“The I-Ching takes us through the hidden world that parallels and mirrors our external life, a world that may be seen in meditation, and sometimes in dreams.”
Carol Anthony’s quote beautifully describes what an “Alchemy Door” looks like. It puts you in touch with your active imagination. It puts you on a path to wake up within the dream of this life.
Having had an experience of the Unknown, which appears to you in your own unique "Alchemy Door language," you are prepared to revisit the experience in a therapeutic setting, describe and apply its lessons.
Examples of Alchemy Door "languages" might include: Shamanic journeys, psychedelic experiences + preparation-(&-integration), visits to the dreamworld ("big dreams" or "immersive dreams), NDE's, accessing Jungian archetypes, exploring relationship to substances, nondual "meditation" (sitting), motivational interviews, Buddhist psychology, power animal meditations, Tonglen meditation, personal vision quest + quest-planning, transformational trauma healing work, and classic humanist/existential psychotherapy.
Are you seeking tools to expand consciousness for healing trauma (PTSD), psychological issues, feeling stuck or burned out, prioritizing others' needs above your own, getting inner clarity, direction on your spiritual path, questions about death and loss, addiction, or creative endeavors? The use of mushrooms, sitting practice, active imagination (visualizations or inviting "dreamfields"), and lucid dreaming are among the multitude of catalysts to activate change. Often the underlying issue is getting help to maintain proper perspective when you cycle into a negative state related to this situation, because it often becomes all-consuming. We forget the times we’ve had when all feels loving, or when we have felt a sense of freedom, or a really good dream. We get caught in the undertow. I call this “having a bad trip without ingesting any plant medicine.” But we can build the ability to relax this struggle.
Our work together is about finding the best way for you to get in touch with you, and make it last. This work is about listening to intuition- your unique inner guidance system. It is about becoming more comfortable in the excitement and fear of the unknown, and finding supportive allies and action steps as you move through the process.
With deep training in Harm Reduction Psychotherapy, I am currently working with clients, via video sessions, to find a way to reduce the harm when cycling through a dark period. We can’t necessarily control the cycle, and rarely can we zoom out to see a universal intelligence when we are caught up in negative patterns and emotions, but we can begin to observe and decrease the pain, which in turn invites new healing patterns to emerge - including, if it is right for you, the manifestation of a healing psychedelic journey. So I invite you to spend 4 - 6 weeks doing preparation work to alchemize your inner demons and relax into your natural and innate capacities for self-healing. Let’s see where it’s going to take you!