A journey of deep imagination accompanied by Linda Īstenās and Inita Krūmiņa

Exploring unseen places in the world is very different from travelling inside your own soul space. They are two different ways of travelling. Through both, it is possible to discover the unknown, or to get to know more deeply that which has attracted attention.

I am more often a traveller of the inner world than of the outer world. So I really appreciate Linda East and Inita Krumina an invitation to participate in their new collaborative project - a two-hour-long event that uses various instruments to stimulate the unconscious processes of the human being.

Linda in Easten is an artistic soul who takes people on journeys to their inner world through her own face-painting ritual "Perspective". And Inita Krūmiņa is an aromatherapist who introduced me to the world of essential oils seven years ago. I have repeatedly turned to Inita in situations where I feel emotionally stuck. 

Now Linda and Inita have put together their skills, abilities and experience to create a new offer for those who are interested in exploring their own soul space. I like to call this offer a ritual, where the experiencer is taken on a journey of deep imagination.

The experience that the two leaders allowed me to have included:

• a warm welcome and reception;
• bringing to life a personal life difficulty for me through essential oils. Initas and essential oils would accompany the opening of this complexity - a deep exploration;
• Linda's guided journey of deep imagination - with wrapping in blankets, chanting music, rainforest and other instruments, face painting - while I travelled in the vision that Inita had suggested at the beginning of the ritual;
• discussing the imaginary experience with the two leaders - after returning from the process;
• Linda and Inita's feedback on what they perceived during my trip. This included an explanation of the meaning of the chosen essential oil, but also two important questions that the guides had picked up that were very personally meaningful to me, that I am now thinking about and seeking answers to.
• a heartfelt conversation at the end of the ritual and a farewell.

I will not go into the details of what exactly was the complication of my life and what exactly I experienced on my journey of deep imagination. The content of such experiences is usually personally meaningful and can only be truly understood by the experiencer. However, I can briefly tell you how I see this process and why I think such rituals can be useful.

What happens in this process?

Such and similar processes are not just games, as some might think. Their aim is to bring a person into a state of consciousness in which brain activity is slightly altered, either by stimulating or depressing the nervous system (isolating the senses). 

While in everyday waking life the brain is active in Beta waves, in this type of experience its activity decreases to Alpha waves, during which the body is at rest, in a state of deep relaxation.

As a result, the brain begins to create new sensory experiences, which can take the form of auditory, visual, kinaesthetic and other experiences. Visions, visions, peculiar perceptions, revelations, receiving information - you name it. Strong and less strong emotions may also be experienced in the process.

In essence, these aural, visual, sensory experiences are the unconscious material of the human being, which, when appropriately processed and integrated, can serve as a resource for personal growth or for solving complex life issues. They are experiences that help to uncover our relationship with ourselves, this world and perhaps a higher power.

Techniques for accessing the unconscious layers of the psyche are vast, ranging from various forms of guided and unguided concentration to intensive breathing, fasting, temperature contrast and other practices. Most of these practices have their roots in spiritual traditions and religions.

Linda and Inita's approach

Linda and Inita have created their own way, their own form, their own signature in the unconscious art of opening.

Personally, I like Inita and Linda's gentle and calm approach - I felt cared for, hugged and very, very attentive. Like a fragile vessel. I especially appreciate it because I know the importance of a supportive leader in such situations. I think it is the task and responsibility of every leader of such a ritual to follow the client, to feel them in a way and to guide them through the process in a way that suits them. Not to push them to go further than they can go, but at the same time to encourage them to go where they need to go, when the only thing holding them back is insecurity. To feel for the person. Linda and Inita - both of them - embody this.

I also appreciated that I was not offered ready-made explanations of what I had experienced. In my opinion, these are what distinguish a quality companion from a salvationist or a self-proclaimed guru. It is not the role of the companion to explain the experience in his own way. Yes, he can show the person directions to look in, but it is always up to the person to draw conclusions about the meaning of what he has experienced.

In which cases can these and similar methods be useful?

I think that initiating these types of deep imagination journeys can be extremely useful in the context of overall human development, including psychological counselling and/or therapy.

For example, in my counselling practice, I often find that just discussing the problem or doing exercises at different cognitive levels (thinking, behaviour, perception, etc.) is not enough. Yes, it helps the client to become aware of the problem, to understand himself better and perhaps even to change something, but often, in order for a true change process to take place, it is necessary to access deeper layers of the psyche - emotions, feelings, desires, longings, which the client often hides even from himself (unconsciously, of course). Such techniques can be a great help in deepening the inner work.

The integration process

An important point I would like to make in conclusion is that, in my opinion, this type of deep imagination journeys only make sense to people if they are properly integrated. Thoughtfully, processed, connected to consciousness. If meaningful conclusions are drawn from these journeys that can be applied and implemented in everyday life. 

Otherwise, this type of ritual becomes just a nice memory, or fades away - like a dream. It is possible to get more than just memories from such inner states of soul-searching. My invitation is to work on it!

For a little insight into how this can be done, I offer you a list of the steps I took to "seat" this experience in my consciousness.

Steps for integrating experience

1. Be in your thoughts with the experience for several days.
2. Write down your experiences in a diary. To do this, I added the oil that Inita had given me at the beginning of the ritual (juniper berries) to the essential oil diffuser.
3. Write down the most vivid elements of the experience, the images.
4. Going independently "Deep Imagination Meditation for Expanding Experience"
5. Discuss the experience and your interpretations of it with your psychotherapist (not because you can't cope with the experience yourself, or need help, but in order to understand your own inner processes more fully). 
6. "Get a grip", "bear with yourself", reflect on the questions from the chaperones (will take some time).
7. Formulate answers to the questions in the diary (will take some time).

Sincere thanks to Linda and Inita for the adventure. If you would like to go on your own journey of deep imagination, please contact one of the two chaperones!

This free content is produced in my spare time without pay. If you see value in what I do, I'd be happy to make you a coffee! It's like a spur to create new content! 🙂