Cave

Caves in dreams are nearly always thresholds into the unconscious. Plato’s cave, Mithraic initiation caves, the caves of Tibetan Buddhist retreat — the cave is where one goes to be remade. Jung described the cave dream as an encounter with the Great Mother in her womb aspect: you enter not to hide but to be re-formed. What is inside the cave matters enormously. Water speaks of emotional depths, darkness of the unknown, treasure of the Self, a monster of the shadow still to be integrated. Notice whether you enter willingly, are drawn in, or are pursued into the cave. The mode of entry tells you which kind of initiation is underway.