Eat, Laugh, and Create Better Endings!

The Nurturer (or, Nourisher) archetype in us likes to bring about Better Endings; or, perhaps more accurately, the Nurturer initiates Better (New) Beginnings. It is an initiating or ‘originating’ energy in our Psyche.

Think about it. Meal time engages us in daily ritual with our Nourisher archetype Ally. (I write this after partaking of an excellent, light breakfast at one of my favorite restaurant retreats.) Why is it so important, as nutritionists tell us, to start the day with a “good breakfast”? Because in this manner we nurture as well as nourish ourselves as we set out upon the journey of our day’s travail. Nourishing the Self is so important for manifesting our highest potentials in any endeavor. Through eating nourishing foods, or through prayer/meditation/ contemplation, or a walk in Nature, we store positive energy for the new day like a solar panel collects the rays of the Sun to energize Life.

I am aware as I write of nourishment and the Nurturer archetype that there are many in the world right now whose internal Nurturer energies are in Shadow. Hunger and starvation, including those afflicted with eating disorders such as Anarexia Nervosa, inhibit the self-nurturing we all need in order to survive and to thrive at our highest potentials. (This is different from fasting, however, which can be a means of drawing upon spiritual nourishment.) Hunger is a calling out not only for food but for love and nurturing. Maslow reminded of how without the most basic nourishment of sufficient food, it is exceedingly difficult for anyone to achieve self-actualizing modes of achievement or creativity.

So, let us nourish and nurture one another.  And I invoke you to nourish and nurture your Self in every way possible, allowing this to flow outwards to support and uplift others in your family, your social network, and the world at large. If we might think of our Selves as microcosms of the greater Macrocosmic life systems in which we are born, live, and serve, then we know that to start with self-nurturing is a means by which the world itself can become a more nourishing place for all.

images are free at pixabay.com

Thank you for reading and supporting my own journey. I welcome your insights and stories!

Jaguar Dream

 

Sunday morning I had an interesting dream that I feel relates to the Warrior archetype concept that we are focusing on this month. In my dream I am preparing to take a big journey, to embark upon a transition/ turning point or a move. I have a pet Jaguar, young, all black (sleek, beautiful!), that I load into a large pet carrier in the rear of my car to bring with me on the journey.  There is a bicycle in the pet carrier, too, with a rear wheel that spins while I drive, so the Jaguar does not have a lot of free space in there. That’s mainly the dream, except that throughout the night I woke several times realizing I had made part of the dream journey, then went back, and gradually as I was waking I thought I wasn’t tending to the needs of my Jaguar in the rear of the car. In the dreaming itself this did not seem to be an issue, but it was to my waking awareness.

It feels to me that the Jaguar is my Warrior Archetype Ally, in the form of an animus/anima figure. (In my archetypal ensemble cast, I tend to have both masculine and feminine ‘anima’ images; maybe because I am rather androgynous myself.)

(Combine these to see more like my ‘real’ road companion, my pet Shorkie, Sophie)

The spinning bicycle wheel (while I am in motion, driving through the ‘move’) that occupies the same space frame as the Jaguar is a compelling dream image. I guess that may be my Mind, spinning rapidly as I negotiate my way through this upcoming big transition.  But my Warrior-Jaguar instinct or intuition is also important for me to rely upon, and to properly care for and attend to.  I need the Strength of my Warrior-Jaguar Ally to help me negotiate when I reach my interim destination. (This may be the book deal I anticipate or a choice I may confront about that since the proposal began circulating yesterday.)

 

It is interesting to be writing this blog during this time as well; sharing about the unfolding process and how archetypal psychology influences my own journey.

Have you had a dream image that may represent your own WARRIOR Archetype Ally? What form does it take? What message does it have for you regarding your life situations?

images from pixabay.com

I invite and welcome any story you may wish to share about YOUR Warrior Ally.

A Victory Cry

Last time I invited you to compose a Fight Call as a positive affirmation from your internal Warrior  Ally. The other side of the Fight Call or War Song is the VICTORY CRY. And because my own Fight Call (“Remember to Surrender / Always Give UP!”) seems to have worked fortunately for me this past week, I am ready to declare a Victory Cry:

Yes, Gratitude is my Victory Cry; after long patience and persistence, finally my book project (proposal) will begin to be circulated this coming week. I am deeply grateful to my agent for this, and to Spirit for bringing this about. It is a significant step in a long process of unfolding, so I am grateful for the unfolding of PROCESS for its own sake.

What is YOUR Victory Cry? You may print this out and write in the space below:

_____________________________________________________________

Here are some more examples:

Ah-iyaiya-iyaiYA! (Tarzan’s call)

We did it! Yay!

Onward!

images from pixabay.com

Jabberwocky: A Poem of Descent

 

When I was in high school, for an art class I chose the theme of the Jabberwock for an assignment using pointillism.  I composed a black-and-white pointillist image of a dragonlike creature matching Lewis Carroll’s description in the famous Jabberwocky poem.

As it took me several weeks to accomplish the image, I had time to reflect on the meaning of this poem. To me it is about the Outcast or  Outsider or Otherness itself: the Jabberwock “monster,” who had the misfortune of being regarded as a shadowy fiend by ignorant humans who had moved in to its own “tulgey wood.” Then also from the human perspective, there is a futility represented here: the futility of battling Jabberwocks is like that of Don Quixote tilting at windmills; there will always be yet another monstrous creature around the bend, if that is what you set out to encounter in your Descent! And yet, how might your Jabberwock be enlisted as a Friend, an Ally? Then may you tame, rather than slay, your “dragons”!

Jabberwocky

BY LEWIS CARROLL (http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/171647)

’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves

      Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:

All mimsy were the borogoves,

      And the mome raths outgrabe.

“Beware the Jabberwock, my son!

      The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!

Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun

      The frumious Bandersnatch!”

He took his vorpal sword in hand;

      Long time the manxome foe he sought—

So rested he by the Tumtum tree

      And stood awhile in thought.

And, as in uffish thought he stood,

      The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,

Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,

      And burbled as it came!

One, two! One, two! And through and through

      The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!

He left it dead, and with its head

      He went galumphing back.

“And hast thou slain the Jabberwock?

      Come to my arms, my beamish boy!

O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!”

      He chortled in his joy.

’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves

      Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:

All mimsy were the borogoves,

      And the mome raths outgrabe.

Source: The Random House Book of Poetry for Children (1983)

images from pixabay.com

Be the Healing You Seek

As you—all of us—embody the HEALER Archetype Ally within you, you also may be a healing influence for others.

Allow your Healer to be available not only to you but also through you!

This sort of healing influence that you might naturally bring to a relationship or situation is more often than not indirect and non-directed.  I am not endorsing “laying on of hands” or anything of that nature, as these forms of “healing” can actually be quite invasive or controlling, and I do not support that. Yet being a vehicle of unconditional love or impartial positivity is natural and often may be a helpful agency in itself, even if it is only to lend a shoulder to cry on or in your caring to provide a helpful hand.

Being a calm, centered, patient and positive presence in any situation or circumstance can lead to healing effects on yourself as well as bringing peace or balance to conditions around you. Non-directive prayers of surrendering a situation to Higher Wisdom or the use of centering and uplifting mantra chanting or mindfulness meditations can help you to achieve and maintain the balance you wish to achieve.

I remember a prayer I learned when I was exploring the Baha’i faith many decades ago. I am not sure if this may be from Rumi originally (though it is perhaps more likely from Bahau’allah as it is a Baha’i prayer); its reference to a hollow reed instrument has always reminded me of Rumi’s Song of the Reed. Recently I have found this prayer coming back to my heart awareness, and I am finding there is a reason for that within my life.

I provide a version here from my memory which is very near to a version you can read at www.bahaiquotes.com  :

Oh Lord, make of me a Hollow Reed

Through which the pith of Self hath been blown,

That I may become a clear channel,

Through which Thy Love may flow to others.

Just Ask! Meet Your Dreamtime Nourisher

How does your NOURISHER Archetype Ally show up in your life or Psyche? Often we are more nurturing of others than of ourselves, but your NOURISHER is there for you too!

One way to get in touch with or to explore your own Nourisher nature is by identifying when and how your NOURISHER appears in your dreams.

Can you think of a dream or perhaps a recurring series of dreams that have included some form of Nourisher character or theme? Cooking or feeding others in your dream, or being fed or served nutritious food by someone in your dream are sure signs of your unconscious NOURISHER persona. Or simply a dream theme involving any form of Giving and/or Receiving a gift could also reveal your NOURISHER nature.

If you don’t recall a specific instance of your NOURISHER appearing in your dreams, or to explore this vital archetype Ally further, Just ASK!

Before you go to sleep, invite your NOURISHER to appear in your dreams, to reveal himself or herself to you. During the day, think lightly about how you will invite your NOURISHER into your dreams that evening.

Remember to write down your dreams, all you can recall on waking. The form that your NOURISHER might take in your dreams could be a bit surprising or disguised, especially at first.

I recall a recurring dream theme from several years ago that involved my suddenly discovering a pet–usually a horse or an aquarium with fishes–that I had forgotten I had, so therefore I had neglected to FEED or to give water to them! I was able in these dreams to find food to feed them, but when I awoke I felt awful and would review what this dream might mean in my life at that time. Was I neglecting to communicate with a loved one? Was it my own Soul I was not nurturing regularly enough? I would take this dream as a sign that I needed to nurture and nourish in any way possible, and usually this led me to some form of giving and/or receiving that would help me feel I had addressed the ‘neglect’ revealed in the dream.

I would ACT on the dream message, and that is something I encourage you to do whenever your dream indicates a needed or a corrective course of action.

Nurture your NOURISHER, and it will serve you well in turn!

I welcome YOUR comments and stories.

 

Positive Self-Postulates (from your Golden Child)

Your GOLDEN CHILD archetype certainly would be one to express this month’s metaphor of Life Is a Bowl of Cherries! I have known a few GOLDEN CHILD-dominant personalities in my life, often Leos but not always. They are ready to claim the Brass Ring as their own, and not without reason. They express an attitude of entitlement, usually positively but sometimes not. They tend to be highly successful at what they set their hearts—and votes—to accomplishing.

 

Positive affirmations are in a GOLDEN CHILD’s core vocabulary. “I can do it! I CAN! I will! I am!” all carry the self-assertive energy of the Leonine persona. So for this next few days, I invite you to allow your own inner GOLDEN CHILD Archetype Ally to state some positive affirmations that can (will!) help you with any current issues or that can (do!) propel you toward fulfilling your most desired future goals.

 

Some trial-run personal examples:

• I will accomplish my heart’s purpose on this visit with my Mom. (Tuesday night: Yes! She survived another trip to the hospital today and is back in her familiar, beloved nursing home environment.)
• I will shift the balance of a nagging work situation back to a win-win situation for all.
• I am a vehicle for love, trust and clarity!

This is fun…and it works! It feels very empowering and focused. So I invite each of you who are reading this blog to let your own INNER CHILD proclaim positive affirmations for YOU. And then… Be Here Now to live them! I welcome your Comments and stories!

You Have a Golden Child Within

The GOLDEN CHILD is a universal persona archetype within what Carl Jung would call all of our “collective unconscious.” That means it is in the architecture of the human psyche, available as a figure any of us might draw upon in forging our self-expression or personality and forming our sense of identity.

Like any collective persona archetype form, your inner GOLDEN CHILD aspect of Self might be highly expressive or repressed; it might function in a very positive mode (what I call its Strength mode), or it could display SHADOW potentials. In the “positive,” GOLDEN CHILD is a very charismatic, generous, positive force of character.  It is associated with the astrological sign of Leo. In “Shadow” mode, GOLDEN CHILD could present itself as overly self-confident, boisterous, or jealous, especially when it is feeling undervalued or frustrated.

What is YOUR Golden Child nature? This week I invite you to explore this archetypal resource as it manifests both outwardly and inwardly in your life or your Persona. To do so, consider when you may have felt or acted most “like” a Golden Child. When have you felt most assertively demonstrative or even positively egotistical? When? Why? In what manner? To what result?

Last week—appropriately as this month of July began—I exhibited my own Leonine Golden Child twice very noticeably, once to a good effect in an important conversation in which I needed to represent myself clearly and well, and the second time not so positively but still with a positive effect overall, standing up for my mother’s needs in a hospital context.

Your GOLDEN CHILD nature can be a strong ALLY for you, a force for good in your world and in service to others. Allow it (her or him) to shine forth to brighten your way!

Life is… a Bowl of Cherries!

Live Your Dream, Now! is the throughline to Life Paths, a handbook for life mapping which should be forthcoming within the next year. This credo of “Live your dream, now!” highlights how important it is not to put off your Life Dream or future aspirations into a nebulous future but, rather, to live NOW according to the values and intent of your Life Dream, Here and Now. You can live INTO your future as a dream fulfilled by focussing on developing your current Strengths and being mindful “every day in every way” about who you are choosing to be, expressing from your core identity and nature.

Along with the metaphor of Life is a Bowl of Cherries, this month we will pair the archetypal Ally persona of the Golden Child, which is the universal archetype class associated with the sign of Leo and the month of July.  What an aprt conjunction this one is! The GOLDEN CHILD is a part of Self who knows whom s/he IS and may express itself forcefully or in a charismatic manner based on a positive self-knowledge amd capability, with great competence. Who better to assert Life to be a Bowl of Cherries than this, yourself as a Leonine Golden Child?

Life is a Bowl of Cherries as a life metaphor reminds us to embrace and to enjoy who we ARE and what we HAVE, right here and now. Yet I expect some readers–including myself in some respects this week as I am involved in a struggle currently to help my ailing elderly mother to cope with painful, life threatening effects from late stage Parkinsons–might appropriately question the sheer optimisim of such a credo. Is it then a mere platitude to declare life to be cheery, always positive, like “a bowl of cherries” even while facing the most dire of circumstances? What of all those well meaning people and animals for whom, indeed, life appears to be anything but happy, abundant or carefree? Is holding to such an optimistic mantra no more than a Polyannish attitude requiring one to “bury their head in the sand” or, worse, to DENY the more bitter realities of life in the “Real World”?

That is a vital question, and one I have similarly heard from people who question Joseph Campbell’s parallel credo of “Follow Your Bliss!” Again, what of those for whom the chance of “attaining Bliss” of any sort seems remote?

I must answer for myself that while the world as a whole will always remain a harsh training ground at every stage of life, even for those with the highest achievements or wearing the most rose colored glasses; nevertheless it can be helpful to focus on the positive. Life metaphors can serve as positive affirmations that orient our outlook to look for the GOOD in life–to see the BEST in ourselves and in others–and when necessary, to see the silver lining beyond the clouds.

I believe that human beings–perhaps all Beings–are wired to pursue and when possible to manifest “self-transcendence,” even in the most dire conditions. I recall a TV drama with Dick Van Dyke (check out his recent https://www.youtube.com/embed/hoPugqYMISM“>dance videos at 89!) portraying a homeless man in a big city. This character was a man of the deepest character: kind, gentle, self-sacrificing and ultimately happy in his life. He embraced a life of service and gratitude and he focussed on the positive potentials of every state of being, every condition, every relationship in his life.

So, life CAN be a bowl of cherries, if you CHOOSE for it to be so. And you can discover your Bliss anywhere, as everywhere you stand is Holy Ground as long as you stand mindfully and take in the bounty of the moment.

I welcome your insights and stories!

 

The Blog

Blogging has become–for now, for me–a primary mode of communicating. Whereas I used to journal profusely, apart from dream journaling, book editing and working on scholarly article projects, I find that when I sit down to “just write,” almost invariably since I started this blog, it is a “post” that emerges.

Blogging is a vital genre for sharing and for self-exploration. Any writer desires to connect with readers, and blogging is a ready form for reaching a general public. I find that when I sit down to write a post, my inner Communicator archetype persona is an Ally, a part of Self that knows what to write about next as an unconscious wellspring. I love to observe this process, to allow the blog-author within myself to gradually unfold and unwind the archetypal and self-discovery/ personal development topical themes around which this blog site is focussed.

 

After 370 posts since November 2014, I am somewhat bemused to see how the blog ‘voice’ has taken on somewhat a life of its own. Hopefully some of you have tried out some of the life mapping tools being presented. I want to thank every and any reader for helping to facilitate this particular Muse!

 

Your Communicator as Writer

A writer is first and foremost a Communicator, so being an author is an archetypal profession. What archetypal forms of the Writer/Communicator do you draw upon in composing your manner of writing?

Some authors might emulate the communicative style of a well known writer whose works they admire. This can help initially to establish a narrative “voice”; however, ultimately your own unconscious Communicator, as your archetype Ally, can more genuinely articulate your unique point of view.

What are you passionate about? Draw from that. Allow your inner Communicator persona to express through your writing your most authentic Self.

 

Consider then how you can tune into your Communicator part of Self. Archetypal Dialogue is a simple way to connect. Simply imagine your Communicator archetype ally as an individual point of view within your unconscious makeup. Establish a conversation, either by active imagination or via direct journaling, alternating between your conscious and this usually subconscious perspective.

I welcome your insights and stories!

Message in a Bottle, Part Two

Did you open and read your “message in a bottle” from Tuesday’s self-development tool at this blog (see A Message in a Bottle for You)? When I used this tool myself this week I found it to be surprising and extremely helpful. The message-in-a-bottle came to me via an active imagination or contemplation mode as a non-verbal but clear awareness. It helped me see something about my own recent behavior that I had not recognized before. I realized how I had invited myself to a situation with someone else (my agent!) in a way that revealed me as trying to control or manipulate a process that is really up to someone else to advance.

So, my message-in-a-bottle exposed me to a “secret” that my unconscious COMMUNICATOR was able to deliver; a secret which otherwise I would have remained in DENIAL about.

There is more to my story, too. A few weeks ago a trusted friend jokingly called me a “control freak”. This was in relation to my writing advertisements for some spiritual events which I coordinate here in my local community. I didn’t understand why she would say that; no one has ever described me that way before and I definitely have never thought of myself that way. Now in retrospect, her statement was a waking call in itself, something that might be called “golden tongued wisdom” or a waking dream that presaged the message in a bottle insight.

Maybe my inner COMMUNICATOR has been trying to get my attention for a while now!

As I like to practice taking an active role in responding to my own dream images, unconscious promptings and inner spiritual guidance, I responded this week by honestly contacting—by email—the person I had been overly ‘controlling’ toward. Whatever follows, so it goes.

It is often helpful to respond actively to inner promptings. It can help you to make progress in your life as well as to remain open to further promptings and dream insights. Acting in tandem with your inner Archetype Allies or inner guidance that you trust in any form and paying attention to dream and waking dream messages can provide the inner steering you may seek, even when it leads you to insights and awareness that challenges your complacency or your own longstanding ideas about yourself.

I welcome your insights and stories!

Your Communicator Ally

Consider there is a part of yourself we can call your COMMUNICATOR, an archetypal aspect of your total Self identity. That means you have developed an “archetypal” mode of expression that you can draw upon unconsciously when you aim to communicate well. Of course, if your COMMUNICATOR part of self has been inhibited or is conflicted then this may actually interfere with your communicative style until or unless you recognize these issues and work through them to a condition of greater awareness or balance.

Are there some situations in your life in which you rely on your inner COMMUNICATOR and in which you feel more—or, less—confident communicating? When does your COMMUNICATOR feel most competent? Least? What issues may be coming up for you with the latter?

To model addressing such questions, let me share here just a bit. I feel most comfortable “as” a communicator in a classroom or lecture type setting (pairing Communicator skills there with my dominant Teacher persona), or in the process of writing, or else in conversation with a close and trusted friend.  One of my best friends, Jan, really taught me HOW to communicate as a friend; she encourages me to be open about feelings and from her I have become a better listener, so this pairs COMMUNICATOR with my NOURISHER persona. When writing, I tap into  my spiritual or MYSTIC outlook.

In all then, I find COMMUNICATOR is a versatile archetypal aspect that pairs well with several other facets of Self.

I feel least comfortable communicating when I feel I may be judged or scrutinized. Then my Communicator turns inward, pairing with my reserved, Descender character. I have always felt Silence to be a valuable form of communication especially when used to be introspective or to refrain from talking inappropriately. Silence, in the right form, can be a generous, thoughtful act. Of course, it could also be used to withhold trust or honesty.

It can be helpful to listen to your COMMUNICATOR if you are feeling restraint or fearful about self-expression. You can contemplate or journal to tune into your unconscious archetypal “Assembly” to see what your COMMUNICATOR may need. Sometimes It just needs to be heard!

I welcome your insights and stories!

Avril, My Inner ARTIST

I highly recommend “archetype dialogue” as a fun, dynamic mode of active imagination and/or journaling. It can help you to meet &  greet your own usually unconscious ensemble cast of archetypal personas that are very important facets of your own Self! Just as an example of how freeform yet deep-reaching and energizing an informal practice of archetypal tuning in and dialogue can be, allow me to model the approach by engaging in conversation with my own ARTIST Ally.

The process is simple. Relax and invite your archetypal cast of characters or one of them in specific to engage in dialogue. Allow yourself to shift between consciousness states naturally. It may help to consider how dominant archetypes are associated with role personas you occupy. Shift attention to a situational mode in which you normally ‘channel’—as it were; or, enact—the archetypal viewpoint you wish to engage with (e.g., if you are a teacher, the Teacher archetype, or as a Parent, the Nourisher or the Elder Leader archetype). In this dialogue your core conscious persona—“you” as your normal subjective self, or Soul—will usually remain the interviewing or initiating narrator.

So, to begin:

L:            What may I call you?

A:           I am April; you know: lw/avril !

L:            Oh, well that is lovely then. It makes sense!

A:           Tell the story for your blog post; I’ll help…

L:            Well, okay. When I was in college in Buffalo I had an amazing mentor who was a Philosophy professor, Toni (Antoinette) Mann Paterson. She became a good friend. While she was first getting to know me as a student, through a Creative Studies program she was helping facilitate one semester, Toni asked me one day:

“What is your name?”

“Linda,” I answered, bemused because she already knew that.

“No, it’s not! I mean, what is your REAL name?”

“(Long pause)… … April?”

“Yes, That’s it! You don’t feel to me like a Linda, at all. Now April, that name suits you.”

L:            Okay, so the name April for me actually goes back to when I was around 7 or 8. My older brother told me I was an orphan. He used the fact that my Mom had lost my birth certificate to convince me I had been adopted. Since I was smaller than my siblings and always felt somewhat an awkward child, it was not hard for me to believe my brother’s ruse. I came up then with the alternate name of April from a little girl down the street who often played on a trampoline in her yard. Having the name of a month appealed to my sense of difference; especially “April”.

A:           It was me who was the author of the artistic aspects of your journaling then, when you signed lw/avril !

L:            So you were!

A:           I wrote poetry, and invented your “Foto” scapes practice of describing scenes with words as you would use a “Camera Obscura”…

L:            The name of one of our journals!  I—or we, then—journalled constantly back then—filling some 20 journals in the first four years of college. Thanks for that! I have always thought of my journal as a Friend; I guess that is, in part, you!

A:           And our Inner Guide, too, the Mahanta.

L:            Absolutely.

A:           So then, what has been the value to you of our journaling?

L:            It has never ended; this very conversation and this blog are extensions of our never-ending alliance!

A:           C’est bon! Oui, Oui, mon Amie!

—lw / Avril

 

******   ******

I invite and welcome YOUR insights and stories!

Your Warrior

Warrior

Sign: Aries

Element: Fire

Process Stage: Origination

Archetypal Traits:

In Strength:  protective, courageous, brave, champion of a cause, defender, good strategist, able to rally forces

In Shadow:  aggressive, warlike, argumentative, overly competitive

Feminine: e.g.  woman warrior, soldier

Masculine: e.g. soldier, fighter

 

What kind of a Warrior are you? Are you highly competitive in a sport or in gaming activities? Is this a strongly developed, champion sort of role in your life?

Or are you a wounded warrior? Do you sometimes avoid conflict but secretly harbor resentments against those you wish you felt powerful enough to confront?

How do you approach your goals? Are you strategic and proactive, blazing a path to glory? Or would you rather not have goals, preferring to let life happen?

How can you strengthen your Warrior nature, if you feel that might be helpful? Well, what would your Warrior tell you?

“Never turn back; never surrender!”

Reflect on your own Warrior traits; we all have them. When is your Warrior your strong Ally? How can you enlist his or her aid to help you forge forward with your most worthy cause and goals? Also though, do you need to temper your warrior nature when it emerges? Could it be helpful to balance this energy with some of your softer archetypal energies, too? Next week we will look more at how you can establish “archeme constellations” or “clusters” to proceed in a more balanced, holistic manner in all of your life pursuits.

I invite your personal insights and reflections.

Tuning In to Your Mystic Awareness

How can you tune in to your own inner Mystic Guide? Let’s count some of the many ways available to you:

Active imagination

Meditation

Contemplation

Yoga

Dream work

Archetype Dialogue Journaling

Prayer

Mindfulness

Each of these natural modes of accessing your unconscious and/or spiritual awareness offers great potential for engaging your Mystic archetype as an Ally who can help your conscious self by sharing deep insights. Let me describe a few of these methods, then, that you may wish to practice.

Active imagination:

This is the technique Carl Jung himself used which he wrote about extensively (e.g. see the marvelous new Reader’s Edition of Jung’s The Red Book). It is a mode of creative visualization. You can journal about your inner experience after returning to your normal waking perspective.

Contemplation:

Contemplation is an active, engaged form of meditation. You maintain awareness while asking an inward question for inner guidance, or you can travel, either astrally (in your emotional state of consciousness), mentally, or via soul travel, to explore dimensions of consciousness beyond the Physical realm. With active contemplation you may assume the perspective of being in the state which you wish to observe, and release your conscious mind to allow whatever experience is relevant from that perspective. You may begin with active imagination and then shift into a contemplative experience.

Dream work:

Dreams occur from many different levels of consciousness, so different kinds of dreams reflect these different levels of perception (and action). Lucid dreaming occurs when you become aware within a dream that you are dreaming; achieving lucid dreaming can help you to be more conscious of your ability to control your outer states of consciousness while waking as well as your dream state.  Archetypal dreams—which Jung was interested in—appear with symbolic content that can reflect either universal, collective archetypal imagery (e.g. a snake can refer to transformation, or a circle can refer to completion or wholeness) and also personal unconscious archetypal parts of Self can appear as personas in your nightly dream. Waking dreams may also happen (more so when you pay attention as such), wherein you realize an outer occurrence has a symbolic component or gives you an answer you are seeking in a serendipitous manner. Some mystical philosophers would remind us that the outer life is as much of a dream as a nightly, “inner” dream scenario.’ (A good primer: The Art of Spiritual Dreaming, by Harold Klemp.)

Archetype Dialogue Journaling:

Using active imagination and contemplation, you can enter into a conversation with your own personal unconscious archetypal ‘parts of Self’. This is the approach I use with the Life Maps Process, and it is the approach Jung used that is described in his The Red Book.  Once you become proficient at invoking and ‘shifting’ between these perspectives, you can journal a dialogue with your varying archetypal personae as it occurs. This can allow you to explore your conflicting attitudes and motivations. These different archetypal perspectives may be identified with “typical situations” in your life; that is, with the distinct ROLES you have established and that you enact daily.

You can approach your MYSTIC archetype for a direct, dynamic dialogue or within a soul travel type of inner encounter.  Remember, all you have to do inwardly is to ASK! And then, accept what happens with a loving heart, ready to learn, and record your experience so you can interpret and remember the insights gained.

The Idealist Archetype

Pegasus

I soar through the Heavens

On gossamer wings,

Aloft in the faith God is All.

Place your trust in my buoyant,

exhuberant Way,

and in Truth may you always prevail.

— LW

Our February archetype is the Idealist. An AIR energy that MAINTAINS and develops any process, the Idealist pairs nicely with this month’s Life Metaphor of life as A Long and Winding Road.

You can count on your Idealist tendencies to strengthen your motivation to achieve any worthy goal. It is an active, lifting mode; a part of you that—when in Strength—carries you forward in a transcendent, joyful way.

In my own contemplative inner adventures I often actually do encounter especially one Pegasus horse which is a beloved inner companion. She takes me on winged flights of unspeakable beauty. While I don’t necessarily see this dream Pegasus as my Idealist part-of-Self, she certainly is real and animated in my awareness and raises me to a more idealistic state of consciousness about life whenever we connect.

If in Shadow, your Idealist may feel trapped or frustrated by limitations or delays. It may help you to find a way around such apparent confinement by offering an alternate activity or route that bypasses or transcends these illusory bounds.

Remember then to listen, and to ask your Inner Idealist for guidance on your next step (or leap) to a desired destination.

 How do you imagine or experience your own Idealist nature? Try answering this question and see what it might evoke for you:

WHEN I GROW UP, I WANT TO BE  : ____________________________

I invite you to journal your answer, or engage in an active imagination ‘flight of fancy’!

Elder Leader as Pathfinder: Change It Up!

On Sunday I blogged about Chefs as Elder Leaders bringing about a new fusion of cultural traditions in our globalizing world. Reflecting further on this theme, “change it up!” comes into focus as a statement about personal growth.

The Elder Leader archetype is a harbinger and often an agent of change. When you become too settled into established routines or habits, beliefs and attitudes, you can always call upon your archetypal Leader persona to set you forth in a new direction. This is because Leaders are Pathfinders. They are not content to stay in a situation that feels stuck or stultifying for very long. When you do resist change or feel hampered by limiting conditions, your Leader might “submerge” and cause a feeling of dissatisfaction—that is a Shadow leader trait—or else it will seek a new direction and set your course in the direction of exploration or, at least, envisioning a future set of possibilities.

I have been feeling somewhat impatient or hedged in about my own creative development lately. I have been getting plenty of things “done” to fulfill my responsibilities, yet now that some of these projects are completed I see a break in the “busy-ness” cloud and I have become more aware of what I wish would be happening beyond my day-to-day routines and workload. So it is a good time to enter into Archetype Dialogue:

LW: Calling Elder Leader; come in, please!

EL: Very funny. Watts’ up, Doc?

LW: Very funny in return!

EL: Droll perhaps, but hardly funny really. What can I do for you?

LW: I feel stymied.

EL: What is it you are wishing for?

LW: Are you my Genie in a Bottle, then?

EL: That is an apt metaphor, at least.

LW: Well in the biggest picture of things, I want to go Home!

EL: What do you mean?

LW: To find my place, my REAL place or space … you know?  Where I belong, where what I do can be effective and reach those hearts I strive to connect with in a dynamic, helpful way…my Family (both literally and metaphorically). Where I can serve my kindred well and be progressive with my own Soul Journey.

EL: You wish to leave this earthly plane?

LW: No, of course not; you know that is not what I am saying.

EL: You want the world to change around you, to better suit your ambitions?

LW: Yes I suppose, I do want the routines to dissolve so that NEWness can enter. New conditions, new activity, finally proceeding to Live my Dream fully, here and now.

EL: What are you going to do about that?

LW: I thought you are the Leader, the Pathfinder for change.

EL: I am; You are!

LW: You seem rather placid lately; you lead me to act toward my goals but seem content with that activity (writing, resubmitting earlier today).

EL: Are we doing all that we can do, Now?

LW: On the level of basic activity and productivity, yes. But I sense there is more I COULD be doing that could facilitate the greater change. What is that?

EL: Perhaps you are referring to the Law of Attitudes or Assumptions.

LW: Change my beliefs or postulates?

EL: Be open to all that which Spirit offers; do not hold back. Sometimes ANY small change is a step in the right direction, like rejoining the Y as you have done recently.

LW: Yes! Physical activity or “returning to fencing” has always been a way for me to shake off the cobwebs to make greater progress.

EL: Then do two things better: Contemplate better. Trust more.

LW: Thank You.

I invite you to open a dialogue with your own Elder Leader, whomever and however you might perceive that to be!

The Good King or Queen

Anna and the King is a fine fictional example of the alchemical pairing of Elder Leader with the metaphor of Life Is What You Make It. Here we find an historical King of Siam (Thailand) who is a central figure in the lives of all his subjects. Anna herself–Teacher to the King’s many children as the progeny from his required monarchic polygyny–circles in the King’s orbit in this story, as a friend and as a close personal advisor to the King during a transitional historic moment as Siam is beset by both internal and external political forces trying to dismantle the monarchy.

The Good King–and his country–survive the onslaught through the King’s exercise of strong leadership qualities: decisiveness, love of his children, compassion for his subjects, and his willingness to act with force and even with clever deception in order to win the day at the final confrontation with his foes.

As I teach cultural anthropology I often point out how ironic it might appear that chiefdom and state societies–like Siam as an example of a state–have just one central leader within their highly populous societies. In fact the more populous and complex a society becomes over time, the fewer the number of paramount leaders there are! This makes sense when you consider that the Elder Leader universal archetype figure is an overarching, organizing principle. The Good King or Queen unifies their subjects around–at their best–the highest interests of all concerned.

Just as a complex society benefits from the permeating, integrating character of a central Leader persona, so does your own complex Psyche. Calling upon your inherent Elder Leader energy allows you to act decisively and to develop better clarity with respect to challenging life situations. You can step into the image of the Good King or Queen whenever you feel the need to adopt a wise perspective.

As a personal development tool, I invite you to try this:

Close your eyes and actively picture the various strands of a difficult or sensitive situation you face. Now assume the ROLE of the GOOD KING or QUEEN and peruse the situation from your Wise Elder Leader perspective. What do you perceive as the King or Queen that adds to your understanding of the situation? Declare an EDICT as the Good King or Queen, and later then, Make It So!

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For next week’s blog posts, I invite your stories or comments about times in YOUR life when you found yourself able to Make Things Happen by drawing upon your inner Leader abilities more than usually for you. What kinds of situations bring out the ELDER LEADER in you? What have been the benefits of allowing your Elder Leader ALLY to express itself in a difficult situation? ALL stories and comments are welcome!

What’s Up, Doc? (Enlisting Your Elder Leader Ally)

Do you sometimes wish you had a trusted advisor by your side, 24/7, to help you make a difficult decision or to help you to take effective action on a significant next step in your life journey? You might have a valued spiritual advisor or sources to consult, but when you seek your own inner counsel, how can you strengthen your connection with your own Elder Leader archetypal strengths and outlook?  For all twelve of the universal primordial archetypes I am presenting in this year’s blog cycle, I invite you to DIALOGUE with your own archetypal cast and crew, as it were—forming and strengthening your own archetypal Inner Council.

This week, I invite you to enlist your Elder Leader persona as an Ally. Get to know this important energetic figure that is always within you but may be more consciously available in some of your day-to-day activities or roles more than others. When do you ‘step into’ your Elder Leader energy? For me, for example, sometimes in my workaday role as a department Chair I find myself expressing my Elder Leader traits, or when I help to organize some service activities within my spiritual community. Also as a pet parent sometimes I rely on this aspect of Self to help me make decisions about proper care of my dog and cats.

So, my first suggestion is for you to simply review your alliance with your own Elder Leader persona. When is he or she most evident in your life? Under what circumstances might s/he emerge?

You might wish to name your Elder Leader facet; I guess for me my title of “Dr.” best fits this persona for me, though I rarely emphasize this title with others except to allow students to use it if they wish to.

Second, I invite you to dialogue with your Elder Leader archetypal Ally or cast member this week in relation to any situation you are pondering that may require a decision on your part. Maybe it’s that New Year’s resolution! In fact, as I write this I realize it was my Elder Leader persona today that took me over to re-enroll in the YMCA.

LW: “Why did you want me to do that today?”

Dr. L: “It will be helpful for our health as we approach another new cycle of heavy activity this next semester, and we can start getting into a workout routine now while we are still on winter respite.”

LW: “I have been feeling somewhat vulnerable lately to flu or other things going around because of how busy things have been.”

Dr. L: “Thanks for paying attention when you heard on the radio that the Y is suspending enrollment fees during this month.”

LW: “Okay, Doc—can I call you that?—but you know how I am with gym memberships. I usually start pretty strong but then I get busy with everything else and I don’t get over to work out much; then I quit again so as not to waste the monthly fees. So what’s to make that any different this time around?”

Doc:  “Excellent question!  Let’s talk about that.  I want you to establish a reasonable schedule this time and stick to it.”

LW: “Once or twice a week maybe?”

Doc: “What is the most open day you will have over this next semester?”

LW: “Probably either on a Saturday morning or maybe a Monday afternoon.”

Doc: “So let’s check it out tomorrow (Sunday) afternoon to see how that feels for a start.”

LW: “All right then. I can do that. Will you help me maintain the schedule once we get started?”

Doc: “I am with you and you can call on me whenever you wish.”

LW: “How does this help you with your own specific goals or interests in our life?”

Doc: “But we are one, along with the rest of us, not ‘many’ ”. You may need to come to understand that better. “WE” are not about compartmentalizing, as you sometimes seem to think. We are simply One AND Several, altogether, at the same time!”

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I welcome YOUR comments and stories!