The Wisdom of Hypatia: Ancient Spiritual Practices for a More Meaningful Life (59 page)

wait many nights for a healing dream. The next morning the therapist-priests help

you to interpret the dream. It is important to interpret the dreams symbolically, not literally, for symbols are the language of the gods and the unconscious. For example, the god might prescribe surgical procedures, which are to be interpreted symbolically.

When the interpretation is complete, you have the dream inscribed on a tablet—for

it is a revelation from the god—and post at the temple. In addition you make thanks

offerings and, of course, follow the god’s prescription, either literally or symbolically, as appropriate.”

“I myself have been cured at Epidaurus by a dream sent from the god,” says Euop-

tius, Synesius’ brother, “but it was an ordeal.”

“It is certainly an elaborate procedure,” Hypatia remarks, “arduous, lengthy, and

expensive, and so most people do it rarely and only as a last resort. However, dream incubation does not have to be so complicated, and you can do it in your own bed.

Since Synesius has recently completed an essay
On Dreams
, I have asked him to say a few words explaining the operation. Please, Synesius.” She nods towards him and

gestures to a place by her dais.318

Synesius stands a little awkwardly and faces the other students. “Thank you, my

lady, for this opportunity to explain dream divination, which I have learned entirely from you. Please forgive me my errors.”

282 the path of trust

Looking at his tablet, he begins. “Dreams are the gods’ great gift to us, for they

allow us to divine many things without lengthy journeys to the oracles or temples,

without expensive instruments and sacrifices, and without consulting soothsayers

and priests. Remember:

Through divination by our dreams

we always enter relationships

with gods who give us council

and answer us in oracles

and care for us in other ways.”319

“And do you claim,” Athanasius interrupts, “that it is possible to know the future

from dreams?”

“In one sense, yes,” answers Synesius, “for the source of dreams is the Cosmic Nous, the realm of Being, which is outside of time. At this level of reality, past, present, and future are meaningless; they apply no more than they do to the ideal Triangle, or to the timeless cycles and epicycles in which the planets move. It is the Cosmic Soul that expands timeless Being into temporal Becoming, while still comprehending all time in itself. Therefore there is no contradiction in the Soul projecting images from the future into current dreams, which arise in the imagination, which resides in the subtle fluid or vital spirit that binds the soul to the body.”

In terms of contemporary psychology, the collective unconscious, which corresponds to the World Nous, contains the archetypal ideas, which are (effectively) eternal patterns of human behavior and development. The World Soul represents their embodiment, as regulatory mechanisms, in the individual brain, as well as their personalization by means of the complexes. Since the archetypes and complexes regulate and guide your behavior, including your conscious experience, in a sense they do “know” your future (so far as it can be known), because they are among the determinants of your development, motiva-tions, and predispositions to act. As Jung noted, archetypes and complexes can affect the content of dreams to prepare your consciousness for the psychological future that they are orchestrating.

Let’s return to Synesius’ presentation. “The language of dreams is obscure, like that of other oracles. For the gods know each other’s minds simultaneously, in a constant the path of trust 283

present, and without the need of language. For speaking and learning are things that happen in time, but gods are outside time. For humans it is different. We learn things bit by bit, with effort over time, and express our knowledge in sequential speech and cogitation. So the authentic language of the gods is symbols, which express these

ineffable connections, and to understand our dreams we need to learn that language.

We can look inside, by contemplative practices to discover the divine speech. Fix in your mind:

Before all else we ought to seek

to know the sacred speech of dreams,

for it comes from us,

is within us,

and is the special possession of the soul

of every one of us.”320

Olympius, who wears a richly embroidered robe, raises his hand and asks, “I have

acquired a rare book,
The Interpretation of Dreams
by Artemidorus; is it the best book for understanding dreams?”

Synesius sighs and shakes his head. “I’m afraid I laugh when I read these books;

they are nearly worthless.”

Olympius looks disappointed.

“This is the problem,” Synesius explains. “Here below, in the material world, every-

thing is hard and definite, and so what one person perceives with their sense organs is much like what another perceives. And so we can say how one thing goes with another independently of the observer. But dreams come from above and are projected

into the imagination, which resides in the vital spirit. Now this spirit is not the same for all, and it differs from one person to the next for many reasons. And just as an image reflected in water looks different if it is calm, or if it is flowing, or if it is stirred up in some way, so the dreams come differently to each of us. So you cannot rely on the dream book of Artemidorus; perhaps it was correct for him, but it will not be for you.”

“How can we interpret our dreams without such books?” asks Cyrus.

“Just as we keep a
day book
(diary), which records the events of the day, so also we can keep a
night book
, which records the events of the night. If you keep careful records of your dreams in this book, and study it, you will discover your own meanings. Look for connections, within dreams, between dreams, and between dreams and

284 the path of trust

waking life. Then you will discover the pattern of your whole life, both its day and night halves.”

“My brother,” says Euoptius, “you have explained dream divination well, but you

haven’t told us the operation by which we can obtain a dream oracle. Do we need

a lamp? Are there secret words to be written or spoken? Incense or offerings to be

burnt?”

“First, you must practice philosophy and perform its purifications so that your

imaginative spirit is calm, pure, and unclouded. If you keep this spirit purified by a life in accordance with nature, you will have an instrument ready to hand, which comprehends your spiritual disposition and has, therefore, sympathy with it. Beyond that, the procedure is simple; remember these words:

Pray to the god for a dream;

if you are worthy, the god will arrive.321

It’s enough to wash your hands,

to keep a holy silence,

and to sleep.”322

Synesius returns to his seat. “Thank you, Synesius, that was excellent,” says Hypatia and calls for a break.

Dream Journal:
A dream journal is a valuable tool for getting and keeping in touch with the spiritual side of life. Make sure you have a notepad or notebook, a

pen, and a night-light by your bed. When you wake up from a dream, write

down as quickly as possible everything you can remember, for the memory

fades quickly. Try not to move too much from your sleeping position, since

this will also dissipate the dream. In the morning you can write out the dream

more carefully in your journal, and additional details may return to you as you

do so. Interpreting the dream is discussed in the next exercise.