Soulsnatchers: A dark side of loving

15 Nov

Written By Quinn

Is it a sign? But which one am I? I can imagine that many would assume this is a vision from a nightmare, and yet it’s the captor himself who holds the dreamcatcher in his hand. So, this is not her nightmare. It’s his dream. His stance suggests that he is aware that he may not be alone. He holds his possessions tightly and knows he has to move stealthily to avoid detection. He probably doesn’t want anyone to see him because he doesn’t want to get caught in the act.

In the image, we can see that his eyes and ears are covered only loosely with what look to be cleansing pads and bandages. Is there a wound to the head? In the way that he thinks, perhaps? Does he somehow need more clarity in his vision? He can’t see what he’s doing nor hear her gasping for air, but he can feel that he’s holding onto something. He knows what he’s doing. If he wanted to remove the coverings, he could. But first, he has to release what he is already holding in his hands, which is the dreamcatcher and the person he has trapped.

Dreams are said to give us a link to the unconscious, and as such, we have no control over the content. Even if we’re capable of lucid dreaming, the usual physical and mental restraints are no longer in place, so the question of accountability, of taking personal responsibility, may not be straightforward here.

Symbolically this image is saying that if we’re holding someone against their desires, we probably won’t be able to see it even if our actions are pointed out to us. Neither will we hear the verbal warnings given by others. The fact that the man stands guarded suggests knowing he’s doing something wrong, which tells me he has at least some insight regarding his behaviour. He probably has a sense of guilt or shame intermingled with anxiety. Does he feel it in his bones? There will be much secrecy in the daily actions of someone acting out an unconscious desire.

Will he get her out of the bag and fuck her before she takes her last breath? Or will her last memory be of longing to breathe whilst she tries to free herself of the man-made constraint that prevents her from facing her captor? Why would I assume that this is about sex? Does his nudity suggest something other than a sexual intention?

On a deeper level, it could indicate that he has little protection. There’s no barrier or boundary against the desires that erupt from within. This could be letting us know there is a need to develop more than a rudimentary awareness of personal behaviours. Despite his apparent control, his nakedness suggests that he could be vulnerable.

But what about she-who-has-been-caught?

At first glance, she is portrayed as no more than a victim. Look closer.

She is not held in a loving or tight embrace which would be difficult to escape. He has only one hand holding her captive. What is that fabric that she is fighting to free herself from? She has one hand visible in the picture; she too has a weak hold on the situation, but it is a hold nonetheless. Oddly, it looks like she’s almost pulling the covering tighter over her mouth. Is she stifling her own screams? Or is she pulling the wool over her own eyes? Does she have a firm enough grip to tear through the material that restrains her? Why isn’t she using both hands to fight her way out? Is her other hand somehow tied? Her eyes are visible and uncovered, but they are closed. Does this suggest that she may not want to look at her situation, the one that has her trapped? She could be aware that she has very little freedom to move, although she may be vocal about her struggle as her mouth is clearly open. The material surrounding her is veil-like, is she wrapped up nice and tight in a veil of illusion?

There’s no detail on either of their faces.

She could be anybody. So could he.

This situation can erupt from anyone; it is human desire at its most basic, and it cares not for the mortal who acts out the drama on a conscious level. It’s an impersonal urge. Urges don’t care about you or anyone else, its only desire is to be acknowledged. Left under wraps and hidden out of sight, urges can become a monster. On a physical level, this situation will usually be seen as one person being to blame and the other playing the part of a passive victim. The victim is likely already feeling trapped in life and needs to find the strength to break free from soul-level suffocating restrictions. We can fear freedom because it means taking conscious responsibility for our actions. We may want to stay unconscious because we get to keep a feeling of security, even if that security is blocking our ability to walk a path of our choosing.

This image of kidnap and suffocation came into my life when I was getting close to a man. I was attracted to his vibe, and despite knowing he had enough shit to fertilise half the planet, I continued in my quest to get to know him better. Early in the communication, he mentioned feeling suffocated by his life circumstances. As time went on, the question arose as to whether he was guilty of suffocating others with his inability to confront his truth. I must confess that some of me wanted to be caught in his clutches. My dark side would be willingly enslaved to one who has fallen prey to his unconscious desires. Or would I? When I dig a little deeper, I am aware that the real attraction is the presence of the unconscious and its ability to overpower civility and ethical boundaries.

If this image strikes an internal chord, you need to know that we can switch the he and she around. Both parties may act out either role at any time; there’s no fixed way to apply the meaning in all of this. It may even represent a work situation, a twisted sibling rivalry, or a relationship with two he’s or two she’s. It could be two different aspects of a single psyche working against one another or, in tandem, to stunt significant growth. The situation I was looking at alongside the image just happened to be a toxic sexual affair, but psychic energy can manifest in various ways. We can’t stop ourselves from having unconscious desires, nor can they be forced into conscious awareness. Paying attention to our body is essential; those feelings we get, those impulses. That sense of something wrong will show us what is happening underneath the surface if we have the balls to look. If you have to sneak around and hide your behaviour from others, you’re probably hiding stuff from yourself too.

MrsHyde @ Deviantart