In which are discussed encounters with demons, animal spirits, the guardian of the threshold, and dreams of the Anima.

Connecting with demons

In a recent comment, “Tom” writes:

At various points in the Inferno, Dante, relying on Virgil, is able to enlist the help of numerous demons, such as the Centaurs and Titans. Enlisting their help is a terrifying experience for Dante, but with Virgil’s ability to command (or at least negotiate with) them, the threat they pose is neutralized, and they are instead shown to be indispensable auxiliaries in the journey through the underworld.

The interpretation I made, based on some of my own experiences, is that Dante is describing how in our earthly life, we often need to make use of these “lower” powers while remaining firmly in command of them. An example that comes to mind is in physical battle — a man would find it difficult to fight without awakening the fierce Centaur nature, the key being then to remain firmly in command of it.

That is why the Templars were accused of devil worship; you cannot be a warrior-monk without the power of these lower forces. The Templars were an initiatic group, so outsiders easily misunderstand their aims and methods. As Valentin Tomberg pointed out, the Our Father prayer penetrates from above to the heart. Thus it affects the intellect and the loving-kindness of the heart. That is fine for a monk, but insufficient for a warrior. At its worse that attitude leads to intellectualism and sentimentalism. A warrior needs the prayer to penetrate down through the lower centres, which also need to be redeemed. But without the higher centres, the warrior is just a brute. The solution is self-mastery, as Tomberg makes clear:

One need not fear the devil, but rather the perverse tendencies in oneself! For these perverse human tendencies can deprive us of our freedom and enslave us.

Otherwise, these perverse tendencies are projected so that they appear to have an “I” opposed to our own conscious ego. Jung explains how that works psychologically:

It appears as an autonomous formation intruding upon consciousness… It is just as if the complex were an autonomous being capable of interfering with the intentions of the ego. ~ Psychology and Religion

Adam and the Animals

In Eden, there is no reason to believe that animals did not act differently from how we know them now. This is also the position of Thomas Aquinas; since the animals have no possibility of participating in the supernatural, they could not, ipso facto, have the gift of eternal life. Besides, animals have a certain essence which is exemplified in their anatomy and physiology.

In this context, the idea came up that perhaps in Eden, Adam existed at a higher level than the physical. It is true that man knows animals in essence, not just sensually. To hold the essence of an animal in consciousness, is tantamount to being that animal. Obviously, this does not mean sensually as in shape-shifting, but rather psychologically. In the Philokalia, and other spiritual writings, there are may allusions to animals representing various interior states. St Basil understands the command to “rule” the animals as the self-mastery of the Intellect over these animalistic states.

These are the states mentioned above, as well as in the Tomberg link. The lower centres are experienced as fear (root chakra), sex (sacral chakra), and hunger (solar plexus). These are the primary motivations for animal life. These are various manifestation of the libido, as described in Symbols of Transformation.

Dangers of Meditation

Meditation has reached into pop culture, primarily as a means to achieve beneficial social and life effects, under names such as mindfulness and so on. Even corporate America is promoting mindfulness in the hope of creating better employees. However, more recently it is becoming apparent that it is not all peaches and cream. Often times, these meditators having negative experiences as suppressed parts of the psyche suddenly come into consciousness.

These meditations are conducted without proper instruction or supervision. Worse, what is called “meditation” is actually concentration, the first stage that precedes actual meditation.

The Test

Recently, we received this plaint: I have some trouble with the weekly task of knowing myself. … doesn’t it get lonely? A neophyte often reaches this point; he can choose to move forward or he can back down. Actually, these are relatively simple tasks. In the novel Zanoni, Mejnour prepares Glyndon for initiation, who then fails the tasks assigned to him:

• Glyndon gets involved with a local maiden, exciting his sensual appetites
• He ignores a beggar in need of alms, demonstrating his stinginess
• He decides to go his own way, ignoring the command to not read the book

Glyndon’s mind goes in circles until he is finally able to justify his choices. He forgot that the task is to purify the soul, not to accumulate enjoyable experiences. So, like Glyndon, the lonely fellow gave it all up, from where he can neither advance nor retreat.

Dweller of the Threshold

Just like the corporate meditators, the unprepared neophyte will have to confront the lower forces. The novel Zanoni describes Glyndon’s experience:

The cloud retreated from it as it advanced; the bright lamps grew wan, and flickered restlessly as at the breath of its presence. Its form was veiled as the face, but the outline was that of a female; yet it moved not as move even the ghosts that simulate the living. It seemed rather to crawl as some vast misshapen reptile; and pausing, at length it cowered beside the table which held the mystic volume, and again fixed its eyes through the filmy veil on the rash invoker. All fancies, the most grotesque, of monk or painter in the early North, would have failed to give to the visage of imp or fiend that aspect of deadly malignity which spoke to the shuddering nature in those eyes alone. All else so dark—shrouded, veiled and larva-like. But that burning glare so intense, so livid, yet so living, had in it something that was almost HUMAN in its passion of hate and mockery.

The Image spoke to him: his soul rather than his ear comprehended the words it said.

“Thou hast entered the immeasurable region. I am the Dweller of the Threshold. What wouldst thou with me? Silent? Dost thou fear me? Am I not thy beloved? Is it not for me that thou hast rendered up the delights of thy race? Wouldst thou be wise? Mine is the wisdom of the countless ages. Kiss me, my mortal lover.”

Dreaming the Anima

For Glyndon, the guardian was a terrifying female figure, who ultimately led him into unconsciousness. That is why dreams of the Anima need to be recorded and remembered. Here is a test case I know about, which took place over more several decades. I’ll try to use his own words, the best I can recall them.

Lady of the Lake

Although I had often had dreams that felt so real, I woke up convinced the woman was real. In the twilight state of awakening, I would scan my mind to recall where and when I had met her. However, my first awareness of the Anima was a recurring dream about a beautiful woman, lying face up, unconscious, in a shallow stream. Researching this, I came to realize that the image is not so uncommon. The myth of the Lady of the Lake had taken many forms, and there have been paintings of scenes much like the one in my dream.

It seems clear now that the water represents the unconscious and the Anima is waiting to become a conscious part of myself.

The Reality Show

A later dream revealed the purpose of the Anima in my psyche. I was in the audience and on the stage was the emcee. He announced that he was running a “reality show” and asked for volunteers from the audience. A woman came up to me and led me to the stage. I understood the incident to mean that the Anima would lead me to reality.

I commented to him that often the dreamer, who believes he is a spectator in his own dream, turns out to be the “star” of his dream instead.

Lady in attic

Years later, he reported a different type of dream. Although there were others, this one stands out. In his own words: I found myself in an old, multi-storied, dark house with narrow stairways. I worked my way up, until I got to the top floor. A woman then took hold of me and led me up a ladder to a loft. There she opened an old chest, full of antique books. Excited, I try to read and remember as much as I could. But then I woke up, having forgotten it all.

Yet, it was clear to me that he hadn’t forgotten it all. His life changed as he went in search of antique wisdom. And perhaps it really happened as described.

The Sordid Affair

The final dream happened just this week. It was so unlike his other dreams, that he called me immediately the next morning in a state of confusion.

The Reunion

UPDATE 16 October 2021
The most recent dream, from a few months ago, involved a union with the Anima. She was under attack by two shady characters, a man and a woman, and I found myself in the position of protecting her from their attempts to kidnap her. This aligned with my personal life at the time.