Holding the Tension

I’m doing a course in Jungian Studies at the moment and a theme that came up several times this week was Jung’s concept of the “transcendent function”.  Essentially this is something (anything) that emerges from a  tension between opposites.  In Jungian theory this is generally a tension that is fundamentally between the ego and the unconscious.   Most of us would experience it as a state of stuckness, like depression.   We would probably identify it consciously as a practical situation like a decision that is proving impossible to make, or we might become aware of it as an emotional situation where different needs or desires are creating an impasse in relationship.  The something that has the potential to emerge from such tension is more than conscious logic alone can provide.   For this to have a chance of happening we need to foster an attitude of being willing to tolerate the discomfort of  not having “the answer” or a neat understanding to resolve the tension.  For things to move forward, a new perspective for the ego is required.  This is made possible when the unconscious end of the tension begins to become more conscious and the creative energy or “libido” of the psyche starts to unblock from ”either/or” and starts to transform towards something that is “both/and”, plus a little bit extra than the sum of the parts.

It’s a concept that seems simple and complex at the same time!   For me, in day to day life,  it translates into the reality that if I am feeling stuck I try not to rush to push or drag myself out of the stuck state.  If I do, something is missed and I’ve lost an opportunity to become more flexible or creative somehow.  I’m not suggesting that I would do nothing though!  The something I would be inclined to do is spend a bit more time with my dreams, hoping maybe to glean a little insight into the nature of the tension and provide ego and unconscious with the opportunity to engage in a dialogue of sorts.   As a result I might get an “aha” that gives me a more spacious viewpoint and in turn a more spacious feeling or I might just wake up one morning feeling that something has shifted and my outer life seems less complicated.  Things that seemed like a struggle just aren’t any more.  Maybe next time you find yourself in a situation like the type I’ve described you can try holding the tension long enough for something new to emerge – with the help of your dreams of course!

Related posts:

1. Direct Dream Guidance