| | |
 | "Crossing the Bridge" | |
| Pages | 2 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
| Until the 1960's and the resurgence of the concept of self-empowerment, our native archetypal situations and figures had started to disappear from the racial memory with the influx of American, comic-book superheroes. These superheroes have nothing to teach us, yet have almost succeeded in completing the task of cutting us off from our roots. No-one can possibly hope to be able to acquire the powers of such alien creations. Once past the kindergarten stage, no growing child can hope to empathise with such cardboard, cut-out figures. Without a degree of empathy there can be no learning. If we lose our myths, we lose the magic of our lives. The secret of magic is that it works on our internal lives and is then reflected on the external reality. Our intellectual constructs can act as signposts. In following them we are able to enter other dimensions; learning different languages and new ways as we progress, bringing back useful information in messages from the interior. There seems little doubt that the language of the Left Brain is comprehensible to our other brains. When, as related in an earlier chapter, I instructed Brian D's arm to heal itself, I had, at that time, no understanding of the underlying processes, of what actually brought about the healing. Yet one or more of his non-intellectual intelligences understood exactly what was required. |
| It now requires that the intellect learns to listen to, and understand, their symbolic language. A problem is that the externally-fixated left brain is accustomed to dominating the switchboard. We allow the ego to adopt the role of the Great All-Knowing Panjaradum, instead of insisting that it take its place as just another member of the council. This is not a recipe for a two week course for instant self-awareness. It is a method of commencing a correspondence that can continue throughout one's life. The performances of the inner theatre must be in tune with that of the outer theatre. The means are seldom developed before there is a purpose for them. The sub-conscious will, in time, prepare us for particular situations that we have yet to experience. Sometimes prior notification of forming situations will make themselves known, but may not be seen in their proper context until after the event. It takes time for us to acquire the experiences that are the fuel to the engines. "Invention.... does not consist in creating out of a void, but out of chaos; the material must in the first place be afforded, it can give form to shapeless substances, but cannot bring into being the substance itself." Mary Shelly. |
| There are a number of ways of opening communications. One, is by learning to recall, record, and decipher our dreams. Rather in the nature of a student going to live in a foreign country in order to understand it. As in reading any foreign language, it is a mistake to attempt a literal translation. Languages are culture dependent. One is using the intellect to understand something for which it may not have the words to describe. You have to look for patterns and connections, to get the feeling of it. There are techniques that have been discovered. When awakening from a dream, it pays to be aware that the first part of it that we remember is the last part that happened. One needs to be still and let the conscious mind recall what happened before that, to let the memory come to the surface. Try too hard, and the busy-body intellect will lock in, defeating the aim. When all that can be remembered is held in consciousness, the dream needs to be recorded in as much of its detail as possible. Seemingly insignificant details may be the tip of an emerging form. Write it down without any attempt at understanding, that can come later. Don't be in a hurry to share the dream with another person. Talking about it may help in recalling lost portions but such debriefing can also rob it of much of its vitality. |
| Due to the manner in which the subconscious will 'collect' apparently unrelated details and form them into patterns, dreams will sometimes appear to be precognitive; revealing fore-knowledge of an as yet unenacted future. As there exists no evidence to suggest that our futures are pre-ordained, written in an immutable destiny, this does at first glance appear to be a contradiction in terms. One that is easily explained. The future is not unchangeable but can often be predicted as the end result of a sequence of actions. The dream is merely pointing to the most likely consequence of our present course of action. If we walk in a straight line towards the coast we will, unless we change direction, eventually end up with wet feet. Many of us have been dismayed by the outcome of some actions, particularly when in retrospect we can see that the signs were all around us. It is in their capacity for bringing those overall patterns into consciousness that both dreams and tarot cards serve a useful function. As Jung has pointed out, we cannot sit down and design a symbol as we would a sign or company logo. Viable symbols 'click' with us; the inner mind resonates in recognition. Dreams will also present us with an alternative view of ourselves, one that is aimed at restoring balance, when our actions belie our intent. It was a dream of this nature that caused me to go back and ruthlessly edit the first 55,000 words of this book. Because of the nature of my interests, I am an observer of human activity. As such, I often see people who are oblivious of the fact that they are acting against their own interests, apparently unaware of the ways by which they can step outside of themselves for an objective look at what they are doing. The methods for doing so, once known, seem both simple and obvious. Yet knowing something does not protect us from those times when we are blind to our own faults. |