Active Imagination

Jung pioneered the technique of active imagination, a process by which the ego engages with imagery and content generated by the unconscious. Active imagination can help us understand our dreams, and lead us into new psychic situations. On today's episode, we share some personal examples of active imagination, discuss some suggestions of how to engage in it, and explore what active imagination has to do with snorkeling.    The dream: I am about to light four candles on the dining room table, each in its separate candlestick. They are ivory-colored tapers and are about two-thirds consumed already. Two of the burned wicks are quite short and two are long, curling at the top. I am arrested by this fact as it seems significant and I’m somewhat afraid of getting it wrong somehow.

[@Magik1369]

I was engaged in active imagination...my Jungian analyst taught me the technique. One day while conversing with my "inner child" I had past life information revealed. As I was writing down the responses and information I was receiving from my unconscious while in the active imagination state. All of this information, names, places I worked and went to school, and places I lived were revealed. A few days later I traveled to these places in the South and experienced deja-vu and many synchronicities. All the facts and information given to me in my active imagination a few days prior was corroborated by evidence that I gathered. It was then that I realized that I am reincarnating Soul. The Self will go to great lengths to reveal our Spiritual Nature if we pay attention and are receptive. Prior to these experiences, I never believed in reincarnation...never even thought about it. Peace. Love this channel!

[@Wingedmagician]

Just what I needed. I was so fed up with the wishy washy new age stuff but right from the beginning you get to the definition of what active imagination is. I am in desperate need of some guidance this point in my life - hopefully can I tap into something inside myself to help me.

[@IsaacEstrada12]

Maybe find a clinical psychologist to guide you through the experience - best of luck!!

[@thisjungianlife]

Rob, I think you might enjoy Deldon McNeely's book BECOMING. There is an inner companioning intelligence that we can feel and come to know. ~ Joseph

[@kirstinstrand6292]

How I wish I could have heard this in my 20s...30s... 🙄😅 40s...shall I keep going? What a Fabulous channel!

[@kirstinstrand6292]

I feel that the lady fearful of lighting the candles is concerned about her remaining years, and how she chooses to live out her life. 4 candles evenly burned indicates that she feels in balance with Jung's 4 Elements. She simply wants to continue her fruitful, emotional life. Will her most senior years allow her to successfully continue her path? Or, maybe I'm projecting. LoL. Perhaps one must be already old to decipher such an uncomplicated dream.

[@carmel3613]

Hi @Rob Vel , I very much hope you did tap into something inside yourself that helped you. During times I have been in desperate need of guidance, Marie-Louise von Franz's and Barbara Hannah's writings about how to do active imagination helped me enormously. With warmest wishes!

[@mr.anindyabanerjee9905]

Active Imagination seems to be the common thread that binds Jungian Analytical Psychology and Freudian Psychoanalysis. Very engrossing presentation... 🙏😊💚

[@davidbrodie9795]

Jung got Active Imagination from Ignatius of Loyola. He says as much. Ignatius used it heavily in the Spiritual Exercises.

[@Keldaj]

lol also I just ran into "paracelsus" and his works in the book by franz hartmann paracelsus mentions the "collective unconscious" and the unconscious in the 1500's

[@Keldaj]

@Oek Fillion i do the same thing, now I take it a step further and look for figures in history I want to resonate with. so i learn about them and their characteristics.

[@Keldaj]

@@symbolsofthesoul2935 "All evestra originate in the 'Turba Magna' the collective activity of the universe. (this is the reference to the "collective unconscious") The Evestra prophetica proceed directly from the turba magna, Evestra Obumbrata come into existence at the time to which the form that they belong appear" (this is a reference I believe to the "personal unconscious") - The Life Of Theophrastus bombast of Hoenheim, known by paracelsus and the substance of his teachings. Franz Hartmann. pgs 88-89

[@howdareyou5800]

Ignacio de Loyola took it from Tomas Aquino, Tomas Aquino took it from Agustin Hipona, Agustin Hipona took it from Jesus Nazareth, Jesus Nazareth took it from Buddha Gautama, Buddha Gautama took it from Krishna, Krishna took it from Zaratustra.

[@artemis12061966]

@@Keldaj yes, it was known and used.

[@obowurx6625]

So happy to find this podcast. What a great idea and execution!

[@foxindabush3130]

This is a podcast? So glad I found this. I have been doing this for a while now and this pretty elaborate narrative has unfolded. The protagonist isn't explicitly me - but they awaken in a sort of after life or hinterland between worlds and they meet a woman with antlers, a blue fox, 9 otters, and then... a Dragon... which is also a river, a very powerful unstoppable river. The dragon manifested physically as basically a really severe anxiety attack. It writhed around in my heart as though it was slamming against the walls of a cage trying to get out and turned my veins into rapids and threatened to burst from me. So I encountered and dealt with this dragon through the proxy of the protagonist (The protagonist prior to this encounter was an unnamed, androgynous fog of amnesiac abstract awareness referred to as "You" in the third person - and then the dragon names them as Okan sailor upon the waters and bearer of the weight of memory and then the story shifts to first person. (They make peace with each other and end up recognizing each other as family.) I really can't explain the healing that started after I began this process. Just the power of acknowledging your inner world and providing it the dignity of reality is a huge titanic shift. I would really love to share more details of the characters and the story. I have pages and pages of writing and drawings and I often revisit them and analyze them myself but would love to hear someone else's thoughts. Thanks for this podcast I will be tuning in and bingeing episodes. I can't afford any analysis or therapy so I'm on my own but it's really nice to hear people just talking about it and giving that inner reality dignity in the outer. Thnks!

[@artemis12061966]

i believe the ancient faiths would strike a chord with you, i also believe they did this sort of thing as well....

[@izzifragner]

I am absolutely in love with this! Lucky to have come across this channel

[@fuksmkoud6716]

I use to have a recurring dream It would be nightime, out on a cul- de sac shape of a lake. Around the edges of this lake (beach) were these strange Clam (literally giant open clams) shape balconies stood, with laturns hanging on the inside of them. They were like seating areas where you could look out on the lake. Within the area I found an old misrable somewhat angry fisherman.. or captain. He scared me and still scares me. He did not attack me.. but seemed to just despise me.. he really hated me. I cannot really remember what he said or if he even said anything to me. He just seemed hostile. I sort of followed him around a bit, but nothing really happened. Anyway... I find it amusing that the story of the Fisher king and the knight percival is considered a potent story among jungian analysizers.. well at least I think it is.. Perhaps I need to return to the "castle" and ask the old fisher man, who does the grail serve! haha! I do love that story and the concept of it But im not sure if the old man will appreciate it.. I am genuinly scared of him. I dream of a little girl sometimes to, they seem to share the same personality, her and the old man. They both seem extremely hostile.

[@artemis12061966]

hate, too has a function.

[@thomaspenny8360]

Well, I know what my morning commute will be consisting of for the foreseeable future. Thank you!!

[@britaralph8756]

I think the candle dream is this woman needs to fully go for something in her life ….time is ticking on so she has 2 that are more burnt that is the familiar and the long wicks are the ones the new path that she should focus on in this later part of life. I think in a way the dreamer is the only one that can come up with the true meaning for herself. Maybe what I wrote above is my own message. I am so interested in active imagination. I actually used it a few weeks ago with out reading or knowing any thing about it. I had a really interesting sort of breakthrough or release of energy and a better understanding of a situation. It was absolutely amazing. I’m hopeful I can use it again.

[@reneahn5908]

Hey,this is GOOD! Also, you all have very nicely developed voices. That helps, and creates trust. A valuable commodity these days.

[@madhumitadasgupta4561]

Amazing... explained beautifully 🙏

[@pamelaroebuck1079]

Thank you for this wonderful explanation of active dreaming. I think dream reentry is an amazing way to get in touch with your subconscious. When asked to interpret a dream that is not my own, I would begin with--"If it was my dream....."

[@mrbrett19]

That was a fantastic conversation! Stumbled upon active imagination this morning and found your channel. Been devouring all Jungian topics I could handle for the past few years. I would love to get into jungian analysis work. Thank you 🙏

[@OnceTheyNamedMeiWasnt]

If you do, please let me know. I'll help you carry your weights! 👍

[@helionomicon7455]

Thank u! Good stuff, 4 (material world) light (consciousness), transcendence and the shame before the wedding night.

[@thisjungianlife]

Thank you for your kind words! ~ Joseph

[@muskduh]

Absolutely amazing

[@kingfisher9553]

Sometimes I have short descriptive statements occur to me. These repeat for years if necessary until I understand the metaphor. Another thing is a tendency to break into song in certain situations (I don't actually DO this when in a public setting, but the song still occurs in my mind). Now that I've begun using active imagination in the way these folks describe (I've done active imagination all my life, but still improving the understanding of the metaphors) I'm going to spend some time with these - I'll call them mantras.

[@SukhbirCheema]

I feel her dream meant that she was ending her 40s and entering her 50s and she's worried about the uncertainty of growing older (or wiser). But in truth, it's an opportunity to see and welcome what happens when she lights the candles.

[@klevisii]

Great one!

[@Queenie-the-genie]

Such an amazing and inspiring lesson in what I want to learn. Thank you. I’m hoping to be able start the dream classes soon. You guys are wonderful and kind harted teachers. 💛

[@7W7W7]

I’m severely dyslexic and use my active imagination frequently without even realising it was a think.

[@sophiafakevirus-ro8cc]

I'm doxlectic and I had turd about active imagination, but I never realised it was a thimble.

[@Georghiou2D]

How to conduct the process of Active Imagination is explained in the Red Book, in the chapter "A New Spring of Life"

[@letmerun111]

Are you sure? I can't seem to find any chapter with that title.

[@user-xh6nl5xi7y]

In the candle dream, I believe represents a respect to the two potentials, of either a shortened or a lengthened lifespan, and how their choices will impart an effect on these.

[@mariafitts]

Great video

[@WeirdoPsikopat]

Will the active imagination be relevant to every dream? meaning, are there some kinds of dreams which can bear more weight when it comes to revealing the personal and or collective unconscious or all dreams can be equally significant ?

[@nwdsongs]

I'm also curious ( and I know Jung was against them ) but how is this space similar, congruent or dissimilar to the space induced under certain psychedelics? For example under Ayuhasca I was able to speak with my late grandfather for 3 hours. I interpreted it as both ( him) and the wise part of myself - which is not an experience i've had in dream work

[@TheTCPTalk]

Couldn't find this on the podcast app castbox

[@Monotonous-Tedium]

I was once eaten by a wolf. I enjoyed it. The end

[@gwendolynmurphy9563]

I'm going to try some active imagination with yoga nidra tonight!

[@thisjungianlife]

How did it go?

[@gwendolynmurphy9563]

@@thisjungianlife I'm pleased to report that in my unique way I harvested some clarity about my current life situation. I don't usually recall my dreams, but often catch fragments and jot them down. Later in the morning thoughts will flow, images will speak to me, and I'll return to my notepad and just start writing. Voila! Today I have the opportunity to "reality-test" my insight! Thanks for asking.

[@LS-yn6er]

I was wondering about the dream, given the age of the dreamer, if the lightening of the candles / initiation might be the felt onset of menopause as a holy transition in a woman's life? Which, especially in nowadays culture, also often goes hand in hand with a certain ambivalence?

[@thisjungianlife]

That sounds very relevant.

[@HerrEngelsman]

'Dreaming with eyes open' I am 39 now. In my early 20's I used to do this. I could zone out and sort of waking dream, begin to see things but the kicker is it wasn't pleasant. Had bouts of bad sleep paralysis as a younger man too. It's like I can access it but not control it. I would like to try again but any advice for being able to do so at a point without the nightmare version? Are there ways, techniques to relax, a safety net?

[@johncolverson7127]

Is the term "getting on my wick" used in the states, to refer to someone annoying? If so might there be a dream pun involved here - referring to unconscious aggression?

[@howdareyou5800]

I dont know.

[@thatdude123]

Nope

[@thatdude123]

Would just be "getting on my nerves"

[@kylerrichmeier5892]

I'm really starting to wonder if I am the only male who remembers dreams??? One of last nights dreams "I was playing some sort of game with some work friends in an area where I actually used to meet my childhood best friend. It's a creek in a giant "ditch area" (presumably it used to be a very wide river but has shrunk to a small stream and when it rains it really does fill up) and the game was something akin to tag but you had to step on shadows and the light was off-bounds. Suddenly a giant buck approached us from the other side of this little stream. I was curious and wanted to watch it so I ran closer to get it in my view(as it went down into the ditch and I lost the sight line) and crossed the river even, the deer had gone missing but there was a "dead" deer in the river. I was bewildered. "Was that the deer" I was thinking to myself. But my buddy reassured me it was the deer pointing at it. I look again and I say, this deer is dead, it's literally got holes for its eyes (I could see thru where it's eyes should be) but then it blinked a few times and it's eyes filled In. Big buck with pretty large sized antlers. Suddenly it took off down the river and toward another coworker. The CO worker tried his best to avoid the deer but it started attacking him. The first few charges were not that bad but suddenly it got him good and he started to bleed. I felt kinda helpless to do anything about it but the whole time I was thinking there is so much more you could do to avoid this deer. After this i woke up. I had two other dreams this night as well I'd be happy to share lol. Maybe it's just that mostly females listen to the podcast 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@swolemoth]

I know plenty of males including myself who remember dreams. There may be a bias of women offering dreams for interpretation in a public podcast setting because women are more support orientated, whereas men typically do not seek support and would rather attempt to solve it on their own, or at least in a private setting.

[@ansarallahi]

what if you stumble upon devils

[@ChriseldaPhoenix]

Maybe the active imagination is a conjuring that brings forth one’s daemon.

[@AngelBien]

Yooo, I had a dream of 4 clusters of candles on tall small circle marble table and I’m lighting them but they keep being put off by the find (i’m in my garden). It’s night but the sky is a vibrant blue (like a van goh painting) and I can hear the wind in the background but sounds like an ominous choir. I think the cluster of candles are people in my life and the light is the faith I’m trying to impart but they keep getting put out. (The candles are long and skinny, barely used)

[@kirstinstrand6292]

I'm beginning to wonder if younger generations enhance their imaginations from Video games, and such. I think this could be a good thing, since it could expedite inner battles, that we all have. Thoughts, anyone. I'll eat some cookies and report back in a few days/weeks. 💭

[@OnceTheyNamedMeiWasnt]

I agree. I think I'm in a computer game when I'm at work, and the three floors are like levels that you have to get to. I started work on the first floor when I joined and I was very much into my computer games at that point. As I got older and busier, I left my computer games behind me and was soon moved to level 2 of my work. My boss (Bossy Boots Barry) became more and more like a game character I needed to get special potions or implements from. When I sold my video games completely, I was moved to level 3 at my work. More and more employees seemed like computer generated characters and I had battles with some, and others were like guides. This was easily the best thing that could have happened after I gave up my games, though the games are more regularly perceived in the employees around me now.

[@alexrodia553]

I would like to try this but I honestly don’t know how. Any help?

[@thisjungianlife]

I would encourage you to read Encounters with the Soul: Active Imagination as Developed by C.G. Jung by Barbara Hannah, www.amazon.com/dp/1630513504/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_JEVuEbTP3XQSV This should give you all you need to start.

[@flexconnectors]

... Would you ever address Randy Stair? Some believe he engaged in Active Imagination indirectly. He clearly had a problem with Identity and become psychotic. I mean, im just speculating.

[@thisjungianlife]

I am not familiar with Randy Stair, can you share more about him and your thoughts?

[@Beebzification]

So I shouldn't pick a spot to fantasize about but instead try to calm my mind until a place arises?

[@thisjungianlife]

If one is seeking to encounter the objective psyche, yes you'd wait and watch. Even so, I do understand the need to self soothe and using imagery is helpful to quiet down the nervous system.

[@Namanjain47]

How do you release the tension and the interference caused by the Ego? I always keep thinking that I am talking to symbol and the speak speaks to me but I am not sure the symbol is speaking through the conscious mind or the unconscious. This is my primary trouble? Also I am engaging with AI with the gods! I am enjoying this! I met the gods!!

[@UCZx48kBoTg9O]

12:02 22:00 doesn’t have to be from dream

[@Namanjain47]

Topic Request : Psychedelics 😛😘😇

[@Dude29]

How is this technique different from daydreaming?

[@omarbezzi]

feelings of each one

[@Dude29]

@@omarbezzi can you elaborate?

[@omarbezzi]

kzbin.infoDT2ZjeX5K6g

[@Dude29]

@@omarbezzi thank you for sharing your stories my friend

[@robvan86]

Is active imagination recommended for someone dealing with a flood autonomous complexes that border near the psychotic end of the spectrum with contention and struggle on the behalf of ego defensiveness ? (Yes, this is happening to me currently)

[@spiritwalker9903]

Are you familiar with Ecart Tolle? The Power of Now and A New Earth are magnificent in understanding and overcoming the ego and transforming nasty patterns that became imbedded deep in the subconscious. Both books are read on KZbin by him.

[@robvan86]

@@spiritwalker9903 totally, I’ve read both those books-super good info about the pain-body and how we become sort of addicted to that as a substitute for real relationships when we don’t have better/closer people in our lives to work on ourselves with..

[@robvan86]

@@spiritwalker9903 just out of curiosity, what’s your definition of “Spirit Walker” ? Could you elaborate a little bit on that for me please? 🐠

[@robvan86]

How does Active Imagination compare and contrast to Astral Travel?

[@autistonaut]

I experienced shamanic drumming, this was outdoors, I sat on an ancient oak tree root complex with the suns rays shining down on me. I experienced myself rising up the tree and taking off like a bird. It was a real out of body experience with lots of orange and red colours. I was looking around but didn't see anything else apart from a feeling of flying, this intensified when the drum came over my head.

[@abinraj640]

Dream 24:12

[@gen-zeke-8571]

I wager that roughly 0.6% of typical grade school kids has ever heard of Carl G. Jung (1875-1961), or Alan Watts. *died in 1973

[@TheTruth24Seven]

Inhale 6 seconds, hold 6 seconds, exhale 6 seconds. 666....

[@sterlgirlceline]

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🏆👸👸🤴

[@HotHeadCringe]

*Weee*

[@mattameta]

attributing active imagination to Jung or anyone else is highly unimaginative

[@paulpierce5947]

You guys are cool. I appreciate the insight 👍