DreamCast: Traveling in Afghanistan

I had a powerful dream last night. I was traveling in Afghanistan (my husband and I were there years ago). I was traveling with him and our daughter, who passed away in a car crash five years ago when she was 16. We were in high forested mountains about to cross a border when he turned to the back seat to make sure our bags were in order, and as he turned back to the wheel I felt us flying through the air into many trees on a steep slope. The green truck (we had a green van at the time) tumbled down and finally crashed into treetops. Next, our daughter and I were in a lodge and some trekking people (Bedouins, maybe) came up the hill and said what a terrible accident they’d just seen and the man at the wheel was dead, as he wasn’t wearing a helmet. The dream was vivid with color and I woke up and listened to make sure my husband was still breathing. I had mixed feelings about the accident, as I was devastated that I lost my husband, but amazed and thrilled to have my daughter back, appearing about 10 years old. I’d like to know what this all might mean.

Nancy in St. Augustine, Florida

Greetings Nancy,

Traveling in a dream can symbolize moving through an issue you’re dealing with. In your case, it may have to do with the death of your daughter. The first thing I’d like to know is how you feel about Afghanistan, which is at the heart of your dream. In my view, it’s an untamed, dangerous place, but you may not feel the same way because you’ve traveled there before. Grief can certainly be untamed and seemingly dangerous. In any case, the dream shows you in a dangerous situation, about to cross a border. The border is another important symbol and indicates a turning point in your life. How are you and your husband doing regarding your loss? Do you feel he’s still stuck somewhere on the road to healing? Perhaps you feel you’ve lost a part of him, hence his death in your dream. He wanted everything to be “in order,” (checking on your bags), indicating a practical frame of mind, but this caused the crash. Another clue: Crashing into the treetops may indicate intellectualizing the grieving process. The lack of a helmet indicates a lack of protection, perhaps from negative thoughts. The trekking people, as you called them, represent your “trek” toward healing. There are different levels of healing over the death of a loved one. Perhaps it’s time to reevaluate where you both are in your grief, and how you can take your healing to the next level. Hope this helps!

Sweet dreams,
Cortney