Dreamworking

Dreams, Healing & Wholeness
In his work with both patients and clients, Dr. Carl Jung witnessed the natural healing mechanism of the dream. The dream acted in such a way as to amend a lop sided or partial perspective on life, or create awareness of an emotional problem. A series of dreams would develop, balance and refine the conscious awareness of the dreamer. Jung had rediscovered the age old wisdom of the dream and its capacity to heal and make whole.

In his patients the dream imagery and themes would present themselves in such a way that that the healing of the psyche would proceed. As the therapist all Jung need do was to help and encourage his patients to understand their own dreams. For Jung it was the dreams, not the doctor, who was the healer. Dreamscapes always express current situations via symbols, aspects of self and archetypes. All depicted persona in dreams are aspects of self. The slef can thus be explored through this recognision, and the dreamscape will highlight the emotional dis-ease.

Having solved their original problems and balanced out their sanity many of Jung’s patients continued on with their psychotherapeutic work with him. For they did not stop dreaming. Instead the dreams seemed to focus on a whole new set of untouched problems and issues. No sooner had one difficulty been resolved when another, of even greater complexity and depth, would present itself. And again the dream would provide the healing and answers.

In this pattern of raising one issue after another Jung recognised more than a healing mechanism at work within the dream. Apart from healing, the dreams also seemed to be encouraging and actively participating in the growth and development of the personality. Jung termed this inherent drive of the psyche as the force of individuation, the force by which we become whole and indivisible.

Both in himself and in his clients Jung pursued the way of the dream and became a student to its teachings. It was in this way that Jung helped to usher in the new religious paradigm, which has come to be known as the idea of Self-development.

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Deon