initial dream, n.All

An Initial dream (n.) often ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠gives the analyst the critical verdict on himself that he would previously have asked for in vain.

An Initial dream (n.) can ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠anticipate, often with visionary clarity, the whole later course of a long neurosis and of the patient's life.

The Initial dream (n.) often ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠foretells an analysis: one woman dreamed of a frontier she never reached, then of her analyst clinging to her in a dark wood, then of a customs officer pulling two marriage beds from her bag.

An Initial dream (n.) anticipates ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠the analysis itself — as when a woman dreams at the start of therapy that the customs official pulls a pair of twin beds out of her handbag.