Oceanside Star Published: Thursday, January 06, 2011
The unconscious is a treasure-chest of wisdom. If you know the terms psyche, introvert, extrovert, synchronicity and archetypes, you are already familiar with Carl Jung’s work, which focuses on the unconscious.
There is a huge movement to find one’s true calling, to heal past wounds and to raise one’s consciousness. And tapping into one’s unconscious is an effective way to achieve these changes. The unconscious is a vast collection of thoughts and feelings that are hidden from a person’s awareness.
We are all wounded. Very early in life, we learned which parts of our Self were designated ‘not good’ and these were suppressed into the unconscious. We also learned which qualities were overvalued. When one is cut off from these hidden parts or overuses others, symptoms occur which indicate something is ‘off.’
Fortunately, the unconscious lets us know about this imbalance in the form of emotional, body-based and symbolic material. Dreams, body gestures, those interesting and sometimes embarrassing slips-of-the-tongue, those wondrous ‘aha’ moments, as well as addictions, body symptoms and intense emotions are examples of how the unconscious is trying to get our attention.
We keep looking outwardly for answers. We keep hoping that the next job, partner, diet or wall colour will make us feel better, when in fact the unconscious, our own inner wisdom, is where we want to go exploring.
The unconscious chooses qualities of our Self that need to be either incorporated or downplayed in order to create balance and to become more whole. As one works with unconscious material, an honest, humbling look at your otherness occurs. There may be qualities of our Self that are difficult to admit we have, such as greed, perfectionism or the fear of being alone.
Additionally, the unconscious also reveals treasures — desirable qualities long ago chased into the darkness — waiting to enter joyfully back into one’s life. The unconscious has a healing role needed for wellness. This is where the hope lies.
Listening to your unconscious can begin by writing down or drawing your dreams. Throughout the day, be aware of body gestures and sensations. Note the use of metaphors or slips of the tongue.
You will be amazed by how the unconscious responds when it knows it’s being listened to.
