The universe is a strange place, and I am starting to realize the mind is even stranger.
For the past year, I have been actively exploring the depths of my psyche. Not only learning about it but really being about it. Alongside the usual shadow work, I’ve ventured into dream interpretation, lucid dreaming, and active imagination.
Why? Well, besides my curiosity, I was inspired by Carl Jung’s journey in ‘The Red Book‘ and the ancient alchemical practice of integrating the Self. I’d have to admit, I was skeptical. But this skepticism only compounded the extraordinary experience I am about to share with you.
On The Edge of Consciousness
I was lying down, just having woken up from a nap, lingering on the threshold of consciousness and sleep. I decided to experiment with conscious dreaming or Wake-Induced Lucid Dreaming (WILD) — a state where you’re aware and dreaming simultaneously. It’s similar to meditating but rather than a hyper-focus on breathing, you just let the mind wonder.
I’ve found that this technique works best for me during a brief nap or in the morning when I just wake up. It doesn’t work as well when I’m soundly asleep at night.
The goal is to sink into a deep state of relaxation to find the tipping point between consciousness and sleep. If I am successful, I manage to slip into a dream world fully equipped with the lucidity of my awareness.
The Awakening on the Mountain Top
As I settled into this practice, my mind’s eye began to conjure up the usual swirl of images. It usually begins with patterns and strange symbols— Jung would call them the raw materials of the unconscious.
Suddenly, without warning, everything shifted. It was as if I had snapped into an entirely different reality. It was the strangest thing I have ever experienced.
In this vivid state, I was both awake and dreaming. Observing a breathtaking mountain landscape under a strikingly crisp blue sky. I could see every detail from a distance. The scene felt more vibrant and real than my waking life, with a clarity and precision that was almost surreal.
Excitement surged through me as I said to myself, ‘I DID IT, I DID IT!!’ Eager to explore this dreamscape, I decided to look around, and that’s when I saw…It.
Encountering the Cloaked One
To my left, stood a mysterious figure cloaked in black, the fabric flailing wildly in the wind. The figure boldly stood on the edge of a cliff, peering into the horizon. Despite the apparent strength of the wind, I felt nothing — it was as if I were in an impenetrable bubble, fully aware of my surroundings but strangely detached.
My eyes were locked onto the figure, attempting to discern every detail I could. It was like seeing an otherworldly being. Something straight out of a sci-fi flick — unlike anything I have ever seen in reality.
I couldn’t make out the figure’s face, but I noticed a pale, indistinct head on top of the being’s cloaked form. Then something terrifying happened. It began to walk towards me, and a wave of panic set in. The figure quickly moved closer eventually passing directly behind my head.
Desperate, I turned away, focusing all of my attention on snapping out of this realm. I wanted to wake up, to escape, but it was a struggle. I had to forcibly pry my eyes open to break free from the grip of this dream.
Through sheer willpower, I finally opened my eyes and came back to reality. I was flabbergasted. I couldn’t believe what I encountered. What made it more chilling was how difficult it was to wake up. I thought, ‘What the hell was that?’
Vision, Reality, and the Quest for Self
I had a cocktail of emotions stirring inside of me: excitement, curiosity, fear. I quickly recorded the experience in my dream journal. I still had a hard time describing what I experienced as a dream. To me, it was nothing like a dream. It was more like a vision. In my mind, it was completely real. But the vividness and reality of the experience began to fade as time went on.
In The Red Book, Jung talked about similar encounters with manifestations of the psyche. Jung described being guided by mysterious autonomous figures illuminating his path to self-discovery. The cloaked figure in my vision mirrored these experiences. I wondered if the figure I saw in my vision represented existing archetypes. I had to know more.
The Celestial Gatekeeper
What I saw could have been a manifestation of what lies beyond the personal unconscious —the place where one encounters archetypical manifestations and possibly the Self. This could explain why the experience was more vivid than reality and more real than a dream.
It was more than a lucid dream and difficult for me to describe. It was an initiation. An invitation to integrate with the deepest parts of my Self. An opportunity to bridge the gap between the conscious and unconscious realms within.
Crossing the Threshold
Let’s discuss the mysterious figure standing on the edge of the cliff. This encounter really threw me. The experience was different from the familiar strangeness of my dreams. I was captivated by its beauty, perplexed by its peculiarity, and frightened by its acknowledgment of my presence. Initially, it seemed as though the figure was on guard or waiting for something.
I had to know more. So, I started to dig. Through my research, I stumbled upon an archetype that corresponds to what I saw in my vision: ‘The Guardian of the Threshold.’
The Guardian of the Threshold, also known as ‘The Dweller on the Threshold’ is an archetypical motif that is found in many stories, mythologies, and spiritual traditions throughout human history.
Take Joseph Campbell for instance. He talks about the ‘crossing the threshold’ in his book ‘The Hero with a Thousand Faces.’ It’s a critical stage in the Hero’s Journey where the seeker meets an adversary that dwells between the known and the unknown. This mysterious figure tests the seeker, challenging them to face their internal demons, and sometimes become their allies or guides.
The Guardian of Spiritual Awakening
In the esoteric world, the idea of the Guardian of the Threshold is explored in Rosicrucianism, Theosophy, and other occult teachings. This archetype symbolizes a psychic threshold that confronts an individual when they are close to a significant spiritual breakthrough.
Rosicrucianism is a spiritual movement that gained attention in the early 17th century. It is a blend of Christian mysticism, Kabbalistic teachings, alchemy and Hermetic principles. Their teachings emphasize that each individual’s journey is unique and the encounter with the Guardian will differ depending on the seeker’s personal spiritual path.
In Rosicrucianism, this initiation is more than a formal entrance into a secret society. It is an intense internal process that marks the beginning of a deeper understanding of the spiritual world. It is said to involve a series of stages as the initiate is introduced to higher spiritual truths along their journey to spiritual enlightenment. The encounter is meant to be a test, to prepare the seeker for the advanced spiritual path ahead.
Rosicrucianism describes The Guardian as a manifestation of one’s own deepest fears, doubts, and the shadow self — the darker elements of the psyche that must be confronted and integrated to transcend spiritually. This concept is also explored in Jungian psychology, which emphasizes the critical role of integrating your shadow to reach psychological wholeness.
Ascension on the Sacred Peaks
In dreams and visions, being on top of mountains often signifies revelation and high wisdom. Mountains represent overcoming challenges to achieve spiritual growth. They symbolize the psyche’s attempt to reach new levels of conscious awareness. From a mythological perspective, it is the abode of the Gods and is considered to be a sacred space in many spiritual traditions.
In my vision, the mountains represented an ascent into higher consciousness. A point where the conscious mind touches the uncharted territories of the unconscious mind. It was an invitation from my Higher Self to go beyond the limitations of conscious awareness into a realm where the ego is dwarfed by spiritual obligations.
Transcending Fear
Although my experience was beautiful, otherworldly, and life-changing, it also unleashed the deepest fears within me — the fear of the unknown, the fear of dissolution, and ultimately, the fear of death.
But this wasn’t just an encounter with fear, it was an invitation to overcome it. An initiation to embrace my fears with understanding. My fears and my shadows are the guardians of my soul. My beloved protectors. My angels. My spirit guides. And, I love them.
© 2023 Evelyn Ann Rose. All rights reserved.
