Journeys, Dreams & Astrology : Whispers from the Universe
Earlier this year I made the crazy decision to go to Rythmia in Costa Rica. If you are not familiar with Rythmia, it is a luxurious Ayahuasca Retreat Center. One of my very best friends convinced me to go, and a voice (my unconscious? Mother Aya?) also intervened. It was a very intuitive, fluid and scary process to commit to diving so deeply into my unconscious. Doors were opened on every level from the moment that I committed to the journey and they continue to open to this day. I don’t know how to explain it, except for that something happens when you acknowledge and make sacrifices to the service of the Unconscious.
This is in no way a plea for everyone who reads this to run to your nearest Ayahuasca center and partake in a Ceremony. Ayahuasca is not for everyone, and there are many ways to get to the Spiritual Center that Mother Aya facilitates. She is simply a fast track to the heart of the Universe within each of us and that binds us all. Meditation, prayer, all types of ceremonies, therapy, other psychedelics and dreams are all ways to connect to this same place.
Part of what made my trip to Costa Rica appealing was that I had been deepening both my dream work with a Jungian Analyst and my astrological studies - particularly in Archetypal Astrology. Connecting as deeply as possible with the Unconscious was very, very appealing to me - as it continues to be.
Upon returning from Rythmia, and still drunk on Mother Aya, I offered my Rythmia friends readings and was very busy (especially for a new astrologer). The consultations that I had with these beautiful individuals were some of the deepest, most to-the-heart-of-the-matter work that I have done thus far. I realized, as I suspected, that Astrology and Journeys really do complement one another.
Elements of the chart that are often too abstract and hard to explain (such as the Lunar Nodes, Chiron and the 8th and 12th Houses) frequently became the most clear and lucrative parts of the consultation. Each client was very open and willing to go deeply into the chart - which was an exhilarating experience as an astrologer. Several surface layers of the chart interpretation were initially dissolved away and exposed a deeper realm that isn’t usually accessible in a normal consultation.
After this experience I started to really look at my dreams in the context of astrological transits and my natal chart in general. The outcomes were stunningly similar to the work that I had done with my Rythmia friends. Combining dreamwork and journeys with astrology results in the following : first, astrology provides a rich framework for dream and journey interpretation and, secondly, the dream & journey experiences deepen the astrological symbology.
Archetypal Astrologers such as Renn Butler, Richard Tarnas and others have been correlating these unconscious experiences to astrology over the past 20 years. Personally, this realization blew open a whole new world of discovery and inspiration for my astrological exploration. This is work that I hope to continue doing for years to come.
All of this may seem a bit “out-there” so I will give you some pragmatic examples of how to use astrology in regards to Journeys and Dreams.
How to Apply Astrology to Journeys & Dreams
Like most Transit work, when you are exploring the energetics of a Journey or a Dream you will want to pay close attention to how transiting Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto in particular are impacting your Natal Chart. These planetary influences can set the stage for the prominent energetics or themes that you may encounter during your Journeys. They will also explain the landscape of past Journeys and Dreams from a deeper symbolic perspective.
If you are using Astrology to plan your Journey (psychedelics, ceremonies, pilgrimages, meditations, etc) then it is usually best to know your INTENTION first. What are you hoping to accomplish or work through via your Journey? Is there somewhere that you are stuck that you are aiming to break free from? Are you seeking greater connection to the Universal Unconscious? Do you carry trauma that you are looking to work through? Be clear in your intentions and have them in hand before consulting the astrology for planning a Journey of any kind. That way, you can chose a time whose energetics will fit your needs more appropriately. Clearly, planning for dreams is less applicable.
And, while this preparatory approach can be useful, the Universe has a way of putting us where we need to be when we need to be there. Sometimes overthinking can get in the way, and there are elements of the energetic field that either we aren’t interpreting correctly or ones that we simply cannot perceive.
Using astrology as a retrospective tool for Journeywork and Dreams can be very enlightening. Both the Natal Chart and the Transit Chart for the journey or dream can be used to dig deeply into the symbology that was being shown to you. Using Jungian Dream Analysis, Astrological Symbology and Mythology it is possible to interpret the Unconscious motivations as well the Cosmos revealing it’s grand-plan for your soul.
Connection to the Unconscious
Connecting to the Unconscious can seem overwhelming or maybe you are wondering “what’s the point?” Yes, the potential for information overload is certainly there. But if you take it small-bite by small-bite you will likely find that the bigger picture of the Unconscious’ message is eventually is in a comfortable full view.
The point of this type of work lies in the notion that the Unconscious is always communicating with us. Working with ancient symbolic systems can help us to decode where our potential lies, the underside of our struggles, as well as the overall path of our soul. It is my belief that, wether you take notice or not, and regardless of what spiritual system you attribute these messages through, we are constantly receiving information from the invisible, spiritual realm.
When we shut this information out is when people tend to run into tough times. This is not to say that working with the Unconscious is easy or doesn’t get messy - because it absolutely does. The only way out is through.
Closing
Take the time to listen to the whispers of the Universe - wherever it is that you hear its voice most clearly. Tap into your dreams and, if you feel called, embark upon a Journey - of any kind. Our society at large encourages us to remain numb to these subtle messages because it may undermine the rulership of those in power. Be a rebel, create a personal rebellion on the highest level and listen to your inner voice.
Remember, we are all Spiritual Beings having an Earthly Experience.
