AziMuth

If I had time to go in search of it, I’m sure there must be an interesting quote from Shakespeare on the dangers of certitude. Once I’ve locked reality to meet my assumptions, I’m no longer able to admit any wider possible aspect within reality that challenge those assumptions, and in effect, the power of my bias begins to work unconsciously. The bias becomes a lens whereby each and every piece of incoming data must meet the demands of given prejudice.

I’m saddened by the overt racism that is leaking from so many quarters in these days of suffering in Haiti. Do you see what I see?

A great post on this over at Cultural Mythology…

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Getting notice that another has thrown the foul flag at you, claiming that you are “out of line” provides a great opportunity to do a little inventory work.

Is the issue at hand being brought up because responses were inappropriate or because the information delivered does not fit in the others expectations?  And then, if we can be honest with ourselves, can we admit that perhaps the answer is most likely in the gray area that includes a little bit of both possibilities.

Often times emotional responses can be viewed as out of line simply because the anger, disgust, passion or whatever that they contain is more than the other party is willing to allow for.  Does that mean we should not be emotional?

Often times simply responding in a manner that is not the other persons expectations is to step out of line, but in these cases it’s the line that the other is using is simply to try and control the interaction. Do you remember the amount of energy that was spent by the adults in Elementary School teaching the students to stay in line?

Yet, I’m struck by the fact that all innovators must step out of line.  I guess I’d go so far as to say that everyone called by the deep pull of what Jung calls individuation must, by it’s very definition, step out of line.

Hmm…where are you in relationship to the ordered lines that want to herd you these days?

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In many ways the concept of denial is a catch 22, for as I often hear explained when working at a therapeutic boarding school, it’s kind of like this:

When you’re in denial you don’t even know your lying to yourself

In many ways that’s a really good descriptor for the way all unconscious processes work, including projection (when we see the fault or blame for something in someone else…or all the exceptional qualities for that matter as well).

To claim the psyche is elusive is an understatement.  The challenge is to provide consciousness to with some experiences that will open out to the reality of the unconscious process that are always taking place.  Otherwise the danger is that wildly incorrect assumptions as to one’s role, capacity, identity, or relationships can lead to what we might mildly term as a derailment.  Life will in effect come off the tracks.

So…I wonder how I’m lying to myself today?

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