Pain
Physical
Pain in dreams is an interesting phenomenon. Sometimes, a peculiar sleeping position becomes the trigger event for a painful dream. It's the body's way of saying, Hey stupid, roll over. However, the ability of the brain to produce physical stimuli that match the dream event is an amazing thing. It makes dreams that are emotionally realistic even more real.
Many times, the pain sensation is related to a particular facet of body awareness or relationship disparity. Nowhere is this more apparent than in dreams of injury, infection, and amputation where physical sensations accompany visual images. Try to recall where the pain was centered, and relate that body part to aspects of your life that are applicable.
Was the pain caused by you, another person, or an object? Was it caused purposefully, or by accident? Did the pain feel so great as though it may lead to amputation, or was it merely a nuisance?
Psychological
In dreams, we are often faced with dilemmas that create a lot of anxiety for the dreamer. Some of the things we do not know directly in our self-awareness are unknown because the trauma of unmediated awareness would be devastating. If dreams cause psychological pain, it should be treated much the same way as physical pain.
Does it hurt enough to get help, or just a little bit when precipitated by peculiar actions? How often does it occur, and is it staying the same or getting worse? Does it interfere with daily routines because the lingering pain is so troubling? Do you feel you have enough knowledge and resources to treat the pain yourself, or does it feel as if the pain has deep roots in your life? Depending on how you answer these questions, you may wish to seek professional help dealing with the psychological pain of dream events.
Crying
Weeping in dreams is not at all unusual. This is often because of the emotional power carried by the images and persons you are encountering. Weeping in the dream is generally separate from actual physical tears forming. It is more often that weepy feeling you get in your heart when a particularly moving scene is played out before you. The best advice is always to go with the dream. Emotional releases and revelations can have a very cleaning effect on the psyche and should be embraced whenever possible. However, you should try to determine the trigger event that caused the emotion.
Did someone else make you cry directly? Were you crying for a particular reason, or was it for a general emotional release? Did the tears make you feel ultimately better or worse?
Anima / Animus
These are terms that Jung created to describe the opposite-gender self that lives within each of us. The anima is the feminine component dwelling inside a male's unconscious mind. The animus is the masculine component dwelling inside a female's unconscious mind.
In dreams, this opposite-gender self can be a helper or an antagonist. These dream figures can appear as translations of persons we meet with whom we have a tremendous sense of romantic love or platonic camaraderie. One of Jung's interpreters held that the anima/animus character was only understandable to those who have known true love.
However, our opposite-gender selves may reveal to us negativity in ourselves or negativity we perceive in dealings with the opposite sex. It is important to note that sometimes, when you dream about a person of the opposite sex, they may be representing your own inner self. Carefully consider all persons of the opposite sex in your dreams as a possible appearance of your own anima / animus.
What do these strangers teach you about how you view the opposite sex-do you fear, lust for, or despise these strangers for any apparent reason?
