Thoughts on projection

“Whatever happens in the world is real, what one thinks should have happened is projection. We suffer more from our fictitious illusion and expectations of reality.”
~ Jacque Fresco

Many psychologists believe in a specific end goal to therapy, which is to consciously take back ownership of all that we’ve been projecting into the world and onto others—referred to as individuation in Jungian theory. Yet, I wonder what would happen to humanity if we projected nothing outside of ourselves, re-internalizing (introjecting) all of the feelings, motives, imaginings, and conflicts formerly experienced as occurring outside of us or between us and others. Would this in effect nullify the need for an outside world of things, people, events, and situations? Would we still perceive an outside world at all, or exist entirely within ourselves? Is the outside world merely one big projection or imagining of all that stirs within us? I cannot definitely answer these questions, simply because I don’t know the answers—nobody does.

There is an ongoing debate going on, as to whether an objective, relatively unchanging reality exists—regardless of whether or not we observe it—or if so called reality shapeshifts to fit our expectations and projections. Some quantum physicists have concluded that reality exists one way when not observing it, and another way when we observe it, the exact form depending upon the inclinations of the observer. In layman’s terms, what we see is what we expect to see.

Continue reading “Thoughts on projection” →

Despair

“Despair is the only cure for illusion. Without despair we cannot transfer our allegiance to reality — it is a kind of mourning period for our fantasies. Some people do not survive this despair, but no major change within a person can occur without it.”
~ Philip Slater

When does despair finally kick in? Some of us don’t dispense with the fantasy of having the life we’ve felt entitled to, expected, or pursued endlessly, until every door “seems” to close on us. And then we are left with a barren reality, which may be another illusion, like a room of windowless walls that keep us trapped within an even deeper sense of despair.

Metaphorical truth

“The delusional patient simultaneously communicates to us a literal falsity and a metaphorical truth.”
~ Mark L. Ruffalo, psychotherapist

Most of us do the same thing, but usually not to a delusional extent. Literal truth tends to evade us, providing only brief and partial glimpses of it, especially in this age of misinformation. Metaphorical truth more consistently mirrors whatever is going on inside of us and in the world, even if not fact based.

Two in One

Sometimes our lives split in two, like traversing a fork in the road, where the two parts diverge and move in different directions. One part continues to circle around an old trauma or deficit, including whatever is associated with the age of occurrence; and another part evolves outside of the pain, but attempts to manage or contain it at the same time, often without complete success, as the pain spills over into one’s relationships and dealings with the world.

Personally, I recognize both a wounded 12 year old—inner child—and old wise man—inner parent—residing within my body/psyche; the youngster still clinging to life, and the elder being the support and voice of hope and reason. Yet, I’ve discovered that acknowledging and attempting to soothe a painful past does not necessarily resolve it; the traumas and deficits being so entrenched within every fiber of my being, that they remain as a chronic condition, following me into old age—physically, mentally, and emotionally. Sublimation through ruminative daydreams and writing seem to be my most effective means of dealing with whatever still hurts or remains in deficit.

Recurring dream

Note: The following is my comment regarding a recurring dream described by a social media user. The dream had persisted for more than 25 years, following his breakup with the woman depicted in the dream. The dreamer had not been in contact with her in real life since their breakup 25 years ago; however, up until recently, his old feelings and desires for her resurfaced during each recurring instance of the dream.

This is a very long duration for the recurrence of a dream, and he was wondering if something remained unresolved regarding this past relationship, and if it could be finally resolved.

My comment: The first and most difficult step, is to determine what her dream character symbolizes for you. Keep in mind that after 25 years, the real person behind the dream character doesn’t exist anymore, not in the way you knew her 25 years ago. People and circumstances change over time. What remains is the unresolved or unconscious part of you that surfaced during the actual relationship and continues to haunt you, so to speak.

Her dream character is like a shadow or ghost that wants you to recognize “something” catalyzed by your past involvement with the “once” real woman—good or bad—or that symbolizes a wound or need that goes far deeper and older than the relationship itself, but resonates with your memory of it.

I recommend exploring this symbolic ghost through whatever means works for you—art, music, introspection, dream journaling, etc.—to understand what the dream may be depicting or asking of you.