Thank you for your beautifully expressed wisdom. I am reminded of the saying: "Too spiritual for earthly good."
The fact of the matter is we are paradoxes of infinite choice and mortal limits. We developed (over developed) our ego (I am) as an existential skill. If we are to stay alive, we need to inhabit our bodies and honor the limits of the flesh and blood that are our earthly conduit and expression. Human mortality is the channel our psyche is tuned to and channel surfing can be hazardous to your health.
You give another whole meaning to the term: "holy."
This is interesting bc this experience (not sought by me or desired by me) is what my Jungian therapist calls integration…parts of the ego dying as you awaken (not a full blown one and done awakening):
And precisely because awakening is the recognition of emptiness as our true nature, it cannot be contrived by any of the methods I have mentioned above. When it does occur, it does so by accident. Like when a large scrap piece of the ego suddenly collapses revealing such a sizeable empty space beneath the circle that the discovery shocks the mind into a state of temporary paralysis, preventing it from constructing an identity.
If I were to reframe my views through a Jungian lens then:
Awakening is the sudden introduction of the individual to the realm and power of the unconscious which, up until that point, has been invisibly influencing one’s life.
Integration, in the Jungian sense, then becomes the process of painstakingly incorporating that view into the mechanics of daily human life and social dynamics. It is reconstructing the ego (which is nothing more than your social ID for participating in human society) in a way that accommodates the dynamic “live information” that you are constantly receiving from the unconscious.
This is a challenging process because most egos are built upon static “dead information” that is based upon memories, opinions, beliefs, expectations and such. And since society is fundamentally a structure built upon this sort of dead information, accommodating live information from the unconscious inevitably becomes a source of resistance and conflict.
That is why the true change-makers always seem “plugged in” to some mysterious source of inspiration and power and inevitably face massive resistance from the status quo.
It’s been 22 years since I experienced my first awakening and I can honestly say that it is only now that I feel like I have somewhat integrated what I’ve been privy to. And yet, awakening itself is never one and done. Each time the unconscious is integrated, another awakening occurs and greater depths are revealed.
For me, the one sure sign of an integrated individual is their ability to perceive subtlety, nuance, simplicity, to see the sensational as ordinary and accommodate all viewpoints on a matter no matter how extreme or radical. The ability to empathize with left, right, moderate or fundamentalist - not because one is justifying or rationalizing those positions. But because one has seen the unconscious and knows precisely how it causes people to act like puppets on strings, unaware that their apparent “choices” are not choices at all. Witnessing this evokes compassion rather than judgment within an integrated individual.
This was a brilliant read because it contains truth and hard earned wisdom with clarity and brevity. As someone earlier on the “path” who has come across similar inflection points as you have, I am glad to see these writings.
Mesmerizing.. I read every post. Thank you. I will be a paid subscriber soon. You have moved up to second in the queue.
Cover up says it all. Thank you for another brilliant nudge ;)
Thank you for your beautifully expressed wisdom. I am reminded of the saying: "Too spiritual for earthly good."
The fact of the matter is we are paradoxes of infinite choice and mortal limits. We developed (over developed) our ego (I am) as an existential skill. If we are to stay alive, we need to inhabit our bodies and honor the limits of the flesh and blood that are our earthly conduit and expression. Human mortality is the channel our psyche is tuned to and channel surfing can be hazardous to your health.
You give another whole meaning to the term: "holy."
Shiv, how would you describe the “how to” of integration? Have been at this for a while now and I’m wondering. Is it the feeling and allowing thing?
This is interesting bc this experience (not sought by me or desired by me) is what my Jungian therapist calls integration…parts of the ego dying as you awaken (not a full blown one and done awakening):
And precisely because awakening is the recognition of emptiness as our true nature, it cannot be contrived by any of the methods I have mentioned above. When it does occur, it does so by accident. Like when a large scrap piece of the ego suddenly collapses revealing such a sizeable empty space beneath the circle that the discovery shocks the mind into a state of temporary paralysis, preventing it from constructing an identity.
If I were to reframe my views through a Jungian lens then:
Awakening is the sudden introduction of the individual to the realm and power of the unconscious which, up until that point, has been invisibly influencing one’s life.
Integration, in the Jungian sense, then becomes the process of painstakingly incorporating that view into the mechanics of daily human life and social dynamics. It is reconstructing the ego (which is nothing more than your social ID for participating in human society) in a way that accommodates the dynamic “live information” that you are constantly receiving from the unconscious.
This is a challenging process because most egos are built upon static “dead information” that is based upon memories, opinions, beliefs, expectations and such. And since society is fundamentally a structure built upon this sort of dead information, accommodating live information from the unconscious inevitably becomes a source of resistance and conflict.
That is why the true change-makers always seem “plugged in” to some mysterious source of inspiration and power and inevitably face massive resistance from the status quo.
It’s been 22 years since I experienced my first awakening and I can honestly say that it is only now that I feel like I have somewhat integrated what I’ve been privy to. And yet, awakening itself is never one and done. Each time the unconscious is integrated, another awakening occurs and greater depths are revealed.
For me, the one sure sign of an integrated individual is their ability to perceive subtlety, nuance, simplicity, to see the sensational as ordinary and accommodate all viewpoints on a matter no matter how extreme or radical. The ability to empathize with left, right, moderate or fundamentalist - not because one is justifying or rationalizing those positions. But because one has seen the unconscious and knows precisely how it causes people to act like puppets on strings, unaware that their apparent “choices” are not choices at all. Witnessing this evokes compassion rather than judgment within an integrated individual.
Thx this is very helpful 💜
Shiv, you write;
'For me, the one sure sign of an integrated individual is their ability to perceive subtlety....etc'
That really resonattes with me- The brevity of your Jungian lens is powerful!
many thanks, joe x
This one was especially well expressed. I enjoyed reading it. 🤓
Thank you Shiv.
This was a brilliant read because it contains truth and hard earned wisdom with clarity and brevity. As someone earlier on the “path” who has come across similar inflection points as you have, I am glad to see these writings.