GATEWAYS TO THE SOUL:
WORKING WITH SYMBOLS
(SUMMER 1999)
Symbols and images come to us in many forms and fashions, but in whatever way they appear, whether through dreams, fantasies, or meditation, they are self-created. In other words, they emerge from our unconscious, the part of ourselves where we do not exert conscious control. Consequently, the symbols and images of our unconscious are gateways to our inner self which we cannot access through ordinary, linear thinking. Through working with these symbols of our unconscious, we become able to access information or states of being that are not normally available to us. The images that emerge from within our psyche are important vehicles that carry us into the deeper reaches of our soul, and can transport us to the vaster ranges of spirit.
We are constantly bombarded with symbols, but are often too distracted to notice. Often we discard them as irrelevant fantasies that are unimportant distractions from the "realities" of life. The images and symbols that emerge, often unasked, from our unconscious are also realities, but realities of a different sort. For instance, I often experience what I call waking dreams, where something odd occurs again and again. I recall one day when, in the course of traveling to and from work I must have seen at least three different cars at the side of the road with flat tires. It seemed odd to me to see so many in one day. The symbol of the flat tire caught my curiosity, and after paying attention to it, I began to wonder what it might be telling me. I used the symbol to connect to my own need to slow down, even to stop, in order to recharge myself to prevent myself from breaking down. (The most important thing we can do when working with symbols is to begin to pay close attention to details and intuitions.) This was the case of an internal process connecting to external symbols. When we begin to look at the world as if there were teachers all around us, the entire world becomes open to interpretation as symbolic.
There are, however, other more direct ways to open to our inner gates, our own inner symbols. With conscious intention, it becomes clear that our inner eye is constantly providing us with symbols to follow. A dream at night will provide a plethora of symbols, any one of which can lead to an inner discovery. Our day-dreams and fantasies also contain images that become symbolic for us. At its most simple, symbols can carry us into recognitions that are related to our daily life, such as in the example of the flat tires. But they can also connect us to parts of ourselves that are hidden more deeply beneath the surface. It is, as always, up to us to determine how deeply we will work with our symbols.
In order to discover and to be carried into a deeper relationship with our symbolic realms, we must first have the intention to want to open at that level. We need to practice trust that our unconscious brings us exactly the images or symbols that we need. Consciously asking for an image or a symbol to emerge in a meditation or a dream is a way to take on a powerful path of symbol-work. When we trust that whatever appears is exactly what we need, then we remove the ego from the process, and are open to receive the lessons and teachings that appear.
I have worked with groups who had a hard time with this. Their ego ideas of the symbols they expected to receive did not match the symbols that appeared. This was sad for them, because they rejected the very "teachers" that did appear. It is not possible to enter into new states of knowing with this attitude. If you expect an image of an eagle, but you receive a cricket, how will you receive the teaching of the cricket? Only by releasing the expectation of the eagle will you become available to what the cricket has to teach. One of the most important aspects of working with inner symbols is an attitude of respect for whatever shows up. This paves the way to opening our gateways to our unconscious.
Making the symbols that emerge from our unconscious into concrete form is one of the most powerful ways I know to work with them. It is difficult to maintain clarity when the symbols remain in the intangible phase. Putting them into concrete form helps us to separate from them enough to begin to be able to relate to them with new eyes. Artwork is one potent way to work with symbols. Putting the symbols that appear to you onto paper with crayons, cray-pas, pastels, or paint--or sculpting the symbol in clay offers the opportunity to see what else might be there that you weren't necessarily aware of at first. It is important when doing this to release the inner critic...you are not doing this to be a great artist, but rather to externalize the internal images, so even if you draw stick figures that represent your inner images, you are "doing it right." As you draw or sculpt, pay particular attention to the memories and feelings that surface. These are clues that will lead you to understanding the deeper meaning and purpose of the symbol.
I was once working with a dream image, so I drew a picture of it. I drew the scene, not as a fabulous piece of artwork, but in order to stimulate more consciousness. One thing led to another, and as memories and more and more feeling surfaced, I continued to draw the changing scenario. I eventually drew a picture of a stuffed owl I had owned, then remembered that I'd had an image of an owl in my meditation that morning. The two images came from different directions, but ultimately led me to the same place. As I worked with drawing an image of the stuffed owl, I began to remember my childhood and feelings of shame. I experienced those feelings in my body and as I expressed them through movement and sound, I experienced release and renewal. Release from the shameful feelings from my childhood, and a renewed attitude of compassion toward myself was the result. This is how symbol-work becomes healing--leading us to broader self knowledge and wholeness.
The best way to understand the power of symbol-work is to begin to practice it yourself. Nothing replaces personal experience, and all the examples in the world will pale in comparison with one experience of being led and guided to a new wisdom or revelation by one's own symbolic journey. Finding and interpreting the messages from your unconscious, through work with symbols, is an exciting and illuminating experience. Remember to take the time to slow down and open to yourself in order to truly receive the messages from your soul.
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