Building Bridges between the Subconscious and Conscious 

Introduction

This event was held on Saturday August 12th, 2023. It had 3 objectives: 

1. Learn about the definitions of the subconscious

2. Learn about tools that can help reveal what is in one's subconscious 

3. Learn about tools that can help heal, change and communicate with the subconscious   

The event began with the Reality Section where I presented a light scientific literature review of the subconscious, including some definitions.  My Mother presented an overview of ideas related to the subconscious that were developed across thousands of years in India.  

The ideas from the Reality section were then processed in the Digestion Section where 4 amazing collaborators provided workshops.  To address how to understand what is in one's subconsciousness, Kimberly talked about Tarot cards and Tina talked about shadow work.  To address how to communicate with one's subconscious and perhaps even change it, Nellie talked about religious surrender and Darya talked about movement, music and meditation. 

The ideas from the Digestion section were then symbolically represented in a ceremony where the core element consisted of walking in circles around a fire (representing looping ruminating thoughts), and, with each circle, using twigs to build a nest (representing that creation even during looping thoughts can be source of healing and beauty). 

Finally, in the Epilogue I shared the symbolism of the ceremony which represented my own journey of transforming my subconscious' hurt into gratitude.  In this presentation, one of my favorite ideas is how I mapped unattainable subconscious desires/dreams into SOMDEland which then transformed those needs and then mapped them back into attainable goals in reality.  Within this epilogue, I also shared the different steps I took to reach spiritual healing and transform my subconscious' feelings of hurt into deep gratitude.  

Reality

The objective of the Reality section is to provide knowledge about the subconscious mind through scientific (presented by Vivekanand) and Indian (presented by Rita) literature. 

“A scientific perspective into the subconscious” by Vivekanand Pandey Vimal

In my presentation “A scientific perspective into the subconscious”, I begin by providing very simple definitions of the subconscious and unconscious minds and explain why many current researchers are using those terms less frequently.  Next, I share different examples of experimental evidence of the subconscious.  I finish by sharing the results of a survey that I had given before the event.  

“Different layers of consciousness from Indian literature” by Rita Pandey

My mother begins by talking about the Indian history of studying consciousness and the different philosophies of the consciousness, which include Charvaks, Jain, Advaita Vedanta, Bhakti, and Buddhism.  Next, she shares how the ancient Indian texts of Maandukya, Tattariya, Mandook and Katha Upanishads each characterize the different layers of consciousness. My Mother finishes by exploring how one can change/affect one's subconscious. 

You can learn more about my Mother at her website.

Digestion

In the Digestion Section, we took ideas presented in the Reality Section and processed them through 4 different workshops/talks.   Two of the workshops/talks focused on learning how to reveal what is in one's subconscious and two of the workshops/talks focused on learning how to heal and change the subconscious. 

Part 1: How to reveal what is in one's subconscious

“Revealing the subconscious through Tarot Cards” by Kimberly Redd

Kimberly talks about the origins of Tarot cards and provides an overview which includes brief descriptions of the Major and Minor Arcana.  Kimberly then describes how Tarot cards can be used as a tool of introspection to gain insight into one's subconscious. 

Kimberly is a Music Artist, Yoga Teacher (E-RYT, RCYT, RPYT), and Priestess of the Goddess. She is passionate about awakening the natural magic within, guiding children and adults to connect to their own creativity and the wonders of nature. Here is her website. 

“Introduction to shadow work- uncovering our disowned and rejected selves” by Tina 

Tina talks about the authentic self, rejection,  shadow work and how it can be used as a tool of introspection to gain insight into one's subconscious.  After Tina's introduction, people paired with someone who they didn't know and selected a few of the shadow-work questions listed below. 

1. What things do you do to conform?
2. What causes you the most suffering? Are there any patterns?
3. What do you commonly feel shame about?
4. What emotion do you often deny yourself? Why?
5. What is a trait you vehemently dislike in others?
6. What did you grow up thinking was the ultimate manifestation of success? How is this incompatible with how you view success now?
7. When someone expresses support what is your response? Do you immediately accept or deny?
8. What did your parents, or people that raised you, make out to be the ultimate virtues?
9. What part of you is the most challenging to accept?
10. How do you escape your feelings? What do you do to numb?
11. What do you wish you could change about the way you grew up?
12. What makes you feel most like a failure?
13. Can you think of a time that you sabotaged yourself or goals?
14. What makes you jealous?
15. Do you trust yourself? Why or why not?
16. What is a desire of yours that you keep secret?

Part 2: How to have your conscious mind communicate/heal/change your subconscious

“Healing the subconscious through surrender” by Nellie Theroux

Nellie shares a personal story about how she healed her subconscious through religious surrender, a concept which she sees expressed in many different religions.

You can learn more about Nellie on her website. 

“Understand and resolving conflicts in the subconscious through movement, music and meditation” by Darya Mangeym

Darya gives the definition of architype and explains the 'wild self' and its connection to the subconscious.  After her presentation, Darya leads breathing exercises, a body scan, a mindfulness exercise and dancing with music.  Unfortunately after 19:44, youtube removed the music however kept the rest of the audio.  

Darya has been curious about the subconscious for as long as she can remember herself. This lifelong interest in what’s underneath people’s actions and choices led her to the beginning of her spiritual journey twelve years ago with heavy influence by the father of the subconscious Carl Jung. As well as a career in mental health counseling seven years ago. Darya weaves psychological theories, evidence-based treatments including expressive arts and spiritual practices to guide the journey of bringing to light, understanding, accepting, and integrating the parts that reside in the subconscious. 

Ceremony

First, knowledge from the Reality section was taken and processed in the Digestion section through 4 amazing workshops that provided tools for 1. uncovering what is in one's subconscious and 2. communicating/healing/changing one's subconscious.  The Ceremony section took the tools explored in the Digestion section and encoded them in the symbolic vocabulary of my universe, SOMDEland.  The Ceremony section represented how I uncovered what triggered the looping thoughts of hurt in my subconscious and how I was able to transform that feeling in my subconscious into gratitude.  To really appreciate the symbolism, check out the Epilogue section where I share how I took my unattainable goals/desires and then mapped them onto the process of SOMDEland and then transformed and mapped them back into Reality as attainable goals/desires.  

Below is an ordered list of what we did during the ceremony and the first level symbolism. 

1. We lit a sacred fire which represented self-transformation.  In this ceremony, the self-transformation referred to converting one's subconscious hurt into gratitude. 

2. We assembled at the bower, which is a structure I had made motivated from Bower birds.  See the epilogue for more explanation.  In the ceremony, the bower represented the threshold between the conscious and subconscious minds.  Many people put on cat masks that they had decorated to represent their subconscious and, in this way, they transformed their identity into their subconscious selves. 

3.  We then formed a circle around the sacred fire and danced around the fire.  The moving circle represented looping ruminating thoughts which often bubble from the subconscious after it is hurt.   During this time, Kimberly played her guitar to guide our spirits around the fire of self-transformation. 

4. As we circled the fire, the Goddess of Love and Randomness (Elizabeth), at random moments, ran into the center and threw the Rock of Vulnerability, injecting us with frustration and breaking the circle.   This represented how sometimes these looping thoughts can become self destructive and inject us with frustration.

5. Once the rock was thrown, the circle of people broke and gathered twigs at the periphery of the yard, as Gabe played on his saxophone.  They used these twigs to create a nest around a pot containing sacred poison ivy.   

6. We repeated Steps 4 and 5 about three times until a full nest was created.  This process represented a part of my healing process.  Sometimes it is hard to escape looping thoughts that come from hurt and inject one's spirit with frustration, however, if something can be created after each of these loops (in this case a nest), then it gives the loops meaning and purpose.  This meaning and purpose, helped my subconscious transition from feeling hurt into feeling deep gratitude (see Epilogue for more information). 

7. Once the nest was finished, I entered into it to honor the poison ivy.  The poison ivy represented a rite of passage that led to the fruition of frustration.  To understand this , check out the Epilogue.  

8. The event finished with an ecstatic-type dance which represented a way to connect and communicate with one's subconscious.  During this dance, people disseminated milkweed seeds which  represented ideas cultivated in the healed subconscious creating seed and releasing them into the conscious world through idea exchange (i.e. this ceremony). 

Epilogue

 In the video, I describe the 5 stages of spiritual healing that allowed me to understand my subconscious and then transform my feelings of hurt into feelings of profound gratitude. At the end of the video, I share how I took unrealizable dreams, that my conscious mind wanted, and used SOMDEland (my mythological universe) to change and transform them into new realizable dreams.  These new realizable dreams manifested in the symbolism of the dance in the Ceremony section. 

0:00 Introduction

4:33 Overview of 5 stages

7:50 Stage 1 - Distraction

8:18 Stage 2 - Journaling

9:27 Stage 3 - Gratitude via Website

11:18 Stage 4 - Creation

12:55 Stage 5a - Gratitude via Dream Realization

16:58 Stage 5b - Gratitude via Dream Realization

19:58 The Bridge and Symbolism of the Dance

Appendix (the invitation that was sent out)

1. I'd love if you can fill out this questionnaire on what techniques you use to uncover what is in your subconscious and what techniques you use to make peace/resolve/change your subconscious.

https://forms.gle/znoyytTfvWfUccP39

2. I am having an event on the subconscious on August 12th and everyone is invited (more info below):

https://fb.me/e/2UM1zKDEU

3. Many people have said that they are moving away from facebook and would appreciate email notifications of my events. So, I am going to start a mailchimp just for my events. If you are interested, message me.

Building Bridges between the Subconscious and Conscious

Saturday August 12th, 2023 

~~~~~General Information

-  Everyone is invited...I wasn't able to go through my entire friend list...so if you are seeing this, you are invited!

- In case of extreme rain, the rain date will be on Sunday August 13…I will announce it here if that happens otherwise I will have a canopy tent for light rain. 

- The pre-Event starts at 1pm and the main event will start exactly at 2pm! :) 

- If you have any, bring decorational masks (this will help you transform in the SOMDEland portion at the end), we will also have a mask making even before the event starts and blank masks that anyone can wear. 

- If you have any, bring instruments to jam

- Totally wear clothes that have meaning…the weirder the better :) 

- You can park on my sandbar or along Butterfield Rd (my house is green and not marked well)

- The bathroom is the first door on the left in the hallway (take your shoes off)

- There may be some mosquitos, I’ll have some repellant 

- We will provide some light refreshments (snacks and seltzer)

- I will record the presentations and the dance at the end and eventually put it on my website

~~~~~Rough Schedule

Pre-Event

• 1:00-2:00pm: People are welcome to come early and chill and decorate cat masks, (I will provide) with a representation of their subconscious that will be used in the third part.  Rachel and Kimberly will help people design a mask that is inspired by tarot cards. Kimberly and Rachel can also provide some tarot card readings for anyone who is interested. 

Part 1: Short lectures (Reality) that will start right at 2pm!

• 2:00-2:15pm: Introduction to the event and “A scientific perspective into the subconscious” by Vivekanand Pandey Vimal

• 2:15-2:30pm: “Different layers of consciousness from Indian literature” by Rita Pandey

Part 2: Workshops and activities that digest the ideas presented in Part 1 (Digestion).  People will explore how to understand their subconscious and how to interact with it. 

• 2:30-2:45: “Revealing the subconscious through Tarot Cards” by Kimberly 

• 2:45-3:00: “Healing the subconscious through surrender” by Nellie 

• 3:00-3:30: “Introduction to shadow work- uncovering our disowned and rejected selves” by Tina 

• 3:30-4:00: “Understand and resolving conflicts in the subconscious through movement, music and meditation” by Darya 

Part 3: SOMDEland: Taking ideas from Part 2 and applying it to Vivekanand’s mythological universe that represents his subconscious. 

• 4:00-4:15: Group Picture

• 4:15-5:00: Dance (this will be recorded, and you can wear masks that I provide to hide your identity or you can be outside of the camera’s view)

  • Music collaborators: Kimberly, Gabe

  • Sacred dance collaborator: Elizabeth

1. Light sacred fire

2. We will assemble at the bower which represents the threshold between the conscious and subconscious minds.  We will put on cat masks which means we will transform into our subconscious selves.  

3. We will then form a circle and dance around the sacred fire. The fire represents self-transformation and the moving circle represents looping thoughts. Kimberly will be performing music during this portion. 

4. The Goddess of Love and Randomness (Elizabeth), at random moments, will run in and throw the Rock of Vulnerability, injecting us with frustration and breaking the circle.  At that time, people will gather twigs at the periphery of the yard and start to make a nest near the fire. Gabe will be performing music during this time.

   1. We will do this 3-4 times until all twigs have been used up and the nest has been created. This represents the idea that if we create something after every mental loop, something beautiful can come from the frustration. 

5. Once the nest is finished, I’ll go inside and honor poison ivy. 

6. We will finish by disseminating milkweed seeds into the air while dancing!

Optional Epilogue 

• 5:00-5:16:The event officially ends at 5pm, however for anyone interested, for my website, I’ll be recording: “How I use my mythological universe of SOMDEland to communicate with my subconscious and the symbolism of the ceremony” by Vivekanand Pandey Vimal

~~~~~Collaborators (alphabetical by first name) 

Darya Mangeym 

Darya has been curious about the subconscious for as long as she can remember herself. This lifelong interest in what’s underneath people’s actions and choices led her to the beginning of her spiritual journey twelve years ago with heavy influence by the father of the subconscious Carl Jung. As well as a career in mental health counseling seven years ago. Darya weaves psychological theories, evidence-based treatments including expressive arts and spiritual practices to guide the journey of bringing to light, understanding, accepting, and integrating the parts that reside in the subconscious. 

“The images of the unconscious place a great responsibility upon a man. Failure to understand them, or a shirking of ethical responsibility, deprives him of his wholeness and imposes a painful fragmentariness on his life.” Carl Jung

Kimberly Redd

Kimberly is a Music Artist, Yoga Teacher (E-RYT, RCYT, RPYT), and Priestess of the Goddess. She is passionate about awakening the natural magic within, guiding children and adults to connect to their own creativity and the wonders of nature.

Yogattune.com

Rita Pandey

https://sites.google.com/view/ritapandeyportfolio

Vivekanand Pandey Vimal

https://sites.google.com/view/vivekanandpandeyvimal