pixel

< Return to All Episodes

HORROR: why can’t we look away?

Oct 29, 2020

Why can’t we look away? The hair on the back of our necks bristles in response to the horrors of the uncanny. Transfixed by shock, awe, dread and fascination, we can neither dare the dangerous darkness nor turn away. The mysteries of the unknown take us into realms of transgression and taboo. Enthrallment and abhorrence mix in encounters with all that is alien and dispossessed.

We face our own human monstrosities and the traumas that create them. We also meet the dark, nonhuman otherness of the collective unconscious; it threatens to possess us and can annihilate our sense of self. Whether we shudder in disgust, quiver in fright, or feel forbidden attraction, we are forced to more fully acknowledge the awful portent of ominous misfortune and confront the abyss. Only consciousness can break the spell. 

Here’s the dream we analyze:

“In my dream I was talking with my therapist on Zoom. The topic of our conversation wasn’t clear, but I had the sense that my therapist kept misunderstanding what I was saying. He then did the “share screen” feature on Zoom to show me that he had been keeping a record on his computer of the different ways that I was wrong about who I thought I was. For example, he said that I thought that I was a kind person, but he had determined I was only kind 40% of the time. As he showed me this, a graph appeared across my face, and I had the sense that he had been spending our time together taking measurements of my face and wasn’t listening to what I was saying. The dream then changed and I was outdoors standing next to a Native American man in traditional dress. The man was working with cloth. I approached him and he told me that he was working on creating a garment similar to the one that he was wearing that he was going to give as a gift to his son.”

References

Greg Mogenson. God is a Trauma: Vicarious Religion and Soul-Making (Amazon)  https://www.amazon.com/dp/0882143395/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_1WRMFb52PEKF8

Lisa’s quotation from Thus Spoke Zarathustra, by Friedrich Nietzsche

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1989201687/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_0eTUFbYNG38A2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

It’s time to join DREAM SCHOOL: https://thisjungianlife.com/enroll/

Learn to work with your own dreams

If This Jungian Life podcast or Dream Wise have spoken to you on a deep level, and you’re feeling ready to learn more about dreamwork and the world of Carl Jung, then our 12-month online program, This Jungian Life Dream School, is for you. Dream School is your opportunity to take the wisdom of Dream Wise even deeper – through a lively community, monthly meetings with Joe, Lisa, and Deb, and optional virtual dream groups. Join us in Dream School for a year-long adventure into the luminous world of your dreams.

Learn More

Want more?

Support Dreams and Depth: Join our Patreon community today
Don’t Miss Out: Submit Your Dream now for a chance to be featured on our podcast
Help Shape Our Show: Your suggestions inspire new discussions. Share your ideas for our next podcast.
Stay inspired every day: Connect and grow with our vibrant community. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, and YouTube for exclusive updates and engaging discussions on soul growth, empowerment, insight, and creativity.

We’ve published our first book together

In Dream Wise: Unlocking the Meaning of Your Dreams, we present a systematic and comprehensive method for understanding the messages of our dreams, translating C. G. Jung’s brilliant insights into a practical, self-guided method for excavating the hidden wisdom of your dreams.

ORDER NOW