A chorus of animal, ancestor and wind voices surround us in the deep sleep of hibernation.
From the deep sleep, worlds open up. The bear becomes so much more than bear. She becomes owl, frog, bee, whale, wind, spirits and intergalactic beings. She returns to the oneness obscured in her waking life by the incessant struggle for individual survival.
When humans sleep, our brains collect, relate and stabilize thoughts and experiences from waking life in a process known as memory consolidation. This supports our sense of coherence and emotional regulation. Depth psychologists recognize the dreamspace as one in which not only our personal memories become available but information from the collective unconscious as well. Through dreaming, we “arrive” or emerge into an immensity of experience and information. If we are fortunate or skillful, we can bring some of this wisdom back and integrate it into our waking lives. Drumming, chanting, sound meditation and dancing facilitate this bridging of realms.
“Deep Sleep” is the third meditation track in a four-part series created by Spiral Muse drummer, singer and songwriter Dionne Kohler. Dionne’s channeled voices and rhythms invite us into different dimensions of consciousness. The full Bear Medicine Series is available on Youtube, Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple Music and other electronic platforms.