SPLITTING: Understanding What Divides Us
Вставка
- Опубліковано 29 вер 2024
- We seem hard-wired to split the world into polarities: right/wrong, either/or, victory/defeat, Democrat/Republican. Infants and toddlers have not yet achieved the developmental capacity for complexity; they are believed to split their feelings toward caretakers into “good” and “bad,” depending on whether their needs are being met in the moment. Although it distorts reality, splitting reduces anxiety by locating the problem “out there,” allowing us to reject what we find aversive and affirm our own virtue, self-worth, and blamelessness. The capacity for ambivalence-the ability to hold opposite feelings-requires more differentiated cognitive skills and emotional range. Can we bear anxiety in the face of what seems intolerable without retreating to the fortress of one-sided (usually righteous) certainty? Doing so can increase capacity for objectivity, self-reflection, and ability to bridge the split.
HERE’S THE DREAM WE ANALYZE:
“I was in a room full of people, not sure where or with who, but I suppose they were all friends of mine. I was walking past the couches of people, and I stumbled upon this table. Underneath the table was a head of a person who looked a lot like Sigmund Freud. I approached the sort of “floating head” and said, “you look a lot like Sigmund Freud.” He was smiling at me greatly, and he said, “that’s because I am.” Then his head disappeared like a ghost disappearing into a wall. I jumped back, gasped, and looked around the room to see if anyone saw what I just witnessed. No one had, they all were busy talking, and so I just stared at the spot where his head was trying to make sense of what I saw.”
REFERENCES:
Kaplan and Sadock’s Synopsis of Psychiatry: Behavioral Sciences/Clinical Psychiatry Eleventh Edition by Benjamin J. Sadock
Love, Guilt and Reparation. By Melanie Klein
RESOURCES:
BECOME A DREAM INTERPRETER: We've created Dream School to teach others how to work with their dreams. A vibrant community has constellated around this mission, and we think you'll love it. Check it out: thisjungianlif...
PLEASE GIVE US A HAND: Hey folks, we need your help. Please become our patron and keep This Jungian Life podcast up and running: / thisjungianlife
SHARE YOUR DREAM WITH US: Submit your dream for a possible podcast interpretation: thisjungianlif...
SUGGEST A FUTURE PODCAST TOPIC: Share your suggestions: thisjungianlif...
INTERESTED IN BECOMING A JUNGIAN ANALYST? Enroll in the Philadelphia Jungian Seminar and start your journey to become an analyst: www.cgjungphil...
YES, WE HAVE MERCH! www.zazzle.com...
#jungian #dreamanalysis #analyticalpsychology #dreaminterpretation #jung
I would be ELATED to hear an episode exploring Jung's "Aion: Researches into the Phenomenology of the Self". After reading the entirety multiple times for many years, it was approximately May of 2020 I was nearing the end of the book and I felt a click! It dropped me to my knees (which is a far way to go being 6'7)and I began sobbing. As if I were a miniscule electron with immense responsibility, I was overcome with conflicting feelings of which being intimidated of my "littleness", permission expressing my uniqueness, and a clear warning of what is to come (and the necessary solution). This was a novel experience and I would be filled with gratitude and appreciation to hear what you folks have to say on this topic.
Thank you for your time, attention, and energy.
I love how the three of you explore topics together. Recently I’ve been sensitive to the dangers of splitting; may be because I studied non-violent communication for awhile. I learned that when I and others express negative and even violent thoughts and judgements, we’re experiencing unmet needs. That realization can foster empathy. So-for instance-when a driver swerves in front of me, I can split and curse them as a jerk, or I can acknowledge that my needs for safety, fairness and courtesy are threatened by their behavior. And I can acknowledge that THEY may have unmet needs for power, effectiveness or attention. Though more complex, that route is ultimately more satisfying, because splitting means I’m full of anger, which is upsetting to my psyche and body.
Such an important topic for these times. Thank you
Thank you for this synchronicity. I just read Dostoyevsky's 'The Double' last week, along with Poe's 'William Wilson' and Conrad's 'Secret Sharer'. Great shadow work, especially in conjunction with your always illuminating insights. (Anyone interested in a Jungian book club should contact me. The next assignment is 'Dr Faustus' by Thomas Mann!)
When Joseph talked about how positive aspects of an individual can get split off in order to meet the needs of narcissitic parents, I was thinking that it also perhaps happens when a parent isn't narcissistic, but is very zealously involved in an evangelical branch of Christianity. In such cases, behaviours or thoughts expressed by that child that 'don't fit', can be dealt with punitively so that the child, from a very early age, learns not to harbour beliefs in their own self worth.
Agreed
Very beautiful episode! Such clear thoughts that for me really highlighted just how vital it is to bring such things into greater consciousness within and without.
It is the CONSCIOUSNESS which divides people and which is felt on every level of their being - for we are all, despite our materialized bodies, CONSCIOUSNESS FORMS expressing consciousness patterns and CONSCIOUSNESS FORMS receiving consciousness patterns from others.
The consciousness of each individual is their reality - not their skin or appearance - and it is the consciousness of people which either attracts or repulses others.
I've recently come out of the back end of a 2 year split, with a lot of help from yourselves, my analyst and my absolute obsession of unknowing analyzing myself I'm starting to put the pieces of myself back together. Thank you so much for all of your content, it's by far some of my most favourite in the jungian world.
The projection of ambivalence Deb was talking about is such a strong point!
Splitting from people you love, the memories you share together and there, you are surrounded by strangers..... unpredictable events....sums up all the horror and sorrow I experienced because of this, it's horrible.
❤❤❤