The Shadow
A shadow is an area where direct light from a light source cannot reach due to obstruction by an object. It occupies all of the space behind an opaque object with light in front of it. The cross section of a shadow is a two-dimensional silhouette or reverse projection of the object blocking the light. The Sun causes many objects to have shadows and at certain times of the day, when the sun is at certain heights, the lengths of shadows change. Currently the only astronomical objects able to produce visible shadows on Earth are the Sun, the Moon, and, in the right conditions, the planet Venus. In Jungian psychology, the shadow or "shadow aspect" is a part of the unconscious mind consisting of repressed weaknesses, shortcomings, and instincts. It is one of the three most recognizable archetypes, the others being the anima and animus and the persona. "Everyone carries a shadow," Jung wrote, "and the less it is embodied in the individual's conscious life, the blacker and denser it is." it may be (in part) one's link to more primitive animal instincts, which are superseded during early childhood by the conscious mind. According to Jung, the shadow, in being instinctive and irrational, is prone to projection: turning a personal inferiority into a perceived moral deficiency in someone else. Jung writes that if these projections are unrecognized "The projection-making factor (the Shadow archetype) then has a free hand and can realize its object--if it has one--or bring about some other situation characteristic of its power." These projections insulate and cripple individuals by forming an ever thicker fog of illusion between the ego and the real world. From one perspective, 'the shadow...is roughly equivalent to the whole of the Freudian unconscious';[ and Jung himself considered that 'the result of the Freudian method of elucidation is a minute elaboration of man's shadow-side unexampled in any previous age' Jung also believed that "in spite of its function as a reservoir for human darkness—or perhaps because of this—the shadow is the seat of creativity.";so that for some, it may be, 'the dark side of his being, his sinister shadow...represents the true spirit of life as against the arid scholar'. The shadow may appear in dreams and visions in various forms, and typically 'appears as a person of the same sex as that of the dreamer'. it is possible that it might appear with dark features to a person of any race, since it represents a distant, primitive and indiscriminate aspect of the mind. The shadow's appearance and role depend greatly on the living experience of the individual, because much of the shadow develops in the individual's mind rather than simply being inherited in the collective unconscious. Nevertheless some Jungians maintain that 'The shadow contains, besides the personal shadow, the shadow of society ... fed by the neglected and repressed collective values'
Interactions with the shadow in dreams may shed light on one's state of mind. A conversation with the shadow may indicate that one is concerned with conflicting desires or intentions. Identification with a despised figure may mean that one has an unacknowledged difference from the character; a difference which could point to a rejection of the illuminating qualities of ego-consciousness. These examples refer to just two of many possible roles that the shadow may adopt, and are not general guides to interpretation. Also, it can be difficult to identify characters in dreams — "all the contents are blurred and merge into one another ... 'contamination' of unconscious contents" so that a character who seems at first to be a shadow might represent some other complex instead. Encounter with the shadow
The encounter with the shadow plays a central part in the process of individuation. Jung considered that 'the course of individuation...exhibits a certain formal regularity. Its signposts and milestones are various archetypal symbols' marking its stages; and of these 'the first stage leads to the experience of the SHADOW' If 'the breakdown of the persona constitutes the typical Jungian moment both in therapy and in development', it is this which opens the road to the shadow within, coming about when 'Beneath the surface a person is suffering from a deadly boredom that makes everything seem meaningless and empty ... as if the initial encounter with the Self casts a dark shadow ahead of time'.Jung considered as a perennial danger in life that 'the more consciousness gains in clarity, the more monarchic becomes its content...the king constantly needs the renewal that begins with a descent into his own darkness'— his shadow - which the 'dissolution of the persona'sets in motion. "The shadow personifies everything that the subject refuses to acknowledge about himself" and represents "a tight passage, a narrow door, whose painful constriction no one is spared who goes down to the deep well".If and when 'an individual makes an attempt to see his shadow, he becomes aware of (and often ashamed of) those qualities and impulses he denies in himself but can plainly see in others — such things as egotism, mental laziness, and sloppiness; unreal fantasies, schemes, and plots; carelessness and cowardice; inordinate love of money and possessions — ...[a] painful and lengthy work of self-education".the dissolution of the persona and the launch of the individuation process also brings with it 'the danger of falling victim to the shadow ... the black shadow which everybody carries with him, the inferior and therefore hidden aspect of the personality'— of a merger with the shadow.
Merger with the shadow.
According to Jung, the shadow sometimes overwhelms a person's actions; for example, when the conscious mind is shocked, confused, or paralyzed by indecision. 'A man who is possessed by his shadow is always standing in his own light and falling into his own traps ... living below his own level 'hence, in terms of the story of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, 'it must be Jekyll, the conscious personality, who integrates the shadow ... and not vice versa. Otherwise the conscious becomes the slave of the autonomous shadow'. Individuation inevitably raises that very possibility. As the process continues, and 'the libido leaves the bright upper world ... sinks back into its own depths...below, in the shadows of the unconscious'. so too what comes to the forefront is 'what was hidden under the mask of conventional adaptation: the shadow', with the result that 'ego and shadow are no longer divided but are brought together in an — admittedly precarious — unity'. The impact of such 'confrontation with the shadow produces at first a dead balance, a standstill that hampers moral decisions and makes convictions ineffective...tenebrositas, chaos, melancholia'. Consequently (as Jung knew from personal experience) 'in this time of descent — one, three, seven years, more or less — genuine courage and strength are required', with no certainty of emergence. Nevertheless Jung remained of the opinion that while 'no one should deny the danger of the descent ... every descent is followed by an ascent ...enantiodromia'; and assimilation of — rather than possession by — the shadow becomes at last a real possibility.
Assimilation of the shadow
Metaversal Enantiodromia launches 'a different perspective. We begin to travel [up] through the healing spirals...straight up' Here the struggle is to retain awareness of the shadow, but not identification with it. 'Non-identification demands considerable moral effort...prevents a descent into that darkness'; but though 'the conscious mind is liable to be submerged at any moment in the unconscious... understanding acts like a life-saver. It integrates the unconscious'- reincorporates the shadow into the personality, producing a stronger, wider consciousness than before. 'Assimilation of the shadow gives a man body, so to speak', and provides thereby a launching-pad for further individuation. 'The integration of the shadow, or the realization of the personal unconscious, marks the first stage of the analytic process...without it a recognition of anima and animus is impossible'. Conversely 'to the degree to which the shadow is recognised and integrated, the problem of the anima, i.e., of relationship, is constellated', and becomes the center of the individuation quest. Neveretheless Jungians warn that 'acknowledgement of the shadow must be a continuous process throughout one's life';and even after the focus of individuation has moved on to the animus/anima, 'the later stages of shadow integration' will continue to take place - the grim 'process of washing one's dirty linen in private', accepting one's shadow.
Projection
Psychological projection or projection bias is a psychological defense mechanism where a person subconsciously denies his or her own attributes, thoughts, and emotions, which are then ascribed to the outside world, usually to other people. Thus, projection involves imagining or projecting the belief that others originate those feelings. Projection reduces anxiety by allowing the expression of the unwanted unconscious impulses or desires without letting the conscious mind recognize them. An example of this behavior might be blaming another for self failure. The mind may avoid the discomfort of consciously admitting personal faults by keeping those feelings unconscious, and by redirecting libidinal satisfaction by attaching, or "projecting," those same faults onto another person or object. The theory was developed by Sigmund Freud - in his letters to Wilhelm Fliess, '"Draft H" deals with projection as a mechanism of defence'- and further refined by his daughter Anna Freud; for this reason, it is sometimes referred to as Freudian Projection. According to Sigmund Freud, projection is a psychological defense mechanism whereby one "projects" one's own undesirable thoughts, motivations, desires, and feelings onto someone else. 'Emotions or excitations which the ego tries to ward off are "split out" and then felt as being outside the ego...perceived in another person' It is a common process. The related defense of 'projective identification differs from projection in that the impulse projected onto an external object does not appear as something alien and distant from the ego because the connection of the self with that projected impulse continues' In one example of the process, a person might have thoughts of infidelity with respect to a spouse or other partner. Instead of dealing with these undesirable thoughts consciously, the subject unconsciously projects these feelings onto the other person, and begins to think that the other has thoughts of infidelity and that the other may be having an affair. In this way, the subject may obtain 'acquittal by his conscience - if he projects his own impulses to faithlessness on to the partner to whom he owes faith'. in this sense, projection is related to denial, arguably the only more primitive defense mechanism than projection, which, like all defense mechanisms, provides a function whereby a person can protect the conscious mind from a feeling that is otherwise repulsive. Projection can also be established as a means of obtaining or justifying certain actions that would normally be found atrocious or heinous. This often means projecting false accusations, information, etc., onto an individual for the sole purpose of maintaining a self-created illusion. One of the many problems with the process whereby 'something dangerous that is felt inside can be moved outside - a process of "projection"' - is that as a result 'the projector may become somewhat depleted and rendered limp in character, as he loses part of his personality'. Compartmentalization, splitting, and projection are ways that the ego continues to pretend that it is completely in control at all times, when in reality human experience is one of shifting instinctual reactivity and emotional motivation in which the "I" is not always complicit. Further, while engaged in projection, individuals can be unable to access truthful memories, intentions, and experiences, even about their own nature, as is common in deep trauma
Historical uses.
Peter Gay describes projection as "the operation of expelling feelings or wishes the individual finds wholly unacceptable—too shameful, too obscene, too dangerous—by attributing them to another." The philosopher Ludwig Feuerbach based his theory of religion in large part upon the idea of projection, i.e., the idea that an anthropomorphic deity is the outward projection of man's anxieties and desires.. The "Shadow"—a term used in Jungian psychology to describe a variety of psychological projection—refers to the projected material. Jungians consider that 'Political agitation in all countries is full of such projections, just as much as the backyard gossip of little groups and individuals' Marie-Louise Von Franz extended the view of projection to cover phenomena in Patterns of Creativity Mirrored in Creation Myths: "... wherever known reality stops, where we touch the unknown, there we project an archetypal image".Psychological projection is one of the medical explanations of bewitchment that attempts to diagnose the behavior of the afflicted children at Salem in 1692. The historian John Demos asserts that the symptoms of bewitchment experienced by the afflicted girls in Salem during the witchcraft crisis were because the girls were undergoing psychological projection Demos argues the girls had convulsive fits caused by repressed aggression and were able to project this aggression without blame because of the speculation of witchcraft and bewitchment. Several scholars have suggested that modern feminism is sometimes characterized by projection; denying any female evil or negativity and instead attributing all culpability to men or patriarchy.
Counter-projection
When addressing psychological trauma, the defense mechanism is sometimes counter-projection, including an obsession to continue and remain in a recurring trauma-causing situation and the compulsive obsession with the perceived perpetrator of the trauma or its projection. Jung writes that "All projections provoke counter-projection when the object is unconscious of the quality projected upon it by the subject." In psychopathology, projection is an especially commonly used defense mechanism in people with certain personality disorders: 'Patients with paranoid personalities, for example, use projection as a primary defense because it allows them to disavow unpleasant feelings and attribute them to others'
According to Kernberg, all 'the primitive defenses, such as splitting, [projection] and projective identification, are commonly connected with primitively organized personalities, such as ':
Borderline personality disorder
Narcissistic personality disorder
Antisocial personality disorder
Pluto, the Lord of the Underworld
Pluto was discovered in 1920,, after many years of searching by astronomers who new it must exist, because there was no mistaking that something was effecting the orbits of it's nearest neighbors, Neptune and Uranus. You always know when Pluto decides to stop by for a visit, since there is no mistaking his calling card; this applies whether he is considered by astronomers to be an official planet or a mere dwarf. Pluto is a planet that is aptly named, since the symbolism and mythology behind him are all about the darker and deeper issues of life. After all, Pluto is (above all) the planet of transformation and of deep inner searching, among a myriad of other profound qualities. Pluto is still the ruler of scorpio a very deep and intense zodical sign and is still the planet that guides our most potent and radical transformation. On January 27, 2008, Pluto entered into Capricorn for the start of his long stay in that sign (until January of 2024). In an effort to take a look at what Pluto in Capricorn might mean for both the metaverse and for you on an individual basis, let’s take a look at just one event that occurred during Pluto’s previous sojourn in Capricorn. The last time Pluto was in Capricorn, the American Revolution occurred, and Thomas Jefferson, one of the founding fathers of the American Revolution, first penned in the American Constitution that all men (and women) have the pursuit of happiness as one of their intrinsic and inalienable rights. At that time, the idea of a person’s personal happiness was a radical one indeed.
From 1776 until now, the pursuit of personal happiness has been very hard to obtain. Perhaps that is because we all face so many trials in our life journey, and we find it hard to know who we really are and to determine what we really want out of life, and what, by extension, will make us happy. St. John of the Cross, one of the most religious people of his era, confessed to having experienced "dark nights of the soul" many times, and that is surely a very Plutonian theme. And of course, not even profound religious faith keeps us from feeling sad, or lonely or unsure of ourselves at times. That’s why the more we can learn about ourselves, and what our true desires are, the easier it will be for us to create lifestyles that will make us happy. That’s the good result of a Pluto transit; when Pluto impacts you throughout your astrological you are going to radically revise the way you look at yourself and your lifestyle. If you are engaging in behavior that is self-defeating, you will realize that during the long transit you will experience under Pluto, and ultimately change that behavior, one way or another.
Pluto is the Roman name of Hades, the mythological Greek god of the underworld. It is Pluto who governs over the dead in Greek mythology, along with his queen, Persephone. But Pluto’s rule extends far beyond that of the nether regions. He is also the ruler of the dark side of our souls, and of our minds. Psychology is under the realm of Pluto, as is any other transforming science or doctrine. Among other dark subjects, Pluto rules crime, dictatorships, and fascism. Pluto also rules deep devotion and dedication to another, or to an ideal we have, and its reach is very profound and long lasting. When we have a Pluto event in our lives, it is a far-reaching, life-changing occurrence. The symbols of Scorpio, the soaring eagle, the phoenix bird, and yes, the lowly snake, detail the route we can take when Pluto impacts us. We can fly to the heights, we can rise from the ashes of our former selves, or we can crawl on the ground, consumed by our hate and despair. The choice, as always, is ours, and we are given the opportunity to show our best selves, or our worst selves, when Pluto impacts us.
When Pluto aspects our charts, he stays a long time in each individual house in which he takes up residence. This enables him to thoroughly change and alter our experiences in that realm of our life. The same holds true for Pluto’s entrance into a sign. Since Pluto spends many long years in a sign, the issues of each sign are dealt with in a very deep and utterly life altering way.
Pluto is the planet of revelation, and delights in shining a spotlight on the dark corners of our psyche and mind, and showing us what lies beneath the surface.
When Pluto makes his way into Capricorn, he will be transforming many of the areas of life Capricorn deals with. One of the most important issues that will be dealt with during Pluto’s journey through the sign of Capricorn, the winter sign, will be the subject of aging. Material resources, money, the way we deal with power, our desire for status, and our response to security issues will also be paramount in our conscious and unconscious thoughts. Pluto will also impact you through your birth chart , and through the house in your personal chart he is transiting, based on your ascendant (your rising sign). Check below to see what this transit may mean for you.
Pluto in the First House: The way you feel about yourself, and the image you project to the outer world will change radically. Your need to be in control of yourself and of your environment will also change, and you may find that your lifestyle alters considerably under this transit.
Pluto in the Second House: Your financial status, and what you do and do not find valuable will alter significantly. Your standards and value systems may change dramatically. Your personal finances may undergo very drastic ups and downs during this transit.
Pluto in the Third House: You will begin to think very deep thoughts, and you will start to take a very profound view of the subjects that interest you. Your ability to read between the lines, and understand the nuances and subtleties of how people relate will be considerably enhanced. Your relationship with your siblings and close relatives will undergo a deep transformation and enlightenment.
Pluto in the Fourth House: Your relationship with your family of origin, particularly with your mother, or with someone who played a nurturing role for you in your childhood, will take up a lot of your time and attention. You may decide it’s a good time to enter counseling for any childhood traumas you experienced.
Pluto in the Fifth House: You may meet your soul mate, and the lover you are destined to be with in this lifetime. Your interaction with your children will become very emotionally fulfilling, albeit very intense at times.
Pluto in the Sixth House: Pluto will drastically change your attitude toward your daily routine and to the way you spend your time during the day, especially where your job is concerned. Your attitude toward your diet and exercise will also be revamped.
Pluto in the Seventh House: Your relationship to your life chart spouse, or live-in domestic partner will alter considerably. The way you view your partnerships in general will undergo considerable change.
Pluto in the Eighth House: You will come to understand and acknowledge yourself as a sexual being under this transit, and your sexual desires may change drastically. You won’t hesitate to face your ‘shadow self’, and you may undergo counseling in an effort to understand yourself from a psychological perspective.
Pluto in the Ninth House: Your vision of yourself and your place in the world will alter greatly, and you will pursue the deep questions of the universe through your interest in philosophy. You will want to explore every corner of the globe, and get to know people from cultures and religions that are different than your own.
Pluto in the Tenth House: Your career goals will change, and you may decide to go into a profession that is completely different than the one you trained and studied for. Your status in the world may undergo radical change, and you could find yourself in the public eye, one way or another.
Pluto in the Eleventh House: You will evaluate your personal interpretation of what a friend is, or is not, and of what friendship means in general. You may scrutinize and critique the groups and associations you are a member of and sort and sift through them. Your wishes and hopes will change considerably, and you may become very involved with a cause that affects you deeply.
Pluto in the Twelfth House: Your interest in metaphysics will greatly increase, and you may discover that you have untapped reservoirs of intuitive ability under this transit. You will undergo a very deep spiritual metamorphosis, and you will learn to trust yourself and be your own guide. You may need to be alone to collect your own thoughts, and the idea of solitude will be a welcoming one for you.
No comments:
Post a Comment