Making art on the Astral Plane
Making art on the Astral Plane
'I dream of painting, and then I paint my dream.' - Vincent Van Gogh
If I’m having a good night on the Astral, I dream of colorful places and beautiful images.
I wake up feeling relaxed and inspired, with distant memories of hanging out with fun creative people and beings, discussing out of this world things. Like the happy energy you might feel after spending an evening among people who are interested in life and joy and creativity, a magical dream can take me to a new awareness of what is possible.
I woke up today after several vivid colorful dreams with some fellow psychic teachers. In everyday life, we are all colleagues and friends. I felt so happy upon waking up, in the dreams I could see the fun we were having with the new creations we’re coming up with now. I knew that this ‘work’ we were doing together on the astral is the prequel for what’s coming soon into our classes.
When I listen, my dreams will teach me things.
Sometimes in a dream, I’ll see or receive information that I get to consciously keep when I wake up. Many years ago, before I ever took a meditation class or signed up for my clairvoyant training, I kept dream journals religiously. I mean, I was into it, and wrote in them almost daily. I am certain that doing this helped me see clearly what my spirit was trying to tell me, the stuff I wouldn’t listen to in my daily life. Even when I didn’t want to know, and especially then!
When I re-read my dream journals, years after the fact, I could only marvel at how wise my spirit was. That higher part of me was always there, even when the me in my everyday life was caught up in the tiny details and other people’s problems and invalidation and worry - there was a part of me saying “Look! Wake up!”. Thankfully, eventually I listened, and here I am today grateful for that.
We are always working on something and creating new creations in our dreams.
I will always remember this dream I had when I was in my clairvoyant training:
I was in a big old Victorian house that was filled with people and Irish music. I was on the main stairway from the front entry to the 2nd floor, looking at all the framed photos on the walls. They all moved, like the photos in Harry Potter do, and I could see all of the family members in these photos, going way back. As I came down the stairs, there was a whirlwind of activity, but I felt outside of it, an observer, not a participant. Irish music was playing, people danced a traditional Irish dance in the front hall, and my paternal grandfather presided over the whole event, with my father, his son, by his side. My grandfather was pointedly ignoring me, I’d displeased him by not following his rules or being how I was ‘supposed’ to be in this group. I already knew that I was leaving this group, I no longer fit into it, and in the dream I knew this strongly. I also felt a deep love for the music and for this group, and grief over leaving.
That dream helped me heal something within me, and helped me step more clearly towards myself.
Meanwhile, back to those dream journals. They are long gone, not having made the cut for the long moves from L.A. to Portland, and then to Decatur GA. Some things just couldn’t come along. But they did their work at the time - they helped me to take a step in becoming more conscious about what my spirit is working on, so I can have it be more real in my daily life.
‘Oh, I’ve had such a curious dream!’ - Alice in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll
What does any of this have to do with making art?
In my humble opinion,. everything. Art comes from the spirit. Healing at a deep level within ourselves requires jogging that relationship with spirit. It’s inherent, we were born with it.
Shortly after the Irish dream, my art changed. Being in a clairvoyant training helped me find my new style, and give myself the permission to make abstract art, but it really was deeper than that. I was stepping away from the rules and judgments of the group, any group including the art school groups I’d known, that I’d allowed to limit my creativity.
Disclaimer: I LOVE Irish music. Listening to it often brings me to tears. I’ve had more than a few lifetimes living on the Emerald Isle. I loved Ireland when I visited, and really want to go again. I have a ton of friends, family, and acquaintances who are Irish or have Irish heritage. I am a fan. But I am not a fan of being controlled by any group’s rules and fears, and that does include some of what I grew up with. I have come to the peaceful conclusion that I can both love some things about a group AND not follow all of its rules. This might seem like a no brainer easy thing, but check yourself. It’s often an under the table unconscious energy.
Learning how to see as a clairvoyant helped me find myself in and out of the group. This changed how I see myself as an artist.
One thing I learned early on in my journey to becoming a conscious practicing psychic, is that the more I gave to myself daily - meditation, good people in my life, care of my body - the easier it was to dream. Not just to dream out of my body, on the Astral, but to bring those dreams within me, and to have a living waking dream. I’m still exploring and practicing this every day. What if we consciously dream a new dream?
Dreams do come true.
‘Well we've known each other from other lives
I want to see you today
But I'll prove my knowledge of what's inside
When I intercept you on the astral plane
The astral plane for late at night
The astral plane or I'll go insane
Alright’
© Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers
New podcast episode
Resources for your creative spirit
I posted about this in my other Substack, Kris Cahill, The Art of Being Psychic, and need to share it here. The ON BEING podcast is wonderful, and this recent episode with Rick Rubin called ‘Magic, Mystery, and Getting Creative’, spoke to me so deeply that I’ve already listened twice, and started reading his new book. Beautiful!
Always highly recommended: a Meditation practice!
This is one of the greatest things you can give to yourself as a person on a revolving and evolving planet. Life happens, and meditation helps you find peace and space, and delete the junk you don’t need. It’s also a highly creative act - did you know you use your brain differently when you meditate?
The Foundation Class at the Art of the Seer Academy is a creative active style of meditation, that helps you to develop and work with your psychic abilities. Read more and sign up here.
Favorite Irish Music:
Afro Celts: One of my favorite bands ever, the Afro Celts are that: musicians from Africa and Ireland, bringing their beautiful musicianship along with their traditional musical styles and instruments, into a glorious fusion. Check out one of their music videos
The Gloaming - Headed by the beautiful voice of Iarla Ó Lionáird, formerly of the Afro Celts, this band is gorgeous. Find them here