One thing I am appreciating more and more about this series, is that my attention is drawn in multiple directions with connections being made at meta-levels. Sometimes I find myself going down roads that were not necessarily the focus…but of GREAT use and interest...and I am very comfortable with that.

Case in point…(Warning…I am going completely off topic so read at your own risk). At the very beginning of the week 3 webinar, Craig briefly mentioned Sophia. The image of Sophia looking into the turbulent ocean and seeing her own light reminded me of the image of Nemesis attracting Narcissus to a still pool of water, where he saw his own reflection in the water and fell in love with it, eventually drowning there because of his inability to leave.  As a clinician, I have always chuckled at the irony of the disorder being named narcissism, because people who fit those criteria do not love themselves...far from it.  Actually, their ego strength and insight is so fragile that while they while they have a great insight that they are flawed (let’s say undeveloped here) but are unable to examine themselves or admit to others that they are undeveloped…so they defend that fragile ego and take revenge, like Nemesis, on all and everything that challenges them, and therefore miss all opportunities to individuate. So, I have for years found the mythic naming of this most difficult disorder to treat laughable at best.

The story of Sophia has completely changed my perception. In typical conditions, one can’t see “below the water” unless there is a little movement on the surface. If the water is perfectly still one sees only a reflection…a virtual mirror. Nemesis used Narcissus’ already enamored self and disdain for those who loved him, or could love him, and set him up beautifully so that he had no real chance to see his shadow and undertake the hard work of confrontation and growth and individuation. Sophia saw not reflection, but shadow. WOW! 

von Franz "…every personification of the unconscious - the shadow, the anima, the animus, and the Self - has both a light and a dark aspect....the anima and animus have dual aspects: They can bring life-giving development and creativeness to the personality, or they can cause petrification and physical death".

1. This mythic insight, regarding what might be obvious to all…the distinction of a metaphorical mirror versus a more translucent, permeable barrier…a sort of Anima/Animus gateway to ones opposing personality and shadow is significant for me…. professionally and personally.
2. This helps me understand the importance of exploring many myths and to be better versed because of the connections and insights lurking there to better develop my Self and worldview, ancient and contemporary…I am hugely motivated.
3. I believe I have even more sensitivity and compassion to the awful, revengeful, self-centered lives that some people live…interestingly, which reinforces what experts believe causes such a person to develop in this way (inconsistent love and parenting which reinforces one to distrust the concept of love and to act out against it and to hyper-focus on self).

So…How is that for going completely off the rails and left-field?

Yes. I DID enjoy the topic of myth and apocalypse. The concept of eradigmatis and phases of apocalypse and current society seem dead-on. Thankfully, the concept of conscious apocalypse seems hopeful and while the disruptions that we see now are so frightening, the belief that there are forward thinking people and that these phases do come around creates some faith we will see recovery.