by Nancy Mosher
The newest issue of deLuge, an online literary and arts journal related to dreams, features an anthology of original music, inspired by the archetypal journey. Published by North of Eden, an organization devoted to Archetypal Dreamwork, deLuge traditionally features poems, personal essays, and visual art inspired by dreams. This is the first issue featuring original songs, adding a new dimension to the arts journal concept.
This issue of deLuge contains 12 original songs, written and performed by 10 dreamers. Some had never written songs before. Others, such as accomplished Vermont musicians Jeremiah McLane, Susannah Blachly, and Bob Murray, are bringing the message of their dreams to life in evocative new ways.
Each song reflects the raw and intensely individual journey of Archetypal Dreamwork, which challenges dreamers to discard their understanding of themselves and enter into an exploration of the unknown through their dreams. Many describe a discovery of their own relationship with the Divine, as revealed through their dream journeys.
Jane Mackenzie’s song “Untitled” is a striking example of the way dreamwork unleashes creative expression. Jane, a fledging songwriter, sings her story with haunting grace and simplicity. Accompanied by soft bluesy piano arpeggios, “Untitled” describes how Jane’s fear, “like a shroud, like a veil” becomes the gate that can set her free. As the song unfolds, we can hear the transformation of the sorrow in Jane’s richly textured voice, as she describes lifting her “voice to the sky.” The song closes with these lyrics:
There’s angel’s breath beneath my wings,
Lifting me in song,
Soaring higher, riding in His arms.
Although this song’s story is uniquely Jane’s, the way music can take us out of the mind prisons in which so many of us live is universal. It is a gift to be able to hear Jane lead us through her journey from fear, through song, to the loving arms of God.
Jim Goss offers another manifestation of the profound spiritual connection that can arise from dreamwork. His song “From Within Me,” with its urgent guitar rhythms and echoing harmonies, is lyrically simple, describing his devotion and humility as he seeks the divine connection deep within himself.
From within me. From where I cannot see. From within me. From where my Father speaks
Make me weightless. I have no more need for right. Please turn me slowly. Turn my face toward the light
Jim’s musical artistry is impressive. His vocals, both precise and flexible, weave beautifully with his highly skilled guitar work. The song is beautifully arranged. Jim’s closing guitar work evokes the breadth and scope of the long journey into what Carl Jung describes as “the spirit of the depths.”
deLuge also contains a rich array of writing and artwork related to dreams. The founders of Archetypal Dreamwork, Marc Bregman and Christa Lancaster, share an excerpt from their new book Flesh Off the Bone: Dream Descent through Past Life Trauma, which explores their own breathtaking dream journeys through the catacombs of the unconscious to discover profound healing, a newfound love for each other, and a deep connection with the Divine.
Music has a way of penetrating our thorny protective exteriors and opening us to what is most true inside us. This diverse group of songwriters, exploring their own deepest truths and willing to share the most vulnerable parts of themselves, brings us a rare and visceral musical experience, and enlightens us about the courage and commitment it takes to open to the knowledge of our own deepest selves.
The deLuge music issue can be seen and heard at www.northofeden.com/deluge4/
