A teacher may help a student access deeper levels of consciousness by facilitating regression to another time and place. Exploring in this way, without believing, disbelieving, or shutting down on whatever arises in mind can be a way to work with intense difficulty and ease suffering. Here Sokuzan gives an example of working with deeper consciousness during a meditation interview.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rXDCKEulUEo