I was caregiving my father-in-law and we both needed sleep-I was laying on an air mattress next to him, he had dementia and his anxiety and pain were cycling him up. I cast a circle cocoon like structure around us and we both slept for hours peacefully.
Hi, I'd recommend reading the book, Liminal Dreaming: Exploring Consciousness at the Edges of Sleep by Jennifer Dumpert. It's a thorough examination of the various stages of sleep with an emphasis on hypnagogia and hypnopompia, which occur before and after deep sleep, where one can dream/ envision quickly. I've always been able to liminal dream but it's hard to remember... like snowflakes melting on contact. It becomes easier with practice. Her website is here: https://www.liminaldreaming.com/
Thanks Alyssa for this great post! I'm curious for your take on the dangers of engaging the unconscious. On the one hand I've heard people speak about surrendering to the unconscious (i.e. allowing the images and affect they bring to dissolve the ego and sense of self). For example, Bill Plotkin speaks of this when transitioning from an adolescence ego-centric stage to a eco-centric adult stage of consciousness. A kind of invitation to psychological death and trust in an eventual rebirth. On the other hand, I have heard others speak on the dangers of engaging the unconscious, of a strong ego and/or ego-Self axis being a prerequisite before engaging the depths. Others go so far to explicitly state the existence of evil as a real psychological force (e.g. Robert Moore spoke on this). For me there seems to be so much gold to be found in the unconscious, but at the same time a real and present danger. What do you think? Another related question: Do you think its advisable to recommend active imagination exercises to anyone (e.g. to dialogue with a mysterious dream figure)? Thank you.
This post comes at such an interesting moment for me, Alyssa. I've been in the midst of a deep cave exploration with Hekate of late and I had a bit of an invasion of what I consider chthonic entities in my office this week (ants) in the midst of it all. While, practically, it triggered my "Ew" response, it also triggered my inner knowing a bit too. A visit from the Eater of Filth is no mistake, but the invasion was a serious reminder that setting wards and having clear boundaries in the midst of working with a being as powerful and disruptive as Hekate is required. I would like to link to your piece in my writing about it today. It is a perfect correlation and your writing here details the importance of casting circles as well.
I do a daily circle cast the first thing when I get up in the morning. Quick chat with those who show up in the circle, and then tarot and morning journaling. I don't do it, however, for protection. I do it more to call in those who I work with on a regular basis. When I do not do that, my days often feel very solitary and disconnected.
New reader here, thanks for the great entry. May I ask you Alyssa, and anyone else who's interested, what your favorite protective circle ritual is? I perform a daily Lesser Invoking and Banishing of the Pentagram ritual.
I have used ritual in dreams as well, to summon objects and once to banish a malign entity. I wouldn't call the dreams lucid, it's more like I'm more actively engaged in the dream rather than just viewing it go by. I have agency but it's not breaking the fourth wall, so to speak. My goal is to perform an Invocation and Banishing within dream space.
I'm so glad you wrote about this. I found myself casting physical circles around myself last year for the first time to protect myself from intense psychic invasion (which was happening in my dreams and feelings that didn't feel entirely mine). I found that sitting in a circle of flowers did make me feel so much safer to come back to myself.
Another astonishingly timely post. After a recent, rather harrowing encounter, I realise how I could have tempered its effect by honouring the temenos space. Lesson well and truly learned. I liked the way you could draw on family pieces in order to wear protection as well as create it. I can imagine the strength that inheres in such heirlooms.
I was caregiving my father-in-law and we both needed sleep-I was laying on an air mattress next to him, he had dementia and his anxiety and pain were cycling him up. I cast a circle cocoon like structure around us and we both slept for hours peacefully.
Hi, I'd recommend reading the book, Liminal Dreaming: Exploring Consciousness at the Edges of Sleep by Jennifer Dumpert. It's a thorough examination of the various stages of sleep with an emphasis on hypnagogia and hypnopompia, which occur before and after deep sleep, where one can dream/ envision quickly. I've always been able to liminal dream but it's hard to remember... like snowflakes melting on contact. It becomes easier with practice. Her website is here: https://www.liminaldreaming.com/
Thanks Alyssa for this great post! I'm curious for your take on the dangers of engaging the unconscious. On the one hand I've heard people speak about surrendering to the unconscious (i.e. allowing the images and affect they bring to dissolve the ego and sense of self). For example, Bill Plotkin speaks of this when transitioning from an adolescence ego-centric stage to a eco-centric adult stage of consciousness. A kind of invitation to psychological death and trust in an eventual rebirth. On the other hand, I have heard others speak on the dangers of engaging the unconscious, of a strong ego and/or ego-Self axis being a prerequisite before engaging the depths. Others go so far to explicitly state the existence of evil as a real psychological force (e.g. Robert Moore spoke on this). For me there seems to be so much gold to be found in the unconscious, but at the same time a real and present danger. What do you think? Another related question: Do you think its advisable to recommend active imagination exercises to anyone (e.g. to dialogue with a mysterious dream figure)? Thank you.
This post comes at such an interesting moment for me, Alyssa. I've been in the midst of a deep cave exploration with Hekate of late and I had a bit of an invasion of what I consider chthonic entities in my office this week (ants) in the midst of it all. While, practically, it triggered my "Ew" response, it also triggered my inner knowing a bit too. A visit from the Eater of Filth is no mistake, but the invasion was a serious reminder that setting wards and having clear boundaries in the midst of working with a being as powerful and disruptive as Hekate is required. I would like to link to your piece in my writing about it today. It is a perfect correlation and your writing here details the importance of casting circles as well.
I do a daily circle cast the first thing when I get up in the morning. Quick chat with those who show up in the circle, and then tarot and morning journaling. I don't do it, however, for protection. I do it more to call in those who I work with on a regular basis. When I do not do that, my days often feel very solitary and disconnected.
New reader here, thanks for the great entry. May I ask you Alyssa, and anyone else who's interested, what your favorite protective circle ritual is? I perform a daily Lesser Invoking and Banishing of the Pentagram ritual.
I have used ritual in dreams as well, to summon objects and once to banish a malign entity. I wouldn't call the dreams lucid, it's more like I'm more actively engaged in the dream rather than just viewing it go by. I have agency but it's not breaking the fourth wall, so to speak. My goal is to perform an Invocation and Banishing within dream space.
I'm so glad you wrote about this. I found myself casting physical circles around myself last year for the first time to protect myself from intense psychic invasion (which was happening in my dreams and feelings that didn't feel entirely mine). I found that sitting in a circle of flowers did make me feel so much safer to come back to myself.
Another astonishingly timely post. After a recent, rather harrowing encounter, I realise how I could have tempered its effect by honouring the temenos space. Lesson well and truly learned. I liked the way you could draw on family pieces in order to wear protection as well as create it. I can imagine the strength that inheres in such heirlooms.
I enjoyed reading this. Magic circles to create protective boundaries fascinate me.