Having overvalued the yang or masculine qualities of personal identity and accomplishment many people today wrestle with the shame of failure, or not measuring up to an image of success and strength. Increasing work demands have put pressure on providing time for self-care and relationships.
While individuality has its place, our lives are ultimately enhanced by the yin or feminine domains such as relationships, love, acceptance and having an inner life as well as outer identity. Many mothers have wrestled with guilt when it comes to attempting to be a perfect mother while juggling work and other obligations.
Both our fathers and mothers have been muddied by this cultural legacy. A lack of integration within parents has seen the rise of absent or neglectful fathers as well as devouring or martyring mothers.
Carl Jung felt that fully actualised adults breed functional children, saying:
“Beyond the human obligation to look after ageing parents and to maintain a friendly relation with them, there should be no other dependencies, for the young generation has to start life anew and can encumber itself with the past only in case of the greatest necessity.”
https://adifferentdrummer.com.au/break-your-shell/mental-health-retreat
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