Jung believed that the human psyche is a self-regulating system that strives for growth and seeks to maintain a balance between conflicting potentialities (polar opposites) in the process of ‘individuation’. An important aspect in this process is the Ego-Self Axis, the vital connecting link between Self and ego. If the relationship between Ego and Self is injured, we may experience a sense of alienation, a lack of belonging (being at home with ourselves) and a loss of meaning/purpose.
 
The memory of an original sense of wholeness, which Jung named the archetype of the Self, lies in our deep mind. Out of this primordial ‘oneness’ or paradisal state, a separate ego-consciousness developed as an adaptation to life’s demands (which necessitates repression), anchoring us in the external world. This is the task of the first half of our lives.
 
The Self is the ego’s origin and source of energy, representing the god-image within the psyche. A strong ego or ego strength (not the same as egotistical) is necessary to function effectively in the world as well as to engage in the exploration of our personal and the collective unconsciousness, including shadow work. Jung saw the second half of our lives as a continuous return to the Self or what Edward Edinger called the Ego-Self Reunion, which lies at the heart the process of individuation.
 
The ego is the centre of the field of ordinary consciousness and constitutes our subjective sense of identity. It dictates a selective awareness which directs our attention and what is subsequently remembered. Ego organizes our thoughts, feelings and intuition, informing how we relate to the external world as well as to our own internal world. The ego is just one small part of the Self.  The Self is the sum total of the whole psyche, the centre of the total personality with all its potential, including shadow and other unconscious processes or patterns.
 
The dialogue between ego and Self is pivotal in psychic development and a move towards wholeness. As such we learn to negotiate a balance between the conflicting demands of outer reality, and the internal world with its own inner conflicts.  
 
Written for @jungsouthernafrica

Image Credit: The world soul by Robert Fludd

Sources:
https://healingintheblur.com/ego-self-axis-separation-reunion-and-trauma/
https://sirseth.net/the-ego-self-axis/
https://thisjungianlife.com/episode-162-ego-self-axis-reconnecting-with-source/
http://psychoanalyticmuse.blogspot.com/2013/01/edward-edinger-ego-self-axis.html
http://journalpsyche.org/jungian-model-psyche/
 
 #jung #carljung #jungpsychology #jungianpsychology #depthpsychology #analyticalpsychology #unconscious #consciousness #archetypes #symbolism  #individuation #shadow  #egoselfaxis #ego #self #archetypeoftheself #godimage #source #origian #oneness #wholeness #humanpsyche #growth #opposites #identity
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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

 
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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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​Awareness of how mother and father images live inside us is vital in being conscious of how they influence our current relationships.  Being cognizant of your parental complexes allows you to take back what you unconsciously project onto an intimate partner, a boss or other important relationships.
 
The parental complex is cluster of emotionally charged images, ideas, thoughts, feelings and behavior patterns originally associated with the parents. The activation of a complex is always marked by the presence of an intense emotion… like when your buttons were pushed!  We all have mother and father complexes, but they differ from person to person. The internalized imago of the parents comprises the individual’s experience of the personal parents as well as the culture and historical era in which we live.  James Hillman (2) reminds us not to confuse the mother complex with our real flesh-and-blood mother. It rather refers to the way in which our psyche has integrated the personal mother within the structure of the archetypal mother.  
 
At the core of any parental complex there is an archetypal image of the primordial parents residing in every psyche. “For instance, behind emotional associations with the personal mother (that is, the mother complex), there is the archetype of the mother— an age-old collective image spanning humanity’s experience of mothering, from nourishment and security (“positive” mother) to devouring possessiveness (“negative” mother). Similarly, behind the father complex there is the father archetype—all the experienced diversity of fathering down through the ages, from authoritarian to permissive and all shades between.” (3)
 
A parental complex can have enlivening and deadening features. A negative father or mother complex, for instance, may have been formed due to a father and/or mother who was physically or emotionally absent, self-absorbed, detached, disengaged from and disinterested in the child. A negative parental complex can manifest in self-doubt and/or idealization of others but may also include profound self-alienation which may manifest in self-hatred and/or dissociation.  

References:

1. Carl Jung, “Mind and Earth,” CW 10, par. 74.
2. https://thefeministwire.com/2011/08/resurrecting-the-great-mother/
3.  Sharp, D. (2001). Digesting Jung: Food for the journey. Toronto: Inner City Books. Chicago

 
Image Credit:

1.  'My Parents', David Hockney, 1977 / Tate
2. Cartoon by NICO ARMENTI. IllustrazioneAccademiaBARI.
3. Katie M. Berggren https://shop.kmberggren.com/
   

 
A post I wrote for @jungsouthernafrica

#jung #carljung #jungpsychology #jungianpsychology #depthpsychology 
#analyticalpsychology #consciousness #unconscious #archetypes #shadow #symbolism 
#complexes #complextheory #childhoodwounds #trauma #parentalcomplexes #parents #mothercomplex #fathercomplex #mother #father #relationships #projection
#capetownliving #capetownlife #southernafrica

The process of ‘othering’ has allowed humans to treat Nature as a mere object instead of a living organism with its own organizing intelligence. Philosopher and author Charles Eisenstein refers to this as the myth of separation which underlies our modern civilization (1). He blames this dualistic view for setting people against each other, but also turning Nature into something we want to control, dominate and dissect. The age of enlightenment or reason, borne from the cultural and industrial revolutions, catapulted our consciousness into overvaluing of left-brain rational consciousness and moved us away from embodied awareness and resonance with all living things.

Carl Jung recognized that ‘We are Nature’ - that the natural world is important for the development of consciousness and wholeness (2). “He linked the loss of our mystical identity and the de-spiritualization of nature with the atrophy of our phylogenetic roots, or survival instincts, which have fallen back into the unconscious psyche.” (3) Jung stated that in the “civilization process, we have increasingly divided our consciousness from the deeper instinctive strata of the human psyche.” (4) Eisenstein’s myth of separation parallels Jung’s view of modern mans’ alienation from our two-million-year-old archaic original nature when we lived in a more participatory process with nature.
 
“African and other indigenous belief systems see the human psyche as whole and nondualistic, both containing and being embedded in relationships with others—people, ancestors, descendants, society, animals, nature, the cosmos as well as the spiritual and transpersonal realms. This fundamental interconnectedness between self and others, broadens the idea of what it means to be a human being—in contrast to the Western individualistic view. This holistic view is captured in the South African concept of Ubuntu, meaning a person is only a person through others, giving priority to the interdependence of relationships as an embodiment of our humanity. It is precisely this interconnected relationship with nature that many of us have lost.” (3)
 
Image credit: “Spiral Matrix’ - Sam Brown - https://www.fineartnewmexico.com/sam-brown
 
Sources:
(1) https://charleseisenstein.org/video/separation-vs-interbeing/
(2) Sabini, Meredith, ed. 2002. The Earth Has a Soul: The Nature Writings of C. G. Jung.
Berkeley: North Atlantic books.
(3) Denise Grobbelaar (2020) The White Lion as Symbol of the Archetype of the Self and the Cannibalization of the Self in Canned Hunting, Jung Journal, 14:2, 11-29,
DOI: 10.1080/19342039.2020.1742550Grobbelaar
(4) Jung, C. G., and Marie-Louise von Franz. 1964. Man and His Symbols. New York: Dell
Publishing Co. p. 36.

I post I wrote for @jungsouthernafrica
#jung #carljung  #jungianpsychology #depthpsychology #analyticalpsychology #unconscious #consciousness #archetypes #shadow #Other #Othering #nature #wearenature #earthhasasoul #ubuntu #objectification #separation #devaluation #objectification #subjugation #inclusive #capetown #capetownlife #capetownliving #southernafrica
 

 When the expression is used in neutral way it signifies that which is fundamentally different, as in the notion of nature as the sacred ‘other’ or the unconscious as the alien inner ‘other’, or simply the difference between people’s personalities.
 
Jung’s experience of a dialogical inner other is at the core of The Red Book which illuminates many encounters with a host of imaginary figures. Throughout his life Jung held a tension between Personality No. 1, which represented his ordinary sense of self, and No. 2, which was a mysterious ‘other’ with an archaic character remote from the everyday world.
 
Most people think of the ‘other’ in terms of in-group/out-group dynamics based on physical, psychological, demographic and cultural variability. The ‘other’ is anyone perceived by the group as not belonging to their circle, not meeting their group norms and different in some way.
 
On the negative side, the ‘other’ may be viewed as lacking valued characteristics inherent to the group, therefore perceived as lesser or inferior, justifying discrimination and being treated as a mere object. When the ‘other’ is regarded as lacking agency, passive and without a voice it manifests in a lack of political vote, restricted freedom and limited career opportunities.
 
 ‘Othering’ implies a complex systematic process of separation, devaluation, objectification and subjugation. It refers to the ways people dehumanize those different from them making it easier to justify treating the other in an appalling manner. ‘Othering’ is used to perpetuate unequal systems of power, privilege and access to resources.
 
Humans are not born with prejudice. ‘Othering’ is socially and culturally constructed and perpetuates a racialized and politicized society, where difference is stigmatized and leads to discrimination. ‘Othering’ may be based on race, gender, social class, ethnicity, political ideology, religion and sexual orientation. ‘Othering’ involves the projection of shadow aspects, assigning inferiority and other undesirable aspects to the ‘other’. Jung urged us to consciously withdraw our projections which obstruct authentic human connection.
 
Encountering the ‘other’ is difficult. The ‘other’ challenges our word views, our understanding of the way the world works and our way of doing things. A person might consciously or unconsciously engage in ‘othering’ when they don't know how to respond to somebody very different to them. It’s much more difficult to genuinely engage with the ‘other’, spending time and effort understanding why they do what they do and who they really are. Yet when we take the time and put in the effort, we come to recognize and value diversity, becoming a society that is truly inclusive rather than exclusive.
 
Image credit: Death and the Masks'  James Ensor (1897) 
 
#jungsouthernafrica #jung #carljung  #jungianpsychology #depthpsychology #analyticalpsychology #unconscious #consciousness #archetypes #shadow #Other #Othering #Difference #UsThem #Insider #Outsider #innerother #racism #sexism #discrimination #objectification #separation #devaluation #objectification #subjugation #inclusive #capetown #capetownlife #capetownliving #southernafrica

​“God is some kind of lost continent in the human mind” (Terence McKenna). Edward F. Edinger wrote “For modern man, a conscious encounter with the autonomous archetypal psyche is equivalent to the discovery of God. After such an experience he is no longer alone in his psyche and his whole world view is altered.” (1)
 
Jung’s archetype of the Self is the central archetype in our psyche, the ‘imago Dei’ and source of life energy. Jung said “It might equally be called ‘the God within us.’ The beginnings of our whole psychic life seem to be inextricably rooted in this point, and all our highest and ultimate purposes seem to be striving toward it.” (2) As a transpersonal power and eternal dimension of the psyche, it transcends the ego.  According to Jung “The ego stands to the Self as the moved to the mover.” (3)
 
The Self is an archetype of wholeness, referring both to the origin and entirety of our being. Jung said “The Self is not only the center, but also the whole circumference which embraces both conscious and unconscious; it is the center of this totality, just as the ego is the center of consciousness” (4). The Self is the regulating center of the psyche, a structuring or ordering principle which integrates other internal archetypal structures. It holds the tension between opposites such as masculine and feminine rather than their merging into undifferentiated oneness.
 
The archetype of the Self is depicted by certain typical symbolic images such as mandalas, the philosophers’ stone (also called the transcended or philosophical tree of life), the world tree or cosmic tree, as well as circles paired with a representation of quaternary such as a square or cross. According to Marie-Louise von Franz the Self may be symbolized as an animal, representing our instinctive psyche embedded in nature, especially in dreams (4). Within dreams or experiences of altered consciousness, the archetype of the Self may be experienced in the numinous images of Jesus Christ, Buddha, the Dalai Lama or divinities and gods from various religions and mythology. The archetype of the Self may be what some spiritual teachings refer to as our higher or true self.
 
Edinger emphasizes “The connection between ego and Self is vitally important to psychic health. It gives foundation, structure and security to the ego and also provides energy, interest, meaning and purpose.  When the connection is broken the result is emptiness, despair, meaninglessness and the extreme cases psychosis or suicide” and further “A symptom of damage to this axis is lack of self-acceptance. The individual feels he is not worthy to exist or be himself.” (1)
​
Denise Grobbelaar, (Instagram @denisedreamshaman), author of this post, will be presenting at Jung Southern Africa’s Mantis lecture series, taking place on-line from the 2-4 October 2020. She will examine Nature as a dynamic extension of Jung’s Archetype of the Self as embodied in the image of the White Lion. This presentation is based on her paper published in the 2020 Spring issue of the Jung Journal “The White Lion as Symbol of the Archetype of the Self and the Cannibalization of the Self in Canned Hunting”.  Book your space: https://jungsouthernafrica.co.za/events/
 
Sources:

1. Edinger, Edward, F. (1972) Ego & Archetype: Individuation and the religious function of the psyche, (p. 104, p. 43, p. 40)
2. CW 7, ¶399
3. CW 11, ¶391
4. CW 12, ¶44
5. Jung and Von Franz 1964, p. 220

 
Image credits:

1. Carl Jung, Image from the Red Book
2. Philosopher’s Stone,  Atalanta Fugiens,  Michael Maier, 1617
3. White Lion, Global White Lion Protection Trust

 
#jung #carljung #jungpsychology #jungianpsychology #depthpsychology #analyticalpsychology #unconscious #consciousness #innergrowth #jungianconcepts #archetypes  #Self #archetypeoftheself #mandala #worldtree #cosmictree #treeoflife #philosophersstone #imagodei #god #higherself #trueself #transpersonal #Edinger #marielouisevonfranz #terencemckenna  #capetown #capetownlife #capetownliving #southernafrica

The way of the warrior is not one of wanton destruction, but of judicious use of violence in appropriate situations. “Proper aggressiveness in the right circumstances… (which the warrior) knows through clarity of thinking, through discernment” (Moore & Gillette, 1991, p. 80).
 
The Warrior archetype as expressed in the great Japanese samurai tradition speaks of a sense of duty, loyalty, commitment, discipline, nobility and courage. The warrior energy embodies the capacity to endure great hardship and personal sacrifice for the sake of a greater good.  The warrior epitomizes decisive action, control and mastery over body, mind and emotions. Therefore, the warrior is always alert, awake, focused, mindful and flexible.  It embodies aggressiveness as “a stance toward life that rouses, energizes, and motivates.” (p. 79). It represents a readiness for action, an aliveness and vitality.
 
​In the Toltec warrior-sorcerer tradition, the warrior walks silently in the world, not needing to prove his/her power through aggression, unless there is a call for action. As a symbol of personal power, the warrior archetype infuses us with confidence and assertiveness to fight our daily battles. Without the warrior energy we might be push-overs against potential invaders in the same way peaceful civilizations were overrun by more warlike tribes. It is important to develop discernment to recognize when to be roused into battle and when to conserve the warrior energy in order not to fight unnecessary battles, which may only deplete and wound you. 
 
The warrior represents our natural instinctual aggression to defend against an invasion of territory, oppression or maliciousness directed towards us. The warrior demands a respect of boundaries: Do not invade me, my family, my land/country and, ultimately do not invade my Soul! Always in defense of our survival, safety and a specific way of life/culture/ideology, that which we deem the highest good.  The warrior’s destructive energy is necessary to destroy corruption; systems of injustice and oppression; and, bad life circumstances, marriages and work situations – in the service of spiritual renewal and an increase of consciousness.
 
The shadow of the archetype of the warrior plays out when the energy is used to invade, oppress and subjugate others. The warrior archetype in its negative manifested in the conquering and colonization of other tribes, nations and civilizations. The concept of loyalty can be taken too far if it is allegiance to a corrupt system or outdated ideology. The shadow of warrior archetype plays out in relationships in the wrestle for dominance, who is right, or even worse, in domestic abuse.
 
Source:
Moore, R. L., & Gillette, D. (1990). King, warrior, magician, lover: Rediscovering the archetypes of the mature masculine. San Francisco: Harper San Francisco.
 
Image credit:
Tomoe Gozen (1157?-1247?) was an onna-bugeisha (女武芸者, female martial artist) and one Japan's 12 most famous samurai
https://allabout-japan.com/
 
A social media post I wrote for @jungsouthernafrica 

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With In times of national distress or international threats, such as the Covid19 pandemic, we looked to our leaders to embody the Archetype of the Father. We trust them to make good decisions to ensure our survival and future, as is expected of the Father as protector.  Logically we know they have the same human flaws as the rest of us and we may even be critical of how they are handling the crisis, but we want to be inspired and supported while moving through these difficult times.
 
We hope that our leaders, whether male or female, will represent the virtues of courage, strength, decisiveness, wisdom, capability, productivity and benevolent authority - values necessary for the continuation of our society.  The positive Father is an image of the mature masculine, manifesting in caring guidance and protection without infringing on the autonomy of those under his care. The positive aspect of the Father Principle suggests law, order, justice, flexible discipline, rationality, understanding, inspiration and authority in the service of protection.
 
The negative Father refers to any person in a position of authority who is punitive, rageful, brutal, rigid, controlling, withholding, ineffective and/or selfish. The negative Father has a cold intellectual way of relating which leads to inflation and grandiosity (state of hubris). From petty tyrants to dictators, any father, king or president can embody the shadow of the archetype of the Father. Any person abusing their position of influence or power to dominate, suppress or prey on more vulnerable members of society embodies the negative Father.  The destructive and anti-social aspects of the Father archetype can be clearly seen in abusive fathers, cult leaders, politicians who capitalize on fear, and ultimately in the disregard and widespread destruction of the Earth. Patriarchy, built on fear and domination, is an example of the negative Father.
 
Fathers (or substitutes) play a crucial role in our psychological development, whether we think of them as heroes, villains, or ordinary humans. Our human experience is governed by internalization of the real father, but informed by the archetype.
 
Image credit: Silenus with the child Dionysos. Marble, Roman copy of the middle 2nd century CE after a Greek original by Lysippos (ca. 300 BC). Vatican Museum

A social media post I wrote for @jungsouthernafrica 
 
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