Journey of an Alchemist

Notice in hidden underground caves of dreams, most precious gems and insights emerge crystal clear. And in waking life, its only by descending into the abyss that we recall what it is to trust and surrender, rewire the brain, activate dormant systems, shift from fear to love. The sheer magnitude of what must be faced is reminds us anything dark or negative is a call to rise. Our innate capacity to reframe challenges builds character, resilience, births the alchemist or opens the golden flower within. As we forge a unique path through darkness, create lines of wisdom in our skin to mirror life's eroded walls, others also find their inner light

Dream Analysis of the Week- Face the Music

Dream:

I dreamed that something was following me and yet also avoiding me.  I could see it in the eyes of a colleague who did not return my calls. I felt it in a man who did not wish to speak with me as he turned away and drove off in a truck that grew wings and flew.  I could sense it as I read newspaper headlines about local real estate developpers. Angry local women were protesting a court outcome.  I sensed the same thing vying for my attention everytime I picked up my phone to check email or social media.  It was like the itch that seemed to move to a different place in my body if I made a move to scratch it. Even when I resisted scratching, the sensation would be evoked by the external.  It was harder to tune in and feel this music in the sun.

Insight:

For some people, letting go is an idea, something very difficult to do.  We become very good at ignoring our gut. The ultimate goal is natural awareness.  At some point, you do not know how not to be aware. That is when everything is meditation. Awareness is all that is. At that stage, there is no period of starting and stopping meditation. Yet, in the beginning, steps of guidance, focused attention, going to a place at a particular time, control, are required to shift into, help us recall this state. An analogy can be seen as honesty and dishonesty play out in our own life experience. This is our process of shifting out of ego fear and into love.

Dreams that echo inner conflict point to the roots of unrecognized or unexplained anger, resentments or guilt. Part of you wants to see things for what they are in the present moment, accept and integrate what bothers you, yet fear, conditioning keep you in denial.  The only way to accept others is to fully accept ourselves first, including decoding our shadow.  What we think we reject in others often simply reflects what we judge or reject about ourselves.  Whatever you think you cannot accept, choose to avoid or "protest" about is actually inside you. Headlines echo the unconscious issues that cry out for your acceptance and conscious validation.

Dreams speak to us in a language of metaphors, symbols, images, and archetypes. These patterns we all recognize instinctively, as part of the collective mind. An example would be the idea of a good mother or an angel. Whether or not we had a good mother or ever saw an angel, we share common understanding that the mother of compassion who loves unconditionally and protects wholeheartedly does exist. This is an archetype. Although we all dream about different things, many patterns are universal. Dream images and events are not literal, but have archetypal resonance. Each dream aspect is unique to the dreamer but connects to the collective unconscious. It is here where insight and history of the universe is stored. We often access it during dreams.

The wings make reference to spiriituality. Humans are spiritual beings. We are comprised of both essence and matter. We take form as flesh and bone that encapsulates our purest self—the soul, our most authentic being. This part of us feels deep love and spontaneous joy. It is our elemental self lodged in trust and understanding. We were born into the world in this perfect and ethereal form and from that moment our humanness began to grow. As soon as we experienced pain, loss, or fear we began to develop the counterpart to the soul—our shadow. Our shadow consists of the qualities we repress, deny, or dislike in ourselves. It is the dark side of our personality. The shadow grows as we experience suffering and hardship in our human form. Each one of us is a hybrid blend of shadow and soul. We are both dark and light. Filled with fear and love. Brimming with confidence and saddled by doubt. We are a balance of what is seen and unseen.

In a woman, the soul is represented as masculine and the shadow is represented as feminine. The opposite is true for men whose soul is shown through a captivating, beautiful, and intriguing woman and whose shadow is portrayed as an ugly, destructive, violent or somehow undesirable man. When you are feeling connected, spiritual, your soul shows itself in. If it makes an appearance and leaves, this suggests you are distracted by or weighed down by your shadow. When we are overwrought with feelings of anger or fear, the shadow figure may dominate the dream space.  The multiple people living inside you are called personas.

 We offer Dream Consultations and dreamwork as part of our psychotherapy and coaching packages.  We also offer an Astral, Lucid & Dream Yoga Course.  Contact us for details.

The Ultimate Pointer

Notice the body functions on instinct. Consciousness operates naturally through intuition (or the language of the Soul). To accept and act on instincts with absolute joy, without guilt or judgement, guides us to feel into intuition. If it seems body and soul are in conflict, this invites closer attention inside ourselves.

The body and soul share a vision yet operate on different planes. And just as instinct functions in its own way, through signs and signals that are learned and read, so does intuition have a language of symbols, feelings, sensations that the human journey guides us to recognize and trust implicitly. This is inner harmony.

Intellect is a bridge and a potential disturbance on our journey to expanding consciousness. Intellect is where fear can take hold. Its up to us whether we tune in and respond. Any fear we hold is rooted in fear of death. This prevents us from truly living. Fear tells us we have reason to feel trapped, that free will is out of reach. The vibration of fear disconnects us from our divine power, true Self, love essence, creativity, intuitive guidance, freedom. Fear focuses us on the external.

Every person and situation is a prospective encounter, teacher and guide to see deeper into ourselves. Each one can be viewed as a hindrance or a stepping-stone to experience the vibration of a higher plane of functioning. As we shift into multidimensional being, we relate to intellect as a stepping-stone. It dawns every thought and feeling we create emits a vibration into the universe. As we master our own thoughts and feelings, we master energy flow and shape new realities.

Get to root of dis-ease

Notice we must each get to the root of our dis-ease (discomfort) if we truly want freedom to be our reality. How deeply can we heal our bodies or the bodies of loved ones when it comes to healing? How can energies outside the body be harnessed to heal? The energy that made the body can heal the body.

The what always comes before the how. The feeling or sense of direction presents itself in conscious awareness before the path that allows it to happen, before even clarity of exactly what is blossomin through us or in our midst. We get cues from body signs and signals, the environment. Opportunities show up. We may act in the moment before mind attempts to talk us out of it.

Trusting our gut is just as important as listening and allowing ourselves to tune into subtle senses. It helps to make deliberate choices, about relationships and situations we engage in. We can empower ourselves by deciding to stay engaged for a period, create boundaries, or an exit plan rather than allow others to create our limits, decide for us, take the upper hand. The ball is always in our court.

Consider dreams are the brain’s way of processing information that’s left over from each day. They are rich with valuable data – experiences, memories, learnings. Theya re valuable tools to work with if we allow this. Paying attention to dreams can provide information that we may not have access to when awake. Before falling asleep, we can turn our thoughts to any unresolved issues or situation. Focus energy on exploring options or resolutions as we fall asleep. This is an exercise in both self-directedness and surrender

Stop postponing the inevitable

Notice as consciousness expands, the moment arises when it feels right to stop postponing what evokes discomfort. Allow yourself to feel deeply and do the things you resist. Show yourself directly that underlying fear is unfounded.

Patience is alert, conscious. Postponement is subconscious resistance, a double-bind: you want to act and yet, you hesitate, tell yourself you not ready. The mind is very clever. You want to meditate, to close a chapter in your life, leave a job, move, but a voice within says, “later, tomorrow, when X happens.” We make time for priorities. Now is the right time. The future is uncertain. If you really want, act. Why not? If you postpone sharing your feelings and affection with people due to fear of rejection, or lack of reciprocity, this lso has consequences.

Is fear reinforced or strengthened by postponing something? When something is pivotal, and your desire is intense, then you will not waste a single moment. You will postpone everything else, but you do that. You postpone only that which is not significant, or, you allow fear control you. One part of mind says, “Yes, it is important.” Another part of mind says, “Yes, it is important, but later.” What is really going on here? How do we give power away? How do we reclaim it?

Consider what you postpone and what you prioritize. How you spend money, mental and physical energy, time, speaks volumes. Spiritual practices are often postponed in favor of that which enriches the body, materialism, appearances. Anger, greed, hatred, negativity tend to flow quickly. Outbursts happen. You may say, “I’m coming!” and yet doddle or not show up at all. Ask where you show up for yourself. When insults come, many people do not say, “Tomorrow I will be angry;” Yet, gestures of self- love or finding peace within are often postponed.

In a nutshell, postponement points to how we are dishonest with ourselves. Watch inside yourself, at what you have been postponing, and you will find that all that is beautiful you have been postponing. Note water flows when it is allowed to flow freely. Seeds will sprout in season, but the seeds must be sown. Otherwise they will not sprout. Which seeds do you hesitate to plant in your own life? Or, what follow-up behaviour is required to blossom into more of your true being?