Dream The Dream On
“Active Imagination” involves having a “dialogue with the image” in our dreams by expressing them through some form of self-expression. The aim is to give voice to different personalities within oneself, particularly the anima, animus, and the shadow, that are usually ignored. This helps establish communication between the conscious and the unconscious mind.
I shared a recurring dream that I keep having with my two group mates. It’s about a theme park that I have never been to before. In the dream, I look out of my window and see a beautiful and colorful flower field, similar to the ones in the Netherlands. Suddenly, the field transforms into a theme park, and I see people gathered for an opening ceremony. Even though I stay in my apartment and watch them from afar, my heart yearns to be part of the fun. This dream often wakes me up at this particular moment, and I wonder what this dream signifies and what messages my subconscious mind is trying to convey to me. So, I hope to understand the significance of my dreams through active imagination and gain a deeper understanding of myself.
Beyond simply noticing the images, the process also involves a conscious participation in them. My teammates and teacher asked me to describe my dream in more detail. They also asked what I would like to say to the crowd if I could “dream the dream on”. I replied that I would ask the crowd, “May I play with you?” However, they wondered how the crowd would respond. I told them that the crowd didn’t seem to notice me and just continued playing with each other. Feeling left out, I went downstairs and ran to them, telling them that I wanted to play with them. But they hardly gave any response. When I tried to approach them closely, they started leaving the theme park. Suddenly, all the lighting and facilities of the park turned off, and everywhere became dark. They then asked me how I would react at that moment, and I said that I shouted to the crowd, “Why couldn’t you just wait for me!” This sentence made me cry immediately because it reminded me of a childhood experience when I got lost in a shopping mall, and my mother wasn’t with me. This feeling of being left out or abandoned resurfaced, revealing my inner fear of loneliness.
One of my groupmates made an artwork to provide me with his aesthetic response – a paper model of a Ferris Wheel. It was fascinating to look at, and it got me thinking about my dream. I decided to try and give my dream an ending, using the Ferris Wheel as my inspiration. To continue with my dream, I found myself standing alone at a theme park in the dark. I could see a security guard there for checking the facilities. I approached him and asked him whether he could turn on the Ferris Wheel for me to take one ride, and he kindly agreed. As I got into the cabinet on the Ferris Wheel, I could feel the excitement inside of me. The view from the Ferris Wheel was stunning. From that higher perspective, I could see the surrounding areas and appreciate their beauty that I never think of. I look forward to exploring this technique further and discovering the transformative power it holds.
Overall, it was a surreal experience, and I’m glad I got to live it, even if it was only in a dream. Through the process of active imagination, I was able to connect with my deepest fear and gradually transform it into a sense of courage, enabling me to stand alone. The artwork created by my groupmate sparked my imagination and was crucial to the healing process. For this, I am truly grateful. As Jung suggested, dwelling on the image can act as a transcendent function, helping us to understand ourselves, live in the present moment, and accept reality as it is, rather than how we think it should be. And it coincidently echoes to my Temenos.
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