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September/October 2007 Cosmic
Dreamspeak: Your Dream House

by Toko-pa Turner

I dream I am in a house that seems unsturdy. I am on the second floor while the lower level is being worked on. I am walking with some caution. The kitchen looks big and very nice, some furniture here and there. At one point my cousin and I are laying on a bed chit chatting and I feel like the bed is going to fall through the floor. I keep telling her, "You know we should go downstairs."
- Karina

If you've ever formed an opinion about someone's character by the condition of their home, you'll understand how the houses in our dreams tell us a great deal about where we're at in waking life. Most everyone wants to live somewhere safe, clean and roomy because it reflects that we are in good health and well-being.

Toko-pa Turner

When interpreting the status of your own dream-house, you can understand each of the rooms as aspects of your personality by their function, as well as noticing what level of your house the dream occurs on.

In this Karina's dream house, there is a feeling of unsturdiness on the second floor. This is the level of the bedroom, the realm of intimate relationship. In her case, Karina tends to get involved in unreliable romances which fall through at the expense of her foundations. The bottom floor is our grounding in the world. For Karina, this is where the real work needs to be done - around issues of security like career, financial independence and physical health. Once she stabilizes her footing, she may attract a more solid relationship.

While attics are where we store forgotten things - memories and secrets belonging to the family - basements are the dominion of the unconscious, the place from which fear, desire and hidden power arises. In horror movies we say, "Don't go into the basement!" In dreamwork we say, "It's all about getting down, baby!"

The most private of all the rooms, the bathroom is where we strip down to our naked truth. It is where we process the things we've digested, express our held-in emotions and wash away the accumulations of daily life. In the early stages of dreamwork, many people have overflowing toilet dreams because of how overwhelming process-work can feel.

The kitchen is the alchemical center of the house. It is the hub where raw materials are transformed into nourishment for the self and others. It is where we create and provide for our family and enjoy the fruits of our labor.

If you are in a period of transition, your dream might take place in a hallway or hotel. You might find yourself in a closet if you're hiding skeletons. Stairs might represent a developmental hurdle in your life, while doors are opportunities, taken or refused. If you dream of discovering new rooms, you are finding out how big you really are.

What does your dream house look like? Maybe it holds a clue as to what area of your life needs a bit more work, and where your secret powers are hiding. If you really want to know what's what, I recommend taking a flashlight into your basement first.

Toko-pa Turner is a columnist and founder of the Dream School, located in Nelson, British Columbia. As well as being widely published, Toko-pa has been interviewed by BBC radio and CNN on the subject of dreams. To arrange a private dream reading or learn more about dreams, www.herownroom.com.