Jungian Therapy & the Meaning of Dreams 7: Diamonds
The meaning of dreams in which the motif of “jewels” or “diamonds” appear can vary greatly — as Jungian therapy well knows — but these are often dreams of great emotional power. It is more than a play on words to say that the diamond is a multi-faceted symbol.
Jungian therapy often sees the diamond as a symbol of the self in its entirety. But what the heck does that mean?
Precious from the Earth
Diamonds are created far within the depths of the earth. In the normal course of events, a human being cannot make a diamond. It requires the pressure and heat of the depths to do that.
Jungian therapy is aware that “the depths of the earth” often symbolize of the unconscious depths of the psyche. A diamond symbolizes the reality of the self: it is forged without human intervention in the depths, just as the self is created in the depths, in the vastness of the unconscious, independent of the conscious mind and ego.
Indestructible and Forever
Diamonds are famous for incredible hardness and durability. They symbolize the durability and resilience of the true self, and of the yearning that we all have for a connection to the lasting persistent nature of psyche, and of our own deepest identity In the times of life when we often feel most fragile and vulnerable on the conscious level, Jungian therapy knows a deep need of the individual is to come into contact with the reality and persistence of the self. Often the meaning of dreams revolves around encounters with this reality.
The Many Facets of Diamonds
Diamonds have very complex shapes. They often have many, many facets. In this way, they bear a resemblance to the human personality, which has a multitude of dimensions and aspects. Jungian therapy lives in the awareness that, like diamonds, we are multi-facetted — many facets not even being conscious. To understand the meaning of dreams containing the symbol of the diamond, we must understand the multi-dimensional beauty and wonder of the diamond as an image reflecting the endlessly diverse and multi-facetted reality of the individual self.
Here is a video by Maple Leaf Diamonds . If you can get past seeing the diamonds presented as mere “bling”, they portray the wonder and beauty of these strange stones, and the way in which they serve as an image of the wonder of the self.
Diamonds and the Life of the Self
What is the meaning of dreams where diamonds appear? Jungian therapy emphasizes that the answer to this question must necessarily be very individual. But it is highly likely that such dreams concern the fundamental reality of who we are. Have you had a dream in which diamonds or precious stones appeared? If so, we must wonder what such a dream might have been saying about your unique and infinitely varied self. Often, it is only in the journey to wholeness embodied by depth psychotherapies such as Jungian therapy that we can begin to find out.
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© Gualtiero Boffi | Dreamstime.com ; VIDEO: BHP Billiton Maple Leaf Diamonds
Joan
To dream of Christmas out of season has a meaning which I can’t recall but have read in a dream interpretation book several years ago. I would love to know the meaning
Brian C
Thanks for your comment! To dream of Christmas out of season… Well, the first question to ask yourself would be, what is the meaning of Christmas to you, personally? Does it have positive associations? For many people it does, but for a good number, it does not. Do you associate it with any particular events in your life? If so, how might those memories be asociated with what is currently going on in your life?
Beyond the personal, though, is the broader meaning of Christmas for our culture. For hose who happen to be from a Christian heritage, the cultural meaning that is in the background has to do with the incarnation of GOd, and the coming of salvation into the world. Viewed from this perspective, one question that your dream might bring to the fore is, what is trying to be born, or to incarnate in your life?
There’s potantially a lot to this. If you would like to discuss this more, please feel free to email me back.
WIshing you all the very best, Joan!
Ina Casap
I dreamed of finding diamonds in the street, watches with diamonds and diamonds loose, in the snow.
i put them in my pocket and walked, at some point a saw two poeple following me. i walked in an old lady’s house to hide. they didnt catch me the dream ended with me looking for a place to hide the diamonds.
susan McDonald-Timms
Hi Brian. Thank you. Of COURSE the diamond is so like the Self-unreal.
I learned something fascinating.
(Hope I might one day have the good fortune to dream of one).
However, i wish to ask something -I came to this essay as it promised to speak of diamonds AND jewelry. But you have not mentioned jewelry (that is not diamond ).
You see, i just dreamed that i dropped my silver jewelry foolishly-( clumsily -accidentally but due to not being careful, and whilst being false and a show off in front of someone. I was doing that-putting on an act-because I was inconfident and didnt dare be myself. And i look up to this fellow ). I was in a trial where i had to swim -(as did some other people (-across this dark cold sea water to the other side of a the boardwalk, and back. It was somehow something we had to go through. I was dreading it awfully. Didn’t think i could or would even want to try to. I had begun, however, to pretend like it was easy fir me to do, in front if this friend whom i wa trying to impress : to seem like a confident person in front of (which in waking life i really do do with this man,which is painful and lonely and stops him and i realky meeting : i act together then nick off before he can get close).
Then, it slipped-( my jewelry, which I had taken off so as not to lose it in the swim across and back)–into the black water of the bay. Scary water cause its so black-can’t see into it at all. So also, the retrieval of my jewellery was basically nit likely and toi creepy to pursue.
I began to grope about for it but stopped at the hoplessness of seeing it and it was tiny pieces. Was left with a single earring out of a pair=useless on its own. And another bit. But just oh how awful it felt.
So you see its quite a dream. Losing jewelry seems an important thing. But its not a diamond. Only silver pieces (silver is what I wear). After reading your piece on diamonds specifically, all the stuff about facets etc does not work in my dream of course.
Mainly it was MY special bit of jewelry. That was important in the dream -it was the best little bits i had. (Im waking life my mist precious bits are only silver. I have nothing more much ).
Thought I would share this in xase you could tell me where i ought to look. Or of course i don’t exPECT you to. Maybe another reader mught reply. Thank you for what you wrote anyhow twas fascinating and felt spot on
alan corbishley
Hi,
I am a theatre director and I am currently preparing for a production that is based on Jungian Psychology called Nigredo Hotel. I am wondering if you would be willing to sift through some of the various symbols and archetypes presented in the libretto and a pro-bono type of consultation. Even some general guidance as to where to find some of the information would be very helpful. I currently have The Book of Symbols and a couple of Jung books in everyday language describing his overall theories…. one of the main symbols that comes up in the number 7… which when I look online there are conflicting theories…. are you able to help at all?
Thanks soo much.