Dream analysis: 'An old friend is driving me to Cork but keeps getting lost'

Psychoanalyst Michael Murphy explores the meaning of your dreams

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I'm deciding whether to undergo chemotherapy after surgery for triple-negative breast cancer. On the day of the dream, I had a meeting with the oncologist who was putting pressure on me to start soon. I’m following many alternative and complementary protocols and don't feel chemotherapy is an attractive option at this time, especially as it has a low chance of working. In my dream, an old friend is driving me to Cork. Even though she's from the city, she doesn't know the way and keeps getting lost. Also, she's like someone who can hardly drive. She's about to take a shortcut through a Turkish cultural centre but she's unable to drive through it.

Our Shadow appears in dreams as a person of the same sex, and contains values needed by consciousness. To own our Shadow is difficult, so we project it onto other people. Here your trusted old friend can hardly drive, doesn’t know the way and keeps getting lost. She’s about to take a short cut but the way is blocked.