EPISODE 2: THE DREAM (old version)

In our second episode, we explore the first stage, or "starting point" of the Katabasis and journey through depression. Specifically, we are interested in defining the "Dream," in order to build a foundation for Episode 3 (The Collapse of the Dream). We talk about moths, metaphysics and meaning, as well as our modern understanding of reality. This episode utilizes philosopher Federico Campagna's ideas, particularly from his work Technic and Magic, to start to build a foundation toward a more helpful understanding of reality. This episode was also heavily influenced by Psychological Types (C.G. Jung) and Matter and Memory (Henri Bergson). This is the second of two complimentary episodes. 

The Dream (text from the original guide): 

"The Dreamer knows nothing of the Dream. Until and unless it collapses, the Dreamer cannot know anything more of the Dream than what she is, with limited vocabulary, able to gesture toward broadly—concepts like identity, worldview, self-mythology, personal narrative, ideology, belief and schema are the best words we have. I use the “Dream” to refer to our personal understanding of reality. Most of us live inside the Dream. The Dream is always, at least partially, mistaken for the truth. I will use the term Dreamer to describe the depressed individual, although life inside the Dream does not necessarily lead to experiences of mental illness—it is only when the Dream grows too distant from truth and begins to collapse. Sometimes, the dreamer is able to mend the Dream, or otherwise temporarily bolster a collapsing Dream with the help of a current prevailing ideology. Barring this, the collapsing Dream will send the dreamer into a state of crisis—this marks the beginning of a depression."