Hi everyone.
Thanks Bonnie for suggesting I should introduce myself. I'm very happy to be part of this community. I have been interested in Jungian psychology and related fields since 2003 when I read Robertson Davies' The Manticore and Fifth Act which featured Jungian ideas prominent (sadly, I haven't been able to get my hands on the third novel in the so-called Deptford trilogy). Since then, I have read several of Jung's books and much related material.
I am from the Arabian Gulf island of Bahrain, and currently work as an English teacher. I hope to find some way of professionally working with depth psychology.
I post my ideas on my blog, The Granite, at www.waelalmahdi.com
Replies
I echo Bonnie's desire to know more about how easy/hard it may be to get depth psychology works in Bahrain. I am reminded of the alchemical texts that are Islamic/Arabic in tradition. I also appreciate your seeing much of the unrest in terms of the shadow. Hopefully, the negative shadow brings to consciousness those "lost" aspects of soul with the subsequent hoped for transformation. My fear is that, in the West, a Middle Eastern display of violence is not understood with compassion but with an equally violent shadow of the Western world. Then you have battling shadows - sadly, more damage before any form of conscious compassion gets to see the light of day.
Great to have you with us.
Ed
I appreciate your understanding, Ed. I've only ever bought one Jung book in Bahrain (aspects of the Feminine). They're not available because no one asks for them. The rest of my Jung books I bought from neighboring Dubai, where there is an excellent Kinokuniya bookshop with many of Dr Jung's works. I've also acquired one or two online through Amazon and Waterstone's. On a visit to Britain last year, I got several more.
Indeed, alchemy/mysticism/sufism were vigorous in the Islamic middle ages, written mostly in Arabic and Persian with wonderful terminology. These are not widely available (I am reminded of Dr Jung's extensive efforts to obtain medieval European alchemical works). As far as I know, the earliest extant copy of the Tabula Smaragdina, which Dr Jung has quoted, is in Arabic.
The shadow still wreaks havoc here, and whatever dark primal forces not subdued by Islamic abstemiousness (though unfortunatley not tempered with a touch of love, as Christianity would insist), are on the loose and swallowing up much that is worthy. Unconsciousness is quite widespread and projection the order of the day.
Welcome, Wael--and if you don't mind, I'd like to share something you shared with me when I asked about integration of Jungian and Depth Psychology in Bahrain... You said, "There are no Jungian ideas that I know of in our neck of the woods. At least in my country Bahrain, there are no Jungian psychotherapists and I know of no one else who is interested in Jungian/depth psychology".
I just wanted to say that you gave me a significant jolt to understand for a moment how lucky I am to live in a location where Jungian and Depth Psychologies are not only available, but prominent--and it also makes me grateful for our online community here where, even though you may be isolated by geographic location, you have the opportunity ad option to find your way here on a daily basis if you want to. Are you able to get books in the field fairly easily.
Bonnie, I should point out that the dearth of Jungian/depth influences in our region comes on the backdrop of a more general lack of interest in psychology in all its fields. In many locations in the Arabic speaking world, therapists of any stripe are few and far in between. It was a surreal experience for me once when I saw and heard a drunk psychriatrist running his mouth about his patients' confidentialities in a restaurant in Irbid, Jordan.
Sadly, in comparison to other parts of the world, not only psychology but other humanities get short shrift in our part of the world. Not only this, but most so-called educated people can't even imagine the importance of such disciplines as mythology, linguistics, archetology etc. It's a complex situation which includes historical and cultural factors, the economic situation, and the drying-up of energy that comes from a big-brotherlike authoritarianism. All authenticity is gone, and what's left is the posturing of the ignorant (those who don't really "get it") and the despair and isolation of those few who see through the farce.
I often ask myself, where does the unspent energy of whole people, a whole cultural 'sprachsbund' go? When a people don't spend energy on discovering their ancient heritage (the peninsular Arabs' pre-Islamic past has in large measure been obliterated from popular consciousness), when they don't spend energy on building a special future, or when they don't spend energy on even beautifying their streets and neighborhoods, what becomes of this libido?
But when I see explosions, sectarian strife, intolerance, corruption, and wholesale suicide-bombings and beheadings, I get the unfortunate answer. The situation might not as a bleak as all that, but this part of the world has very big shadow.