The Shadow of our Relief

Hello All,

I wrote the following email to Bonnie Bright, our founder, the night of May 1, 2011, right after I heard the news of Osama Bin Laden's death. I was fearful to post this on the Alliance site, simply because it is not always easy to voice raw reactions that are vulnerable enoght to admit to myself.

Obviously, the murder of Osama Bin Laden is bound to generate several questions relating to the positive and negative ripples of this development. While I share in the collective sigh of relief upon hearing of Bin Laden's death, my initial shock had more to do with the NBC commentator explaining the "luck" in; knowing that he is dead; having possession of the body; and that he was killed by the US military. To further irritate my psyche, the commentator beamed with gratitude that we now knew that Bin Laden hadn't disappeared, or, God forbid, died of natural causes.

The focus now is on the proof of Bin Laden's death, presenting his body as evidence, and the bragging that it was the US that did the killing. I am extremely uncomfortable in the witnessing of so much understated/unsaid thrill displayed by the the media. I'm not certain what specifically is creating my morning-sickness-like nausea, I just know that something very wrong is festering and I am highly concerned.

I find myself disturbed by the flood of thoughts and fear the excuses our country, and the world, will deliver to justify a continued "war on terror". I am frightful that there will be a continuation of this chronic condition we in the Western World are afflicted with; the one that justifies our need for ongoing war. As an example, upon hearing the news of Osama's death, many gatherings surrounded the White House, singing, "We are the Champions".

From a depth perspective, we must ask contemplate how Bin Ladens death will change our (the U.S.'s) story of entitlement that led to our invasion into Afghanistan to seek, hunt and kill O.B.L.. I fear that, despite our celebrating in the streets, this was is not over. As much as I'd like to believe that Bin Laden's followers are relieved at his death, I know that is a reaction steeped in denial.

I am overwhelmed by so many head-shaking questions and realities,I consider myself (semi) speechless. Psychologically, our country (and world), are being launched into a deeply disturbing energy of joy. I just don't believe that jubulation has any place in the murder of any human. The guilt from that joy is the only aspect of the human condition that we have learned to disregard in our daily realities. However, if we awaken to the realities of relief and the sense of championship, partnered with the guilt of these emotions, it may be our saving grace.

Let's think about the reprecussions of the follwing question; "If our country's self-defined shadow is now dead, who is next? Who will now respresent the darkeness of this land?

Thanks for Listening,

Jill

Jill: Thank you so much for your courage and your presence in making this post. I have to say, I have sat down three times to respond to your post and have been unable to make the words flow from my fingers in order to type my response--and I think the rupture is not between my fingers and keyboard, but rather my heart, my head, and my hands. I am having a very difficult time articulating my own emotions and feelings about the killing of bin Laden--even to my conscious self.

As many know, my vision for the Alliance is that it can be a safe and sacred space in which those of us who truly care to serve the anima mundi, the world soul, engage in discussion about the very significant topics that affect our planet and each of its species very deeply. If not here, where? If not us, who? And yet I honor each of you who are holding space in lieu of sharing your thoughts--sometimes that is all we can do.

Having said that, I wanted to share one thing I've been thinking about and that is the irony of the fact that bin Laden was buried at sea. When one wonders, as Jill did, where the shadow goes once we "kill" it, I would venture to suggest in this case it has gone back into the unconscious, represented so archetypally by the primal waters. That's it, right? Closure. We can wash our hands of him and the entire realm of evil he represents. There isn't even a body to remind us of the horrors and we can go back to normal as if the entire event and all that is connected with it was just a blip on the radar. Except that we as depth psychologists know all too well, the entire matter is still there, but simply invisible, waiting to erupt elsewhere.

I don't know what the answer is. I feel fear, but what also keeps coming to me over and over again is the idea that when we fear, target, or scapegoat the "other", it is because we cannot accept that which is "other" in ourselves. And, many of the great thinkers of depth psych, James Hillman included, suggested that it is because we lack imagination - the capacity to imagine the life from the shoes of the other. While I'm not suggesting it is feasible or even possible to imagine life from bin Laden's perspective, I am wondering at our apparent collective cultural inability to imagine a world in which an "eye for an eye" is not the only answer, and sweeping a very human--and humanity-- issue under the rug (or into the ocean) is not going to make it simply "go away". How can we, especially in this community, do something otherwise to counteract what seems to be happening as many in the western world celebrate--even as the story about the event itself keeps changing....? Can anyone else share what you thought, felt, experienced when you heard the news of the killing or what you think now?

Replies

Lilan Laishley May 16, 2011 at 6:21am

Hello all, I was inspired by this discussion of Bin Laden as the Shadow and discuss it in my monthly Moon Letter about this Full Moon in Scorpio. I include an image and a quote from the Red Book. Here is a link to the MOON LETTER if you want to read it. Lilan
Ed Koffenberger May 7, 2011 at 8:13pm

I hope this does not sound too petty, but I am suddenly remembering the joy in the Wizard of Oz when the Wicked Witch of the East was killed by Dorothy's falling house. Yet Dorothy can't go home again until she has helped facilitate the regaining of wisdom, courage, and heart by the characters of her journey. The Wicked Witch of the West was dissolved by water and the Wizard was nothing but smoke and mirrors. Only after these things happened could Dorothy find that in her transformed state she could regain her home, leaving her fear behind. Maybe we, as a nation after the celebrations die as they all do, need to go about the hard work of regaining our deeper wisdom, courage, heart, and thereby, our hope even in the face of the knowledge that another tornado may be just over the horizon.
- Bonnie Bright > Ed Koffenberger May 8, 2011 at 7:38pm
  
  Ed, I actually love your analogy of the Wizard of Oz. I have thought an written much about soul loss in our culture and it is in reference exactly to this need for a new wholeness, a recovery of soul which indeed includes wisdom, courage and heart. It also includes consciousness. Those who celebrated the news of bin Laden's death are not looking at the big picture and taking into account the mythological aspect as Joy and Thom pointed out, but are emotionally responding to repression that Rachel alluded to in a literal way.
  
  If only we could all collectively seek to look at the symbolic, mythological, or mythopoetic aspects of what is actually happening here, I think we could retain the awareness that we are still talking about human life here, and by taking a human life in a violent way, even IF it is justified, if we do it outside of ritual and without the web of context and sacred story that encompasses such an event, any potential magic that may emerge will be lost completely and it simply become empty. When the Wicked Witch of the West melted, Dorothy and her friends were removed from immediate danger, but as Ed pointed out, there is still the need to retain the ritual of the journey and the return with a gift for the community.
  
  I'm personally glad the decision was made not to make either the body or the photos available but would wish for something more to be offered up that would make us all more conscious of the bigger symbolic meaning behind the entire chain of events... We need more depth psychology in politics, to be sure!
  - Bonnie Bright > Bonnie Bright May 12, 2011 at 8:41am
    
    This may be highly controversial--I'm aware of that--but this seems like a community that can hold tension. Here is a commentary on Osama bin Laden's death by filmmaker Michael Moore I just came across. Thought I would add it to the melting pot in our alchemical stew here as the news has had a chance to sink in for a week or more...
    
    Some Final Thoughts on the Death of Osama bin Laden:
    http://www.facebook.com/notes/robert-j-barnhart/some-final-thoughts...
rachel mayo May 7, 2011 at 2:14pm

Bin Laden has indeed been the iconic symbol of America's worst fears. By publicly celebrating his death people felt a new surge of power that has lately been denied them -- the uncertainties brought by the failure in economy, the three wars the US is engaged in, the growing strength of China, the dwindling lack of trust in its leaders... on top of the 9/11 episode! The event is a way for people to once again get in touch to the image of their collective persona -- the US as the number 1 power in the world. The event empowered the masses and brought back their confidence. This is good for their morale.
Thom F. Cavalli, Ph.D. May 6, 2011 at 5:56pm

What reaction we have to bin Laden's death depends, I believe,on whether we seek justice or revenge. When the Dalai Lama spoke of approval over his death, I'm sure he has justice in his heart. But, there are different levels of justice. There is only a shade of difference between those who glory in revenge and others who subscribe to talon justice - an eye for an eye. I don't think we define our shadow anymore than we define any of the archetypes - they are autonomous and personified as gods, immortal. Death of any kind holds endless fascination for us. Like rubber-neckers we want to see the photo of bin Laden's "dead head" (check it out in Edinger) as much out of curiosity as proof. That he was submitted to the sea was a brilliant political move; thus, the body cannot be fixed into a martyrs' grave. Rather, he will, like all of us, be re-absored into the collective unconscious; a watery grave holds the solutio that may dissolve his sins. As for Hilary's chagrin while watching his demise, it may - as she offered - been no more of a spring allergy than the "Arab Spring"!
Ingrid Joy Brown May 5, 2011 at 3:56am

Thank you Jill and Bonnie for your feeling & thoughtful perspectives on a difficult topic. I am struck deeply by the image of bin Laden's corpse submitted to the dark ocean, the great unconscious, that deep fluidity evocative of feeling, dreaminess, and visions. Disturbing but also an unexplainable completion: a pause, a rebirthing prepping for another cycle. The sojourn to the Underworld, that long breathless breath, and eventual return. Could we have resolved it differently or the myth was too strong, at least this time around?

It is profoundly disturbing; I struggle to come to terms with the troubling effect in life and death of bin Laden. I watch Pres. Obama in fascination, looking at the discordant note. Hilary's horrified reaction as she watched the event gave me solid ground, an authentic reaction to nightmare. What misery to bear.
Bonnie Bright May 4, 2011 at 9:11pm

Jill: Thank you so much for your courage and your presence in making this post. I have to say, I have sat down three times to respond to your post and have been unable to make the words flow from my fingers in order to type my response--and I think the rupture is not between my fingers and keyboard, but rather my heart, my head, and my hands. I am having a very difficult time articulating my own emotions and feelings about the killing of bin Laden--even to my conscious self.

As many know, my vision for the Alliance is that it can be a safe and sacred space in which those of us who truly care to serve the anima mundi, the world soul, engage in discussion about the very significant topics that affect our planet and each of its species very deeply. If not here, where? If not us, who? And yet I honor each of you who are holding space in lieu of sharing your thoughts--sometimes that is all we can do.

Having said that, I wanted to share one thing I've been thinking about and that is the irony of the fact that bin Laden was buried at sea. When one wonders, as Jill did, where the shadow goes once we "kill" it, I would venture to suggest in this case it has gone back into the unconscious, represented so archetypally by the primal waters. That's it, right? Closure. We can wash our hands of him and the entire realm of evil he represents. There isn't even a body to remind us of the horrors and we can go back to normal as if the entire event and all that is connected with it was just a blip on the radar. Except that we as depth psychologists know all too well, the entire matter is still there, but simply invisible, waiting to erupt elsewhere.

I don't know what the answer is. I feel fear, but what also keeps coming to me over and over again is the idea that when we fear, target, or scapegoat the "other", it is because we cannot accept that which is "other" in ourselves. And, many of the great thinkers of depth psych, James Hillman included, suggested that it is because we lack imagination - the capacity to imagine the life from the shoes of the other. While I'm not suggesting it is feasible or even possible to imagine life from bin Laden's perspective, I am wondering at our apparent collective cultural inability to imagine a world in which an "eye for an eye" is not the only answer, and sweeping a very human--and humanity-- issue under the rug (or into the ocean) is not going to make it simply "go away". How can we, especially in this community, do something otherwise to counteract what seems to be happening as many in the western world celebrate--even as the story about the event itself keeps changing....? Can anyone else share what you thought, felt, experienced when you heard the news of the killing or what you think now?

This reply was deleted.