Dreams show us the landscapes of our souls. Where do your dreams regularly take place? What is the felt sense of that space? How does it speak to you? According to the African indigenous perspective on dreaming, the landscapes in our dreams denote our DNA and the people we originate from.
But what happens when the stories we choose to live by lead us down dark and treacherous paths? The Netflix series “The Last Airbender" offers a compelling example of this question through the character of Admiral Zhao and his unrelenting pursuit of becoming a legend by slaying the Moon Spirit.
Carl Jung astutely observed the tendency of human beings to unwittingly perpetuate their own suffering while remaining oblivious to the root causes within themselves. Despite externalizing blame onto the world, the true origins of these narratives lie within the unconscious.
Jung believed that the psyche operates as a self-regulating system, akin to the body, aiming to maintain internal stability amidst external influences. This equilibrium involves a balance between polarities wherein the psyche integrates unconscious elements like archetypes and complexes into conscious awareness. Through self-discovery and transformation, a process Jung termed ‘individuation’, individuals seek to manifest their unique potential and achieve inner harmony, fostering a sense of wholeness.
Animal visitations in our dreams represent archetypal patterns and qualities unique to their species; thus, each animal carries an essence that we need to inquire about to understand the dream's message beyond our personal associations...
In the modern world, where urban and technological landscapes often overshadow the natural world, there is an ever-increasing disconnect between humanity and the environment that sustains us. The consequences of this detachment are far-reaching, impacting on the very essence of our well-being. Jung saw our relationship with nature as essential to the development of consciousness and wholeness (Sabini 2001). Jung stated that in the “civilization process, we have increasingly divided our consciousness from the deeper instinctive strata of the human psyche” (Jung, 1964, 36).
Carl Jung's concept of the archetype of the Self is a complex idea of embodied consciousness, symbolizing unity between body, mind, and soul. It directs us to explore and integrate the various parts of our psyche while maintaining a homeostatic balance, and serves as a guiding force on the journey of individuation.
Kriya is a form of pranayama (the yogic practice of focusing on breath), the practice of controlling life energy (prana). By harnessing and directing our life force, we gain greater control over the mind's ceaseless fluctuations, allowing us to become masters of our thoughts. Through Kriya, one can revitalize the subtle currents of prana in the spine and brain, leading to heightened consciousness and personal evolution.
According to Jung the collective unconscious is a reservoir of shared, universal experiences and symbolic imagery that all humans inherit, regardless of upbringing. In a metaphorical sense, one can see archetypes as source codes, signifying the deep and fundamental patterns that underlie human consciousness and our interconnectedness with the natural world.
‘Conscious relating’ emphasizes self-awareness, authenticity, genuine understanding, mutual respect, and growth within relationships. Viewed through a Jungian framework, this requires a willingness and commitment to engage in introspection and self-exploration. This doesn't mean relinquishing personal boundaries or merging identities, but rather recognizing that by understanding our own motivations, fears, and desires, we can communicate more honestly and openly with our partners. This level of vulnerability fosters a safe environment where authentic connecting can flourish. Relationships then become a container for the journey of individuation while meeting our need for emotional attachment.
The Feminine encompasses a diverse tapestry of archetypal representations. In myths, literature, and art, the feminine is embodied as the muse inspiring creativity, the crone imparting wisdom, and the seductress representing the allure of mystery and sensuality. From nurturing mother figures to dark goddesses symbolizing destruction, these varied and dynamic depictions of the feminine allows for a deeper understanding of human consciousness.
The circle is a powerful and widely recognized symbol that represents wholeness, unity, and the eternal cyclical nature of life. It signifies the interconnection and interdependence of all things, associated with infinity, harmony, and balance. Circles also hold symbolism of protection, completeness, and the rhythmic patterns of nature. Furthermore, circles represent community, equality, and spirituality in various traditions.
A complex can’t be reasoned with. When it is activated, it will play out the dynamics of its programming in the world. There is no objective reality from the perspective of a complex. It operates from the original wounding...
Not all communications use language. The psyche uses the body to communicate dissociated emotional experiences. The body remembers everything that ever happened to us. The human body is a carrier of trauma, unfinished business, unlived potentials, deep psychological insights, and sacred meanings.
The word narcissism is so easily thrown around these days, but is the wounding and vulnerability that lies underneath this pattern really understood? We should look at it as a continuum. We need healthy narcissism to manifest our creative endeavours in the world - Freud spoke about primary narcissism of young children which is a healthy natural expression of Self, not indicative of a problem, but needs to be mirrored by the caregivers of the child. Narcissistic personality disorder is caused by a severe early injury to healthy self-love or self-esteem, where this healthy narcissism has been damaged.