In my previous post I asked the question “Who is the observer?”  in this Great Vivarium of Life, whether on a personal or collective level.
 
We have become entangled in an intricate dance of observers and observed. Television, the movies and social media have given us a widow into the full spectrum of possible behaviour in our specie, as well allowing us to observe our world at large without any direct contact or involvement, on an unprecedented level. If self-aware, we can see ourselves reflected in other people’s behaviour as they carry our Shadow aspects, denied expression in ourselves, or even worse denied consciousness in our minds.
 
In the past written and oral tradition in the forms of mythologies and fairy-tale carried the stories of Life. Now real incidents from all over the world are in our living rooms… even in our bedrooms! It is now no longer a case of ‘bad things happening far away’ in our global village. We have indeed become participant observers in life.  Just observe the different reactions to Covid19 and lockdowns all around the world.
 
Spiritual traditions all around the world encourage the development of the silent inner observer as opposed to holding a one-sided ego perspective, reinforcing what we already ‘know’. In this way we can really get to know ourselves in our complete horrifying wholeness - as gods and demons, the unhumanised parts of ourselves, our glorious light as well as our darkest depths.
 
If we regard the individual psyche as a Great Vivarium and we develop the inner observer within this framework - with the capacity to witness all our aspects, we can invite authenticity and a deep grounded sense of being in this world. We are mythological creatures like dragons and phoenixes and, at the same time, fragile human beings vulnerable to forces known to us as well as those beyond our understanding.  We get caught in social programming, we suffer trauma and we rise to heights unimageable to our ancestors.  Our DNA can trip us up through an illness carried forth by our ancestral line. Archetypal patterns can take possession of us, inflate or deflate our sense of self, driving our behaviour from the deep unconscious. 
 
Image credit: Kaitlyn Page  http://the-inner-observer.deviantart.com 
 
#greatvivarium #vivarium #placeoflife #container #structure #pscyhe #ecosystem #internal
#dreamtime #activeimagination #visualjourney#hypnogogic #meditation #messages
#Observer #innerobserver #witnessing #unconscious #shadow #socialprogramming #trauma
#archetypalpatterns #gods #demons #Dragons #phoenixes
 

Our beginnings are rooted in the mother. We are born from her body, imprinted with her DNA (combined with the father’s) and biologically programmed to seek and recognize her. According to Jung, this innate need for mothering is a universal archetypal pattern.
 
‘Good enough mothering’ is important for the psychological and physical well-being of a growing human being. A nurturing, caring and psychologically present mother person (not necessarily the biological mother) during infancy and early childhood is a keystone of optimal adult human health.
 
But what if the mother figure is either emotionally, physically, or psychologically absent?
 
The mother’s impact on her children can be enlivening or deadening as reflected in the positive and negative mother complexes. “The negative mother complex can include self-alienation… It adversely affects confidence, promotes idealization of others and erodes life energy; feeds an internalized cycle of self-hatred, oppression, and vengeance.”  (p. 7)
 
“At the core of the mother complex is the mother archetype, which means that behind emotional associations with the personal mother, there is both an archetypal image of nourishment and security on the one hand and an archetypal negative of devouring possessiveness, darkness and deprivation on the other.”(p. 3) The mother archetype can manifest as the ‘loving’ mother, demonstrating nurture, wisdom, fertility, birth and growth (Jung, 1990, par. 158), but may also manifest as the ‘terrible’ mother (Jung, 1990, par. 157), devouring, engulfing or suffocating her children emotionally  
 
Allan Score’s Interpersonal Regulation Theory, grounded in developmental neuroscience and attachment theory/research emphasizes how our sense of self as well as brain development are formed via our early relationships.  Early interpersonal trauma such as loss, rejection, absence and insufficient holding may lead to feelings of being flawed, inadequate and ‘not good enough’.
 
Awareness of how mother images live within is us integral to becoming more conscious. Join us this month as we explore the relationship with the mother, whether personal or collective, and the impact on one’s sense of self.

​A post I wrote for @jungsouthernafrica
 
Image credit: Gustav Klimt
 
References:
Susan E. Schwartz, Ph.D. THE ABSENCE OF MOTHER
https://speakingofjung.com/podcast/2019/1/18/episode-40-susan-schwartz

 
#jungsouthernafrica #jung #carljung #jungpsychology #jungianpsychology #depthpsychology #analyticalpsychology #unconscious #consciousness #archetypes #individuation #shadow  #mother #positivemother #negativemother #mothercomplex #motherarchetype#archetypalmother
#capetown #capetownsouthafrica #capetownlife #capetownliving

“You are part of a great Vivarium”.
 
This message from ‘Dream Time’ came through as a hypnogogic musing while having a spontaneous visual journey or active imagination during a meditation practice.  The words jolted me into being present. The visual image of traveling down a passage or through a portal with an unknown man in an explorative journey fading away. This male figure may have been what Jung would have called the Animus, or masculine aspect of a woman.
 
The word ‘vivarium’ being unknown to me, my immediate thought was that I was being enlightened as to my cosmic origin and ancestry. (LOL).  However, I decided to have a look on Google. A different meaning then took shape.
 
In Latin ‘vivarium’ means ‘place of life.  In general it refers to a closed ecosystem created or constructed for the purposes of research and observation.  Environmental conditions may be regulated to achieve the optimal survival value for the organisms within in the enclosure, structure or container created for this purpose.
 
A vivarium may be small enough to sit on a counter surface, or may be a very large structure, either indoors or outdoors. There are various forms of vivariums, including: Aquarium, Oceanarium, Aviary, Fish pond, Greenhouse, Conservatory, Paludarium, Riparium, Terrarium, Herpetarium, Serpentarium, Insectarium, and others.
 
Earth might be seen as a great vivarium in which every living organism is a part and may be highly impacted by any environmental changes - whether by way of humidity, light, temperature, soil conditions, etc., or topically, by viruses that may be introduced into the system.
 
Metaphorically speaking, our own psyche could also be seen as a great vivarium in which different parts or aspects, such as DNA, cellular memory, neurological pathways, biological systems (endocrine, nervous, respiratory, ect.), thought, emotional and behavioural patterns, whether conscious or residing in the deep unconscious of our specie, contribute to the overall well-being of our internal structure.
 
If vivariums are designed for the purpose of research and observation, the question that remains is “Who is the observer?”
 
See my next post for an exploration of this question.
 
Image credit: https://jooheeyoon.com/
Cover page for The Age of Sustainability - Just Transitions in a Complex World
By Mark Swilling (2020)
 
#greatvivarium #vivarium #placeoflife #container #structure #pscyhe #ecosystem #internal
#dreamtime #activeimagination #visualjourney#hypnogogic #meditation #messages
#Animus #wellbeing #cosmicorigin #ancestry 

How do you remember your father? Was he a kind, loving presence in your life, fully engaged with your upbringing? Or was he partially or completely absent and you were brought up by your mother, grandmother, extended family or other caretakers? Was there the mystery of a biological father and a much harsher reality of a stepfather? Or was your stepfather the light in your life?

The impact of a real father or father figure, or the lack thereof, on our psyche is enormous. It may empower or disable us.  Our fathers (or father figures) are our first introduction into the world of the masculine, shaping our perceptions of the wider world as we venture from the relative safety of the maternal circle. Our relationships with our fathers shape our views of the feminine, and how we respond to the feminine world, whether we value or dismiss it. This may play out in our relationships with woman, whether in intimate relationships, friendships, social situations or work environments. The relationship we witnessed between our father and mother becomes a blueprint for future relationships.

Our own relationship with our father figures repeats in many other relationships, especially in the form of a father complex, whether negative or positive.  The complex is based on the specific conditioning or programming we received as children though the real interactions with a father figure. This may compel us to search for father figures all our life, sometimes ruthlessly competing for their attention.

Underlying our relationships with the father lies the father archetype. A pattern with numerous potentialities as reflected in the many fathers from history, mythology, fairytales and observed in the world around us. The devouring father who shallows his children such as Kronos from Greek mythology. The Greek goddess, Athena who was born from the head of her father after he shallowed her mother. The father that cuts off his daughter’s hands or banishes his lame son to the underworld.
The relationship with the father, whether personal or collective, impacts profoundly on one’s sense of self. 

Written for #@jungsouthernafrica

Image credit: Shante Young 

 #jung #carljung #jungpsychology #jungianpsychology #depthpsychology #analyticalpsychology #unconscious #consciousness #archetypes #individuation #shadow  #father #positivefather #negativefather #fathercomplex #fatherarchetype#archetypalfather
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I recently had a dream in which the teacher leant forward and whispered to me “Review your Life Purpose”. This instruction was part of a larger dream story that is beyond the scope of this post.
 
The dream was an affirmation as I am consciously working with the idea of life purpose, seeking alignment between my highest aspirations and my truest nature in service of the Creative/Creator Spirit.  Last weekend, I attended the Jung Platform’s “Call & Purpose” on-line summit and I came away with the following important pointers.
 
‘The Call’ is not a flash of insight, but more a stumbling along into adventure.  Dennis P. Slattery refers to a venturing into the world, forging one’s own path in relationship with the natural order of life. However, there is not necessarily clarity about where you are going. It is indeed a stepping into the void, into the unknown.  Following a unique life purpose is not a safe, familiar journey. As Campbell says “If the path before you is clear, you’re probably on someone else’s.”
 
James Hollis spoke about the importance of discernment, which is also one of the important principles of Shamanism. (Another principle is to guard against inflation) What he referred to was differentiating between the many voices of the psyche and recognizing what seeks expression through you – your inner truth – as opposed to the alluring voice of ego or even complexes’ trickery. He affirmed that keeping your appointment with Purpose is not a single event, but a lifelong journey of answering many callings.
 
Robert Bosnak inspired me with his humorous comment that he has being studying alchemy for over 30 years and knows a little about alchemy, but what he knows is probably not what the alchemist knew, but it has immense value to him and he truely enjoys it. That which matters most to you is a guiding beacon on your path in answering the call to purpose. What is the Prima Materia, or starting material for your Magnum Opus in your unfolding personal mythology?
 
According to Michael Meade, ‘genius’ is that which makes you YOU – your natural gifts.  ‘Genius’ refers to the things in you that the ‘Calling’ is calling to.  He writes in the Genius Myth “We may be closest to hearing the call when we feel most alone or in trouble, for genius hides behind the wound and one of the greatest wounds in life is to not know who we are intended to be or what we are supposed to serve in life.”
 
Image credit: Cornelia Kopp (Alice Popkorn on Flickr)
 
#call #calling #purpose #lifepurpose #path #lifepath #journey #personaljourney #myth #personalmythology #shamanism #jung 

What about the people who turn up in our dreams? Do you know them, are they familiar friends or family, or are they unfamiliar and complete strangers to you?
 
Dreams use both real people as well as inventing imaginary characters for their stories. The real people may be persons who are known to the dreamer, from the present or the past, close intimate partners and friends or distant acquaintances, celebrities, historical or mythological figures.
 
There are two primary ways that the appearance of people in dreams is viewed.
 
The objective viewpoint holds that real people in the dream represent the actual people from a person’s life and from their larger environment. According to this perspective dreams can give us valuable information about other people and about the situations we are in. “The mind is constantly sorting out input and coming to conclusions about people and events during our waking period; there is no reason to suppose that the process stops once we are asleep.” (Broadribb, 1990 p. 28)
 
According to the subjective viewpoint, people in a dream represent aspects of the dreamer's own personality, representing the dreamer’s attitudes, inner feelings, fears, dreams, longings, experiences, interests and concerns.  It is easier to see invented persons in our dreams as representations of what is inside us, but even “When real people turn up in a dream, the subjective viewpoint holds that they personify personality features of the dreamer.” (p. 26) Real people in our dreams may also “represent attitudes and viewpoints absorbed by the dreamer from the real persons or the real situation with them in the past or present” (p. 78)
 
The objective and subjective viewpoints clash, but both may have value in investigating our dreams. “Sometimes the one and sometimes the other viewpoint works best with a particular dream, while occasionally, we can get still more understanding of a dream by using both viewpoints. The objective viewpoint claims that dreams can give us objective information about other people. From the subjective viewpoint, dreams can only tell us something about the dreamer, though that something may be extremely valuable information”. (p.27)
 
Written for @jungsouthernafrica
 
Reference:
Broadribb, Donald.  (1990).  The dream story.  Toronto, Canada :  Inner City Books
 
Image Credit:  Diane Leonard
 
#jung #carljung #jungpsychology #jungianpsychology #depthpsychology 
#analyticalpsychology #consciousness #unconscious #archetypes #symbolism #dream #dreams #dreamimages #dreamwork #jungiandreamwork #dreamappreciation #dreammeaning #dreaminterpretation #dreamanalysis  #understandingdreams  
#imagination #mythological #livingimage #amplification #metaphors #peopleindreams
#capetown #capetownliving #capetownlife #southernafrica

The essence of dream analysis is playing with ideas. It is about finding resonance with the images and stories presented in dreams rather than ascribing fixed meanings to specific symbols. Carl Jung advises "Treat every dream as though it were a totally unknown object. Look at it from all sides, take it in your hand, carry it about with you, let your imagination play round it, and talk about it with other people." (1)
 
Dreams may be seen as a conversation between consciousness and the unconscious, between an ego perspective and multiple other viewpoints alive in us. Donald Broadribb states that …”the inner dialogue of a man with his heart is not a mere metaphor but a living reality, … we will find this a consistent pattern, that the dream examines and, so to speak, contains a dialogue between the emotions and the waking day mind”. (2). The ‘felt’ sense of a dream and engaging with the images is central, rather than reaching for a symbol or dream dictionary.
 
Each dream is a portal or a doorway to our inner world. A world that is mythological and has been part of human experience since the dawn of time. According to Stephen Aizenstat (3) dreams are living presences originating from the deeper intelligence of the psyche, not from our waking consciousness. We need to befriend all aspects of the dream and develop a relationship with the living image - the dream as a whole, rather than reductively interpret aspects of the dream as if they stand separately from the dreamer and dream story.
 
According to Jung, dreams may be the Unconscious compensating for our conscious attitude to life, speaking up for that which is not allowed expression in our daytime reality, and may reflect the unlived life of an individual. James Hillman cautions that dreams are not oracles telling us what to do. They provide another perspective or a personal parable.
 
Engaging with dreams opens our imagination. The golden rule in dream interpretation is that only the dreamer knows what the dream means… even if s/he doesn’t! Therefore the dreamer’s own associations are pivotal before amplification is found in myths, fairytales and symbols of humanity.  
 
Written for @jungsouthernafrica

References:

1. Jung, CW Volume 10,  para 320
2. Donald Broadribb (1990). The Dream Story, Toronto, Canada : Inner City Books p.17
3. Stephen Aizenstat (2021). Jung Platform, Dream Summit

 
Image credit: Vladimir Kush - Doors of the Night
 
#jungsouthernafrica#analyticalpsychology #consciousness #unconscious #archetypes #symbolism #dream #dreams #dreamimages #dreamwork #jungiandreamwork #dreamappreciation #dreammeaning #dreaminterpretation #dreamanalysis  #understandingdreams #denisedreamshaman
#imagination #mythological #livingimage #amplification #metaphors
#capetown #capetownliving #capetownlife #southernafrica

“Every animal is a gateway to the phenomenal world of the human spirit” (1).  According to James Hillman animal presences may depict the state of our soul. He is adamant that animal images are not merely representations of instincts and our ‘lower nature’, but that they are alive in the human psyche as patterns and therefore, essential intelligences in the Soul’s menagerie. Hillman writes that “An animal (hayyah) says the Zohar is ‘the highest grade of angel.’”, which is why Hillman prefers to think of animals in dreams “as Gods, as divine, intelligent, autochthonous powers demanding respect.” (2)
 
Known for his work in saving the white Rhino, Ian Player described his animal encounters as follows: “Their presence activated archetypal forces within the psyche, and at times I felt I was moving in another dimension” (3). He recognized animals as brothers and companions, not subordinates, having learnt that “If you live well with the animal world, then you live well within yourself” (3).
 
Ted Andrews wrote that the animal world has much to teach us – the true majesty of life, as well as the untapped potential and power in the human psyche. The hidden secrets of Nature can be revealed through a study of all animal kingdoms, their ways of adaptation, how they use their natural abilities to their advantage (the lesson of unlocking potential), the interconnected relationship between predator and prey (the lesson of life, death and rebirth) and the intricate web of Life (the lesson of responsible relationships). According to Andrews, “The animal becomes a symbol of a specific force of the invisible, spiritual realm manifesting in our own life” (1) and when we pay attention to it, we honor the essence behind it. When we are attuned to the archetypal energy of a visiting animal, we may receive guidance and understand our own lives more clearly.
 
According to Hillman interpretation (of a specific meaning) reduces the animal image and we may miss the message it brings. He places importance on the “psychological and imaginative work of animating the image” (2), bringing it closer through visualization, giving oneself over to the animal presence and Soul.  
 
Written for @jungsouthernafrica
 
References:

1. Ted Andrews (1993) Animal Speak - The Spiritual & Magical Powers of Creatures Great and Small, p. x & p. 2
2. James Hillman (2008) Volume 9: Animal Presences, p 163 & 80
3. Ian Player (1997) Zululand Wilderness: Shadow and Soul, p. 65 & 185.

 
Image Credit: Animals paintings by Collin Bogle & Peter Stewart
 
 #jung #carljung #jungpsychology #jungianpsychology #depthpsychology #analyticalpsychology #consciousness #unconscious #archetypes #shadow #symbolism #animals #animalpresences #animalsymbolism #animalmeaning #animaldreams #jameshillman #tedandrews #Ianplayer #soul #humanspirit #nature #capetown #capetownliving #capetownlife #southernafrica

There's Never Enough!  The Scarcity complex is the idea that there are limited resources and everyone is grabbing at the same piece of the pie. If someone acquires something of value, it's seen as taking away from everybody else because there's only so much to go around. The idea of sharing equally is not conceivable to a scarcity mindset since the belief that there will never be enough produces feelings of anxiety and fear. On the extreme end this involves actions of ‘self-preservation’ such as unlawfully taking from other persons (or institutions) – whether their belongings, money (by way of theft or fraud), or opportunities. The scarcity complex may be rooted in some form of deprivation, either as an individual experience or passed on through ancestral wounding and intergenerational trauma. Though it may be born from a genuine lack, it may remain long after impoverished conditions are left behind.
 
The Netflix series “100” (The Hundred) is a post-apocalyptic science fiction drama portraying the scarcity complex. A nuclear conflict has decimated civilization. A century later, forced by a lack of oxygen, a spaceship with the only surviving humans dispatches 100 youths back to the Earth to determine its habitability. Once on earth an ongoing fight for survival ensues as the Earth was not uninhabited.  Various factions of the human race compete for resources, taking from each other what they need, even lifeblood when it proved to be a needed resource for ongoing survival… Appalling actions are justified by “doing what is necessary to save their people”. This theme is repeated over and over - destroying others in the process of getting what is needed for themselves.
 
At some point the various factions come together out of necessity, having to hide in a bunker as radioactive levels rise again. Food becomes scarce and unthinkable choices have to be made. By the time it was safe to leave the bunker, the whole Earth had been decimated, except for a lush green valley that somehow escaped the radiation… the race was on again… with everyone going for the ‘Garden of Eden’ and no-one willing to share. In the process all was destroyed.

Image credit: https://www.vulture.com/

I post I wrote for @jungsouthernafrica

#jung #carljung #jungpsychology #jungianpsychology #depthpsychology 
#analyticalpsychology #consciousness #unconscious #archetypes #shadow #symbolism 
#complexes #complextheory #childhoodwounds #trauma #Scarcity #scarcitycomplex #The100 #neverenough #fraud #theft #deprivation #capetownliving #capetownlife #southernafrica

​Last week a beautiful luminous blue dragonfly few into my therapy room, hovered and flew right out again. It was a moment of awe. In the eight years that I have been occupying this space, it has never happened before. With no body of water in the immediate vicinity the visitation was even more special since Dragonflies stay close to rivers or dams.
 
The synchronicity of the sighting is crucial since I will be moving my practise to another space at the end of February. Thus, it is a time of great change for me. Dragonflies are associated with change and transformation bornfrom mental and emotional maturity and the understanding of the deeper meaning of life.  In early life, they live as a nymphs within water for almost two years, before they mature and transform into a colorful flying insects, known for their fast flight and dazzling aerial movement. They represent the ‘Power of Light’, illuminating how light can be directed and moved. Besides flying forward, up, down and sideways, dragonflies can even fly backwards. They are able to fly with one wing (if they have to) and change direction in an instant, demonstrating an incredible agility. .
 
Dragonflies have been around for over a 180 million years which speaks of adaptability and incredible survival. Ted Andrews links them to the dragons of myth. They represent ancient archetypal forces. As cold-blooded creatures they need the warmth and the light of the Sun, making summer the season when they are at the height of their power. They are seen as divine promptings to shine your own light and to use imagination to create the wonder of a colorful new vision. Dragonflies inhabit the two realms of water and air. They symbolize the expressions of both emotional and mental life, integrating these polarities to allow new perspectives to emerge.
 
Structures in their shell scatter and refract the light, in similar fashion to rainbows, making them look iridescent blue and green. This ability to reflect and refract light and color is associated with magic and mysticism. “The bright colours take time to develop, reflecting the idea that with maturity our own true colours come forth” (1).
 
Dragonflies captured my imagination during my summer holiday over December/January during which I had two short visits which involved swimming in mountain rivers in the Western Cape Region of South Africa.  The first visit was to a little town called Barrydale where I swam in the mountain pools of Tradouw Pass. The second visit was a stay in a stone cottage on the banks of the Breede River at the foot of the Bainskloof mountains, taking dips in the shallow river. On both occasions there were literally 100’s of colorful Dragonflies swirling though the air – an awesome sight - signifying for me the magic and mystery of the ‘Universal Life Force’ as represented in Nature.
 
Source:            Animal Speak, Ted Andrews, 1993, p. 175
Image Credit: Image by komkrich Srigoson from Pixabay
 
#Dream #Dreams #dreamwork #Dreamappreciation #Dreammeaning #dreaminterpretation #dreamanalysis #animalsymbolism #symbolism #symbols #dragonfly #dragonflymeaning #dragonflysymbolism #dragonflymedicine #dragonflydreams #dragonflysighting #jung #carljung #jungpsychology #jungianpsychology #depthpsychology #analyticalpsychology #unconscious #consciousness #archetypes #individuation #capetown #capetownsouthafrica #capetownlife #capetownliving