The word gossip originally just meant chatting with our “godsibs” or what we now refer to as godparents or people we are particularly close to. Most of us have experienced the sharing or telling of other people’s information outside of these close-knit circles. Research shows that up to two-thirds of all conversations include some reference […]
The Power of Words
The relationship between words and their meanings is extremely complicated and belongs to the field of semantics. There are two meanings associated with words – denotation and connotation. Denotation is the literal meaning of words while connotation represents the various social overtones, cultural implications or emotional associations with words. For example, families that do not […]
Looking at Guilt and Shame
When we feel guilty, we feel bad because we have done something that was wrong (e.g., sped, caused someone injury) or believed that was wrong (e.g., did not return a phone call). Guilt is thinking we ‘should have done’ or ‘should not have done’ something, and about our obligations. Jungian Mario Jacoby distinguishes “leftover guilt” […]
Our Inner Voices – Negative Self-Talk
It is interesting to note the negative comments we tell ourselves throughout the day. Often these messages begin with “You are …” or “I am so …” They may include the word “always” (e.g., “I’m always late.”) or “never” (e.g., “I’ll never get this done.”). Although these messages may appear as coming from us, they […]
Our Inner Partners
Like the anima in the male psyche, a woman’s animus goes through developmental stages. The first stage represents the epitome of physical power. This energy is the stud, the take-care-of-me, the protector and the baby-maker. Examples would be Adam, Tarzan and the athlete. The next stage brings the husband-father animus. Here we see the man-of-action […]
Meeting Our Inner Mate – the Anima
Jung stated that, “Every man carries within him the eternal image of woman [termed anima]. The same is true of the woman: she too has her inborn image of man [animus].” The concepts of anima and animus are very complex, yet, awareness of our inner partner is key to understanding many aspects of our selves, […]
