[hiddeng3nius]

When I was a child, I used to have this dream where I would be at a social setting like a classroom or the playground and I would spot someone who is either sitting or playing by themselves and try to join them. I try making small talk to initiate some type of communication but the person would always ignore me. I'd still play next to them but not really with them.

Then out of no where everyone instinctively gets up to run. Though I question why everyone is running, I have enough sense to get up and run too. As soon as I start running, an invisible force starts trying to pull me back like a vortex. I start pleading for help to the last person I was sitting with and sometimes he/she reluctantly helps other times I get helplessly sucked in.

I don't remember when I stopped getting them. And it seems to be 50/50 in terms of the outcome but the general setting is the same. I thought it was weird that I would get such a dream at a young age. I've interpreted it as being reflective of my loneliness. I've always had issues connecting with people.

Does anyone else have input on what it could mean?

[flipchart]

Hm, I hope I can be of some help though I've never experienced such a dream myself. First of all I find it exceptional that you remember your childhood dreams and also so vividly.
I think your interpretation already hits the nail on its head as the inability to connect to others is very striking. Btw, how did it feel not being able to play with the ignorant guys?
The problem for you starts when the invisible force enters the dream. Before that life was lonely but peaceful. I see the force not just negatively though of course it is threatening. The good side is that it helps you to get into further contact with the others. It's life and death, and they cannot ignore you again. Facing this force together should also increase the chance of getting closer to the others as in times of trouble we are supposed to reach out our hands to help. And in 50% of the cases your wish was fulfilled though reluctantly. So this force was a good force as it helped you to be seen by the others in 50% of the cases.

I think this dream showed that you felt unable to draw attention to yourself as a kid. Something every child needs in particular from the parents. In cooperation with the force you were able to stir up those usually unperturbed by your presence.

Hope this doesn't sound too absurd and helps to shed some light on the dream.

[hiddeng3nius]

Thanks for your input flipchart!

This dream along with the classic "teeth keeps falling out" are the only two dreams I remember very well from childhood.

The thing is, the force doesn't draw attention to me from the kids. In fact, it's pulling me further away while everyone else runs to safety. It's always a last minute thing that the child who ignored me (should the ending be that he/she saved me) chooses to save me. Kind of like "ugh, fine. I'll help you but you should have been running with everyone else."

The problem doesn't really start with the invisible force, it starts in the beginning. It's like I'm literally on the outside looking in. I'm looking at all these children with playmates. I guess I'm too shy to just join a group so I spot the one playing by his/herself. When I go and try to talk with them, they ignore me like it's a universal rule that you don't talk to the lonely kid looking for someone else to play with. But I sit and play by the only child anyway.

It's as if everyone knows the rules of a)running away when the force shows up and b) don't talk to the outsider. You are partially right about wanting attention as a child. I've always felt "less cute" than other kids and I never felt as appreciated by my parents in comparison to other kids and their parents.

[Thunder Bow]

The Force you experience is your own deep inner self, you are being drawn back into your real self from your childish behaviour, ie. running from your self, and the other feelings you mentioned above. The loss of teeth also indicates maturing, ie. lossing your "Baby Teeth".

Work on self intergration.

[hiddeng3nius]

@Thunder Bow. This interpretation would make sense if I was having it in my adult years. But this was a recurring dream in my childhood. When I was child, I just wanted to be acknowledged, I barely had a grasp of "self" to feel like I was running away from it.

I'm starting to think that the force is symbolic of the disconnect I feel with socializing with people or maybe an omen that this is my future fate- never having connected with anyone at all.

[Thunder Bow]

A child does have a "Self". The dream is still important for you at present time. In the dream you are indeed reaching out to others, thus you want connection. In this modern world the kind of connection you are seeking is not aways available, and maybe true in your growing up family situation as well.

[hiddeng3nius]

No doubt, the dream still has meaning even today even if I haven't dreamed it in the longest. Nothing symbolizes my issues with socializing more than that dream.