Dream: I am in my house. I have a beautiful white skunk in the house. The skunk loves to be patted by everyone and acts more like a cat, rubbing against my legs. Then all of a sudden the skunk turns nasty…biting me and others. I attempt many times to evict the skunk from the house and every time the skunk reappears back in the house trying to bite. My ex husband of 25 years appears, grabs the skunk by the nape and drowns the skunk in a lake that has just appeared. I cry because I didn’t want the skunk to die…I just wanted it to stop biting. I dreamed this 3 times last night.
DreamsMaster: A powerful dream with a powerful message, based on the repetitive nature of the dream and the emotional impact it made. Let’s see what we can do to unearth that message.
The skunk is the focal point of the dream, the main symbol to explore. I will project some of my own meanings onto that skunk, but remember it’s up to you to determine what fits best. As you read on, pay attention to what thoughts and feelings come to the surface for you.
A skunk is generally known for its guarded, protective nature. It’s also sometimes considered the ultimate pacifist, as it’s generally nonviolent and unaggressive and relies on its repulsive scent to ward off others that are considered a threat.
The skunk in your dream is beautiful, pure (white), affectionate, loving. More like a cat, which is often considered a symbol of femininity. This initial image of the skunk is warm and inviting, and easy to embrace.
Suddenly the skunk becomes nasty, biting. It’s as if this loving, trusting being has suddenly turned mean, bitter, “stinky”, inconsolable. Like a preverbal child, the only way it can communicate its displeasure or discomfort is through its behavior. I wonder, if the skunk could talk, what would it be trying to communicate?
Consider now that this skunk is a representation of you. A beautiful, gentle, loving spirit, with another side that is angry, biting, trying to get your attention. This “nasty” side is unacceptable to you and to others in your space. Do other adjectives come to mind for you in regards to how you would describe this skunk?
It’s interesting that in the dream your ex-husband takes charge of the situation by drowning the problem. Water in a dream often represents one’s emotional state. From your perspective, was your ex-husband someone who tended to suppress (drown) uncomfortable emotions, in himself as well as in you?
Think back to the events of the day before the dream and what was on your mind when you went to bed that night. This may help bring additional clarity. My sense is that the core message is about self-acceptance, and there’s still some unpleasant grief inside needing expression.
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