The Dream Book of Self-Knowledge

Wedding

  • an important symbol on the path to self-improvement; through the figure of the bride and groom the life of the dream girl (maiden) – emotional anima – or woman – instinctual anima – merges with the figure of the dream man (virgin) – emotional animus or man – instinctual animus so that the divided emotional or instinctual anima – animus components can unify in a symbolic wedding ceremony; we can then recognize based on the bride's traits on which level of experience (instinctual or emotional) the unification is located and which level of experience the dreamer is reaching; a condition for a successful unification on the emotional level is an understanding of the aspects of emotional anima and emotional animus; only in this way is a person secure from the usual fall to the instinctual level of experience and is allowed to ascend to the spiritual level of experience; a condition for a successful unification on the instinctual level is understanding the aspects of the instinctual anima and instinctual animus without the presence of sex; see Anima – Animus archetype.
  • wedding dreams usually foretell the actual unification of emotional components of the psyche that appear in dreams in various forms with the bride and groom no longer present.
  • wedding dress: in the unconscious and in dreams this is a symbol of virginity and purity linked to light, knowledge and wisdom, but only on an emotional level of experience.
  • breaking a dish during a wedding ceremony: the dreamer is relinquishing past or future sexual relationships in favor of the experienced state of a unified mind (usually on an emotional level).
  • wedding reception: like other instinctual symbols (e.g. food, mushrooms, vessels, phallic objects) they degrade a dream with a bride or groom on the instinctual level of experience.
  • the dreamer's attempt to marry a princess (or prince): symbolizes the unconscious desire to join with the spiritual anima or spiritual animus; such dreams often appear at the start of the spiritual path when the dreamer tries to free himself from these shackles of earthly life.
  • the marriage of a prince and princess: a unifying act in the spiritual mind; the unification of the spiritual anima with the spiritual animus is a precursor to understanding the indivisible unity of being over all antitheses.