Awakening in the Dream- Paul Levy

We're all dreaming up together, and if we don't recognize that, we're fated to destroy ourselves. That's what my work is about. That's what I'm continually trying to get across to people.

In 1981, due to intense personal trauma, Paul Levy had a life-changing spiritual awakening in which he began to recognize the dreamlike nature of reality. During this year, Paul was (mis)diagnosed with what was then called manic-depression (now called bipolar disorder). Little did the doctors realize, however, that he was taking part in a mystical awakening/shamanic initiation process, which at times mimicked psychosis, but in actuality was a spiritual experience of a far different order.

After the trauma of his shamanic breakdown/breakthrough, he became a certified art teacher. Due to his interest in the work of C. G. Jung, by the end of the decade, he became the manager of the C. G. Jung Foundation Book Service in New York, as well as the advertising manager for the Jungian journal Quadrant. In 1993, he began giving talks and facilitating groups based on how life is a shared waking dream that we are all co-creating and co-dreaming together. He is the founder of the Awakening in the Dream Community in Portland, Oregon. 

A Tibetan Buddhist practitioner for over 30 years, he has intimately studied with some of the greatest spiritual masters of Tibet and Burma. He was the coordinator of the Portland chapter of the Padmasambhava Buddhist Center for over twenty years. A pioneer in the field of spiritual emergence, Paul is a wounded healer in private practice, helping others who are also awakening to the dreamlike nature of reality.

Show notes:

Introducing a pioneer in the field of spiritual emergence- Paul Levy (2:10)

Awakening in the Dream community (3:43)

What is the Wetiko virus? (8:40)

The “mental breakdown” that lead to Paul’s spiritual awakening (12:43)

“A shamanic descent into the darkness of the underworld of the unconscious” AKA Psychiatric Hospitalization (23:43)

Wetiko in the outside world (28:00)

How is the virus transmitted? (30:26)

The effects on our collective psyche (36:59)

Is Wetiko like Satan or Jung's concept of animus? (40:10)

The treatment plan for this mind virus (42:05)

Wetiko can take over and possess anyone- how to be a part of the solution (51:22)

Why it is so important to self-reflect (58:18)

Links and references:

The Madness of George W. Bush

Jung’s Animus

Paul’s other books

Awaken In the Dream

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