Imagination is the language of the soul.
I think Einstein originally said that…smart guy.
It’s true. Our souls speak to us through our imaginations. The dreams we let dance through our consciousness are arrows to our soul’s deeper callings.
The spirit world also communicates through the imagination.
Have you ever fantasized about a better world? Created stories about the fairies who must live in that mossy grove you hiked past?
These thoughts aren’t just mind inventions…they are divinely inspired insights into additional potentialities and dimensions of our reality.
The imagination is a favorite language of the Muses, too.
I like to think of the Muses as angels of creativity, whispering inspiration into the vessels capable of bringing it to life.
And the imagination is an invitation to the gods.
This happens through the intentional act of visualization.
When you use your imagination to visualize a deity, with as much focus and detail as possible, you create what one of my teachers (Jason Miller) calls an “astral throne”.
I love this idea. By bringing together intention, focus, and imagination, you have created a resting place for a spirit to meet with you.
In many traditions, including the Ancient Egyptian magical practices I engage in, statues are seen as physical resting places for the gods. In the opening of the mouth ritual, a representation of a deity is anointed, creating space for the god to join our prayers and rituals here on Earth.
The astral throne serves the same purpose.
Now, the astral throne may very well be an image of the deity you wish to connect with, but quite often some sort of seal or symbol is used — Tibetan mandalas or Metatron’s cube, for example.
A Practice
The next time you sit down to connect with a spirit guide, imagine a symbol for them with your mind’s eye.
As you place your focus on this symbol, tune into your body. Can you feel them arrive? Has the potency of your experience changed in some way?
Psst: If you are among the 1-4% of the population who cannot visualize, you can still do this! Look at a physical version of the symbol you’d like to work with, and then use your intention and focus to know that the image is appearing as an astral invitation.
If you’ve used this practice before, or try it out now, let me know how it goes in the comments :)
News and Such
I'm so grateful to the nearly 30 beautiful souls who took my last Introduction to Shamanism course. As an offering of gratitude, I'll be sharing a bonus live Q&A call on September 17th for all participants! (This will be recorded if you can't attend live.) The replay is still available for purchase — so if you grab it now, you can join me live to ask any questions that come up as you practice.
There are just two spots left in my upcoming Soul Retrieval training at the end of this month. This is an in-depth workshop taking place in Sisters, OR. I realize that logistics might make joining last minute tricky, but if you feel called to learn this sacred art, please reach out. I’m happy to help you navigate the logistics if you truly feel called to this!
I’m having a flash sale over at my Etsy shop this week only. Save 40% on all workshops and ebooks! There are some treasures available, if I do say so myself ;)
Beautiful!! Will have to try the astral throne practice next time I meditate. I definitely believe that we have to create space and openness and ideally a welcoming inner landscape in order for any kind of spirit or energy to find us (and in order to engage with them in any way).
Beautiful sharing Juniper.