Sandtray Therapy Class-Dream Analysis, Student #1

by Graduate Sand Tray Therapy Student
(Atlanta, Ga.)

This sand tray for sand tray therapy class was difficult for me because I do not remember my dreams. This week I did notice I was dreaming as I woke, intentionally trying to remember, though it was difficult for me to remember more than the main theme or ending of the dream. So, when I made my tray I did so in a way that I typically do using characters I am drawn to for many of my trays. While I do not have sensory memories to describe or a specific story in my tray, I decided to interpret the characters/miniatures using my own perceptions then the symbols dictionary.

Typically, the characters sitting together, the child and adult are both my daughter and myself as well as myself and my grandmother. Another perspective is that it is my protector self sitting near my innocent and somewhat naive self with potential. My daughter is also the small puppy, showing innocence and youth. The bird is usually my oldest son who carries wisdom and music and connection across boundaries, the communicator.

The playful young wolf has competing forces within, wanting to be playful and innocent but fighting the nature within him, also protective of himself and loving toward family but wary of the outside world and a predator when necessary. The kangaroo is my loving and dear, sweet, kind, giving mother and also the part of me that is deeply valued and most connected in the present moment and in my family with my own children, a safe haven, protective and always giving of the self. The horses are both the same and competing, trying to work together and know one another but sometimes having difficulty seeing one another's perspective, a symbol of my husband and our marriage.

In the sand tray therapy symbols dictionary, these are the translations most appealing to me respective of these miniatures:
child-innocence, natural simplicity, spontaneity, unaggressive, innocent, pure, angelic
puppy-companion, bridge to death/paradise, intermediaries, guardian
bird-spiritual state, travelers, workings of imagination, distraction, diversion, fate, immortality, communication
young wolf-can see in the dark, power of light of heaven, strength, protection,
kangaroo-creative, endurance, traveller
horse-child of darkness, carrier of death and life, destructive yet triumphant powers of fire and nurturing yet suffocating powers of water, unconscious psychosis

Overall, the child represents innocence, peacefulness and possibility or potential of goodness, the puppy a present companion, bird the spiritual state of understanding and imagination, the kangaroo endurance and strength, the horse darkness and triumph as well as nurture.

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