Course in Miracles? Depth Psychology? Dreams?

Is there any interest in discussing topics here like

- the Course in Miracles

- Depth Psychology (which to me means the merger of spirituality and psychology - Jung, archetypes, dreams, etc.)

- Dreams (I know there is another group that has dreams in their title, but I'm wondering if there's an interest in discussing them from a spiritual/psychological perspective)

- the work of David Hawkin (Power of Force)

- Spiritual philosophy

- Quantum physics & it's relation to spirituality (the "What the Bleep" film and other related films & books, concepts)

- Spiritual practices

- other such topics

I've read A Course in Miracles and know many who use it as their guidance. Since I am an initiate of a Sufi Order whose focuse is visions and dreams, I think talking of dreams and their significance would be good. I've seen What the Bleep and MindWalk, both of which touch on the same theme (physics and spirituality), but in different ways. And I would be very interested to know more about other's spiritual practices. As a universal Sufi, I have had the honor of participating in different practices-an all night Hindu chant, many many sweatlodges/support for Vision Quests, and of course zhikar and the Dances of Universal Peace. I'd like others who have done these practices to share their experiences, and I'd like to find out about other practices as well.

We have many interests in common! I look forward to many discussions with you about your experiences and ideas. I am especially interested in your Sufi experiences & teachings - that is a spiritual tradition that I have never experienced so there is much I can learn from you.

Mindwalk has been a favorite of mine for many years, and now What the Bleep is also a favorite. I love films that stimulate thought and cause one to grapple with ideas.

A Sufi Murshid (teacher) once said that spirituality is experience. I know that in my case, I have been directed, via visions, dreams, and sometimes just feelings, to different books and music, and to Sufism itself.

Depth psychology--I've been hearing that term lately and don't really know what it means. Your description sounds about the same as transpersonal psychology. Is there a difference and do you know what the difference is?

Dreams--I'm very interested from time to time. I find that if I start working with them a lot, my dream journal takes over my waking hours. I didn't know there's a group with dreams in its title. I'll have to browse the list of groups again. There's sometimes discussion of dreams in the Astrology, Spirituality, and Alternative Healing group, but this group now feels to me like a better place to talk about dreams.

I don't know of David Hawkin or "Power of Force." Could you tell us something about that?

I haven't seen What the Bleep? yet. It's number 1 on my Netflix queue, so if I ever get around to watching the ones I have now, I'll see it. That sort of stuff interests me. (Also remote viewing and its implications in spirituality.) However, I'm also a scientific sort and find that the scientifically illiterate say a lot of really funny things when they try to apply physics which they don't understand to other areas of life, so I might rain on some parades.

I guess when I use the term, it means to me "spiritual psychology" - or a blending of the spritual and the psychological. It grew out of the work of Jung, Freud and Adler. It sees the psyche as something in between matter and spirit that is partly conscious and partly unconscious. It embraces ideas of both the individual and collective consciousness and unconscious; archetypes; the shadow; projection; the importance of myth, symbols and metaphor; dreams and physical symptoms as communications from the psyche. It sees life as a spiritual journey, seeks redemption of life's suffering by awareness of the spiritual depths of personal events, and seeks to expand consciousness through awareness of truths greater than the individual.

There may be some sort of "official" definition, but that's what the term means to me. It's a fascinating journey.

I'll get back to you on David Hawkin's work since I'm feeling as though I've done more than my share of posting here tonight!

My pastor thinks it's a perfect match for our church, Church of Religious Science.

I'm going to ask what you guys think of the film after I get a chance to see it.

All I know is that the part about 'neural nets' sounds right ... because ... when I was working on my Masters in Psychology, we watched a series of videos - a series - called 'The Brain,' and the series went over how we establish neural pathways. Very interesting.

As to the deep spirituality you're discussing up there - I am just going to have to educate myself.

Working on it ... working on it.

about the neural transmitters and receivers - their special effects used to illustrate some of the bodily functions are quite illustrataive - also the functioning of the thymus gland ... gives me a smile just remembering it!

Maybe we could try a reading list. Peeling the Sweet Onion was a great introductory book to new agey stuff. I like books on near death and out of body experiences, as well as reincarnation.

I also used to read Tarot cards and got quite good at using them theraputically with people I read for. I also found John Bradshaw's Inner Child books to be quite interesting. I have always loved psycology.

but then I used to live in West LA/Santa Monica, which is the epicenter for New Age thought, at least in Southern California.

I was in the audience for a pilot TV show by Bradshaw that was never picked up. Years before Dr. Phil became a success. Interesting, hmmm?

than Dr. Phil. I used to be a big fan of Dr. Phil til he dressed down Medea Benjamin in the run up to Iraq invasion.