Hi everyone. Thanks for your recent posts. The info on Peruvian shamanism and plant medicine are fascinating and I appreciate the sharing.
On a different topic, I wrote a piece on the crossover between Jung, Shamanism and Soul Loss awhile back and realize I have never shared it here. I'm thinking of revising it to submit it for publication and wanted to offer it up for review here. If anyone has the time, energy, and courage to read it, please feel free to offer any feedback... The Shamanic Perspective: Where Jungian Thought and Archetypal Shamanism Converge.
Thanks.
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Oh, I had read your brilliant article before, and I think I posted it on my facebook wall.... probably got it off one of Mikkal's groups... will read it again, of course, and will send you my comments as an absolute layman....
I read your article this morning on the coach from Mexico City to Cuernavaca. I thought it was excellent. Very clear and a good summary. I'll be sending it to some friends if that is OK
A couple of points. I think you could make a bit more of how Jung himself underwent his own shamanic journey which then became the foundation of his healing work. Patrick Harpur refers to this a lot in his very interesting book "Daemonic Reality". As an aside, which is actually more related to the ecopsychology group, one thing that fascinated me when I visited Jung's house this summer on the lake near Zurich where he lived with his family and saw patients, is that in good weather he saw his patients outside. He saw them in a relatively secluded area with a beautiful view over the lake and under a wonderful tree (I should have noted its name but did not). When I saw this it made me think how this natural aspect of the healing environment that Jung was creating, especially the presence of the tree, rarely gets mention or credit.
The other point concerns cultural soul loss. I'd like to see more work by depth psychologists investigating the explicitly social and political aspects of this, that is how consumerism and neo-liberal capitalism foster this. I know there is work out there on this (I'm thinking of Mary Watkins for one) and Id like to see some of that in your article too.
best wishes Paul
Hi Paul: Thanks so much for your insights into the article on Jung and Shamanism. You are bringing a lot of new information for me. I love your connection between Jung seeing patients outside when weather allowed and shamanism--because, of course, shamans are the ultimate servants of nature and earth in an animistic belief system where all things are alive and intelligent with a will of their own.
I will also check out the book--I think Jung's underworld journey (shamanic illness) is one of the first things that drew me to depth psychology and Jung, and of course, on some level I believe it's why his Red Book has been so successful in a culture that is currently undergoing its own journey of soul loss and initiation. In fact, you are very intuitive. Your last paragraphs touches in very specifically on some work I am doing toward my impending dissertation and it wouldn't be much work to add some of it to the article. My apologies for taking so long to respond to your lovely suggestions--and much gratitude for you for taking the time to read the article as well.
Hi Bonnie.
I had just replied to your comment and was making a point about soul loss when I hit the wrong key and lost the message. So apologies it it reappears and I'm duplicating it.
I like your point about the popularity of Jung's Red Book in the context of the loss of soul in the times we live in. I think the book makes clear, if it was not already, that Jung's healing capacity as a therapist was based on this underworld journey he made rather than some more strictly rational scientific approach and attitude.
I have just started reading Patrick Harpur's newish book called 'The Complete Guide to the Soul'. I don't like the title (sounds like 'Soul for Dummies') but don't let that put you off. Its a remarkable book. Or maybe its one of those books that arrives in your life at just the right time and for other people it just would not have the same impact.
I also wanted to check again if I can send your article to a couple of friends
best wishes Paul
PS On the subject of animism where ALL things are alive, I had a very interesting experience in an ayahuasca ceremony recently when the brightly colored, blue plastic vomit bowl I had been given tried to pull away from me when I reached out for it. I found myself entering into a conversation with the 'spirit' of the bowl and it told me it really did not like being in the form of this bright, brash, blue plastic bowl. Of course it is easy to dismiss this kind of experience as being drug-induced and hallucinatory but to me it was as real as the conversation I have just had with the waiter in a cafe in Guadalajara.....and more interesting!
PSS I have tried to make more of this connection between ecopsychology and animism in a talk I gave recently in Mexico City and which I have added to the ecopsychology group
Hi Paul: Thanks for the recommendation for yet another fascinating-sounding book. I'm always on the lookout and appreciate knowing someone else has read it and found it valuable. I'll look it up. Meanwhile, your experience with the bowl is fascinating--I often wonder how the natural world is able to integrate our vast and sometimes grotesque manipulations of it for our own use and/or amusement--garish blue plastic not being the least of them....
I saw the article you posted here on ecopsych and animism and it's on my list to read--I'll try to get to it soon and I'm looking forward to it. Meanwhile, yes! Feel free to forward my article on Jung and shamanism. I'm happy to share whatever small amount of knowledge or insight you find there!