactions to the clown. The other people in my dream, another aspect of me (perhaps a representation of my purely objective self, a source we can only connect with through dreams)- they're working as counselors/mediators of this dilemma, as if to say, "Hey, it's ok. Stop fighting with yourself about it. You're the only one who thinks you're bizarre and doesn't appreciate you for who you are. You're different; don't be afraid to be who you are (accept the clown like everyone else does)."

This reminds me of another dream. Very different, but I think the meaning is the same (I was with someone I enjoyed being with, but I was afraid to take him with me into the "real" world). I think my dreams are trying to get me to a place of complete self acceptance.
Dreams are so cool.

 

[MandMaud]

I have been thinking a lot about boundaries, now that I reflect. About mine, about others'. I think that clown is an aspect of me... the part of me that doesn't like to monitor or hold back. Sometimes I think I act inappropriately or childishly, I think I shouldn't be too odd, and perhaps that is symbolized by my different reactions to the clown. The other people in my dream, another aspect of me (perhaps a representation of my purely objective self, a source we can only connect with through dreams)- they're working as counselors/mediators of this dilemma, as if to say, "Hey, it's ok. Stop fighting with yourself about it. You're the only one who thinks you're bizarre and doesn't appreciate you for who you are. You're different; don't be afraid to be who you are (accept the clown like everyone else does)."

This reminds me of another dream. Very different, but I think the meaning is the same (I was with someone I enjoyed being with, but I was afraid to take him with me into the "real" world). I think my dreams are trying to get me to a place of complete self acceptance.

That does sound like the same message. You're in a stage of real self-discovery by the sounds of it. and doing well at it.

Your "barriers" are similar to my own - being the odd one, being unaccepted/unacceptable; "coming out" as someone who's into all this weird-n-wacky stuff.

Dreams are so cool.

Absolutely!