|
A Soul Traveler's Guide to Death, Dying, and the Other Side
Destiny Books 2005 ISBN #159477037-9 We do not necessarily connect dreamtime, and dreaming, with death. So why does Moss believe so strongly in the connection between the two? In dreamtime we have the ability to connect with our unconscious mind, as well as the ability to connect with other planes - specifically with the souls of those who have crossed over to the other side. Why is this important? It is important because we have no true understanding of the process of death and dying; we have relatively few, if any, means of honoring the process; and we do not know what to expect once we leave our physical bodies. We do not know where we are going, or what to expect once we get there. Who can teach us about death? The ancient ones, and those of more recent time who have already crossed over. They can be those, like Moss himself, who have been through one or more near death experiences. The connection can be through soul family, or the connection can be through mother earth (specific places where we live, or where we are passing through). It can be through poets, who have opened their creative consciousness to universal wisdom, and understand the need to share this wisdom. Moss has divided this work into three distinct parts: Part One is entitled "Dreaming With the Departed", Part Two is entitled "The Poet As Guide to the Other Side", and Part Three is entitled "Dreaming the Way From Death to Birth". In "Dreaming With the Departed", Moss talks about contact with the dead as being a perfectly natural part of life. He gives three reasons why this might be so: because they never left; because they come visiting; and because in our dreams we can travel to the realms where they are. Sometimes we can sense the presence of those who have passed in our waking hours - usually in the subtlest of ways: the movement of a curtain when there is no draft, or a breeze that touches our face for a small moment. Moss notes that one of the things that we have to be aware of in waking time is that what we perceive may not be the soul that has departed, but a holographic image that was left behind in a specific house or locale. In dreamtime, the veil between the worlds is not just thinned, it disappears entirely. This is the time when the dead can come calling at will. Why would they do this? To bring through messages, to resolve an issue, to give or receive love, to give help (or to ask for help). The dead may have unfinished business here on earth, or they may come back to watch over someone for a finite period of time. Sometimes the departed come to us, and sometimes we cross over and go into their realm. In dreamtime we need to know that we can go beyond the rules of our physical reality - that time and space have whole new meanings. In dreamtime, we can help those entities who are "stuck" to safely move on. We can also separate and safely contain the dense energy of the dead. In other words - there is work that we may need to do in dreamtime! In "The Poet as a Guide to the Other Side", Moss talks about the importance of poets in understanding the process of death and dying. This is very much a first person perspective, as Moss has had a lifelong relationship with the poet William Butler Yeats, and with his work. Note that Yeats died before Moss was born, and that this relationship has been conducted through dreamtime, dreaming, and journeying. It is just as real as if the two were living in the same time period. He notes that aside from being a leading poet of his time, Yeats was also a Western Magus, and a leading figure in the Order of the Golden Dawn. There is also a very interesting Dream Library where these two gentlemen meet to talk about shared interests. In "Dreaming the Way From Death to Birth", Moss speaks of an initiation, of going through the gates of death before the soul actually leaves the body, so that the soul is prepared for that which lies beyond. He lists the following as parts of that experience:
* death and rebirth through the Goddess There are so many "small things" that make this book exciting, that I am just going to ramble on a bit. The first thing that caught my attention was reference to Samhain (Halloween, All Hallow's Eve), the night when the veil is understood to be at its thinnest, and when movement between realms is the easiest. Then there were the souls that inhabited an old house that Moss had bought - a brother and sister that were very much at odds with each other, and that did not want to move on to any other plane! One chapter certainly needs paying attention to, and that is the one that list thirteen reasons for the departed to return. Only when we understand why a soul has returned can we interact with them in a way that honors them, and perhaps even helps them, if that is what they need. We can also dream about our own transitions, or about the transitions of those close to us. In paying attention to these dreams, we can release our fear of death and come to understand that leaving the physical body is simply a movement to another plane, and that there will be people waiting there to help us cross over. We are, in essence, being helped to leave our earthly baggage behind. In cases of mass casualty, such as 9/11, precognitive dreams may come to many people in different locations, so that they can be ready to help the departed make their way safely across the veil. Moss talks about how to safely go on a dream journey, about intent, and the use of prayer as protection. He talks about locating a portal for the journey, about honoring the journey, and about creating sacred space. As someone with a personal and professional interest in the Tarot, I found it interesting that Moss spoke of using the Tarot as a portal to dreamtime. The reason for this is a simple one - the Tarot carries archetypal energy that is available to anyone who chooses to work with it. I was very pleased with this inclusion. I found this to be an important work for anyone who wishes to work with dreamtime, for what ever reason. Perhaps you want to contact a loved one who has passed over, perhaps you need some answers/resolution, perhaps you need forgiveness (or perhaps you need to forgive someone). These things are all easily done in dreamtime. You can act as a healer, or as a "middle man", or soul guide, to help someone who is lost cross over. You can take an active part in helping the living cross over in peace. You can come to understand the process of death and dying, and find peace in what awaits you on the other side. Moss writes from personal experience, as well as including the stories of others - very important stories. He talks about many different cultures, and their traditions when it comes to death. The most important thing that this book does - it gives the reader a way to go into their dreams, to become a part of their dreams, and to make their dreams work for them. If you want to work with your dreams, and you want to understand the death experience, then "The Dreamer's Book of the Dead" is the book for you.
Bonnie Cehovet
Graphics by Art for the web |
