Death the Healer

                                          (Feb 08 )

                                  Death the Healer
                                                   ( Dream )


                    

              I was standing on a flat surface or platform
              or perhaps the edge of a veranda of an upper floor.

              Right below was the sea, rich green, calm and inviting.
              Many people were in the water swimming and splashing.

              Momentarily i contemplated the idea of diving in it
              but despite being calm, it was rather deep
              and i decided that i would not feel comfortable ...
              I feared the depths or that something might be lurking in them...

              Then i went downstairs which was the interior of a combined

              sort of factory and institution of some kind
              and of which i was in some way part of.

              There was a Boss which was or equalled ...God.

              There were also two Angels;

              The Light One and the Death One.

              The Light One was like standing behind or was one

               with a blinding- white light -brilliance.

              The Death One was a simple strong healthy Black Man.
               Both had human voices and so did God  or the Boss.

              There were many people who went about working

              -possibly factory workers.
              Among them there were some sick people

              -possibly the ones belonging to the institution aspect of the building.

              Death 'Called ' those whose time had come by 'Touching' them gently.

              And now time had come for some to be 'Called' and touched
              so God gave Death a signal to go ahead with his task
              but warned him Not to go anywhere near the Light Angel.

              Death proceeded and touched an Old man

              who was standing nearby.
              The man surrendered immediately with a quiet resignation
               but rather puzzled he queried Death:

               "Why? ...I am not sick anymore..."
              and proceeded to show how his disease had suddenly cleared up.

              Death got distressed and angry that he had to do this
              and despite God's order he walked determinedly

              straight towards the Light One.

              There was some commotion that followed
              while some tried to stop him from approaching
              but the Light One extended his hand and Ordered him:

                          "Stop right there! - Do Not Proceed!"

               Death, reluctantly and still agitated, stopped.

               And now it was again time to touch the next person
              -a Black middle aged Woman who was very Ill.

               He touched her -but unlike the man before her she resisted

               and protested:

                       " Why?... I don't understand! I am now well! "

               and as she said so she pulled up her clothes to reveal her body

               that was now free of any signs of disease.

                Death felt sad for her and embraced her with tears in his eyes
                because he could not tell her that the reason she had been cured
                was Only because He had 'Touched' her....

                             
                                                        ***

               The upper floor platform overlooking the sea represents
               the mental state where i prefer to operate from
               and (my ) reluctance or avoidance of immersing myself
               in the emotional 'sea' and its potential dangers
               that might be lurking under the surface.

               The combined factory /institution building
                represents myself as a unit where different functions take place
                in the ordinary daily life - or something similar to this.

               The Boss/God in the building is obviously
               the Central Aspect of my Personality that Directs
               and Oversees all 'jobs /aspects /functions' done etc.

               The Angel of Light, if i were to take a guess,
               represents the Mind and All the rather Abstract positive ideas
               and aspects that originate there such as Consciousness, Beliefs,

               Hope, Courage, Strength, Spirituality, Healing and so on
               and Belong to the Light / Life core of individuality.

               'God ' warned Death not to go anywhere near the Light One,
               meaning the Central Personality does not allow, at this point
                changes in the areas represented by the Light One...

               The Angel of Death, is represented by a Man
               common and visible because death

                is a more familiar experience for most people

                and has a known face and quality
                as most people during some time or other 
                have been touched and are familiar 
                with the loss of something either inside

                or someone loved or close, known etc.

                Here he represents that function within myself
                which signals or initiates the end of Old or Ill Patterns
                of Mentality or Behaviour.

               The 'sick people' that Death touches and die
               are aspects of self and of self-expression
               with which i have  come to identify as "me"
                after a long time of repetitive reinforcement.

                Separation from this part becomes almost near impossible
                and complete change pretty much equates with the death

                of -that- particular part of myself.

               When Death, i.e. change/separation,

              'Touches' that aspect of Self

               any problems associated with that aspect

               suddenly cease to exist - like a miraculous ‘cure’
               and a feeling of freedom or liberation

               as experienced by the old man and woman

               when touched, released and freed from the ill energy carried.

                                                      *** 
               In reality this process is gradual and takes time and effort.

              The dream only shows some surfacing awareness of change

               taking place in those patterns.

Photo: Tom Carment
http://www.artwhatson.com.au/damienmintongallery/melbourne-art-fair-2012/angel-waverley-cemetery