There are two kinds of suffering. Suffering imposed on us by the outside and suffering created by ourselves. All we can do with suffering imposed by the outside is share it in the human family and show compassion, love and empathy for those who’ve been hurt.
Where does this admonition come from? It is usually directed at someone who goes public with their sexuality, greed, gluttony, relentless need for attention etc. We diagnose and identify sociopaths by their inability to feel guilt as well as their incapacity for shame in many areas of their lives.
Boredom, anxiety, depression, physical symptoms, excesses and addictions can all be signs that the old games and approaches to life are no longer working.
Ever since Carl Jung coined the psychological term ‘complex’ in the early part of this century it has become a part of everyday language (inferiority complex, guilt complex, money complex, Father complex etc.) Complexes are like separate little personalities within the total personality.
Even though ‘Eternal Girls’ are in their 30’s, 40’s, 50’s or even older,they retain the emotional and psychological characteristic of young girls. These women are wounded by our patriarchal society, which has defined what women can and cannot do.
Man carries within himself an image of a woman. When he is ‘in love’, he projects the image of his inner woman onto the woman he loves. In other words when he falls ‘in love’ with a woman, he is, in fact, only in love with himself.
Here is what the German poet Rilke had to say: Sometimes a man stands up after supper and walks outdoors, and keeps on walking, because of a church that stands somewhere in the East. And his children say blessings on him as if he were dead. And another man, who remains inside his own house, …
Women And The Warrior Archetype Even though the warrior archetype has been traditionally rooted in the male culture, the inner warrior is equally important and alive in women in today’s world. Unfortunately, traditional society has only condoned direct assertiveness by men. Women are often tagged as unfeminine or worse when they resort to healthy assertion, …
The Ego Wants Security, The Soul Wants to Live! Pt 2 Read More »
Reflections On The Inner Warrior Are you bored, lethargic, lonely, feel alienated or empty inside? Is the monster of the status–quo running your life? Are you stuck? Complaining and whining, or waiting for a rescue will not help. However, being quiet and reflective, checking out your inner landscape and consciously exploring the deeper parts of …
Of all the formative experiences in life, the most important for most of us is the early relationship with our mother. She is the primary mediator between the outside world and us. For men, this powerful ‘mother imprint’ is more psychologically influential than any other one. Therefore, the major influx of information men receive about …