I've noticed European dreamers associate corvids with death, emphasizing their carrion-eating habits, while Americans mostly see corvids as wise, playful tricksters--this is the Native American view, perhaps because war has not been as constant or bloody here. Certainly the ravens all over my town, stealing sandwiches and practicing aerobatics, are more playful than bloody. Of course Europeans equally demonized wolves, while they're relatively benign in Native American and modern American lore--and dreams. Jung mentions somewhere that in his experience this was true of American dreams of animals generally. I'm curious what dreamers from other continents have to say on this...
But then, I'd rather be feared a bit than treated as just a pretty-faced empty-headed Polly pet.
Either role, graverobber or clown, underestimates these huge, smart birds--the cetaceans of the air.
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ANIMAL SPEECH, ANIMAL ESP: by Wayan; 1997/7/31, from Wayan's journal.
When you really observe animals in language programs it's obvious WE'RE the ones missing a lot... |
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BANANA MOON: by Wayan; 149K total: painting of dream figures, 1998, acrylic on wood, 36 x 48"
My figure-painting class here in San Francisco has a diverse student body, but not THIS diverse...
CAUTION: NUDITY |
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CROWBOTTLE: by Wayan; 1998/1/2, a dream of a wise foolish act.
It was on a beach. Inside, a black thing squirming. Despite all the tales of vengeful djinn, I pull the cork... |
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THE CROWS OF OZ: by Wayan; 1984/8/23, a moral dream on darkness.
I learn from the crows of Oz why loneliness and even tragedy are vital for a living universe... |
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FOX-SHEPHERDESS AND RAVEN: by Wayan; 1998, wet-on-wet acrylic of daydream.
I don't know if the fox-shepherdess ate all her sheep, or if she herded invisible and quite different things... |
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GAFTA: by Wayan; 1996/5/9, a pro-sabotage dream.
The aliens offer us a Galactic Free Trade Agreement, but my friends and I think it's a disastrous deal...
CAUTION: MORAL AMBIGUITY |
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HORTA'S EGGS: by Wayan; 1984/1/17, a dream of re-evaluation.
I fight to save 50,000 eggs that'll hatch psychics. But my friends want to exterminate them! Am I wrong? |
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LOST AGAIN: by Wayan; felt pen, 1985. A dream-sketch.
I dreamed I was a bird-person in a post-nuclear future, touring North America the low-budget way...
CAUTION: ALL YOU LOVE IS GONE |
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LUCID FLIGHT: by Lisa Reich; March 2003, an ecstatic lucid dream of flight.
I flew as if part of the air--an otherworldly freedom so exquisite I wonder if it's attainable at all in earthly existence... |
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RAVEN AT 5 O'CLOCK: by Raven and Wayan; 1996/11/30. Shared but stupid psychic dreams.
My girlfriend Raven dreams I keep poking her awake, while I dream that a different kind of raven gives me weird advice... |
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SHIVERIA: by Wayan; 840K, 25 ill., 2002-3, travelog/sculpture/sketches of an alternate Earth
I tilted the Earth, and worked out its new ecology--part Mars, part steambath. Visit the Mediterranean Abyss ruled by giant ravens, Patagonia, ruled by mammoths, and Antarctica’s jungles, ruled by lemurs... |
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SIPHONIA: by Wayan; 1MB, 25 p, 2006, a nondream virtual world, in progress; maps, tours
First, suck up 90% of Earth’s seas. Now wait a million years for life to adapt. Tibetan plateaus above steamy new Deeps ruled by giant parrots, ravens and otters... |
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TAROT: THE SOLAR REVOLUTION: by Wayan; 42K. Tarot card, 3x5", summer 1979.
The card of revolution! The old towers of strength come down, not through war but obsolescence... |
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VENUS UNVEILED: by Wayan, 2004/8/30; 4.5MB; a virtual world with 130 photos, maps, portraits.
Tour Venus as it will be in 1000 years, after terraforming: paradise for dozens of intelligent species! |
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WINGS by Nancy Price; 1948, two bird-people dreams, one psychic
I have a long chat with two talking songbirds. Next I'm a parrot, living in rainforest. And then the mail comes... |