Hi everyone,
Just thought I would share with you an 'Active imagination' session I had this morning. Just some background info, I started having my mid-life crisis 18 months ago and have been working solidly and solitarily on my dreams, active imagination and mandalas. When I do 'active imagination' I wait for the images to appear without causing them to change or disappear, I experience it, and then take note of what occured.

I feel myself falling, falling, falling. I splash into a river. It is moving steadily. The river is now a white water river I am moving quickly with the flow. I am not hitting any rocks. I am not drowning.

The white water ends up in a large calm lake. I am concerned with what animals might be in the water, but am not scared. I can see what appears to be an island and as I look around I can see what appears to be the mainland in the far distance. Do I go to the island, or do I go further to the mainland? IN the session I felt I needed to make a decision. I was just floating in the water waiting for something to happen. I decide to go to the island as there may be items I can use there to get to the mainland.

I swim to the island and walk up the embankment. It is a tropical island full of ferns and trees. Quite beautiful. I walk a little further. I look up. Millions of butterflies reaching to the sky. What a wonderous site. Too beautiful for mere mortals. End.

I have taken this to mean that I have been experiencing my regressed emotions, I have kept up with it and have successfully transformed my ego. This would explain why I have been feeling like I have for the last couple of days. At peace and with harmony.

The timing seems right. I have read that it takes multiples of 9 to work through it, and it has been 18 months.

Anyway, just thought I would share. Stephen G

Age & Gender & Location {Required}: 46

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How Did You Find the Dream Forum? Sydney Australia

Thanks for this Stephen,
Can you explain the link to your repressed emotions? I can feel the 'jumping into the river' aspect, and the imagery of choosing between an island and the mainland (which may or may not be real?) is striking. It is interesting tyhat you say you have been working in a solitary fashion and that in your active imagination you chose the island ,,, finding great beauty ,,,, butterflies (rebirth ,,,)

Can you explain the link to your repressed emotions?

Justin

Age & Gender & Location {Required}: 46

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How Did You Find the Dream Forum? Brisbane / Australia

Sure Justin,
I have recently had a realisation, through a dream, of things that happened in the early 70's relating to separation. All my siblings had left the home for various reasons and my parents started spending more time in the country, than in the city, where I was. At the time I was 13 and for 3 years suffered what I can only describe as psychological abuse from the students and teachers. I felt there was no one around to help me. Within the last 2 years both my parents and my eldest brother have died and I wasn't particularly upset. I had effectively learnt to not let anyone see or experience my emotions. The deaths had brought back the feelings of being alone and I could not handle it. This was the crisis that began my mid life transformation. As we all know from Jung, one of the challenges is to know the difference of being alone and lonliness, and to be okay with being alone. Over the past year where I have used 'active imagination' images have come up that have moved me to tears, and I now know that my history was being replayed to allow me the opportunity to work with it this time around. This process has been the hardest thing I have ever done, but the rewards are truly there. Stephen G.

Age & Gender & Location {Required}: 46

Have You Posted Before? Date of Last Post {Use Search and Your Post Name to Help Find Last Post} Male

How Did You Find the Dream Forum? Sydney Australia