According to the Concise Oxford Dictionary, imagination is the mental faculty to form images or concepts of external objects not present to the senses; as well as, the creative faculty of the mind. However, what is the purpose of imagination in our lives? For Aristotle, the imagination – or phantasia – was a bridge between […]
What Lurks in Your Shadow?
We are born whole, with all the pairs of human traits such as greed and generosity, productivity and idleness, and with the capacity to feel the range of emotions, from grief to joy. However, in order to be accepted and have our basic childhood needs met we learned very early which qualities were valued and […]
What Lies Beneath Our Costumes?
One of Jung’s most notable ideas is the shadow – those inferior aspects of ourselves that we are not proud of. Shadow material involves unknown aspects of the self which make our egos uncomfortable, defensive and at times embarrassed. If our persona is the face or mask that we show others, then the shadow represents […]
Puer & Puella: Time to grow up
Peter Pan, in J. M. Barrie’s classic 1904 play, shouted, “I’ll never grow up, I’ll never grow up!” He ventured to Never Neverland for adventures with mermaids and Captain Hook. Interesting to note, the play’s full title was “Peter Pan, or, The Boy Who Would Not Grow Up.” Archetypically, this image of a boy reluctant […]
The Many Sides of Forgiveness
We are familiar with poet Alexander Pope’s saying, “To err is human; to forgive, divine,” yet there are differing views on the exact role of forgiveness. Forgiveness is achievable; however, it takes time – months and even years. The process of forgiveness comprises six common elements. First, there is an injury or violation with subsequent […]
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, […]
