2010 - The Year of the Great C.G. Jung Project

From synchronicity to the vast collective unconscious, I have found myself working with symbols, dreams and the language of the spirit. Actually, it's as if the symbolic sort of grabbed me and has taken my mind captive. One day I was looking at the world one way, and the next I was seeing myths, legends and archetypes all around me. I decided I was going to try to read as many Carl Jung books as I can in 2010. The goal is to get through all the “relevant” ones and blog about how his ideas are relevant (or not ) to spiritual and psychological evolution. It’s time I read the works of the man who has had such an impact on me (even if it was unknown). Or as someone told me once, “you both came to the same place independently in different ways.” Am I the 100th monkey or has Jung's work simply become part of the collective unconscious? This year we will see where Jung and I come together and where we fall apart and whether all this study and reflection can lead to individuation, self-actualization or self-realization. Please join me on this journey to self-discovery.

Thursday, August 13, 2009

Acceptance

Most of my life I've struggled with acceptance. I could be happy at just about any time, if I'd only accept what was going on. But I can't because the person or situation does not fulfill my expectations, or do what I'd like. What a waste!

The most recent example of this occurred only a few weeks ago. I was "supposed" to be on vacation but the Friday afternoon before it started I got a call from my daughter. My toilet was overflowing (OK, stop with looking for universal symbolism here). Someone flushed a sock, or a washcloth and before I knew it I had 5" of water in about 1/3 of my house.

The situation quickly went from bad to worse, my daughter slipped and fell on the wet tile and ended up in the ER. My insurance told me I had a high deductible and the adjustor couldn't come for a week to look at the damage. Meanwhile, mildew and mold were growing in the summer air.

Fortunately, my daughter had no injury (hurting but nothing broken). That should have been enough to keep me grateful for quite some time; but instead I found myself pulling up carpet, fixing the flooring and feeling sorry for myself for not getting a real vacation. That lasted until about Wednesday when I finally got that if I could only accept "what was," I could be at peace (and maybe even happier, if not actually happy).

I don't know why acceptance is so hard for me. I don't know why my mind so rigidly clings to what I believe and want. But I do know that when I can let go, even a little bit, I feel better. It's like a cool breeze on a hot summer day. It brings relief even when you are busy pulling up carpet.
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