Power, identity and finding what fits Shoes are such ordinary objects that we rarely think much about them unless, of course, they're uncomfortable. Yet they are surprisingly rich in symbolism, especially in dreams. Shoes carry us through life. They protect our feet, help us stay balanced, and let us move from one place to another. They also tell others something about who we are, or who we would like them to think we are. Expensive shoes may convey wealth or status. Worn-out shoes might...

We seem to be living in increasingly polarised times. Some subjects can change a room's atmosphere almost instantly. Israel and Gaza. Russia and Ukraine. Gender. Race. Immigration. Politics. Religion. Sometimes it takes only a sentence — occasionally only a word — and people begin moving into opposing camps. And once that happens, curiosity tends to pack its bags and leave. We stop wondering about the person in front of us and start deciding what sort of person they are. I’ve thought about...

Climbing, slipping, and the struggle to get somewhere Staircases appear surprisingly often in dreams. We climb them, descend them, fall down them, discover hidden ones, find ourselves unable to reach the top, or, occasionally, arrive somewhere we never knew existed. A staircase takes us from one level to another. Perhaps that is why it lends itself so readily to dreams of change. We are no longer where we were, but we have not yet arrived at where we are going. Some time ago, I dreamed of a...