Discovering the Conscious Self in Our Inner Universe
Are you ready for an adventure into the depths of your mind? A journey where the secrets of your psyche unfold, revealing the intricate tapestry of your inner world. You’re probably asking, ‘What’s in it for me? Why should I bruise my brain?’
Well, think of it as unlocking the secrets of your mind and becoming a master of your thoughts, feelings, and actions. A master of your life rather than a speck of dust in the wind. So, are you ready to uncover what’s really pulling your strings? Then, let’s get to it!
The Psyche: More than Meets the Eye
Have you ever thought that there is more to your mind than what’s brimming on the surface? Whelp, you’re on to something. That’s the world of the psyche. Where your brain battles with your brain farts. This is where your consciousness and subconscious duke it out, shaping everything from fleeting thoughts to your deepest emotions and everyday actions.
Traditionally, the psyche was thought to be in the realm of mysticism — previously described as the spirit or soul. In psychoanalytic practices of today, the concept has evolved into what we commonly refer to as the mind. The psyche — or the mind — is our rich inner world teaming with blocked personalities and hidden identities. Jung, the granddaddy of psychoanalysis, broke the mind down into three pillars: the conscious, the personal unconscious, and the collective unconscious.
The Iceberg Model of the Mind
Think of the mind as an iceberg. What you see on top, that’s your conscious self — the part of you that’s calling the shots day-to-day. Just beneath your view, lies the vast expanse of your unconscious mind, ripe for exploration. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Beneath the surface, there’s a whole world — your unconscious mind, vast and waiting to be explored. And way down, at the base? That’s where the collective unconscious lives, holding the deep, hidden stuff of human experience. In this series, we’ll start with the conscious self and gradually dive into these deeper, mysterious parts of our mind. It’s going to be quite the journey, so let’s dive in!
The Conscious Self
As I mentioned, the conscious self is the iceberg’s tip, just visible above the water. It’s the part of your psyche that’s in the spotlight. It’s where your immediate thoughts, feelings, and memories live. It’s your sense of self, the part of you that says “I think, therefore I am.” Here, you make choices, experience emotions, and interact with the outside world. Think of it as your mind’s command center.
At the heart of this field of consciousness sits the Ego. The Ego is like a bouncer at the hottest nightclub in town. It decides what thoughts get to the VIP section and which ones are left waiting behind the velvet rope of the unconscious mind. It’s shaped by societal norms and expectations, leading us to wear different hats to fit in: the ‘professional’ at work, the ‘caregiver’ at home, or the ‘joker’ among friends.
Let’s talk about Jung and his take on the mind. He called the different masks we wear ‘Personas’. Think of the Ego and the unconscious mind as a team working behind the scenes. The Ego? It’s like the mind’s director. It crafts our conscious identity, picking out which Persona we show off based on our past, society’s expectations, and what our goals are. Meanwhile, the unconscious mind, especially through our Shadows, has a sneaky way of nudging how we behave, often without us even realizing it, shaping our actions and reactions in subtle ways.
Ego’s Bad Rap: Debunking New Age Myths
But here‘s the problem: when we start believing we are those masks we wear, we start to confuse the mask for the actor. Sure, this works wonders for method actors deeply immersed in their roles, but it’s a risky game. Take Heath Ledger for example. A method actor who is often said to have lost himself in his roles. His death shortly after his role as the Joker in The Dark Knight raised concerns about the potential dangers of method acting.
In my opinion, this is a warning sign on the highway to ‘ego death.’ A term that is thrown around a lot, especially in new-age circles. But, I would argue that this is a misconception. ‘Ego death’ isn’t enlightenment, it’s more akin to losing your mind.
The Ego, often misunderstood, gets a lot of shade in new-age discussions. Without the Ego, our Personas start to crumble, and we could end up in madness. So, while the Ego might get a bad rap, it’s actually what keeps us grounded and sane.
Ego Death & The Psychedelic Shortcut Myth
So we’ve seen how the Ego can play dress-up with our Personas, sometimes leading to trouble, like in Heath Ledger’s intense dive into the Joker. But here’s another twist when it comes to this concept of ‘ego death.’ It’s a hot topic, especially with the psychedelic craze in new-age circles. They say psychedelics are a shortcut to transcend the Ego, like a fast track to enlightenment. But be careful what you ask for. Jung himself was wary of unearned wisdom. He said,
‘Wisdom does not fall out of the sky. It is earned with pain.’
Enlightenment isn’t all sunshine and rainbows. It’s about grappling with uncomfortable truths, not just chasing high vibrations and surrounding yourself with bubbles of light. It’s about integrating the unconscious with the conscious, where the Ego isn’t kicked to the curb but harmonized. We’re talking about a middle ground where the Ego is a mediator, not the boss or an outcast. This balance is key for a healthy mind and fostering healthy relationships.
Next up, we’ll dive into the personal unconscious. It’s like going behind the scenes of our mind’s theater, where the unsung heroes and hidden villains of our psyche hang out. Stay tuned, it’s going to get interesting!
© 2023 Evelyn Ann Rose. All rights reserved.
