Depth psychology deals with what lies beneath the surface, things that at first glance would not be seen or intuited; it deals with the hidden and subterranean undercurrents of unconscious contents and complexes that have profound and enduring effects on individual personalities and their relations.

It was Jung’s belief that the only thing one takes with one at the time of death, the only thing eternal and therefore worthy of pursuit, is consciousness, and the only way to gain consciousness is to enter into the murky depths of the unconscious. To enter into these depths is to enter into the dream world.

Dreams have a language all their own. In this course, the language of dreams will be explored through the lenses of Freudian, Jungian, and archetypal theory. The course is designed for participants to develop a relationship with the dream images and to deepen their connection to the unconscious.

Dr. Ana Mozol - Jungian Dreamwork & the Destiny Line at the Dream Salon November 2019

Overview

Dreams deal with the night, the dark, the underworld, the moon and the feminine. Dreams offer a different way of seeing from the solar consciousness of the logical, rational and masculine ideals represented by an Apollonian way of living.

Work with dreams is a matter of heart (courage) and freedom. Existentialists, as well as Freud through the concept of repetition compulsion, have shown that rather than seeking fluidity and freedom, most humans are actually terrified of real freedom, to the point that when it is offered, there is often a strong impulse to shut oneself back into contained systems of familiarity and limitations. Dreams are constantly leading individuals towards deeper “seeing” that can break through limiting and destructive behavioural patterns and false identities built on false securities. Dreams that are worked open the dreamer to vaster psychic landscapes of possibility and freedom.

In this course, some classic Freudian and Jungian theories (such as repetition compulsion, fate, destiny, individuation, complexes and the archetype of the Self) and dreamwork techniques (such as free association, amplification, active imagination and ritual) are explored, with the intention of helping individuals loosen inner complexes and become open to a richer, more complex life experience.

The course also explores and extrapolates from the more contemporary dream theories of Marion Woodman and James Hillman. Each module presents new material while building and deepening the practices and techniques learned in earlier modules. Modules eight and nine delve into shamanic dreamwork practices such as bridging, power and the Ally.  Throughout the course, Dr. Mozol combines knowledge from her own dreamwork practice of over 30 years with personal stories, theoretical reflections, historical analysis, and 20 years of clinical experience specializing in and teaching dreamwork. Each of the ten modules contains audio lectures (podcasts), readings and exercises to help participants deepen their understanding of and individual practice with dreams. The modules build on each other and continue to deepen previously learned techniques.

This course is designed both for clinicians interested in working with dreams in their practice and for all individuals with an interest in studying their own dreams. It will benefit people just beginning to work with dreams, as well as more advanced practitioners. Some of the later modules touch on extremely advanced dreamwork theory and technique. For individuals just starting dreamwork, exposure to these advanced levels can plant important seeds that allow for a deeper understanding of what is happening when these levels of dreaming are encountered, which can happen at any point in the process. Dreamwork is deeply unique to each individual.

In the first section

Dream will be explored in relation to the mythology of the underworld and the mythologem of descent, based on the work of James Hillman. Participants will gain an understanding of the basics of depth psychological dream theory, with a focus on the concepts of association, repression, complexes, shadow, the connection between trauma and dreams and amplification.

In the mid-section

We will go deeper into the praxis of dreamwork, with a focus on the technique of active imagination and ritual.

In the Final Section

In the final section, shamanic dreamwork practices of bridging and the ally are explored. The concept of “power” in relationship to shamanism is defined and discussed as the ability to see things as they are and to know things such as the important connections between the visible and invisible worlds.

The theories touched on in the course include those espoused by Carl Jung, Sigmund Freud, Marion Woodman and James Hillman. There is a special focus on developing compassion and tolerance for the very different perspectives that dream images offer as a way of embracing greater degrees of diversity within and without.

Course Objectives

1. Develop an understanding of association and the amplification of dream images through practical application of these techniques to personal dream material.

2. Strengthen the connection to the unconscious by maintaining a dream journal throughout the course.

3. Introduction to an understanding of Jungian concepts of dream theory.

4. Introduction to an understanding of the four stages of active imagination through applying the technique to a personal dream.

5. Reflect on the dream through the mythological lens of the underworld and the mythologem of descent.

6. Contemplate the various barriers to dreamwork and consider ways to protect the dream from the ego’s control.

7. Gain an understanding of how trauma, personal and collective, affects dreams.

8. Introduction to the concept of embodying the dream image and to the autonomous nature of dream figures.

9. Gain a basic understanding of shamanic dreamwork theory and practices as they relate to the concepts of power and the ally.

10. Demonstrate compassion and tolerance for the diversity and different perspectives that the dream world offers.

Modules

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Want a sneak peak? Click through to view Module One and for a detailed summery of each module

Guidelines for How to Navigate the Course

The course consists of 10 modules, each with an audio component, exercises and reading assignments. I have assigned Robert Johnson’s book Inner Work for the course. The text is supplemented with handouts in pdf format for download and an extended reading list should you choose to read further. The average audio portion of each module runs approximately 25 minutes.

There will be periodic updates to the course in order to maintain and optimize the learning environment. For example, new PDFs, exercises and images may be added and/or existing ones changed out.  

*Please note that Module 1, Module 4, Module 7 and Module 9 contain brief segments of material from my book A Re-Visioning of Love: Dark Feminine Rising, published by Routledge in June 2019. I have adapted and extrapolated these segments for their connection to specific dreamwork techniques.

Timeline

I recommend completing the course in three to six months. This leaves time between the modules for integration of the previous module and dreaming with the material.

Readings

I believe that you will get the most out of the course by reading this text while listening to the course audio lectures and doing the exercises. A recommended reading schedule is outlined the modules. I have also created PDFs of the most salient material from Inner Work, so it is possible to take the course without purchasing the book, although this would not be optimal. For example, to comply with copyright restrictions, the PDF for Module Two is only part of the section on associations. I leave it for you to decide whether you wish to purchase the book. You will still get a great deal out of the course if you choose not to.

I have also included scanned PDFs of book chapters and articles related to dreaming that connect (sometimes loosely) with the main themes from each individual module. Some of these chapters are again provided only partially, to comply with copyright restrictions.

I recommend following your interest and intuition with the readings. Some are strongly theoretical and may not interest everyone. That said, I would still encourage you to expand the territory you are comfortable with, even in the readings.

Self Study - Work at your own pace

I know not everyone can afford an advanced degree in psychology or a formal depth analysis, and sometimes even if finances are not an obstacle, it can be hard to find the time. The beauty of these courses is that they are designed for self-study and thus can be worked at your own pace. I would recommend four to six months as a guideline.

Modular Approach

Each course has ten modules, which include audio lectures, images, readings (usually one book is recommended as required reading for you to purchase (optional) plus many articles and book chapters included as PDF files), exercises and suggestions.

Support available

I am available to answer basic questions related to the online modules and exercises.

If you would like more in-depth feedback, you are free to book an hourly session by phone or Skype and send me the dream material prior to our meeting. I charge $250 plus GST for these individual consultations and can accommodate when I have space open in my schedule.

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*Purchase here for immediate lifetime access.

*$465 USD

Please note: due to the experiential nature of digital materials we do not offer refunds for our online classes. Please be sure to read the entire course page and take advantage of our free sneak peak at Module One, along with summaries of each module, to get a sense of the course before you purchase it.

*plus any applicable taxes

*lifetime access is offered for as long as the course is hosted online at dreamworktheatre.com