What's up with the roo?

Dearest Dr. Jung,

I’ve never written to you before but perhaps you know, I’m a big fan of your work. However, I’m not writing to you due to some kind of sublimated desire to be a sycophantic bitch boy. But rather, to share with you the most interesting dream I had about a week ago. So strange (and surreal) in fact it kicked me out of R.E.M. feeling most befuddled and bemused.

In the dream, I was standing in the lobby of my condo building getting my mail. As I turned to return back to my apartment I noticed something strange in the parking lot. A kangaroo. I blinked and looked again as I could barely believe what I was seeing. I then thought to myself (in the dream) I need to get a photo of this. No one will ever believe that there was a kangaroo in my parking lot.

I continued to turn up the stairs to head back to may apartment to retrieve my digital camera when I noticed the kangaroo was showing signs of scurrying away. I then decided to use the camera in my cell phone to snap a quick photo. As I opened the front door, descended the steps of the front stoop, I looked up to see two amphibious vehicles pulling into the parking lot very much like one sees in various cities that are used for “duck tours”.  I found this to be a wee bit strange as my buildings certainly don’t rate high enough on any scale of interest, intrigue or otherwise to be part of a tour.

I was a tad bit flabbergasted. As the vehicles pulled around through the front part of the parking lot of my buildings and passed in front of me everyone was waving and cheering as they went by. It was then I woke up.

It was the middle of the night, therefore I didn’t write the dream down right away. However, it lingered with me the next morning and I wrote it down in a dream journal I keep. As part of that process, I became ever curious as to what the symbolism of kangaroos might be and found the following information on a website devoted to shamanism.

Kangaroo, Power Animal, Symbol of Balance and Strength

By Ina Woolcott

Kangaroo’s medicine includes leaping away from bad situations, creating a safe home environment, protection of the young, ability to adapt to new situations, strength, stamina, balance

Kangaroo’s are herbivorous. They reside throughout Australia, Tasmania and New Guinea. Kangaroos have powerful, long hind legs and feet for leaping and jumping with. Their long tails thicken at the base to help them balance. Each of their hind feet has 4 toes, this number represents foundations. If the kangaroo leaps into your life, you are being asked to assess the foundation on which stand, your beliefs and actions. If there have been things preventing you from fulfilling your wishes and dreams, then take a big leap over these hindrances.

The kangaroos’ feet symbolize many things. Through the feet the body makes the essential contact with the earth plane. The muscular control of the feet keep the balance in the body. Feet represent the part of the individual most closely related to the material plane of manifestation. From the kangaroo we can learn to balance our physical existence with our spiritual knowledge. Foot and leg problems can occur when this is out of balance. Kangaroo people are excellent movement therapists and reflexologists.

When being hunted, kangaroos are very fast and hop effortlessly to safety, without a moments thought of where they are going, instead they use their instinct to guide them. For us humans, there is a great lesson to be learned from this – instead of thinking about every single most minute step we take in great detail, instead we too must let our instincts guide us.

Kangaroos have a chambered stomach, which works in much the same way as cattle and sheep. They regurgitate what they have eaten, then chew it as cud after which it is swallowed for final digestion. Kangaroo people’s digestive and eliminatory systems are very sensitive. You must pay your tummy due attention, chewing food thoroughly and eating plenty of herbs.

Kangaroos are extremely focused beings, with their energy fields tightly woven around them with no room for distractions. If this is your power animal you must keep your personal energy fields clear of external influence so that you remain centered and focused.

If kangaroo hops into your life, prepare for adventure and change. You are being called upon to leap into the unknown without fear, remember, the kangaroo only ever moves forwards, not backwards. The kangaroo will teach you how to balance the creative energies necessary to complete tasks, you will be given the strength, stamina and power needed.¹

I had to chuckle as the night before I’d written an email to my mother expressing to her how unhappy I am with my current living situation. That I’ve come to realize the best thing for me to do is fix the damage in my apartment, sell it, and move on. I have far too many negative memories and associations with the place that I don’t think I can live here much longer without it seriously taking its toll on me emotionally.

It’s just disheartening in many ways, as I was so excited when I purchased this apartment and thought I’d found a home I might be able to keep and reside in for years to come. Regretfully it appears that is not to be the reality.

The reality is however that it’s time for me to gather my strength and find a new place to call  home. A place where I can once again feel safe and secure. Maybe the folks that were cheering as they passed by in my dream were cheering me on toward that goal?

Please pass along my regards to Dr. Freud.