As the once unconscious projection of her animus onto him becomes conscious, she soon begins to fall out of love.
Just a sad thought I had today.
What about the conflict that arises when one projects not only their animus onto a man, but also the father archetype?
OK, now not only am I obsessed with spirituality, I'm obsessed with Carl G. Jung and his concepts. I'm finding that they explain an AWFUL lot about things I'm interested in: dreams, synchronicities, father complexes, spirituality.
Anyway, someone recently mentioned to me that there is a group in my area called "Friends of Jung". I'm trying to get in touch with someone who can tell me when and where meetings are held. Not only that, but I'm looking for a Jungian analyst in my area. That's a very difficult task, as my Google searches for "Jungian analyst [my city]" are coming up dry.
Since 1999 I've been interested in dreams. I want to incorporate dream work into my self-improvement. I want interpretations. I want explanations. And yes, all the while I'm still looking for God. I'm hoping I don't find out - through my dabbling with Jung - that God is only a figment of my imagination. Or that God is somehow a projection of a part of my very own psyche.
I was so settled on the thought that God is everything and everywhere, that I am only an imaginary being put on earth to experience life, that I am only part of the matrix or illusion of all this false reality. I thought that I was part of One. What if I am only one - not One - and all alone?
But, then comes along new findings on the Internet and I am seeking yet again. Will I ever be firm in my beliefs?
Next up on the agenda: Sophia answers comments and emails, something she's been promising to do for... weeks? Has it really been that long? My excuse is that I'm currently going through a very selfish phase. Well, I have good intentions because when I'm done being selfish I'm going to save the world. I've started with animals first, then I'll move onto people and finally the world. Yes, I do have a strong imagination. Let's just say that I'll go on helping animals, and hopefully someday I can help people. I'm not really so delusional that I think I can save the world. Right now I'm healing myself so that I can heal others. In my therapy a LOT from my past has resurfaced, and I'm trying to deal with it. Boring stuff, that if allowed, I could whine about all day and night.
When all this is done, I'm going to focus on spirituality again. I'm going to go back to devoting 100% of my time to spirituality, and to finding answers to philosophical questions.
15 comments:
Jung would be good for you, I very much enjoyed him.
Jim, I am overwhelmed with the choices of books by or about Jung. I do not know if I am ready to start reading Jung, or rather an introduction on Jung by someone else. I'd like to learn about anima, animus, projection, transference, synchronicity, psyche, psychological spirituality, etc. I don't know where to start. I still have a gift certificate to Amazon from my mother that she gave me in June. I just haven't found the perfect book yet. I thought I had some idea of what I wanted a few posts back, but now I think I'm obsessed with Jungian concepts.
When did you read Jung, and what about him and his ideas would you say affected you the most? How did he affect your spirituality? Did he help you find God or did you find that he created an obstacle between yourself and God?
No problem with Jung at all, in terms of the search. He is a really good education into psychology itself, regardless of Spiritual things.
But he does reach the place where the Spirit and Psychology begin to mesh.
And he knew it.
His secular academic identity held him back, other than that he would have gone probably all the way into Spiritual Psychology and more.
I read him 25-30 years ago, couldn't get enough of his material. He can cause you to move into the occult-mystical areas tho and that is less well-founded as Jung is. He can also help tho in that.
Yes, I have to recommend him as a step on the way, an important one.
I can certainly relate to beliefs changing with the latest thing read. I gave that up for beliefs in personal experiences, it makes things simpler.
That's why I love exploring OBE's and lucid dreaming. Mystical experiences, and personally experienced ones.
-Hatter
Good luck with that.(I mean it)
I've never been a fan of Jung's archetype model. Seemed too contrived, complicated,and not really universal--- as say the unified field theory is meant to be.
I wrestle with snakes in dark streams in my dreams but I don't fear them.
Jim,
As eager as I am to explore psychology and spirituality, I think you're right about Jung being a good choice for me, since he managed to mesh the two concepts. Thank you for your input on this. Now I feel like I am moving towards finally making a choice about which book to buy! I'm worried that a book by Jung would be over my head, at least starting out. So I may just look for books that are introductions to Jung. Later, after I am more confident in my comprehension of his concepts, I might dive into a book by Jung himself.
This is all part of trying to understand myself better. Hope that doesn't sound too selfish.
Mad Hatter,
I think that's why I never got too deeply involved in any particular religion. I found it difficult to believe in something that I could not experience. Religions tend to make you want to read the material and take it on faith that what you've read is true. I don't want to believe; I want to KNOW. I've managed to have a few mystical experiences, and I'm hoping they weren't just flukes. So, I'm very excited about the possibility that more could happen to me. They tend to verify my belief that there is something much larger than little ole me. They give me hope. Experience is so much better than reading. But when reading, I look for material that validates my experiences.
Hi Goatman,
I am not familiar with the unified field theory. Looks like a visit to Wikipedia is in store for me. I do not know enough yet about Jung and his archetypal model to have an opinion on it. Perhaps after reading more about it I can come to a conclusion.
Snakes in dark streams? I suppose you could always consult a dream dictionary. But, lately I'm given to the belief that we are our own best dream interpretors. Of course Jung would say that each thing in our dream is symbolic of something, a metaphor of sorts. And supposedly, each person in our dream is a manifestation of our own selves. Personally, here is where I am slightly disappointed, but only because I wanted to believe or KNOW that I was making contact with other souls.
What do you think your dreams about the snakes in dark streams mean?
I don't know what the snakes in my dreams mean, and I'm not sure it matters. The point was that the Jungian archetypoe of snakes being a feared and negative influence may not be the case. I don't kill them, its just that they need to be put into their place!
I am partly with Spinoza on this one. Deus sive natura, nature is god, or goddess. The goddess is the diversity and the god is the unity. The two together are the many and the one, the dance. Liberation is to acknowledge this. Slowly we realise. There is no need to hurry. We can let go of our neuroses and relax and enjoy the journey. There is a long way ahead.
Goatman,
When you wrestle with these snakes, who wins the match? You, or the snakes?
I am not a good dream interpretor at all. In fact, I am rather clumsy. But, if you don't mind, I'd like to give it a shot. Really I shouldn't, because only you know the meaning of your dreams. But, I want to express an idea I have. The snakes represent a part of you that you are unhappy with, and wish to make changes in. It could be your darker self, perhaps you when you are moody. (I have never seen you moody!) You are trying to exert your power and control over this side of you.
Each of us has snakes we wrestle with. For me, it's depression, for you, it may be something else. I do not know what it is.
OK, how far off base am I? I should have asked your permission before I ventured here, because it is very sensitive and fragile territory. I apologize if I am out-of-line.
Hi Leighton,
I am not familiar with Spinoza, although I've heard the name before and a chapter on him does come up in the book I'm currently reading. (Will I ever finish this book??!)
When I think of the journey, I think of a long arduous climb up a mountain. But on this mountain there are many places to stop for rest.
You are not out of line with your analysis. I need all of the help that I can get, as do we all!
I don't think there is a winner in the snake fight. I am not sure there is even a fight, or should be. I just see the enormous beasts under the water and dive in to greet whatever happens. I think the effort of diving in and tensing muscles wakes me up.
Anyways, your insight about them being hidden negative parts of me could be true. I seem to have a lot of anger accumulated from a life of perceived injustice, unnecessary wars and fighting, and feeling like the meek shall never inherit the earth. I try to express it with writing but I certainly do not want to be too negative and spoil someones' day.
So I mostly keep it in and try and look for the good things that might happen and the wonderful things that sometimes do happen.
So, thanks for your thoughts, they were helpful.
Goatman,
I'm glad you weren't offended that I so boldly attempted to interpret your dream.
It's interesting to me that you said sometimes this dream wakes you up. There is a man on the Internet who goes by the name "Jajofar" who often posts online about dreams and their causes. He believes they all have a physiological purpose. For instance, if someone dreams that their foot is being cut off, it's probably because while that person is sleeping their foot has fallen asleep and is telling the dreamer to wake up and move their foot! I think his theory is interesting, even though I don't agree with him. I think dreams are more spiritual than that, and if they're not spiritual, then at least they offer insight about a person's psyche.
I've never seen you act negatively, but always remember to be yourself, and if that means expressing your feelings when you need to, do so! You have many friends who visit your blog and appreciate your writing and they all care about you, so never be afraid to express yourself.
I used to dream of flying when I was younger and apparently freer in my mind. I could soar above the trees weaving and gliding amongst the tops. Real altitude was a problem, and electrical lines. Never saw anyone else though; could be I wasn't looking. Its been awhile since I was able to dream this way. I attribute it to increased restriction on what I believe is possible. The freedom to fly, though, is always a hope--perhaps one day.
Thanks for the "back channel" conversation. Noone else seems to have picked up on it. Happens sometimes.
Best to you
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