Guest guest Posted June 15, 2008 Report Share Posted June 15, 2008 she gives birth to outer life in terms of form and to inner life in terms of consciousness. She is not consciousness herself but the matrix of it. In Ego and Archetype, Dr. Edinger's moving book, is a diagram of the "Psychic Life Cycle," illustrating the inflation and deflation of the ego. It could serve as a diagram of the waxing and waning of the Moon. Jung himself said: In every individual it is the same; we have a large indefinite unconscious and only a part of it is definitive; whether it is central we don't know. Perhaps it has the same relation to the center as the earth has to the Sun. The center of our solar system is the Sun, and our center, our world is revolving around the Sun; we are the children of the earth, and so our consciousness is excentric relative to the Sun. . . . our consciousness may also be like a planet revolving round a central invisible Sun, namely round presumable center of the unconscious, which is called the Self, because that is the center of the conscious and the unconscious. It is the ego which is exposed to daily life; it is the mortal spouse coping with moods and responsibilities, joys and pains, and the "banality" of every day. In fact, one way of knowing that a person is identified with the ego is if his or her definition of life is "just one damn thing after another." We hear the expression "ego death," but I wonder if you would not agree with me that what has to die is not the ego but the identification with the ego. Apropos of this, I came across a passage in the I Ching which puts the potentially ideal relationship between the Self and the ego in perspective. I take the liberty of interpolating the words ego and self next to the terms Creative (yang) and Receptive (yin). But strictly speaking there is no real dualism here, because there is a clearly defined hierarchic relationship between the two principles. In itself, of course, the Receptive [ego] is just as important as the Creative [self], but the attribute of devotion defines the place occupied by this primal power in relation to the Creative [self]. For the Receptive [ego] must be led by the Creative [self]; then it is productive of good. Only when it abandons this position and tries to stand as an equal side by side with the Creative [self] does it become evil. The result then is opposition to and struggle against the Creative [self], which is productive of evil to both. This is most clearly and beautifully expressed. When the ego steps up in pride and we identify only with it, it becomes another Lucifer and we head for an inevitable fall. Thus the harmonious process of the ego is not unlike that of the Virgin, the handmaid of the Lord, who is chosen by the God within us, if you will, to bring forth the Christ Child, the individuating Self. The very same process of natural reproduction is internalized and carried out within the psyche. In this way the symbolic images contained within the Christian mythos (and others) reveal a truth which is both psychologically and spiritually valid. If we look to the body for verification of these processes, we find that the Moon rules or is associated with the breasts, the stomach, and the womb-all three variants of one process, containment. The womb receives seed, gestates, and brings forth form-the triple function of the feminine in response to the masculine creative. The stomach ingests food and transforms it as an alchemical alembic into nourishment for the body. The breasts have the capacity to fill with milk (of human kindness) for the nourishment of others. To nurse is not only to breast-feed but to care for the sick and to heal. All three of these functions are open to the human ego, regardless of sex. We all have the capacity to ingest daily life, to bring forth new consciousness, and to share it for the nourishment (nursing) of others. These are all positive aspects of the Moon. There are also negative ones, cathartic and destructive. The tomb is a container, but one which cannot hold the resurrected Self. The images of the dark chthonic aspects of the feminine are those of Erishkegal, Kali, Hecate, and a host of bloody furies, harpies, witches, and sorceresses. The goddess in the Psyche also has to know how to deal with filth, corruption, destruction, pollution, and decay. The body packages it neatly in feces, and at the end of life in what the Dutch refer to as stoffeliik overschot (stuff left over, mortal remains). All of which Mother Nature simply recycles into more grass and flowers. What is fascinating to me is that 101 Once and for all - aaaaaaaargh! Jung defined the ego as the center of consciousness. It is being rightfully blasted by Tolle n many others, but we need to remember that we all need to have an ego to live in this world. It bears our name. The problem arises when we identify with our ego!!! and think that's all we really are. We mostly are unaware of the Self or Divine Guest who is who we really are because they dwell in our Unconscious.. Think of Self as candle wick n Div G as same flame on all individual candles. Would somebody be kind enough to post p. 100-1 of my JUNGIAN SYMBOLISM IN ASTROLOGY and the quote fr I CHING Hex 2, substituting 'Self' for Creative n 'Ego' for Receptive. The secret solution is that we need to surrender our ego with devotion to the Spirit which dwells w/in us. That's the basic task for all of us! Then we can use our ego as an instrument for - hopefully - creative good. This is the basic spiritual dynamic that the mystical sides of all the religions try to share n which Jung has explained so brilliantly in psychological, therefore neutral, language. It is hinted at in the exoteric rituals of religions with the symbolic use of fire. I only wish I cld convey on e-m my diagram of the circle w/pt in middle, etc. It is in the last few pp of my THE HEAVENS DECLARE. I cld call it JUNG 101! Time for lunch! love "Silly Old Woman" ao Vote for your city's best dining and nightlife. City's Best 2008. Vote for your city's best dining and nightlife. City's Best 2008. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 15, 2008 Report Share Posted June 15, 2008 Dear Alice, Don't despair. The circle with the dot in the middle lives for all time. As long as we remember the space on the rim of the circle as drawn is ego and the center GO-do(Self) we have it right....at least that far. Since G-d is within, I think G-d loves the ego also, because that is who we are and G-d does not judge us or the ego. I note your emphasis on "devotion", and I couldn't agree more. love, Toni Ego! Once and for all - aaaaaaaargh! Jung defined the ego as the center of consciousness. It is being rightfully blasted by Tolle n many others, but we need to remember that we all need to have an ego to live in this world. It bears our name. The problem arises when we identify with our ego!!! and think that's all we really are. We mostly are unaware of the Self or Divine Guest who is who we really are because they dwell in our Unconscious.. Think of Self as candle wick n Div G as same flame on all individual candles. Would somebody be kind enough to post p. 100-1 of my JUNGIAN SYMBOLISM IN ASTROLOGY and the quote fr I CHING Hex 2, substituting 'Self' for Creative n 'Ego' for Receptive. The secret solution is that we need to surrender our ego with devotion to the Spirit which dwells w/in us. That's the basic task for all of us! Then we can use our ego as an instrument for - hopefully - creative good. This is the basic spiritual dynamic that the mystical sides of all the religions try to share n which Jung has explained so brilliantly in psychological, therefore neutral, language. It is hinted at in the exoteric rituals of religions with the symbolic use of fire. I only wish I cld convey on e-m my diagram of the circle w/pt in middle, etc. It is in the last few pp of my THE HEAVENS DECLARE. I cld call it JUNG 101! Time for lunch! love "Silly Old Woman" ao Change settings via the Web (Yahoo! ID required) Change settings via email: Switch delivery to Daily Digest | Switch to Fully Featured Visit Your Group | Yahoo! Groups Terms of Use | Unsubscribe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 15, 2008 Report Share Posted June 15, 2008 Oh, thank u for this!!! love aoVote for your city's best dining and nightlife. City's Best 2008. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 15, 2008 Report Share Posted June 15, 2008 You're welcome. *S* Blissings, Sam Oh, thank u for this!!! love ao Vote for your city's best dining and nightlife. City's Best 2008. Vote for your city's best dining and nightlife. City's Best 2008. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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