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September 19, 2020

Under normal circumstances, every conflict stimulates the mind to activity for the purpose of creating a satisfactory solution. (Jung, 1969, pp. 489, para 780)

The image shows a moment natural engagement. The ocean crashes into the rocks, breaks into a variety of droplets, and falls back into itself. The force of that encounter is determined by the stability of the rocks and the speed of the ocean as it comes to shore. I admire the site and sound as I witness the upward splash and its reunion into the ocean pool. It is invigorating and soothing much like inspiration and exhalation of my breath.

So many things in today’s world present forceful conflict. The news is full of vigorous political, social, and medical disagreement. It is as though we are only at high tide and have forgotten that a full cycle of engagement includes simple discussion and opinion without making the other the enemy.

I believe Jung is correct in the quote above when he uses the phrase “satisfactory solution,” but lately is seems like winning is the object of discussion rather than negotiation to both sides of the topic.

Every conflict is a crisis and an opportunity. From the perspective of our consciousness, a conflict is a crisis. From the lens of our inner eye or the unconscious, it is an opportunity for a higher and more evolved resolution, consistent with the voice of our soul. However, several conditions must be met for such a soul resolution.

Firstly, we must accept that our present consciousness and logical discernment has its limits in getting our hands around the conflict.

This then activates what the Buddhist’s call the “Beginner’s mind” to deal with the conflict without preconceptions. […]

September 6, 2020

Life is born only of the spark of opposites.(Jung, 1953, pp. 54, para 78)

I am struck by the impact of this image. I find it difficult to simply admire the qualities of gray, brown, and various textures. My mind instantly breathes more color and life into it. I wonder what it looked like as it was growing. I want to know more of what was and not fully accept the present state shown in the photo.

My experience of this image parallels what I am seeing/hearing on the news. The remnants of a full democratic life are more of a memory than available in the moment. The news focus is on unrest, corruption, death, and financial decline. The American dream feels faded from the reality of waking life.

There is a part of me that wants life to go back to the way it used to be. However, that is impossible because it would deny what has taken place especially in the last nine months. So, I experience the challenge of instilling hope into the moment. The values of this country need to be reconstructed and inclusive of everyone not just the powerful or wealthy. It is about seeing the moment, remembering the past, and envisioning a future of a robust democracy that protects the environmental resources.

As I review Jung’s quote, it reminds me that when I encounter the opposites, they inspire a struggle to create life. In these challenging times, I need to till the fertile soil of my imagination for hope to spark new life.

When all is said and done, the questions that confronts our soul is not what we were, how we are now but where we are going? On this […]

August 22, 202

The nature of the psyche reaches into obscurities far beyond the scope of our understanding. (Jung, 1969, pp. 412, para 813)

The image creates tension. My first instinct is to figure out what it is rather than admire its visual qualities. I make it familiar and fit it into the world I know. I want to know or recognize the image. I want the puzzle pieces to come together to identify it. Then I can then admire the qualities of the angles, textures, color, and subject to create a story around the image. I know I want to contain the image rather than let my imagination run wild.

When I think about Covid-19, social justice reform, the financial crisis, unemployment, political disputes, and the struggle of the democracy I have known, my sense of certainty of the world is gone. It appears the world is upside down, and I long for the world of the familiar without so many issues racing for first place. I experience dramatic upheaval at the thought of one of those events getting left behind. My challenge is to allow the messages from my dreams, symptoms, synchronicities, etc. into my reality rather than just hold onto what I know. The box I am familiar with, may need changing. I must learn to listen to the unfamiliar. What I do not know might be more valuable if I give it room and a voice.

Two factors can help us untangle the mystery of perception beyond space and time. Our limited human cognitions are bound by the coordinates of space and time. Now when we dream, where is the space and time? Now we are totally in a realm beyond space and time. […]

Honey – The Elixir and a Poison
In the Eye of the Storm
An individual response to the Global Crisis
ISSN 1939-3407
 
April 5, 2020
Ashok Bedi, M.D., Jungian Psychoanalyst
www.pathtotheosoul.com
www.tulawellnessllc.com
Robert BJ Jakala PH.D., Jungian Psychotherapist
In a storm, the safest place is in the eye of the storm. My colleague BJ and I will share our daily reflections on this centering process from an Analytical perspective, sharing from the repertoire of our personal and professional experience. BJ is a psychologist and a photographer and will pick and image of the day that catches him in this collective crisis. I will amplify it from a Jungian Analytical perspective. We hope that this may offer you a baby step on the path to your own unique response to this chaos.

With the honey the pleasure of the senses and the joy of life went into the mixture, as well as the secret fear of the “poison,” the deadly danger of worldly entanglements.(Jung, 1970, p. 493)

The drop of honey is about to return to the jar, but in this moment, it is noticeably separate. The unusual design of the spoon is functional for just such an occasion. It is used like a regular spoon to scoop things our of a jar, but then rests in a way that facilitates conservation. The spoon is placed in position so there is little or no waste of honey.
The image reminds me how important the right tool at the right moment is in life. We have been asked to follow medical guidelines, based on research, to protect our health. One of those guidelines is to wear a mask to help prevent the spray of droplets during conversation. We are not used to seeing people wearing masks in public. […]