The shadow realms of mind

The shadow realms of the mind 

By Jimmy Henderson (Hons BA (phil) MA Psychology) 

The expansion of the mind can be likened to a flower which is in the process of blooming and exposing itself to the Sun. However, even as the petals continue to open, the centre of the flower is still largely unfolded and bathed in shadows.  

The idea of a ‘shadow realm‘of the mind therefore symbolically represents those areas of the Jungian collective unconscious which have not yet awakened fully and still embody the principle of primal chaos. 

These less-evolved areas of the collective unconscious are sometimes called the abyss, the arcane shadow or the astral realm, and correspond to the early stages of human mental development which include one’s more basic instincts and drives.

According to those who have experienced this level of mind, it is populated by a host of elemental beings and archetypal personalities which I have chosen to call ‘shadow-entities’, and whom are certainly not hospitable. Unfortunately, for a variety of reasons, including chaotic states of mind or drug usage, the human consciousness can sometimes regress to these levels, which can be quite frightening.

As human beings, our present consciousness has evolved to occupy a position on the threshold of this realm, and some more robust individuals are even suited for work there, being able to move around within in the shadows and effect real change in those places where consciousness is trapped or not yet fully unfolded. Here I am referring to those who work tirelessly to reduce crime, violence and mental disorders.  

This level of mind is usually populated with oppressively negative mental patterns, thoughts and emotions which can take on grotesque archetypal forms (due to one’s symbolic processes of interpretation), as well as primitive archetypal forms in an early stage of evolution, as well as others which embody the principle of chaos and have chosen to remain on this level. This reminds one of the idea of the ‘underworld’ in mythology, as well as the notions of Hell or Purgotory as described in religious scriptures.

Here one may also encounter scattered disembodied images and personality-patterns of some deceased persons still trapped in these deep recesses. And so, when it comes to exploring the collective unconscious during meditation and deep mental processing, this area is best left alone (unless one is called to work on this level). 

Jimmy Henderson is a philosopher and metaphysician and the author of a number of books and articles on inner self-development. He has an Honours degree in philosophy (metaphysics) and a Masters degree in Psychology and is presently busy with his PHD in Cognitive Psychology. He is based in Durban, South Africa. His books ‘Multi-Dimensional Thinking’ (2007) and ‘Multi-dimensional Perception’ (2010) are available on Amazon.com and Kalahari.com and can also be ordered via his website www.jimmyhendersonbooks.com

Dimensions of the MInd

Dimensions of the Mind

‘The key to growth is the introduction of higher dimensions of consciousness into our awareness’.
Lao Tzu

Although shifts in perception can take place spontaneously during everyday life, altered states of consciousness induced by meditation and imagery are the most common methods used to pass into higher dimensions of the mind in search of new knowledge and experiences which can reveal the true nature of self and reality. In this way, unconscious processes can be harnessed by conscious thought to act as bridges to other realms of mind and even beyond that to the heart of the cosmic singularity or universal consciousness which, in religious terms, we conceive of as God.

If one accepts that consciousness is a continuum and all-pervasive, then the idea of ‘realms’ or ‘dimensions’ themselves can actually be seen to be metaphors for different levels of inner experience which have been compartmentalised due to the structuring of our perceptual and cognitive processes. At present, we can only think and understand in words, concepts and ideas and therefore one cannot really avoid using metaphors such as this to make some sense of the world and the universe.

Relative to our present understanding, we could therefore say that consciousness comprises of an infinite number of ‘realms’ or ‘dimensions’ and it is indeed possible to move from one to another by shifting or restructuring our perception. At present we mostly have access to only a few of these dimensions, beginning with day-to-day consciousness which sustains our normal thinking processes, and allows us access to our cultural, religious or spiritual beliefs and memories of past events.

On a slightly deeper level, of which we are not normally aware, we house conditioned responses and a host of other subliminal messages and images (the schemas) that have become embedded in our psyche. Research has shown that these are able to unconsciously influence our thinking, decision and actions. Fortunately, these schemas can be altered with mental processes such as affirmations and intentions and harnessed to improve our consciousness and perception.  For more information on these processes, see my books Multi-Dimensional Thinking and Multi-Dimensional Perception as available through Exclusive Books (RSA) and Amazon.com (overseas).

www.jimmyhendersonbooks.com