River

Rivers symbolize, among other things, the waters of life or the flow of life, our "life river." Associations with danger, fate, and meandering progress give it traits of the serpent's symbolism.

Finding oneself in a river can feel like surrendering to fate; one might either helplessly be swept away or i may express being in sync with life. If you go with the river, you don’t know where it will end or where you will end up. It is also an image of the passage of time, a time that concludes with the ocean's infinity. Flowing water expresses strong, likely unconscious energy.

Many times, we want to avoid being swept along; we would rather stand on the riverbank and watch how it goes for others. But sometimes, one must dare, for example, when starting something new. On the other hand, not being swept along can express awareness and taking a stance, while others are riding along blindly.

The river signals danger and the unknown. It is wise to cross it as quickly as possible; hesitating can worsen the situation. It is important to metaphorically step over the snake and continue.

If you are moving along a river, it is worth noting whether you are going downstream or upstream; with the energy or against it. Going against the current may express “going against the flow” in outer life, the desire to be individual, wanting to reach the source, or simply going the wrong way. Downstream can symbolize harmony with the path of life, in tune with the Tao. "This corresponds to the psychological situation where there is no resistance to the normal development of things," says Jung; "the dreamer trusts that this natural flow will lead him to the right place." (2019, pp. 194-195.) However, depending on the mood and details in the dream, floating downstream can also indicate being listlessly "going along" like a dead fish.

As an obstacle in dreams, water is often associated with the mother archetype; fate also has a feminine quality (compare with the Norns and Moirai). Crossing a river is often a dangerous transition from one thing to another; from one attitude to another, from one state to another, from one world to another (for example, the Styx). Reaching the other side of the river signifies a new chapter, new circumstances. (In contemporary dreams, the river is often replaced by another symbol, such as a busy road one wants to cross, or an obstacle placed over the road one is traveling on.)

It is a common motif in tales and legends that something decisive happens in connection with a river crossing, often something unfortunate; it symbolizes the very theme of transition and its dangers. (See also Bridge and Boat.)

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