Jungian Tibetan Buddhism/Native American Spirituality/ and .....

[Passionaria]

Originally Posted by AtLastHome

An article I came across had a few things about organized religion (especially related to many feelings I have about the right-wing Christian zealots today) that are interesting.

http://epages.wordpress.com/2009/04/...nswer-to-evil/

This was a really interesting Article, AL Home (((HOMEY))). I am pretty sure that understanding my shadow side has been the theme of the past ten years of my life. And I can giggle over the fact that it is a subject that has gone from fear, to intrigue.

In my experience how we view our shadow self is cultural, as well as religion based. In some cultures the shadow self is common knowledge and rituals and teachings are handed down to integrate and understand both the dark and the light within us.

As an American and a Christian, I was taught to fear evil. Fear it to the point where I tried very hard to do only good, and could not bear to believe that evil was inside of me. And yet, darkness came looking for me anyway, shattering my world view, leaving me to dance with the Devil. (Metaphorical he, Devil, I just need to be able to visualize it to understand the experience.)It is too long of a story to bore you all with here but in short "he" used my own self righteous beliefs to mirror my darkness, and enjoyed watching my beliefs crack. He's really a bit comical, and holds his own compassion and wisdom. Coyote medicine, Elegua. And it was funny to see my own hypocrisy, all I could do is laugh and shake my head. Laugh at the audacity of my own belief system, telling me I was not subject to the laws of the universe. Humbling. Now it appears that good and evil are opposite ends of the same continuum. They can't exist without one another. That is what yin and yang are, opposites ends of a thread, the tension of opposites interacting that dances the universe alive. I think this experience in a way reflects what you quoted from the article.

"Jungians also tend to imply that the spirituality of organized religion only goes as deep as the persona,³ where individuals play a superficial role of holiness for the sake of appearances and to feel good about themselves. (or to alleviate their own fear)

What a gift to be freed from the fear of my own darkness, I can now find ways of honest expression, and see the darkness as a friend, rather than something to run from. One of the things I love about Taoism, is the acceptance of the nature of the Universe, without judgment. It just is.....yet I still crave to share kindness.

Pashi

[Sachita]

I am going to try to come back to this. What an interesting topic. Over 20 years ago I discovered Jung searching for a deeper meaning within the divine feminine. I spent a few months with a hardcore Jungian sitting around a table drinking bourbon and talking about Goddess being an archetype. I began collecting his work, isnt there like 26 volumes? and trying to absorb the complexity of thought. I had many "Ahhhh ha" (is that right? lol) moments.

That was all just one part of my journey. Combined were hindu and tao. But I did find the work on gender- Anima and Animus really fascinating.

I'm going to subscribe and follow. Great topic.

[MasterWolf]

I'm in the process of downloading what is supposed to be a pdf of the book. http://megaupload.com/?d=N7NLVXBE

I wont have time to open the file this afternoon, and I am hoping it includes the english translation...chuckle...

peace

Wolf

[Passionaria]

Spirit Dancer posted this quote from Oren Lyons in another thread, but it is such a good representation of how some cultures embrace both the light and the dark that I wanted to add it to this conversation. TY SD

Pashi

"The Natural Law is a spiritual law. Its powers are both light and dark."

-- Oren R. Lyons, Spokesman Traditional Circle of Elders

There are some characteristics that are evident in the system which the Creator made. He made balance, harmony, and polarity. In other words, every (+) plus has a (-) minus. Every positive has a negative; every up has a down; every problem has a solution. The Spiritual Law is the same - it has light and dark. Both are good, so both need to be honored. Lessons can be learned on both sides.


Great Spirit, teach me the powers of the Natural Laws.

i am going to read more on jung and the influence of tibetan buddhism on his work. in reference to my own spiritual journey, i was lucky in not being raised as a christian. i am a hereditary pagan. we did not use the word "witch" to describe ourselves. instead we just called ourselves "folk". this was on my mother's side. traditionally the eldest daughter/grand-daughter, etc. inherited the powers of the family. we were a matriarchal family, with the women making the decisions. i am the last of this female of this family in my mother's line. as such, being the onlysurving female, i have inherited a great deal of powers, being also the eldest great-great-grandchild, as well as female. i remember learning from my aunts and great-grandmother the ways of our folk. we did not practice the magick i have read of in books, but we had our own ways. learning about jung's shadow side was fascinating to me, since he said in his own way what my grandmother taught me.
i have since added to the ways of our folk teaching from hinduism, tibetan buddhism, and taoism,as well as some native american spirituality and some of the other traditions of matriarchal goddess spirituality. mysticism is extremely important to me, as is inner alchemy. i'll have to brush up on jung, so i can contribute to this thread.
pres

anyone else take the Meyes-Briggs test? i took the online version and came out to be an INFP (Intuitive iNtroverted Feelings Perceptions). accordin to the results i got back, this indicates that i am best suited to be a Healer. about 1% of the population fits this profile. this makes sense, since, as Roshi, i plan to lead services and do counseling and give Dharma talks.
pres

[Glenn]

This is an interesting article about doing your warrior archtype excersize
www.yogajournal.com/wisdom/2553

[Nat]

Originally Posted by Pres

anyone else take the Meyes-Briggs test? i took the online version and came out to be an INFP (Intuitive iNtroverted Feelings Perceptions). accordin to the results i got back, this indicates that i am best suited to be a Healer. about 1% of the population fits this profile. this makes sense, since, as Roshi, i plan to lead services and do counseling and give Dharma talks.
pres

I usually score INFP or sometimes E. I think they think Jung was an INFP, though I think that last letter was added on after Jung in order to help determine the superior function. I think N is my superior function, so maybe that means something about whether I am supposed to be an I or an E. I thought I'd run across a chart that told you what your superior function was based on your myer's brigg's type, but my google skills are sad tonight.

One thing I find interesting is that your inferior function (what you have the most problems with) will always be on the opposite side of your superior function and it will always have the opposite on the first letter (I or E) to your superior function. And all that is somehow wrapped up in a person's shadow side.

My most blundering part of my personality is probably the sensate side, but I still am not sure if it's an I or an E.

[Tess]

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And it was funny to see my own hypocrisy, all I could do is laugh and shake my head. Laugh at the audacity of my own belief system, telling me I was not subject to the laws of the universe. Humbling. Now it appears that good and evil are opposite ends of the same continuum. They can't exist without one another. That is what yin and yang are, opposites ends of a thread, the tension of opposites interacting that dances the universe alive. I think this experience in a way reflects what you quoted from the article.



So well put!

I guess this is a discovery most of us share it's how we deal with it and learn from it that matters the jouney to the true self. Never ending always changing.