Imaginal Journal
Imagination is Medicine
Living Symbols and Myths
Having a background in literature, my ear has always attuned to symbols in story and how it reveals connections to our lives and the unconscious.
While we now have movies to relate our hero images too, the myth and fairytale long ago and to this day holds our psyches in contemplation of our own stories.
Joseph Campbell, renowned mythologist, spent his life studying the monomyth, or rather on the one motif that threads all myths, that of the hero’s journey. He postulated that every myth centers on a hero who must heed the call of adventure, face very obstacles while refining his power and gain tools, until he is able to meet and overcome the dragon, retrieve the gold, bounty or princess and return home to raise the consciousness of his community.
While some consider this a goal oriented masculine hero’s story, the heroine, likewise, is called to this endeavor of the human journey. The arc of the hero’s journey can be cyclical throughout life or describe one’s entire lifespan.
In my lifetime, I have found myself in the midst of living out various myths that have greatly informed my human experience. Relating to a myth, story or fairytale, gives us the sense that we are not alone in this journey. It has happened before to other people, at other times. It brings us into the relational, patterned, whole of life.
And we regain power to navigate our own existence, rather than allow the myth to live us. We live and revive the myth through our engaging with life.
What myths have had you? What myth will you have?
A Marriage of Intent
Married forty-two years ago today. Honoring John and Yoko, a union to experiment in freedom, creativity, love, peace, and nonviolence.
Chakra Guide
Yoga instructor, Ashley Turner, played a huge role in guiding my path to considering the body-mind connection. Under the auspicious experience of practicing yoga with her, I learned about the Chakra system and its various energy centers in the body. Having had a very visceral experience of how energy was being released through my practice, I grew to understand my body’s wisdom in indicating unconscious holdings. Here is a very simple breakdown of this ancient wisdom.
Chakra One: Muladhara (mantra: LAM)
Earth, Physical identity, oriented to self-preservation
Located at the base of the spine, this chakra forms our foundation. It represents the element earth, and is therefore related to our survival instincts, and to our sense of grounding and connection to our bodies and the physical plane. Ideally this chakra brings us health, prosperity, security, and dynamic presence.
Chakra Two: Svadhisthana (mantra: VAM)
Water, Emotional identity, oriented to self-gratification
The second chakra, located in the abdomen, lower back, and sexual organs, is related to the element water, and to emotions and sexuality. It connects us to others through feeling, desire, sensation, and movement. Ideally this chakra brings us fluidity and grace, depth of feeling, sexual fulfillment, and the ability to accept change.
Chakra Three: Manipura (mantra: RAM)
Fire, Ego identity, oriented to self-definition
This chakra is known as the power chakra, located in the solar plexus. It rules our personal power, will, and autonomy, as well as our metabolism. When healthy, this chakra brings us energy, effectiveness, spontaneity, and non-dominating power.
Chakra Four: Anahata (mantra: YAM)
Air, Social identity, oriented to self-acceptance
This chakra is called the heart chakra and is the middle chakra in a system of seven. It is related to love and is the integrator of opposites in the psyche: mind and body, male and female, persona and shadow, ego and unity. A healthy fourth chakra allows us to love deeply, feel compassion, have a deep sense of peace and centeredness.
Chakra Five: Vishuddha (mantra: HAM)
Sound, Creative identity, oriented to self-expression
This is the chakra located in the throat and is thus related to communication and creativity. Here we experience the world symbolically through vibration, such as the vibration of sound representing language.
Chakra Six: Ajna (mantra: AOM)
Light, Archetypal identity, oriented to self-reflection
This chakra is known as the brow chakra or third eye center. It is related to the act of seeing, both physically and intuitively. As such it opens our psychic faculties and our understanding of archetypal levels. When healthy it allows us to see clearly, in effect, letting us “see the big picture.”
Chakra Seven: Sahasrara (no mantra)
Thought, Universal identity, oriented to self-knowledge
This is the crown chakra that relates to consciousness as pure awareness. It is our connection to the greater world beyond, to a timeless, spaceless place of all-knowing. When developed, this chakra brings us knowledge, wisdom, understanding, spiritual connection, and bliss.
The Power of Vulnerability
Clinical Social Worker, Brene Brown talks about the Power of Vulnerability and related subjects of shame, belonging and worthiness.
Hieros Gamos
Alchemy holds deeply interesting metaphors for psychotherapy and personal transformation. Within this philosophy, the concept of Hieros Gamos represents the sacred marriage of masculine and feminine.
Below is the alchemical image of androgyne. This is not a marriage of two individuals becoming one, but rather of one individual integrating their masculine and feminine aspects, the yin and yang, the ida and pingala.
