It’s amazing to watch how stress operates in our system. This past weekend our heating system broke. For the three days we had no heat and the family stayed with the In-laws. Each morning our problems got worse and at one point I feared we were not going to be able to fix it.
Now fast forward to last night. Though the heating problems are solved, my body was in a vulnerable state, and the achy misery of the flu decides to take up residency.
I can see how last weeks dream of Cliff Road relates to all this. So the question I ask you for help on:
How could I have traversed this stretch of road differently?
What practices do you employ when you know your body has been compromised by stress?
As I say in the dream “there had to be another way to do that…” I”m all ears.
The flu has been creeping the halls at work, and yesterday afternoon, unawares, it crawled up the the back of my chair and became my guest. At first I thought it was chilly in the office, then I began to get the chills and I couldn’t stop shaking.
He’s a different sort of fellow. He has a tight grip I the base of the skull, the neck, shoulders. The entire area sore to the touch.
So a day of rest, hot tea and a little medicine a I entertain this unexpected visitor. He hasn’t said so much as a word, but I’ll be sure to let you know if he delivers a message.
Dream: I’m in a room discussing writing a book when an Indian, dressed in his dancing best, comes in. He says, “the outline of your book is written on this feather, and you must dance your book into the world.” He begins to dance holding the feather before him.
Amplification:
I had spent some time yesterday looking at research software that provided a database for collecting notes and references while writing. It turned out the software which interested me was only available on a Mac, so I dropped the idea and went on my way.
Here the Unconscious is presenting a counter argument to the methodical approach of research. When the Indian shows me the feather, it is as if the entire text is already written on each separate line along each side of the feather. Through the dance, each word will get released. This approach speaks of an organic discovery instead of the constructive approach of traditional research.
The Indian was older than me, and his appearance numinous, like that of a holy one.
Reflection
The Role of the Artist
Stumbling across lost treasure
It's Sprouting Jung