Marion Woodman’s Wise Presence in a Post-Election Dream
I awaken with pale pink light flooding the eastern windows, illuminating the spruce and pine treetops in the National Forest. I pull a pillow over my head and float between waking and dreaming as I resist this post-election world. My dog Disco lies on top of the blankets pressing her black sleek body against my legs. I shift and Disco rolls toward me with calming warmth. Her exhalation isn’t audible to my deaf ears, but the movement of her breath comforts me. I don’t want to face the news of the day, so I doze.
In a dream, I join a gathering in a large auditorium. The audience quietly waits for Marion Woodman to arrive. My sons David and Anthony sit a few rows ahead of me. Marion enters the room alone. She’s around sixty, the age she was when I first met her in 1988. She looks around at faces and smiles radiantly; her blond-gray waves bob as she nods.
It’s a joy to see my beloved wise woman and Jungian teacher. After Marion sits, I kneel at her side and whisper, “I’m here with my sons and want to introduce you.”
“I’m so happy to see you and happy your sons are here,” Marion says. “We need more young men”
“Marion,” I whisper, “I have to leave to take care of our family dogs, but I’ll be back before you go.”
Marion smiles with genuine affection and pats my hand. My shoulders relax because she knows it’s important to take care of the instinctual and animal life. I hate to leave Marion, but I’m glad my sons are here. I’ll be back.
I wake up fully to write down this dream. Then I sigh. It’s another day struggling with election results and lost hearing. It’s another day of women and children being bombed and terrorized in Gaza and Ukraine. It’s another day of decisions made by men with tight jaws, hard heeled boots, and the power they craved. I want to escape, but don’t know how. If I could talk to Marion, she would have wisdom to share. She would put this experience in an archetypal framework like the violent warrior years of the Iron Age (1200-800 BC) when the Goddess Tiamat was killed by the Gods. Marion’s wisdom would help.
So much is gone. Vic won’t come back except in dreams. Neither will Martin Luther King. Neither will my hearing or my dreams of democracy. Neither will Marion who died in 2018. I need to accept what is and live.
I walk downstairs to the back porch, inhale the cold morning air, and admire the golden light in the east. Disco stands close to me, pushing her head against my leg, soothing my grief. So much is broken and uncertain, but we will adjust because there is no choice.
***
How are you handling the rage unleashed by the election? I’m finding it difficult to witness the suffering when we could be spending money on food and medicine, not bombs. I don’t understand the human romance with violence. For other posts from more hopeful political times, see Giving Hope a Seat Between Anxiety and Grief: Women’s March on Washington. Or The Sacred Water of Life: Prayer Walk for Seneca Lake.
November 22, 2024 at 3:15 pm
Jean Raffa
This is such loving dream; you with your sons, Marion loving. you and them. Two Feminine figures, you and Marion, and two masculine.. Four the number of wholeness. I’m thinking that she may be a Self-image for you; a loving soul guide who has come to reinforce and affirm you as you make your way through this stage of your journey as well as this turbulent evolutionary stage of humanity. You need the solace she brings, and so there she is. You live close to your instincts–Disco and your monarchs–and all is well with them. You are known and loved. So comforting. Thank goodness for our dreams! Have a blessed holiday season. Jeanie
November 26, 2024 at 10:12 am
Elaine Mansfield
I definitely need Marion’s solace and I’m glad she shows up in dreams more often. It is a turbulent time and I was with her a few times when there were other upsetting political situations. Marion always helped me see a broader perspective. Neither of my sons met Marion, but I’ve talked to them about her. Vic, as you know, was smitten which was unusual for him. It’s a challenging time in the world and we had a big sticky, heavy snowstorm here. Unusual so early in the season with many broken trees and power lines. My son still doesn’t have WiFi after three days of this and he’s just three miles from me. The poor guys who work for the electric company can’t afford to make any mistakes because they’re often dealing with hot wires in the snow. This is unusual so early in the season. What does the Marion in me say? I imagine her eating her favorite creme brulee and telling a story about the human condition.
November 20, 2024 at 4:38 am
Aladin Fazel
My dear Elaine, what a touching dream you had with your wise teacher, Marion; she is a great teacher for all of us. I believe that dreams are the only escape to calm our souls. Interestingly, I often see Al in my dreams as well. As for the election, I can only regret the outcome and feel afraid when I think about the future. I have expressed my thoughts on my blog; all I can do now is hope for the best. Take care.
November 20, 2024 at 10:39 am
Elaine Mansfield
Thank you for your response, Aladin. I’m glad you see your beloved brother Al in dreams, because there is love and wisdom in your fraternal relationship. I miss my brother who always had a level head about politics. I’ve been stunned by the election and done lots of sleeping. I’ve had a hard time writing or responding to people, but I will have a vegetarian Thanksgiving dinner with friends. I’ll get used to the new reality and we don’t know where this will settle, but astrologically the planet Pluto just moved into Aquarius. This marks a big change and we didn’t need astrology to tell us that, but it’s interesting when the archetypal sky reflects life on earth. I’m behind on reading your blog, but will try to catch up in the next few days. Thank you for patience with me. With blessed peace to you and your family.
November 19, 2024 at 10:10 pm
Marian Beaman
With a nation divided nearly in half, you are certainly not alone in your feelings about the election outcome. I’m glad you began with the sky unfurling pale pink light and finding comfort in doggie Disco. Now I aspire to be a builder of beauty and share gratitude. What else can I do? Like you, I will “accept what is and live.” And take the news in tiny bites, just enough to stay informed. ((( )))
November 20, 2024 at 10:27 am
Elaine Mansfield
Western NY feels like a particularly peaceful area these days. We manage to be politically divided but still come together in community. I agree about sharing gratitude. What else can we do? I struggle with participating in community because of hearing loss and vertigo, but staying positive and having good relationships with neighbors feels essential. It was always wonderful talking to Marion Woodman about political issues because she had a deep historical view. Maybe part of that was being Canadian. Blessed Thanksgiving to you and your family.
November 19, 2024 at 12:49 pm
Deborah Gregory
Dear Elaine,
Truly, what a gift of a dream, and dawn, these are for you! I love how Dream Marion honoured your need to return to your ‘instincts’ at this time whilst duly noting the promise you made with your psyche to return to ‘soul matters’ when the time is right. Without remove too much mystery, I’m wondering if the gathering in the auditorium was a large one, if so, it looks like everyone in your psyche wanted to turn up for this event. How wonderful that both your sons, twin aspects of your animus I note, were present as you go about facilitating the coming together of your inner masculine and feminine aspects.
Dream Marion’s words, “We need more young men” have caught my attention as they feel like a dream message, guidance, for you regarding how much ‘balance’ will be needed at this time, personally and worldwide. It’s that balance in this room (your psyche) that produces a conducive atmosphere for love. For love is a strong theme, atmosphere, of this dream I intuit. I’m wondering what the number six, numerology-wise may represent? Hecate and her dogs also come to mind as in a dream last year I was told the names of her dogs are called ‘Instinct’ and ‘Intuition’.
Oh, I love how your beloved Marion remains a beautiful, wise friend and presence in your life, both above and below. Thank you so much for sharing this dream with us, it reminds me of something Vic said to me in a dream back in 2018, he said “Remember, kindness is all that is left in the end …” as he sang to the birds in the tree. The colour of the skies in your wonderful photos is like the one I experienced on my birthday last week when I sat pre-dawn and gazed at Mother Moon in Her fullness for ages. What a birthday gift I told myself! Lastly, how I’m dealing with the fallout of the election is to pick up my pen and get back to ‘work’.
Love and light, Deborah
November 20, 2024 at 10:19 am
Elaine Mansfield
It was a dream gift, Deborah. Thanks for your thoughts and questions. The auditorium was small, large enough for 50 or 60 people. I first met Marion in an auditorium of this size at a place called Kirkridge. Marion wasn’t well known then. Neither of my sons were at the workshop, but they are good representatives of my inner masculine and they’re very different from each other. I’m grateful for my good relationships with both of them. We’ll celebrate Winter Solstice together either as we usually do. That’s our family holiday along with a solstice ritual.
I’ve had a few dream appearances from Marion in recent weeks and many dream appearances from close women friends who have moved far away. One of these women was especially close to Vic and was with us in the hospital during Vic’s death. Vic loved women and he was smitten by Marion Woodman if you remember me writing about that. (I was so jealous.) He would have loved talking with you in 2018, so he found a way to do that through dream. Your quote is just what he would say and just what he would do. He felt kindness was his spiritual path when he became too sick to write or give talks. I haven’t been able to write or think clearly since the election. I’m slowly grounding myself again and avoiding American newspapers. I subscribe to The Guardian instead. I want to write again and I will. My creative juices have blocked for now, but that won’t be for long. It made me happy to know more Monarchs are arriving at their winter home in Mexico. Not as many as last year so far, but I have hopes for their survival. Sending you love across the sea.
November 20, 2024 at 11:46 am
Deborah Gregory
Oh, I love that Vic connected via dream and what I witnessed divinely inspired my “Goddess and Her Green Man” poem back in 2018. You know I’ve never dreamed of anyone, singling to the birds, since! Still it makes me smile recalling those birds (I think they were bluebirds) sitting and listening, devotedly, to Vic sing to them. It’s just the reverse of what it expected but then I got the feeling Vic wasn’t someone who was predictable.
Hmm, there’s that 60 again, in both audience and Marion’s age! A quick Google tells me 6 is associated with traits such as caring, nurturing and empathy. I feel this is also important, 6 is known as the ‘Mother’ of all numbers as it links families and keeps people together. For that reason alone, 6 seems to be the embodiment of the heart … which resonates with all that you share here re your sons, Vic and Marion. It’s also an even number, I note, which makes it a feminine number and concerned with the feminine nature of things. 6 as a life path number is destined for service and helping others.
I’m twittering on I know … so as not to take anything away from the mystery away of Dream Marion, I’ll leave you with these thoughts for you to muse upon, ignore anything that doesn’t fit. Hopefully your dream therapist will help you unpack and illuminate this series of Marion dreams with you. Oh, I can’t believe it’s only a month till the Winter Solstice! Lastly, hooray for the Monarchs safely arriving in Mexico! Love and light, Deborah.
November 20, 2024 at 7:54 pm
Elaine Mansfield
I read those same things about the number 6–and that’s all I know about numerology. I’m busy thinking about what it means to have Pluto enter Aquarius to stay where it hasn’t been since the French Revolution. I’m having a hard time accepting the turmoil even when I try to ignore it. It’s in the air. I’d rather here Vic sing with the bluebirds.