As I understand Jungian theory, he based his concept of
depression on his theory of the libido.
In Jung’s approach to analytical psychology he viewed the libido as a psychological
component of life energy or what is called the Chi in Eastern religions. This is not to be confused with the Freudian
theory of the libido as sexual energy.
In Jung’s view the libido drives the organism to grow and
develop. It moves toward balance – the balance
between the conscious and the unconscious to include the Shadow, between the
male and female parts of the psyche and between the introverted and extroverted
sides of the ego. The purpose of this
balancing is to achieve what Dr. Jung called individuation or the wholeness of
self realization.
When the ego is in a state of imbalance between its
extroverted and introverted aspects, with the extroverted holding sway,
introversion brings forward unconscious material in an attempt to balance ego’s
attitude. Jung believed that
introversion exhausts the ego.
Depression then becomes the manifestation of the exhausted ego.
The libido while balancing opposition contains opposition. Thus, Jung thought that it held both the
drive to live and the drive to die.
As a hereditary and lifelong Pagan I do not believe that life
is the beginning or death the end. As a
devout follower of the Goddess, Her mysteries and mysticism, I believe that we
select a life that contains a path.
Goddess gives us each our own light with which to follow that path. All we can do is follow our light as far and
as long as we can – leaning as we go.
For in reality it is the lessons and not the life we have chosen.
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