DIALOGUE

Is making New Year's resolutions aligned with the Self?

Posted by Bonnie Bright on December 30, 2010 at 2:21pm in Depth Psychology General

Jung said "The right way to wholeness is made up of fateful detours and wrong turnings." 

This year, I wonder if I can be a little easier on myself and surrender to the process more in spite of my "targets" and "goals".

What do you think of making and keeping New Year's resolutions? Is it an activity that is aligned with surrendering to the Self and the process that is meant to unfold for each of us?

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Tags: Jung, Jung quote, New Year, individuation, resolution
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Replies

  • Carla Young January 16, 2011 at 2:01pm

    Hi Ed, I've posted your dream on The Daily Dreamer. Please feel free to comment on what I've said about your dream--of course it is only a projection on my part.

    Ed's dream on Daily Dreamer

    Guest Dreamer: Coming Together
    A blog to help dreamers discover the meaning of their dreams. Over 600 dream examples and interpretations.
  • Carla Young January 12, 2011 at 10:46am
    Thanks, Ed. I'll let you know when it's ready to post--most likely is a week or so.
  • Ed Koffenberger January 11, 2011 at 7:47pm
    Feel free to use the dream and I will enjoy your interpretation. If you desire to use a pseudonym, use Michael. Thanks.
  • Anthony L Peña, JD January 11, 2011 at 5:36pm

    According to D. Stephenson Bond in The Archetype of Renewal, 2003, our modern day New Years  Day traditions are leftover remnants of old and forgotten traditions having their origin in ancient Babylon (circa 3500 BC).

     
    In ancient Babylon (circa 3500 BC), their New Year’s festival, Akitu, was celebrated each year at the Vernal Equinox (the beginning of Spring). Their festival, Akitu, was an annual ritual renactment of a mythical battle fought between the new god Marduk and the old goddess Tiamat.


    According to Bond, this battle between the new god and the old goddess was part of the Babylonian story of creation, and their yearly ritual renactment was for the purposes of bringing heaven and earth, macrocosm and microcosm, back into proper relationship and synchronization.


    Putting it more simply, Akitu was a yearly ritual performed for the purposes of starting over anew with a clean slate. At the end of the Akitu festival, "oracles were cast... in order for the fate of each of the coming twelve months to be determined, predicting the prospects for the weal and woe of the city."


    In modern times Old Man Time (Tiamat) gives way to Baby New Year (Marduk), and each year "the weal and woe" predictions of world events are given out and then read in our tabloids as we hope for our clean slate and make our resolutions with a chance for a fresh start.

    • Carla Young > Anthony L Peña, JD January 12, 2011 at 10:44am
      Thanks for your very interesting background information on our modern observance, Anthony. Also relating the event back to historical observances is this short piece posted by a guest writer on my blog. New Year As Transition
      Guest Writer: The New Year as Transition
      A blog to help dreamers discover the meaning of their dreams. Over 600 dream examples and interpretations.
    • Bonnie Bright > Anthony L Peña, JD January 12, 2011 at 12:53am

      Anthony: Thanks for providing your own knowledge and expertise to this topic. Though I posted it right at the new year, I'm still struck by how guilty I feel because I have not only NOT made New Year's resolutions, but I am starting to feel there's no longer a point.

      This must be based on a complex around not wanting to fail! That, or perhaps, based on your insights, this is a far more archetypal and deepseated urge that is calling me to renewal and a literal and figurative "reset" of my ongoing habits and egoic thoughts and actions. The urge for renewal is apparently ancient and strong!

      I think this year, now, I am leaning toward renewal in a profound and rooted way, applying something in the realm of ritual that can allow the renewal to symbolically be put in motion, rather than simply setting "traditional" goals that I am already feeling may be out of my reach! Thanks again for the insight!

      • Carla Young > Bonnie Bright January 12, 2011 at 10:49am
        Here's a possible solution: Resolve not to make any resolutions!
    • Ed Koffenberger > Anthony L Peña, JD January 11, 2011 at 7:52pm

      Thanks for this background. I would add that we here in the US also have a strong renewal myth going on as well related to the arrival of the second sons of Europe and thw westward movement later in our history. Thanks again for your info. It enriches the conversations an images.

  • Ed Koffenberger January 11, 2011 at 6:50am
    Had a dream last night that spoke to this goal setting approach: I was sitting with the father of my son-in-law who is a dentist (the father). He was frustrated with me that at my age I had not set my career goal related to my PhD work. I replied confidently that I was going to let psyche be my guide this time and that it makes about as much sense as a 20 year old setting a life's goal at that age. (He mentioned something about drag queens to which I responded with something about American Presidents - but I think that's a bit off topic). When you invite psyche to the table, the goal-setting ego has to move from the head of the table and just be part of the discussion.
    • Carla Young > Ed Koffenberger January 11, 2011 at 11:00am
      Ed, I love your dream. Would you consider being a guest dreamer on my blog? Here's an example of a guest dreamer post: Sample Guest Dreamer on Daily Dreamer
      Guest Dreamer: First Encounter
      A blog to help dreamers discover the meaning of their dreams. Over 600 dream examples and interpretations.
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