Delve

To explore memories, past experiences, inner contents, underlying feelings. See: digging.

The dreamer of the example was starting to delve into himself and the dream shows him ready to give his life to dealing with his internal conflicts. It also shows the love and courage necessary to make this journey.

Imagine, if you have not already made the journey into dreams, delving into the level of yourself where your eyes no longer see, your body sense of form or size and touch have disappeared. There is no hearing of the external world. You are sinking into the country of what we call the mind or consciousness, the world of sleep, death and dreams, in which the usual boundaries of experience are taken away. Here you meet – given form by your fears and cultural symbols, as if with real bodies – your own fears, the pains buried deep in your past, the residues of all past actions so far unredeemed and of course the wonder of yourself.

Example: ‘I entered a neglected garden adjoining a house I had formerly lived in. I was astonished that I had never noticed this garden before. I took a spade and hoe and began to vigorously work in order to put things right, digging like a navy. But wherever I put my spade I turned up live shells and hand grenades – highly explosive and very dangerous. I was terrified I would be blown to pieces and hurried away.’ From Organism of The Mind, G. R. Heyer, Kegan Paul, 1933.

That is an example of someone who knows nothing of his inner world and was not prepared to meet it. In fact one cannot be hurt by dream images.

Useful Questions and Hints:

What was I delving for – and did you find anything?

What you find has tremendous significance?

What did I feel about whatever was found?

See Inner World – Techniques for Exploring your Dreams – Levels of Awareness