Through a Jungian Lens

On the shores of Lake Athabasca, the rocks provide small places where water from the lake becomes a small pool, a place for new life to emerge.

One of the things I noticed when spending time along these shores of Lake Athabasca, was the power of the water.  Here, I saw new grass had taken root.  Another thing I noticed was the power of the rock.  Here, the rock provides a safe container for the new grass.  A third thing I notices was the open aspect for light which fed the young grass, giving energy – libido.  And finally, I saw the inter-relatedness of all the parts and how each appeared separate yet at the same time, intertwined, enmeshed in each other.

This was a small ecosystem sitting alongside the huge lake.  At any moment the lake could deny water and the grass would shrivel and die.  A different moment and the lake could submerge this small pool, drowning this singular expression of life.  There is no rightness or wrongness in either possibility.

In the larger picture, there is only a constant flow of possibility where life emerges, submerges, re-emerges – a constant, seemingly endless process.

For me, this allows me to gain some perspective.  I am like the grass, a transitional life form that has a limited presence that is linked to the whole.  Though “I” might disappear in this form, all that makes up “I” doesn’t disappear.  Rather, I return to the well springs of life, back into the water, stone and air where I, or some recombination of I and other, will re-emerge.

As I was walking along the sidewalk upon the return from a longer walk in the countryside, this little bird was huddling in the protection of the tree, closer to the calm centre.  Often, we do the same thing, we retreat from the buffeting winds of the outer world for the presumed safety of the shadows.  Do we necessarily know what we are really doing when we do this, or is it just an instinctual respone?

Robert Johnson has an interesting point of view:

When we experience inexplicable conflicts that we can’t resolve; when we become aware of urges in ourselves that seem irrational, primitive or destructive; when a neurosis afflicts us because of our conscious attitudes are at odds with our instinctual selves – then we begin to realize that the unconscious is playing a role in our lives and we need to face it. (Johnson,  Inner Work, 1986, p. 5)

I found this quote which I had highlighted in my copy of this book this morning, the first thing that caught my eye.  Synchronicity?  Perhaps.  Why do I suggest synchronicity?  Well, if you have been following the posts and the comments, you will have found that some of my posts are in response to the comments.  I had no intention of deliberately responding to one of the latest comments through a post, but it somehow began to emerge.  First, the photo.  Retreat into a safe place, an assumed safe place.  Only, it isn’t so safe at all as in this shadow zone, one is not alone at all.  The ghosts, shadows and memories crowd into this safe place making it seem more a prison than a safe container.

Waking up to the unconscious is something can disable the psyche, especially if one is not also strong in the outer world.  The best strategy when in this position is to find a guide.  Of course, I am biased and would suggest that one find a qualified, certified Jungian analyst.  Why?  Well, this allows one to remain in charge and not become an obedient follower.  In my opinion, this is the best and safest route to take when attempting to become a whole person, a healed person with a healed soul.