The Mystical World of Dreams | Part II

The Connection between Dreams, Jung, the Unconscious, and the Astral Realm

Art by Shirley Shantel @lemuriandreamweaver

Dreams are fascinating, multi-layered experiences that happen primarily during the REM (Rapid Eye Movement) stage of sleep. At their core, dreams are the brain's way of processing thoughts, emotions, memories, and sometimes even unresolved psychological issues. But they often also have deeper meanings and interpretations— both psychological and spiritual.

1. Dreams and the Unconscious Mind (Psychological View)

Modern perspectives on dream interpretation can be traced to the theories on the ‘unconscious mind’ developed by Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung. Jung, initially an admirer of Freud’s, eventually diverged from the latter’s theories in some important ways.

Freud believed dreams are expressions of repressed memories, desires and unresolved conflicts. They act as a "royal road to the unconscious," where hidden emotions, fears, impulses reside, influencing behavior and perception without conscious knowledge of the individual, revealing themselves symbolically through the fluid tapestry of the dream.

While Jung agreed with Freud on these basic principles, his criticism was centered on Freud’s theories being too focused on sexuality as a key motivating force for action and behaviour, as well as his views on the unconscious being rather limited.

Jung saw dreams as messages from the ‘collective unconscious’—a shared, inherited reservoir of archetypes and experiences. He believed dreams help balance the psyche and guide personal growth by communicating through universal, cultural and personal symbols. He also believed that dreams could offer a glimpse into potential futures and provide guidance.

In the psychological view, the unconscious mind uses dreams to:

• Process emotional experiences

• Explore inner conflicts

• Connect with hidden, deeper aspects of yourself (Jung’s archetypes)

2. Jung’s Exploration of Religion and Mysticism

The main intellectual pursuits that would form the basis of Jung’s theories were his knowledge of mythology, diverse spiritual and religious traditions, para-psychology and psychic phenomena, which were points of contention with Freud, who notably derided him for these inclinations.

Early in his career, Jung participated in spiritualist seances, a popular activity of his time. He had a family connection and history, later revealed to be his maternal grandfather and cousin who worked as mediums during the sessions. His cousin’s eventual exposure as a fraud caused him to end the sessions. Regardless, this episode partially inspired his theories on complexes and archetypes.

Jung's most famous personal work, The Red Book, was a private collection of his mystical experiences, visions, and explorations into the unconscious, only made public posthumously in 2009. Written during a time of isolation and despair after parting ways with his mentor, it formed a record of his active imagination sessions which he used to treat himself and delve deeper into his experience with archetypes. Though not directly presented as explorations of the astral plane, many of his writings gave that sort of impression.

Jung was deeply fascinated by alchemy, viewing it as a symbolic representation of the process of individuation (the integration of the unconscious with the conscious mind). He saw alchemical texts as rich sources of metaphor that could explain psychological transformation.

Jung was also interested in Hermeticism, an ancient spiritual and philosophical tradition based on the teachings attributed to Hermes Trismegistus. This tradition is permeated with ideas of hidden knowledge and spiritual awakening, and Jung explored these in his work on the unconscious and the nature of the self.

Throughout his career, Jung had various interactions with individuals involved in the occult, such as the famous Swiss occultist Theodore von der Schulenburg. He was also influenced by figures like Helena Blavatsky, founder of the Theosophical Society, and he engaged with the Eastern mystical traditions of Tao and Zen Buddhism, as well as Kabbalah, and Gnosticism.

These interests and experiences influenced him profoundly and formed the crux of his psychological theory on archetypes—universal symbols that are shared across cultures and manifest in both dreams and various esoteric traditions. He frequently explored how these hidden or symbolic meanings permeated society and influenced human consciousness. However, he didn’t want to be perceived as a mystic, and tried to present his ideas through a scientific and psychological lens.

3. Dreams and the Astral Realm (Spiritual/Metaphysical View)

In many esoteric and spiritual traditions (like Theosophy, Hermeticism, Eastern mysticism, and modern-day energy work), sleep is seen as the natural window into the astral plane. This is thought to be a subtle, non-physical layer of reality that exists parallel to our physical world and can be accessed during certain altered states, such as dreaming, meditation, or astral projection. Here, dreams are believed to be:

• Journeys of the astral body—a subtle, energetic form of yourself—into higher realms or dimensions (the astral plane)

• Opportunities to meet spirit guides, ancestors, or beings from other realms

• Ways to explore non-physical realities, including alternate timelines or versions of yourself

From this perspective:

• Regular dreams may just be a mix of mental and energetic noise

• Lucid dreams (when you become aware you're dreaming) are considered more aligned with conscious astral travel

• OBEs (Out-of-Body Experiences) during sleep are sometimes seen as real excursions into the astral realm

4. Dreams as Portals to the Astral Realm

1. The Astral Body and Sleep

When you fall asleep, your physical body rests, but your astral body—an energetic duplicate of your physical self—can become active. This body is what "travels" during dreams, particularly in lucid dreams, vivid dreams, or out-of-body experiences (OBEs).

It’s believed that during deep sleep, your consciousness detaches slightly (or fully) from the physical and roams the astral.

Most people don't remember this because they aren’t lucid—they remain in a subconscious, passive state.

2. The Astral Plane

• The astral realm is said to be layered, with higher and lower frequencies:

• Lower astral: Chaotic, emotional, and filled with fragmented thought-forms (sometimes associated with nightmares or shadow work)

• Middle astral: More organized—this is where people experience flying, meeting guides, exploring dream cities, etc.

• Higher astral: Very lucid, beautiful, symbolic, and filled with beings of light, spirit guides, and sometimes deceased loved ones

Dreams often occur across these layers depending on your vibration, emotional state, and consciousness level.

3. Who or What You Encounter

• Spirit guides or ancestors might show up in symbolic or disguised forms (like animals, teachers, or mysterious figures).

• Other dreamers or astral travelers—some say you can meet others who are also dreaming or projecting consciously.

• Your higher self—sometimes giving you wisdom, healing, or clarity about your life’s direction.

4. Symbols, Portals, and Lessons

Not every dream is an astral trip, but lucid dreams, recurring symbols, or "realer than real" dreams often are. These dreams might contain:

• Portals (mirrors, doors, staircases)

• Messages (from guides or higher aspects of you)

• Lessons (healing trauma, receiving downloads, energetic initiations)

5. Lucid Dreaming as a Gateway

Lucid dreaming is one of the most accessible paths to conscious astral exploration:

When you realize you’re dreaming, you can shift into the astral plane consciously by stating your intent or changing your environment within the dream.

Techniques like spinning in the dream, looking at your hands, or willing yourself to “rise” can move you from a mental dream into an astral space.

So, how do all of these connect?

Psychologically, dreams are symbolic maps of your inner world—unfolding the hidden layers of the unconscious mind. The unconscious mind is the gateway to the collective unconscious and the astral realm. Spiritually, dreams may be glimpses beyond the physical—portals to other dimensions or energetic states. The external world is a reflection of the inner world and vice versa.

The bridge is your conscious awareness—how much you remember, interpret, and engage with your dream experiences.

It seems that dreams may hold the key to the mysteries of the human psyche and consciousness.