fandomhigh | Good Omens...And Bad: Prophecy in Theory and Practice, Class Five

Monday, October 2, First Period

Scones and cookies, tea and coffee, are set out on the table. Each student is given a packet of handouts as they enter.

"First, a bit of business. It would seem I am in need of a new TA to assist Miss Halliwell. If anyone thinks they might be interested, please see me after class. Now, today's lecture is on dream interpretation, which is probably one of the most common forms of divination. Everyone dreams, although not everyone dreams prophetically. However, for years psychologists and philosophers have looked to the symbols found in dreams to understand both the mortal mind and to look for insight into the future."

Lecture:
"First of all, there are a handful of common themes for dreams: Animals, Birds, Body Parts, Bugs, Characters, Colors, Feelings, Food, House, Numbers, and Places. Most of your dreams are going to include at least one of these themes. Additionally, there are six types of dreams that nearly everyone, at some point in his or her life, experiences. These are Naked, Chase, Teeth, Flying, Falling, and Exam. The interpretation of these common types is fairly universal to most people.

Moving on to the concept of prophetic dreams, we can look at the symbols, which some psychologists believe are shared through a collective consciousness, to predict things that might happen. This is the commonest sort of prophetic dream, far more likely to occur than a 'dream vision'. Although those happen as well, and I know for some of you, perhaps more frequently than most. What we'll do today is discuss possible interpretations for some of your dreams. And don't worry, you don't have to share the very personal ones. But I do hope you've all been keeping up with your dream journals, and have something you'd like to share for discussion."

Aziraphale indicated some of the handouts, which included two Dream Dictionaries.

"I want each of you to describe a dream you've had, it can be simple or silly or commonplace, and we'll pick out a symbol from your dream and interpret it for you. Also, you'll find in your handouts that I've given you a list of interesting facts about dreams."

Homework: "Next week we'll be reviewing the material we've covered thus far, so I want you to come prepared to ask questions. Following the review, there will be a short test."

Syllabus
Class Roster
Classes Linkdrop

[ooc: The Dream Dictionaries are not all inclusive, so you may have to be creative in how you look things up. ~~For instance, neither offers an interpretation for 'giant lobsters'. Don't ask.~~

~~Please wait for~~ OCD threads are up. May be SP until evening EDT.]

[ooc #2: And now, in the correct location. *headdesks*]

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Falling. A big, gaping rip in reality. Bright blue. Her sister, running past her and diving into space. A beautiful, perfect swan dive, her hair streaming behind her as she fell through the blue and falling to Earth.

Dawn fidgeted. "What if we don't remember our dreams?"

"You should be able to remember one or two, if you've been keeping up with your dream journal," Aziraphale pointed out. "It doesn't have to be an epic dream, Miss Summers. Even the seemingly mundane or silly ones are acceptable."

Dawn took a deep breath and hoped Bridge wouldn't pick up on anything weird. Heck, with this assignment, even Dean and Sam might.

"It's dark, and wet, and I'm trying to catch up with someone, but I never get there, and never even find out who I'm chasing. As soon as it feels like I'm getting somewhere, I wake up."

Aziraphale nodded. "Thank you, Miss Summers. Let's see what the class might make of your dream."

"Your dream means that you... have fears of accomplishing your goals, because you don't know what exactly you are achieving. And your deep hidden love of penguins is somehow involved, too."

Dawn was a little thrown by the accuracy of Joxer's interpretation. And not just because it was Joxer. "Well, it's not hidden any more, is it?"

"Penguins are kinda cute," Joxer admitted. "Don't know why you'd want to hide that."

"That sounds kind of like a dream I had a couple of weeks ago," Anders said. "Only a lot less bloody and . . . graphic."

"Yeah? What happened in yours?"

"I got separated from someone. Kind of painfully," Anders explained, his voice low. "I was trying to find them too, because it was important, only I didn't really know who exactly this person was. And right before I woke up I found them -- still didn't really know who exactly he or she or whatever was -- and all of a sudden they weren't there. Or weren't real. It's kind of vague at that point."

"Maybe you're worried about losing someone twice?" Dawn whispered back.

Anders nodded. "Or more than twice, if that's possible?"

"It's totally possible," Dawn said with a nod of her own. "I worry about that all the time."

"I'm kind of glad I'm not the only one," admitted Anders.

Dean had some good ideas what Dawn's dream was about, but wasn't sure if that was the kind of thing she'd want discussed in class so he went for the absurd instead.

"You're going to be a nearsighted cop who works the night shift in somewhere with a really long rainy season," he said.

Dawn was surprised into giggles. "Nearsighted? I'll get right on that."

"Or you chase invisible criminals. Either or."

"Not both?" Dawn squinted at him. "And how do you chase an invisible criminal?"

Sam had a good idea of what Dawn was getting at, but his first instinct was to try to make her feel better.

"Maybe you're worried that you're not as fast of a runner as your friends?" he suggested. Which is not necessarily true, I don't think."

"I'm not going to win the fifty-yard dash against them anytime soon," Dawn admitted. And, sometimes, the last one there got eaten.

"We can work on that, if you'd like," he offered.

"Okay. But I get a head start, because your legs are longer," she decided. "A lot longer."

Sam laughed. "I'll make sure I stick to a pace that'll keep us even. And you can totally have a head start."

"And no laughing when I run like a dork," Dawn ordered.

Sam put his hand over his heart like he was taking a pledge. "I promise, no laughing at all."

Re: Class Participation

lilpunkinbelly.livejournal.com - 2006-10-03 14:40 (UTC) - Expand