In the Jungian program I’m enrolled in, the students are encouraged to practice the methods with each other in coaching sessions. Recently, I was in the role of the coach and working with a mother whose adolescent son has epilepsy complicated with co-morbidities. (She gave me her permission to share this experience.)
Having a hard time comparing the ongoing cultural and medical scandals of pediatric gender affirming care with the trials of our human condition that Jung speaks about.
“Unconscious psychic contents” vs evil medical scandal robbing vulnerable, unhappy, confused youth of their mental and physical health for a self serving ideology. 🤷♂️
A couple thoughts: I have been learning about the "artificial extension of childhood" lately. It's the idea that schools keep our children from fully developing and maturing when they are naturally meant to start doing so. (Of course, every child has their own schedule and time frame, and some mature more and less rapidly in some areas than others. But the idea is that school deliberately delays the inevitable maturation process so that children don't get to use their innate genius when they are young(er) and not so jaded and beaten down by the system. Keep them powerless in school for longer, saying they are not ready for the "real world" and by the time they get to said "real world" they are indoctrinated enough to play their very small and mundane part and have likely given up many of their big dreams.)
I wonder how this relates to our paths as mothers maturing into matriarchs. Is our time in motherhood being artificially extended so that we delay our maturation into matriarchs and all the blessings that time brings with it. By the time we get to step into our matriarch archetype, many of us may have been beaten down and tired and unable to fully embody the strength and wisdom that we have worked so hard for over our years of mothering.
(I won't even get started on how our society demonizes "old age" and sees matriarchs as old and youth is the only measure of value and worth of a woman. Or maybe I just did a little. I'll stop now.)
The other thing your article got me thinking about is acceptance, surrender and trust. I see these as phases on a continuum. Just as I have to move through that process myself: accept that my life is what it is in this moment, surrender to the Truth of that reality, and Trust that I am capable and resilient enough to live this reality to its fullest and to my greatest benefit, I have to allow my children that grace as well. Of course I have thought about this concept before, and I "know" it to be true, but knowing and integrating and living as if are their own continuum. This article helped me integrate this knowing more deeply. Thank you.
This is really beautifully written. While I agree with Charlotte Johnson's comment that it is difficult to square the societal insanity that is gender ideology (or whatever we want to call the many theories that have our daughters and sons rejecting their healthy bodies and pretending to be the opposite sex in fear that, if they don't, they will die) with any of Jung's archetypes, your explanation of how society's madness is a failure to properly grasp our shadow selves - or accept our Gods/archetypes - resonates.
Society has lost its way, and we have to find our way back. I think the journey back will take many forms. Some of us will fight for information to be freely given (again exposing shadow selves), some (I put you in this category) will fight to maintain sanity in insane times and not be consumed by the dark shadows of others being projected onto them. Some of us will present reality and hope others can receive it. We'll all have to work together to get past a very weird time.
In the meantime, your Jungian analysis can be a helpful reminder that our children must grapple with their own shadow selves, even in the oddest of circumstances. We can't just make society all better, and we can't ask our kids to simply ignore everything around them. We have to hope our kids will follow our own example and find the good in all of this. (Of course you put it much more poetically and concisely!)
Well, there are many theories and angles as to where and who gave birth to this insane ideology that people can be born in the wrong body and through hormones and surgeries, can actually become the opposite sex. I'm sure Jung could tease out some basic origins from early pain and/or trauma in individuals.
Also, there were some pretty bad actors,
(doctors actually, I.e. John Money) back in the day who sought notoriety for their brave new thinking. Also have to consider the autogynephiles who are desperate to have us see their fetishized existence as normal human behavior.
The wholesale marketing of this ideology on young people in particular, and society at large is a whole another storv. First, it could
never have happened without the internet and the unfettered access available to young people and children. And there's the pornography angle that young minds are not equipped to handle, including cartoon porn.
$$ there.
Anime, cosplay-Big $$ there. Harmless you say? Do a little digging.
Want to know what a lifelong medical patient
is worth to big pharma and the medical profession? A LOT!
Selling a new body is a highly lucrative business.
There are many forces that have formed the narrative we are now being fed as a society.
*Children "just know" what their true gender is.
*Gender Affirming Care is lifesaving care.
*Children may commit suicide if denied this
'care'.
*Parents who question their children about this are not safe.
*Schools who suspect non-affirming parents must protect their children from them.
*Our President has called non-affirming parents 'cruel'.
*Gay rights and abortion rights and civil rights are now inextricably tied to transgender rights.
*The American Academy of Pediatrics, the Endocrine Society and the AMA at large all support gender affirming care. $$$$
*And, don't forget the Trans Activists who demand that we deny what our eyes can see.
The trans narrative rules.
Here's a great current example:
There is an initiative being proposed for the November ballot in California.
This initiative would give California voters the opportunity to vote on 3 things:
*Prohibit biological males from competing in women's competitive sports.
*Compel schools to notify parents if a child asks to socially transition to another gender at school.
*Prohibit the alteration of a minor child's body with hormones or surgery.
California attorney general Rob Bonita has the authority to title this initiative as it will appear on the November ballot.
Here is how he has titled this initiative:
RESTRICTS THE RIGHTS OF TRANSGENDER YOUTH.
We restrict a lot of things from our youth, for very good reasons, but apparently giving minor children the authority to make lifelong irreversible decisions about their bodies is compassionate, kind, and "the right thing to do".
Great stuff - wise words indeed.
Having a hard time comparing the ongoing cultural and medical scandals of pediatric gender affirming care with the trials of our human condition that Jung speaks about.
Amazing summary of the part of mothering/parenting that our society doesn’t address! I think there’s a book here…..
I think both of our efforts are very valuable!
So much of people’s perception of transgender ideology is just plain ignorance.
My aim is to replace that ignorance with reality and basic information.
I don’t see my contribution as any more valuable than yours.
We all need to be aware of our psychic shadows too.
“Unconscious psychic contents” vs evil medical scandal robbing vulnerable, unhappy, confused youth of their mental and physical health for a self serving ideology. 🤷♂️
Excellent insights. Thank you for this.
A couple thoughts: I have been learning about the "artificial extension of childhood" lately. It's the idea that schools keep our children from fully developing and maturing when they are naturally meant to start doing so. (Of course, every child has their own schedule and time frame, and some mature more and less rapidly in some areas than others. But the idea is that school deliberately delays the inevitable maturation process so that children don't get to use their innate genius when they are young(er) and not so jaded and beaten down by the system. Keep them powerless in school for longer, saying they are not ready for the "real world" and by the time they get to said "real world" they are indoctrinated enough to play their very small and mundane part and have likely given up many of their big dreams.)
I wonder how this relates to our paths as mothers maturing into matriarchs. Is our time in motherhood being artificially extended so that we delay our maturation into matriarchs and all the blessings that time brings with it. By the time we get to step into our matriarch archetype, many of us may have been beaten down and tired and unable to fully embody the strength and wisdom that we have worked so hard for over our years of mothering.
(I won't even get started on how our society demonizes "old age" and sees matriarchs as old and youth is the only measure of value and worth of a woman. Or maybe I just did a little. I'll stop now.)
The other thing your article got me thinking about is acceptance, surrender and trust. I see these as phases on a continuum. Just as I have to move through that process myself: accept that my life is what it is in this moment, surrender to the Truth of that reality, and Trust that I am capable and resilient enough to live this reality to its fullest and to my greatest benefit, I have to allow my children that grace as well. Of course I have thought about this concept before, and I "know" it to be true, but knowing and integrating and living as if are their own continuum. This article helped me integrate this knowing more deeply. Thank you.
This is really beautifully written. While I agree with Charlotte Johnson's comment that it is difficult to square the societal insanity that is gender ideology (or whatever we want to call the many theories that have our daughters and sons rejecting their healthy bodies and pretending to be the opposite sex in fear that, if they don't, they will die) with any of Jung's archetypes, your explanation of how society's madness is a failure to properly grasp our shadow selves - or accept our Gods/archetypes - resonates.
Society has lost its way, and we have to find our way back. I think the journey back will take many forms. Some of us will fight for information to be freely given (again exposing shadow selves), some (I put you in this category) will fight to maintain sanity in insane times and not be consumed by the dark shadows of others being projected onto them. Some of us will present reality and hope others can receive it. We'll all have to work together to get past a very weird time.
In the meantime, your Jungian analysis can be a helpful reminder that our children must grapple with their own shadow selves, even in the oddest of circumstances. We can't just make society all better, and we can't ask our kids to simply ignore everything around them. We have to hope our kids will follow our own example and find the good in all of this. (Of course you put it much more poetically and concisely!)
Well, there are many theories and angles as to where and who gave birth to this insane ideology that people can be born in the wrong body and through hormones and surgeries, can actually become the opposite sex. I'm sure Jung could tease out some basic origins from early pain and/or trauma in individuals.
Also, there were some pretty bad actors,
(doctors actually, I.e. John Money) back in the day who sought notoriety for their brave new thinking. Also have to consider the autogynephiles who are desperate to have us see their fetishized existence as normal human behavior.
The wholesale marketing of this ideology on young people in particular, and society at large is a whole another storv. First, it could
never have happened without the internet and the unfettered access available to young people and children. And there's the pornography angle that young minds are not equipped to handle, including cartoon porn.
$$ there.
Anime, cosplay-Big $$ there. Harmless you say? Do a little digging.
Want to know what a lifelong medical patient
is worth to big pharma and the medical profession? A LOT!
Selling a new body is a highly lucrative business.
There are many forces that have formed the narrative we are now being fed as a society.
*Children "just know" what their true gender is.
*Gender Affirming Care is lifesaving care.
*Children may commit suicide if denied this
'care'.
*Parents who question their children about this are not safe.
*Schools who suspect non-affirming parents must protect their children from them.
*Our President has called non-affirming parents 'cruel'.
*Gay rights and abortion rights and civil rights are now inextricably tied to transgender rights.
*The American Academy of Pediatrics, the Endocrine Society and the AMA at large all support gender affirming care. $$$$
*And, don't forget the Trans Activists who demand that we deny what our eyes can see.
The trans narrative rules.
Here's a great current example:
There is an initiative being proposed for the November ballot in California.
Protectkidsca.com
This initiative would give California voters the opportunity to vote on 3 things:
*Prohibit biological males from competing in women's competitive sports.
*Compel schools to notify parents if a child asks to socially transition to another gender at school.
*Prohibit the alteration of a minor child's body with hormones or surgery.
California attorney general Rob Bonita has the authority to title this initiative as it will appear on the November ballot.
Here is how he has titled this initiative:
RESTRICTS THE RIGHTS OF TRANSGENDER YOUTH.
We restrict a lot of things from our youth, for very good reasons, but apparently giving minor children the authority to make lifelong irreversible decisions about their bodies is compassionate, kind, and "the right thing to do".
So..... those are the 'self's' as I see it.