Square Forest and Places of Captivity
Original Source ↗I was surprised to discover that the forest or park in my dreams is always divided into square sections. The division occurs due to clearings or roads; the sections are quite large – miles by miles. Sometimes these are merely paths, but the division is significant. I might enter the forest simply to walk, live in nature, or flee from someone. But sooner or later, a narrative begins where I need to escape to another part of the forest from certain pursuers who come from outside the forest. I believe they won't find me in the denser, wilder part of the forest. The forest already feels like home to me, not something temporary where I came to rest. Usually, in such dreams, I walk many miles. I have the impression that whenever I enter a forest or park, if I stay there long enough and venture into less civilized areas, it starts to acquire this structure of division into squares (or rectangles), where someone is capturing me (is reborn?).
Another dream that resonates with these: I was, again, fleeing from someone through a forest that gradually turned into impassable jungles in some of its squares, while in others there were monolithic buildings, each occupying the area of a single block. I really didn't want to enter the buildings, as I knew they housed the empire of some tyrannical ruler, who was allied with my pursuers (incidentally, my pursuers are always representatives of an advanced civilization – police or similar). I tried to force my way through the thickets, but they became too dense, and I realized I wouldn't be able to escape at that speed. I entered the building. Inside, there was a series of connecting rooms, highly comfortable and well-furnished, but with low ceilings (i.e., far from a palace). There were some clerks; some rooms were occupied by this ruler's harem. I struggled through these rooms, hindered by furniture, rags lying on the floor, etc. However, I managed to find an exit from this building because I had a good mental map of its "square" structure. (Incidentally, a harem or a sadistic research institute has also appeared in other dreams. I was held captive there, but nothing (knock on wood!!) was done to me (or they didn't have time?), I only languished there, awaiting something unpleasant, but always successfully escaped. They never stuck anything into my palate. When I escaped, the first landscape was almost always a road with something stone around it – either a concrete fence wall, or walls of houses without windows or doors, or something else where one couldn't turn off or hide. I had to run a long stretch of road at the limit of my strength, which was very exhausting. But then I would emerge into a city with public transport – and that was the start of a dream on a different theme. Moreover, sometimes I would return to that ill-fated place with stronger companions to retrieve something from there. As a rule, the "ruler" or "head" of this "establishment" had already lost such great power, or had fled, or was absent.
Honestly, I wouldn't say that all these dreams are about the same object. But there are common features here, which is why I'm combining them.
I had another type of place of captivity in my dreams. It was always surrounded by water – most often, a wide moat or a river, though I think there was a sea once too. Escaping from there was always a great problem, requiring cunning plans and great dexterity. And often I would flee from there in the company of several (usually three) people – although sometimes alone, but then we would prepare the escape together. The escape would be an adventure; I enjoyed it and even repeated this dream several times. :) After the escape, the landscape was also different – there was no "stone" road and dryness (the first place was always dry, often sunny and hot, while the second was often overcast or night or had a light rain), but usually immediately a city or something "normal." The first place was where they wanted to capture and hold me, while the second threatened execution or something similar. True, it never came to that. The second place never connected with the park or the forest.
I've had very pleasant dreams with a forest – but there I never strayed far from civilization (like some kind of tourist base). Incidentally, the forest divided into squares is always flat – i.e., never on hills. If I dream that I'm in a forest on a hillside, the narratives there are completely different – I always come out to a large body of water (a lake, a bay), walk there, and then take a long journey home from my distant stroll. Everything is quite pleasant.
A frequent separator of dreams is a railway line. Usually, crossing the tracks requires a lot of effort, and after that, a different narrative begins on the other side. Sometimes, instead of crossing to the other side, I try to catch a certain electric train – I have to run, I get tired. Sometimes I succeed, and then the narrative continues with the journey. Sometimes I'm late, and then I have to wait for another. I always travel in the same direction – towards a big city. On either side of the railway there is often – on one side a small town where I don't go beyond the station, and on the other – nature. This is either the forest that later turns out to be divided into squares, or a forest on a slope descending to water.
Generally, it seems all roads in dreams act as separators of what you call "Perception Bubbles."
Excuse my long letter; I got carried away. :) I actually wanted to ask if you have encountered the division of a forest into squares? And generally, can you comment on the rest as well? :) This division surprised me greatly, especially since in life I perceive forests completely differently and don't wander through thickets divided by clearings. :)
Wanderer's Comment
Honestly, I don't recall squares in the forest, but it's not impossible – I only remember one place where a path runs along its edge, with branches at right angles, though I believe they aren't straight. However, my forest on a hill also always descends to water (a river, a lake) – and it's an auspicious forest, usually sunny. And the same situation applies to the railway line.