The Dream Temples of Asclepius
It seems that healing: the sort that can bring about deep & lasting change often takes place beyond the everyday – behind the scenes of what appears so solid – in the realm of the imaginal – this mysterious dimension - known through the ages to shamans, story-makers, healers and dreamers the world over - where things closer to the source of our dis-ease can be observed and possibly interacted with. The ancient Greek temples of Asclepius were certainly based upon this type of idea. Those who made their way to these temples were often those whom local physicians had turned away as incurable. Their process began with three days of ritual fasting and prayers, often offered to Memory, mother of the muses; for the source of all disease was held to be of a spiritual nature - a seperation from God - a dis-membering or forgetfulness that needed to be made good, in order for health to return. Afterwards the person would be led to an enclosed chamber where he/she would be left for the night to dream. The hope was that Asclepius himself would visit them in their dreams, elucidating the underlying causes of their dis-ease and offerring ways forward back to health. When subjects awoke – they were encouraged to share their dreams with the priest or priestess of the temple – who were called the therapuetes - meaning those who attended the gods - and this telling – simple as it may seem - together with being empathically heard - was then and has remained at the very core of the psychotherapeutic modality.
Written & Presented by Anne Maria Clarke
Flute Meditation - Courtesy of Krishna Flute Music
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxxF4
Cover Illustration - Oberon, Titania and Puck with Fairies Dancing, c. 1789, William Blake Tate, London
Full article @ link below http://www.annemariaclarke.net/blog/t... REFERENCES Michael Conforti - Dreams, ung, M.L. Von Franz
Robert Bosnak - The Phenomenal Power of Asclepian Dream Incubation. Christine Downing - Only the Wounded Healer Heals
Carl Jung - The Red Book
http://www.youtube.com/c/annemariacla...
More fairy-stories, myths, legends and books by Anne Maria Clarkehttp://www.archivepublishing.co.uk/... Books - Transpersonal Psychology. Understanding the Soul - Expanding Consciousness
www.annemariaclarke.net
http://www.annemariaclarke.net/blog