How to Understand Imagery, Metaphors, Beliefs and Feelings

In updating my book, Freedom from Suffering, A Spiritual Approach, I realized that I had not explained the use of imagery, metaphors and feelings very well at the beginning of the book. So I added more information about this language. I also felt inspired to write this short article so that you could learn more about this language and how to use it in your daily life.

Whether you speak and think in English, German, Spanish, Mandarin, Thai, Hindi, Russian or another language, your unconscious mind and your Self, or Soul, communicate using imagery, metaphors and feelings. The unconscious and Self speak to you using metaphors and feelings that it hopes you will understand. You experience this most often in your dreams. If you are able to understand the metaphors and feelings from your dreams you will be able to ‘hear’ and to understand your unconscious and, sometimes, your Soul. The fact is that most of what you experience in your day to day life can also be seen as metaphors that express your beliefs, filters, maps, sub-conscious mind, emotions and whatever else you want to call the accumulation of information and experience you have amassed during your lifetime.

You usually identify yourself as this accumulation of experiences and call it ‘me’, ‘I’, ‘my mind’ or your name. But you are much more than this and the best way to discover who and what you really are is by learning and using the language of the Soul; imagery, metaphors and feelings. The feelings I refer to are not emotions. They are much deeper than emotions. I use the word feelings because there is no better word I can find in the English language.

A great many brilliant minds, including Carl Jung, spent a many years researching imagery and metaphors for individuals and entire groups of people. They found that there are many images, symbols and metaphors that are common to groups of human beings or cultures. I have found that there are also images and metaphors that are unique to each individual and that the same image can have different meanings to different people on a very deep level. I have never seen two souls that are exactly the same. Never.

How can the understanding of imagery, metaphors and feelings enhance your life?

Once you understand the language of your unconscious you can learn to understand your dreams. In meditations you will be able to communicate with your deep inner Self, your Soul. By being aware of your deepest beliefs and motivations you can change them if necessary and the direction of your life – making it better in numerous ways.

There is a very simple but powerful quote written by William Shakespeare that has resonated through the ages, “To thine own self be true”, Be YourSelf. If you learn to understand the language of your deep inner Self this quote will make complete sense to you and will become very powerful. There is nothing more powerful than being yourSelf, living your Soul openly and honestly, being genuine.

My suggestion now is to be an explorer. A fearless explorer. Use some of the meditations and mindfulness practices on this website or at www.lightunlimitedpublishing.com. Read and use the practices in the Freedom from Suffering book. Explore deep within yourSelf. Discover the imagery, metaphors and feelings deep within you, that drive you and control your life. Learn to understand them. Learn to change them or use them. Learn to communicate with your deep inner Self. See where this takes you. See how it expresses itself in your daily life and in your relationships.

You will discover the wellspring from which all creation originates.

You can disavow all of this or argue with it or you can try it for yourself.
Trying it for yourself takes more courage.

If you have questions or need support, write to me. If you would like to schedule a private session with me.