In the Pandemic we are facing collectively, it is so important for each of us to be able to support and strengthen our health responses, and not Panic. One of the means we each have within us to seek healing, is the power of dreams and imagination. The path has been laid before us by Aesculapius, the God of Healing, invoked in the Ancient Dream Healing Temples of the Greco-Roman World.
I recently lead a retreat on Healing Dreams in Hot Spring, Arkansas in February. Part of our exploration included forest bathing, hiking along trails and rivers, soaking in the Hot Springs Mineral Waters, and creating sacred space to Dream together. One dream that came through for me, was seeing beautiful, clear, large quartz crystal points, growing within my second chakra and into a crystal temple within. I had the feeling at the time, it was a protective restructuring of my energy, in case of a viral outbreak. I did not have a conscious understanding of the coming pandemic at the time, and thought it a strange idea to need protection in that way at the time of the dream. I later read results of a research team lead by Dr. Hyo-Jick Choi, where they are developing salt covered masks, as a preventative and protective measure against Corona Viruses. Tests revealed that Corona viruses are punctured and weakened by the sharp crystalline structure of salt or sugar (Secon, Business Insider Feb. 8, 2020 ).
Incubating healing dreams overnight, as was done in Ancient Dream Healing Temples, was a powerful way to connect each with our inner healer. Sharing dreams together over breakfast opens up our dreams, and the energies held inside. Our insights and actions, create a space for dreams to to take root and healing to happen. Journeying together on conscious shamanic group dream journeys, guided by the drum, with our group healing intention, was a way for each to have a direct experience with divine healing energies.
Direct experience through dreams and conscious shamanic dream journeys, are one way to engage with these healing potentials, another is to dream on behalf of another, and share a healing dream with them to make it their own. This is known as Dream Transfer, one of the core practices of Active Dreaming. It is a powerful mode of transferring healing energies and potentials held inside a dream. Dreams hold collective energy, and can be shared with others for the purpose of healing with great effect. Robert Moss pioneered Active Dreaming, and he likes to say, “Dreams are a place we can go, not something we have.” When we enter inside another person’s dream, it is a place we are experiencing, and the wisdom of the body also translates this as a real experience.
The Goddess Panacea is a daughter of Aesculapius, and as a Dream Temple Priestess, a potent embodiment of the powers of the mind, and the imagination. Scientific research reflects the Panacea effect often is more promising than the actual medicine. Science has also shown that what we imagine or dream, is translated by the body as a real experience, and the body does not differentiate between if it is a waking embodiment or a imaginal embodiment. The ancients knew one of the secrets to healing, is the dream world is the real world, a place where direct experience with Gods and Goddesses are possible, and primordial healing energies are available.
The Goddess Iaso is known as having the wisdom of Remedy, and another daughter of Aesculapius. She holds a mirror in her hands, reflecting the principle often found in medicine of “like reflects like” in finding the remedy or cure. During this time of disruption and social distancing, self reflection can be a potent healing ally. Invoking Iaso can help restore the natural order of balance and health. It also means to put things right. This can refer to the collective health system, financial markets and political policies, which support the recovery and well being of the country and the globe.
The Goddess Hygeia from where we get the word hygiene, is another daughter of Aesculapius. She has been invoked repeatedly in this Corona Virus pandemic, with the mantra “wash your hands. She holds the healing powers of the serpent, known as sacred by the cult of Aesculapius. The temple priestesses cared for the serpents residing in the Abaton. The transformative energies and wisdom of snake, are known in ancient cultures throughout the world. The venom of serpent, brings forth the medical principle of “changing poison into medicine.” The symbol for the World Health Organization, reveals the staff of Aesculapius.
The God Aesculapius was the Greek God of Healing, and Temples of Dream Healing devoted to him were widespread throughout the ancient Greco-Roman World. He was the son of the God Apollo and Coronis. His mother Coronis, was in the Hyades family (the rainy ones), a sisterhood of nymphs that bring rain. The hyades were daughters of atlas and sisters to the Pleiades and the Hesperides. She fled from Poseidon and was changed into a crow by Athena.
The Cult of Aesculapius made pilgrimage to the Asclepieia, for the purpose of seeking healing remedies and direct visitation from the Gods. The Abaton was a place one could sleep overnight for the purpose of incubating a healing dream, or a visit from the God Aesculapius or Goddesses of Healing, for direct experience to their healing energies. The animal powers were also present in the form of the Snake, Dog or even Rooster, in connection with the God Aesculapius (Moss, p. 90-93).
It can be said that perhaps the idea for hospitals, a place one can stay overnight for the purpose of healing, is rooted in the Dream Temples of ancient Greece. The Hippocratic oath comes from Hippocrates, who studied at the Asclepieia at Kos. Across the Western World, the snake wrapped staff of Aesculapius, can still be seen as the symbol for western modern medicine. Perhaps we need to bring back the healing potentials of dream incubation into hospitals in collaboration with healing professionals once again. Aesculapius was very popular, because his approach to healing was available to anyone from anywhere. It was not based on how much money you had, or from what level of society you came. Dreams are also like this, available to all. We all dream each and every night.
I invite you to enter the Temple of Dream Healing and tap into the healing potentials of a conscious shamanic group dream journey, guided by the sound of the drum, lead by Active Dream Teacher, Valley Reed. Become a subscriber to hear future podcasts, and shamanic journeys guided by the drum. https://www.patreon.com/chrysalishealingarts
Sources:
Moss, Robert; The Secret History of Dreaming, (New World Library, 2009)
Secon, Holly; “A biomedical engineer created a mask coated in salt that he says could neutralize viruses like the coronavirus in 5 minutes” Business Insider Magazine, Feb. 8, 2020, Web.
https://www.businessinsider.com/mask-coated-in-salt-neutralizes-viruses-like-coronavirus-2020-2
© Valley Reed 2020
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