Transitions and candlelit hallways

A Dream I had last night:

"I am running through a magical forest, with a man following me closely, but I am not aware of who he is. I get the sense that he is supporting me, but also allowing me to do what I need to do. I am searching for something, but I am not sure what it is, until I find it. It is a special type of knife, with a blade in a very strange shape. It flips open and I understand that it is a key, to unlock a door, through which I will then begin looking for another key/knife. I must then return this key to it's original place so that others may find it and finish their quest. My male companion helps me to bury it, and we go through the door together. 

I am then alone in a castle, in a room, where another woman is asking me many questions, and I want to leave, but can't. I am remembering a warm night where I laid under the stars and communed with a large group of people, and we were all happy and content. I am now cold and lonely, and I don't like it. I see another girl exit the room through a door that I had not noticed previously, and as I go over to examine the door, I see some pills tucked into a crevice, and I know that they are sleeping pills, or some kind of sedative. I understand that these have been given to me so that I cannot find my way out. The next day I see that the pills are gone, and I can leave. So, I open the secret door and begin my journey down the candlelit hallway. I am afraid that someone will try to stop me, but I am determined to at least try." 

The first part of the dream is the door to awakening. I find the key for myself, but I need to leave it for others to find for themselves, too. I am not sure who the man is, but it could be my ex boyfriend, who is an amazing soul and has supported me through many transitions and awakenings, in the past.  

The second part of the dream is all about me, interrogating myself, and keeping myself locked in a relentless line of questions, where there are no answers, and I finally have the courage to take a different path, even though I am afraid. This makes a lot of sense because I have, in the past, been very hard on myself, and I am learning that I am my own worst enemy when it comes to this stuff. 

You may or may not believe in dream interpretation, but I find it illuminating and fascinating. I have many dreams, of which I can usually find some sort of answer, or validation, and it is always positive. I rarely have nightmares, but I used to have them, as a child. As I have moved out of the dark shadow that was my family, I have found many positive and uplifting souls with which to share my journey. Some have fallen away, but it is all for the greater good. 

As 2016 starts to take shape, I am going through one of the most challenging times in recent memory. Staying positive and centered is very difficult, and some days I fail. But, one thing I know for sure, is that this is ALL about my personal growth, and it is a very important step in my journey. Pain is part of releasing the past, at least for me, in this moment. Relationships come and go, and people are fallible, but I can always trust that the things that happen, and the people I choose to have in my life, are all part of important lessons and growth opportunities. And that is something that I never forget.