John C. Robinson, Ph.D., D.Min. is a clinical psychologist with a second doctorate in ministry, an ordained interfaith minister, the author of seven books on the interface of psychology and spirituality, and last but not least, an aging Boomer with grown children and a gaggle of grandchildren. His professional work specialized in midlife, men’s issues, the integration of psychotherapy and spirituality, the nature of first-hand mystical experience, the psychology and spirituality of aging, and the archetypal revelations of myth and fairytale. A full time writer now, his recent works include a memoir/narrative on the transformation potential of aging (The Three Secrets of Aging), a collection of fairy tales (Bedtime Stories for Elders: What Fairy Tales Can Teach Us About the New Aging), and a work on a new myth for aging men (What Aging Men Want: Homer’s Odyssey as a Parable of Male Aging). www.johnrobinson.org.
David Van Nuys, PhD
Creator/Host of Shrink Rap Radio
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I also posted my comment on the show page at Shrinkrapradio.com. Thanks to Dr. Dave, who has a very easy going way with the guests and asked a lot of the right questions.
This was a good show, talking about working with dreams and with a different slant, toward recognizing aging as a normal, instinctual aspect of life, and therefore an opportunity for dialogue between the conscious attitude and the unconscious. The two fairy tales given were very instructive.
Jung’s comments about myths and how we use the same techniques to crack the code of dreams as we did to decipher the hieroglyphics and myths of old were discussed. As an example, I had a dream recently in which I was sailing along a coast. the blue-green tones of the water and land were offset by a red peak I saw up above the sea hills and I instantly knew this was where I was to set ashore, to complete something. Complete it I did, and uncomfortable though it was, I was led there by the red mountain peak, standing out as a symbol. I don’t know why the symbol was shown to me (or why I recognized it) but I am working with it. My next step is to draw this as I see it in my mind’s eye.
As life is a process, John points out that dreams point us toward the future from the position we are at, reminding me of the play analogy, that act three can’t happen without the events of act two to flow into it. I think John was quoting Jung saying, “(paraphrase) … if you can give up attachments, you can go on as if made anew.” As we age, I can’t think of a better slogan for adapting to changing conditions.
Considering how often we get stuck in a situation or place, John’s comment that “aging is an unprecedented opportunity for growth” applies. What sticks us in the place we are at, or stops us from moving forward, is usually a point of view. Whether we accept it or not, death will also have its say in our lives, even if it comes in what seems an untimely manner. I will be looking for these motifs to be appearing in my dreams in the future.
If listeners can write down John’s suggestions for working with dreams, which he gives at the end of the interview, they can delve into the secrets of their own content.