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The Evolving Motherhood: A Journey Through Dreams and Jungian Reflection
- Dr. MJ Yang
- Apr 27
- 4 min read
In this post, I want to share three dreams I recently had — simplified here for clarity — to demonstrate how dreams can illuminate profound personal transformations. As both a psychotherapist and a new mother, these dreams offered me insight into my evolving inner world.
Dreams are the voice of the unconscious, guiding us toward deeper self-awareness.
In Jungian dream work, we approach dreams symbolically, not literally. Dreams reflect emotional truths, inner conflicts, and the soul's unfolding journey, often beyond what we consciously recognize.
Motherhood is often imagined as a fixed identity we step into the moment our child is born. Yet, in reality, becoming a mother is a complex, fluid, and evolving process. External events — like giving birth — do not automatically determine our inner readiness or the depth of our emotional commitment to this new identity. Readiness, like growth, unfolds in layers.
Through my dreams, I witnessed how my psyche was slowly, richly, and sometimes surprisingly adapting to motherhood.
The Dreams
Over the course of two weeks, three vivid dreams visited me. Each dream seemed to open a new window into the subtle emotional shifts happening within. Below, I share these dreams — simplified for the purpose of illustration — before offering reflections on the transformation they revealed.
Dream 1
There are three couples on our bed. I am in the middle, and a stranger hugs me. My partner is at the side of the bed, hugging another person. I feel confused and wonder what is happening. Why is it so crowded?
Dream 2
I reunite with my childhood first love. We update each other on our current lives. Then, I tell him that I want to be with him. I feel in love.
Dream 3
I talk to a very soft, gentle, receptive, accommodating girl. She tells me she is going to marry a man I never thought would ever settle down. I confirm with the man, and he shyly admits it. I am shocked.
Reflections on the Dreams and Evolving Motherhood
Although via self-reflection, I knew it may be relate to my recent experience in motherhood, I am still puzzled. Before I could fully understand these dreams, I brought them — along with the loaded emotions they stirred — to my regular meeting with my Jungian analyst. Through my own reflection and our discussion, the symbolic meanings of the dreams began to unfold more clearly.
At the time these dreams came to me, my partner and I was raising our toddler. As our toddler’s emotional and social expressions blossomed, our household dynamic shifted.
Dream 1: Confusion in the Shared Bed
Through Dream 1, I sensed that something new was emerging in the intimate relational space between my partner and me, though I couldn't consciously name it yet. There was confusion and a sense of crowdedness, symbolizing the growing complexity of emotional bonds in our family.
Dream 2: Falling in Love with a New Life
Dream 2 answered the confusion stirred by the first dream. I was falling in love — with my child, not just as my baby, but as a new, expressive little human being. The feelings mirrored the tenderness and wonder of a first love in childhood. Through the developing mother-child bond, my heart was expanding in unexpected ways. I was entering a new emotional chapter, filled with affection, surprise, and deeper attachment.
Dream 3: Committing to the Feminine Within
Dream 3 reflected a profound inner shift. In Jungian psychology, the man in the dream can represent my animus — the inner masculine. I have lived much of my life professionally driven and goal-oriented, delaying motherhood to pursue my career. Even as a fully committed, breastfeeding mother, I often felt anxious about "falling behind" in my professional projects.
Yet this dream showed that, deep within, a new union was forming. The "unsettled man" — a part of me that had long resisted slowing down — was ready to marry the gentle, receptive, feminine side of me. This inner commitment mirrored my evolving readiness to embrace motherhood not just as a role, but as an integrated, joyful part of my being.
Many people are curious about how dreamwork is done in Jungian approach therapy. I hope the sharing of my dreamwork can bring some understanding.
Through symbolic dream work, we see how the unconscious speaks with a wisdom beyond rational planning. Jungian dreamwork is not about quick interpretations but about patiently exploring symbols, feelings, and patterns over time. It invites us into a dialogue with the unconscious, revealing hidden dimensions of our inner lives and guiding us toward greater wholeness.
Motherhood, like many profound identities, is not a one-time transformation but an ongoing evolution. It unfolds layer by layer, often requiring inner shifts as much as outer ones. My dreams reflected the emotional journey of becoming — not just "a mother" — but a more integrated, emotionally rooted version of myself.
If you feel drawn to explore your own inner world, I encourage you to pay attention to your dreams. They may hold surprising wisdom, gently pointing you toward the deeper truths you carry within.
The journey inward is a journey toward authenticity — and dreams can be faithful companions along the way.
Motherhood taught me, as dreamwork continues to teach me, that growth is not a straight line but a living, breathing process. By paying attention to our dreams, we nurture the inner roots that sustain us through every season of transformation.
