Beth’s eyes were wide, and her jaw dropped. ‘Wow!’, she whispered, as the revelations sank in. She had just analysed a dream in a dream circle, and the insights had so shifted her sense of self that she looked like an angel had just draped her in golden raiment.
And in a way, that had happened. But the angel was the dream circle and the raiment was her authentic self, which, thanks to the circle’s dreamwork, she could perceive in this sparkling moment. Beth’s experience is an example of dream alchemy, which is a way of using dreams for soulful growth. In medieval times, alchemy referred to the process of changing lead into gold. While modern eyes see this as a foolhardy endeavour, renowned late psychologist Carl Jung viewed it as a metaphor for transforming the contents of the unconscious – the ‘lead’– into the ‘gold’ of our true selves.
In Jungian psychology, one of the main ways to accomplish this transformation is through working with dreams. It is most robustly evident when analysing dreams over many years, as one incrementally shifts with every dream encounter. But from my observations as a Jungian life coach and dream circle facilitator, I think dream alchemy can transpire when evaluating even just a single dream.
In this article, we will explore the stages of dream alchemy and how to apply them to your own dream analysis, using the case study below to demonstrate the process.
Case study: Beth’s dream
Beth (not her real name) was a 20-something artist, struggling to take the next step in her career, when she had the following dream, which she shared in a dream circle:
I am living in an apartment that has spacious, high ceilings. It has character and is a place of creativity. The apartment is on the second floor and has a big balcony. One of my male friends is sitting in the corner of the apartment, and we are hanging out. I go onto the balcony and see a beautiful full moon, shining bright. I start to dance and sing. On the street below me is a cat- calling homeless man. Despite ignoring him, he keeps taunting me, so I go inside. But before I go, I take a last peek at the moon and see that it has turned into an infinity sign. The man jumps up to get onto the balcony, but I manage to get back inside just in time. However, my friend is gone, and I am very scared and trying to calm myself down. Then my friend comes back, and without knowing what has just happened, he says: ‘I’ve dealt with the guy downstairs’.
Stages of dream alchemy
Stage 1: Facing the dark
The medieval alchemists called this stage the nigredo (blackness). When we are excavating a dream, we must be open to discovering what’s hidden in our darkest places. This may mean confronting painful or unappealing parts of ourselves, or even repressed gifts and positive qualities. All these comprise our shadow – the ‘lead’ of the dream alchemy process.
In this stage, we engage a basic dreamwork principle: the idea that everything in the dream may represent a part of the self. Given this, we can search dream components for clues to parts of our shadow, paying special attention to anything we find compelling. These components may include people who don’t appear or act anything like us, foreigners or foreign landscapes, aliens, or objects or people we find particularly repulsive or attractive. Also, if the setting of the dream is at night, it’s a good sign that the dream has a message about our shadow, or whatever we are ‘in the dark’ about.
DIY dreamwork prompt: Identify the most compelling parts of your dream, whether a person, object, setting, or even a feeling. Who in the dream is the most unlike you? Focus on that character.
Case study: For Beth, the most compelling elements were the moon and the infinity sign, and the character most unlike her was the homeless man. The main feelings were the joy and freedom she experienced while dancing, the fear after the attack, and the relief when her friend resolved the situation.
Stage 2: The big cleanse
The medieval alchemists called this stage the albedo (whiteness). In dream alchemy, this is a kind of purification, as we drop defenses, connect with our shadow, and face our naked truth. In this stage, the unconscious and conscious minds begin to communicate, and the key to this conversation is our associations. We investigate what memories and thoughts arise when pondering a dream image, character, setting, or feeling, and we examine how the dream may be commenting on waking life.
DIY dreamwork prompt: How would you describe the objects in your dream to someone who has never seen or heard of them before? If there are people in the dream, whether known or unknown to you, what are their defining attributes? As you answer these questions, notice how your descriptions may allude to aspects of yourself. How do these different aspects relate to each other?
Case study: Beth described the moon as ‘shining bright’, and felt it represented creativity and emotion. She associated the infinity sign with all that is infinite within her – her own inner divinity. The homeless man wanted her attention, so the dream circle asked, ‘What might be unhoused in yourself? How does this aspect need your attention?’ Since the invader attacked just as Beth was dancing in the light of the moon, the circle asked, ‘What is getting in the way of expressing your full, creative self?’ She found herself drawn to the male friend, whom she described as ‘friendly and warm’. The circle noted the opposing qualities of the man outside and
the friend, and wondered how they might relate to aspects of herself.
Stage 3: Basking in the sun
The traditional name for this stage is citrinitas (yellowness), referring to the yellow colour of light. This is the stage when the psychic overhead fluorescent switches on, and everything is illuminated. In that startling clarity, one might ask, ‘Wow! Look at all this! Who am I and what will I do now?’
DIY dreamwork prompt: What insight, intuition, or wisdom is emerging? Journal about it. Or, if you can’t put it into words, take note of where you feel energy in your body, and/or express the energy through art, music, or movement.
Case study: As Beth pondered the dream circle’s questions, insights arose. Focusing on the homeless man, she discovered that an element of her creativity was without a home. What taunted her or got in the way of its expression? Self-doubt. What attacked her? Low self-worth. Perhaps she feared what would happen if she stepped into her own brilliance. These ideas helped Beth to make sense of her waking-life reticence to make the next move in her artistic career, which would require more visibility. The male friend hinted at what she needed: a friendly and welcoming attitude toward herself. Indeed, such a mindset would win in the end.
Stage 4: Rebirth
Traditionally called the rubedo (redness), this stage is when psychic lead is turned into a golden expression of the authentic self. Insights are integrated, and questions about identity and purpose are answered.
DIY dreamwork prompt: Reflect on how to act on your insights. What habitual thoughts or actions need to change? What perceived limits are dissolving? What self-affirming beliefs are forming?
Case study: After working on her dream, Beth felt a burgeoning sense of self-confidence. She realised she had the power to fend off her doubt and dance in the light of her luminous divinity. She began to feel like she could go forwards in her artistic journey. Instead of unconsciously attacking herself with doubt and low self-worth, she was now fully aware of these saboteurs and how to handle them. She knew that having a welcoming, friendly attitude toward herself would give a spacious home for her creativity. With the help of the dream circle, Beth turned her psychic lead into gold.
You, too, can experience dream alchemy. Start with the above steps, and then connect with a dream circle, coach, or therapist to help you refine and integrate your insights. Every time you delve into a dream, you will become more of your authentic, gleaming self. And then you will truly shine.
