Night of Oct. 15th/16th 2012

Dreamt I'm in a salon to get my hair cut. Hair dressers were busy with clients already. I asked one if she would take me without appointment. She hesitated, being distracted with her current task. Finally, she dismissed me saying she already booked her two clients for the day [sounded like a laid back job that you only have to deal with three clients for the day]. Another customer walked in and, somehow, instead of being serviced, I agreed to help out by tending to the walk-in. [I have never been or considered being a hair dresser, but have gone to get my hair cut before.]

The customer had straight, light brown hair, a thin face, caucasian. She was wanting a trim only. I fumbled awhile to get situated at the nearest chair and station. Asked the main gal if shampoo and conditioner were complimentary. She hesitated to answer again. Taking too long to decide and seeming agitated at my repeatedly bothering her, I decided for her. I gave her a free wash.

She undid a braid she was making while she waited for me to begin [hair didn't originally seem long enough to hold a braid; it unnoticably extended. This is an example of accomodating circumstance, where original images or parameters change to accomodate the situation, suggesting the dream reacts to the host dreamer's choices.]. I set the chair so she leaned back, again having difficulty finding the levers and lining her up to the small built in tub on the back of the chair for washing. My vision and coordination, my ability to process felt inhibited, like I was drunk. The dream visuals were having difficulty catching up to what I wanted to do [clue about being trained; learning to freely maneuver and control my dream body, and call to knowing things I need to know to progress in the dream and eventually in waking reality?]. But I was determined to prove I could do what I set out to. I made up for my fumbling by giving her a relaxing hair wash [what I imagine a hair cut to be more about:  pampering; the scalp is very sensitive to touch and play]. She sighed in satisfaction.

Don't remember actually doing the cutting, but she was suddenly done and I was sweeping up hair. The main dresser was content enough with my help to offer me a job, since they apparently needed an extra hand. Felt proud I had landed a job through an irregular channel for today's economy (without a paper or electronic application process). This aspect of the dream was odd to me because I do not feel inclined to search for a job outside of my field (psychology, counseling and writing).

Next scene I remember, I am eating lunch outside the school in a small enclosed courtyard with a gal a few years younger than me [was she the one who's hair I cut?]. I asked her what she does for a living. She said she works as an assistant in a trailer park and sarcastically expressed enjoyment for the position. "Where would you like to work?" I offered. She always wanted to work in some in-door, higher end fast food restaurant that had a nice exterior and worked with fresh food. I told her that her homework for the week was to get an application for that place. "Just go in for a coffee or something and ask while you're up there if you could also get an application." [Did someone else dream of me here? Was I acting as what they would deem a spirit guide? Are the guides in our dreams the interacting consciousness' of real people? Can we possibly help one another in our sleep? There has been little evidence of this. When I have asked people I have dreamt about if they also dreamt of me or if what I saw were relevant to their life at that moment, they usually said 'no.' Could be they don't remember.]

Someone came outside from the school a few yards away to say break was over. I went back in through that door into a school hallway that might be lined with lockers. There were large windows at the end of the hall, tile or linoleum floor, lights lining the ceiling maybe (it was bright somehow). Turned a corner following a line of children into a classroom. I was in a school for fifth graders [which I stated during the dream], but whom looked more like preschoolers. I sat in the back of the classroom in center at a small table and chairs with a male. Questioned him about the age of the others. His age was closer to mine, which I said to be 24-25, and he was a few years younger. Not sure what topics were discussed.. history I think. I felt like an outsider, a visitor to the class. I was called out on for saying the answer for the other students (which the lecture must have mainly been for), and for mumbling answers to questions not directed at me. I was asked to speak up and direct my comment to the class. Embarrassed, I hesitated at first, but then sufficiently explained why what he was saying was inaccurate.

Analysis: Maybe this entire dream is insignificant, as perhaps any dreams may be, but I have had a few classroom based ones recently. Could be that I've been out of school for a couple years now and miss the familiarity of it, or, and I know this sounds crazy, is my consciousness being imported for training into another body while I sleep? I want to believe I am multitasking a secret, greater purpose beneath my physical life. I believe I am part of a grander scheme and not wasting my skills and potential stuck in the job of full-time mom. Not that I do not love my son, appreciate being able to monitor his development closely and spend time with him, but I feel a calling to be doing more than what finances and obligations allow.