There is so much in the post to consider, it will take several sessions for me to work through it all. Thank you. What stood out strongly was the reference to ‘a shaky or under-resourced inner foundation’. Given that the content coming through induces terror, with associated nausea, panic, trembling, and shaky breath that needs to be puffed out through the mouth, I look primarily to anything that will be grounding, earthy, stable. For example, lying flat on the ground, ideally with ice cold water to counteract nausea. But when you pose the question about an existing inner vessel I see the problem immediately. There isn’t one. I’m always dealing with the eruption and aftermath rather than having something in place before it happens.
Happy to answer any questions or thoughts on the content as you reflect on it :) I know the offerings are not comprehensive, but I hope it at sparks some ideas for how it can apply personally.
It can be really difficult to play catch up, to establish an inner vessel, if one hasn't been fully formed yet. I think that's where the Somatic Experiencing principle of titration is really useful, essentially, slowing things down. That can be difficult to do when unconscious contents flood and overwhelm quickly.
Personally, I found working on these different techniques outside of activation times to help with this (e.g. 5 minutes of daily deep breathing to learn how to connect to this mechanism better, journaling on dream images when I felt more balanced and grounded, etc). With this approach, overwhelm still happened, it would come (seemingly) unbidden, of its own accord. But overtime, I noticed things changing, greater capacity, stronger vessel, etc.
Many thanks. In one of your previous posts that I've though much about since, you mentioned the benefits of protective heirloom jewellery. I was wondering if these had vessel qualities, but then remembered the emphasis is on the inner vessel, which seems to be more of a psychoid container than anything one would wear. I do detailed journaling already and am a regular sandplay user. I'm thinking about the sand, with its absorbing, grounding qualities. Recently, I discovered black sand, which was a game changer. Its like having the aftermath of volcanic material to work with. So I'm going to think/feel about how I could incorporate some kind of inner sandtray that I can move into.
I do think jewelry (and other meaningful items) have vessel qualities, with a potentially powerful impact on the inner aspects of it. Following the alchemical thread, something tangible/physical can have a psychological effect. It acts as an external anchor or resource, which can subsequently relax us in states of stress or overwhelm. I would give it a shot if you feel called to a specific item. Another option is to look around for a resource during times of high activation, you may be instinctively drawn to something in your environment.
Just coming back to this chat, having recalled that I draw the same tarot card again and again - six swords. So when your post asks recurring things coming up, perhaps that the alchemical vessel could be some kind of containing boat. I don't feel I can be the ferryman at the moment, I am more like the figure being ferried.
I love how the process of alchemy is so aligned with the psychological work. This article is so poignant as I’m currently studying alchemical symbolism at the moment and there seems so much to pull at and digest
There are so many aspects of alchemy that one could explore symbolically and psychologically, from the stages to the operations, the prima materia or the philosopher's stone, etc. It is one of my favorite archetypal systems to work with as it so rich in its images and ability to bridge to embodied reality. Is there anything you're studying currently that's really of interest?
Oooh I’m looking into everything so I’m going to check out the link you’ve shared! But mainly I’m trying to trace through the oral tradition which was retold in the fairytales and old wives tales to analyse them through the context of feminine alchemy which I’ve distinguished from the masculine alchemy which is what we typically come to think of the old bearer hermit cooking up a storm in his chemistry lab.
Next I have to read the Pistis Sofia and gnostic gospels as that seems to be overlaying a lot
Well I started with Rapunzel, I’m just following my instincts as for some reason and I can’t actually remember why, but few weeks ago I just got consumed with wanting to dive into that story. But I think my next one might be either Cinderella or sleeping beauty but perhaps more sleeping beauty as I recorded a dream on 11 June about a friend and it felt in the dream like a ritualistic sleeping beauty. Then I’m also tracing some of the less popular ones like Swedish/ Norwegian tales and Slavic folktales
Have you read through any of Marie Louise von Franz's work on fairytales? She sometimes references alchemical themes as she analyzes the stories, I have found that to be quite rich as a means to understand the deeper archetypal meaning in the stories.
There is so much in the post to consider, it will take several sessions for me to work through it all. Thank you. What stood out strongly was the reference to ‘a shaky or under-resourced inner foundation’. Given that the content coming through induces terror, with associated nausea, panic, trembling, and shaky breath that needs to be puffed out through the mouth, I look primarily to anything that will be grounding, earthy, stable. For example, lying flat on the ground, ideally with ice cold water to counteract nausea. But when you pose the question about an existing inner vessel I see the problem immediately. There isn’t one. I’m always dealing with the eruption and aftermath rather than having something in place before it happens.
Happy to answer any questions or thoughts on the content as you reflect on it :) I know the offerings are not comprehensive, but I hope it at sparks some ideas for how it can apply personally.
It can be really difficult to play catch up, to establish an inner vessel, if one hasn't been fully formed yet. I think that's where the Somatic Experiencing principle of titration is really useful, essentially, slowing things down. That can be difficult to do when unconscious contents flood and overwhelm quickly.
Personally, I found working on these different techniques outside of activation times to help with this (e.g. 5 minutes of daily deep breathing to learn how to connect to this mechanism better, journaling on dream images when I felt more balanced and grounded, etc). With this approach, overwhelm still happened, it would come (seemingly) unbidden, of its own accord. But overtime, I noticed things changing, greater capacity, stronger vessel, etc.
Many thanks. In one of your previous posts that I've though much about since, you mentioned the benefits of protective heirloom jewellery. I was wondering if these had vessel qualities, but then remembered the emphasis is on the inner vessel, which seems to be more of a psychoid container than anything one would wear. I do detailed journaling already and am a regular sandplay user. I'm thinking about the sand, with its absorbing, grounding qualities. Recently, I discovered black sand, which was a game changer. Its like having the aftermath of volcanic material to work with. So I'm going to think/feel about how I could incorporate some kind of inner sandtray that I can move into.
I do think jewelry (and other meaningful items) have vessel qualities, with a potentially powerful impact on the inner aspects of it. Following the alchemical thread, something tangible/physical can have a psychological effect. It acts as an external anchor or resource, which can subsequently relax us in states of stress or overwhelm. I would give it a shot if you feel called to a specific item. Another option is to look around for a resource during times of high activation, you may be instinctively drawn to something in your environment.
Just coming back to this chat, having recalled that I draw the same tarot card again and again - six swords. So when your post asks recurring things coming up, perhaps that the alchemical vessel could be some kind of containing boat. I don't feel I can be the ferryman at the moment, I am more like the figure being ferried.
That's an interesting connection that brings up some questions for further contemplation:
- Who might the ferryman be (an internal figure, an external figure, etc)?
- What is the significance of the boat as vessel? It has movement and fluidity, unlike a typical vessel seen in a lab.
- What might the connection to water be?
I love how the process of alchemy is so aligned with the psychological work. This article is so poignant as I’m currently studying alchemical symbolism at the moment and there seems so much to pull at and digest
There are so many aspects of alchemy that one could explore symbolically and psychologically, from the stages to the operations, the prima materia or the philosopher's stone, etc. It is one of my favorite archetypal systems to work with as it so rich in its images and ability to bridge to embodied reality. Is there anything you're studying currently that's really of interest?
Here's a link to more of my writing and thoughts on alchemy from this perspective if you're curious: https://www.theartemisian.com/t/alchemy
Oooh I’m looking into everything so I’m going to check out the link you’ve shared! But mainly I’m trying to trace through the oral tradition which was retold in the fairytales and old wives tales to analyse them through the context of feminine alchemy which I’ve distinguished from the masculine alchemy which is what we typically come to think of the old bearer hermit cooking up a storm in his chemistry lab.
Next I have to read the Pistis Sofia and gnostic gospels as that seems to be overlaying a lot
That's really interesting. Are there specific fairytales or old wives tales that you've focused in on during your studies?
Well I started with Rapunzel, I’m just following my instincts as for some reason and I can’t actually remember why, but few weeks ago I just got consumed with wanting to dive into that story. But I think my next one might be either Cinderella or sleeping beauty but perhaps more sleeping beauty as I recorded a dream on 11 June about a friend and it felt in the dream like a ritualistic sleeping beauty. Then I’m also tracing some of the less popular ones like Swedish/ Norwegian tales and Slavic folktales
Have you read through any of Marie Louise von Franz's work on fairytales? She sometimes references alchemical themes as she analyzes the stories, I have found that to be quite rich as a means to understand the deeper archetypal meaning in the stories.
No I haven’t read that book but it came up in my research numerous times, and now Amazon suggests it to me in emails haha, so I will eventually get it