In Memories Dreams Reflections, C.docx

HiroshimaCreativity,sDarkSide:OwningtheFullFaceoftheGodsAwakeningPersonalMythologythrouglArtAccompaniedbyaFilmProductionPieceByCatherineFirpo,Ph.D.Whoeverfightsmonstersshouldsectoitthatintheprocesshedoesnotbecomeamonster.一FriedrichNietzscheThenuminousoccursthemomentweknowwearepartofsomethinggreaterthanourselves.Variousperspectivesoftruthproclaimthequalityofnuminousexperience.TheonetruthIknowinmyintimaterelationshipandexplorationofboththeinherentdarknessandlightofthecreativeprocessisthis:everything,everythingthatisburiedresurfaces.Digjustbeneaththesomaofshatteredlifetorevealthebonesofexistenceanddestiny.Myth,mythology,mythopocsis,anddepthpsychologyfleshoutthebonesofadepartedabsentcreativitywaitingimpatientlytobediscovered,re-imagined,loved,andregeneratedbackintoexistence.Thisprocessemploysanarchetypallensandlanguagethroughtheperspectivesofmythologyanddepthpsychologytoviewtherangeofthehighesttothemostterrifyingdepthofcreativity,sshadowintheindividualandcollectivepsycheasitexistsintheAtomicBombingofHiroshima,Japan.Theoftenignoredshadowaspectofcreativitywillbeexploredthroughthefollowingtemplates:descentintothecreativeprocess;ascent:survivingtheunderworldofthecreative;andregeneration:thereturntotheworldaboveorcurrentglobalculturaltimesbringingpatternsofrebirth.ThispaperconfrontsthedarkaspectsinallofusandthenecessaryjourneyWeallmusttaketoacknowledgeourownshadows.Untilwedo,athousandSeptember11lhswilloccurinathousanddifferentways.HiroshimaandSeptember11thcontainaspectsofthesamedynamictensionfoundinviolent,supposedlyredeemingacts.IfcollectivelywedonotproceedwithconsciousnessweriskinitiatingtheblindnessrerredtobyMahatmaGandhiwhenhesaid:uAneyeforaneyemakesthewholeworldblind."WhatIproposeisaparadigmshiftinconsciousnesswithregardtotherelationshipconnectingviolenceandcreativity.Iofferadifferentperspectiveonviolenceassubvertedcreativity.Thereisaninescapablelinkbetweenthecreativeandthedestructivemomentinhumanexperience.Atthemomentofchoicebetweenthetwo,eachofusstandsatthethresholdoftheunknown.Eachchoicewemakepropelsus,ourcommunitas,ourcollectiveuniversalpsyche,intohiddendimensionsofunconsciousrealitydesiringconsciousness.Theshiftofconsciousnessinthepsychearisesfromthedynamictensionofchoosingeitherpathwayofcreativity:creationordestruction.UnforeseeninthesechoicesarethemultipleIiminaldimensionswhichawaitusatthecreative/destructivegateways.Thesechoiceswemustmakeagainandagainourentirelifetimebecausetheyareaspectsofinitiationandmirrortheproverbsofhistoryandmyth.TheyarethejuicewefeeduponandthephysicalandIiminalgritWebuildsoulstructurewith.Weliveindifficultpost-9/11times.Weliveinaterritoryofvanishedillusionsandrawreality.Americansarefinallyconsciousoftheterroroftheatomic/nuclearbomb.Hiddeninthelongstillsilosbeneaththeearth,theA-bomb,schildrenwhispertous:uWhyisHiroshimanevershownasoneoftheworld'sgreatesthorrors?BecauseitisAmericanborn.,Ourorphan,thehorrificallyconceivedchildoftheatom,waitsforustotakehimhome,tolovehim,andtointegratehispresenceintotheAmericanpsyche.However,therampartsofdenialarestrong,andwithinapostmodernera,thedesiretodeconstructanyforce,tangibleorintangible,isasprevalentastheairwebreathe.Creativityitselfhasbeendeconstructedandreconstructedonaframeworkofmetaphoricalstages,revisioningandrebuildingourconceptofreality.Thechoiceofactionbetweenthecreativeordestructivemomentontheplanetiscriticaltoday.Asthestageissetforeitherforcetoarrivefullyandexplosively,sodoesrealityawakentotheDoomsdayClock'snuclearmidnight.Intruth,ifwecannotletgoofourattachmentstothemythologiesofwar,creativity,andthepowerfulhorrificbeautyoftheexecutionofweaponry,wewillnevershifttheparadigmwhichremainsinexistencewithinthedeeperStrata-Ianguageofpsyche.Wemustmovebeyondthelimitationsofthewordpeace.Overused,itsenergyislimitedbythelackofimaginationtoevolvebeyondit.Sinisterprojectionsoffearandterrorwieldpowerandcreateaclimateofinsatiabledesireformaximumforce,thesolutionistoacknowledgetheoftenignoredordisownedaspectofcreativity:itsshadowside.Template:Descent-Creativity,sDescentDescentintotheshadowsideofthecreativeprocessisnecessaryforthecontinuedevolutionofforms,symbols,andicons.Wemustdescend.JungiananalystBettyMeador,inherbookUncursingtheDark,dealswitharchetypalpatternsofdescentandassertsthatdescentisnecessaryandexistsinnatelyinthebodyofthefeminine.Shestatesinherchapter,tAttheBottom:“Thepsychepullsforustofallallthewaytothebottom.Atthebottomwemeetourselvesstrippedbarewithnothingleftbutourmereexistence.Thisconditionofelementalrealitybumsintoourconsciousness.Wereturntotheupperworldbearingtheimprintinourbones.Thenewcarriersofthisancientwatchonnaturearetheseindividualswhogoallthewaythroughadescent(xiii).Noonewhohasenduredadescentwillevertreatlightlythesufferingitdemands.(45)Meador,sworkhelpsillustratehowtheA-bombliesinwaitintheshadowofasubvertedperceptionofcreativity,combinedwithunconsciousdenialofthefeminineinstinctualprinciple.Therefore,Meadoriscorrectinstatingthat“Thenewcarriersofthisancientwatchonnaturearetheseindividualswhogoallthewaythroughadescenf,(xiii).Wecanjourneynofurtheruntilwedescend.Thisdownwardjourneyisintegratedthroughthegatewaysofmyth,depthpsychology,andcollectiveuniversalpsyche.Thewaysinwhichcivilizationandculturerespectsandorembracescreativepowerauthorizesasanctionedconnectionwiththelengthofthatculture,sshadowaspects.Theunconsciousculturaltranceoftraditionalandtechnologicalmediaordainsasocietalwayoflivingandbeingwhichoftenignoresandsubvertsthedangerousaspectofshadow.ThedarkeraspectsoftheunderworldareclearlymanifestintheexcessiveviolenceinterwovenwithtechnologyinthecontinualcreationofWMDs,andthevideo/onlinegamingandfilmindustries.Extremeviolencecontainsthesimilaractionsofnarcoticdrugs;consciousawarenessisdulledandthepainandterrorofpixilatedactionsaredisconnectedfromtheactualrealitytheycause.CreativitybeginstomanifestitselfinunconsciousshadowmaterialandamongallclassesOfhumanityandexhibitsitselfthroughthebodiesandpsychesnon-integrisbehavior,manipulations,anddiseasesofthebodyandmind.Humanitythenresidesinthehelloftheshadowofcreation;ahellithasbrougltforthfromtheoncemythicalintotherealmofthereal.Creativityisoftenanorphanofpsychology.Onthejourneyofpersonalmythologyoneofthefirst“strangers“wcmustencounterisourestrangedrelationshipwiththecreativeprocess.Itspresenceremains,evenincontemporarytimes,heldinshadowterritory.Oftentoleratedamongstrictlyacademicmindsasanecessaryfolly,ithasbeenpusheddeeperintothecultures1unconsciousshadowmaterialandlurksasthewoundedandhuntedwaitingtobekilled.InTheCouragetoCreate,RolloMayinitiatesapsychologicalinvestigationintohisperceptionsonthetruenatureofcreativityandelicitsthethoughtthat''creativityisstillastepchildofpsychology,notyetanauthenticfamilymember(34).Hewritesonpsychology,sgeneralavoidanceofthesubjectandthelackofconnectiontothedeeppassionandvisionthatwaitatthegatewayofcreativity.Mayfurtherspeakstothemannerinwhichtheoryinpsychoanalysisanddepthpsychologymisunderstandsthecreative:Butitserroristhatitdoesnotdealwiththecreativeprocessassuch.Compensatorytrendsinanindividualwillinfluencetheformshisorhercreatingwilltake,buttheydonotexplaintheprocessofcreativityitself.Compensatoryneedsinfluencetheparticularbentordirectionincultureorscience,buttheydonotexplainthecreationofthecultureorscience.(35)Beyondthedarkerunconsciousaspectofthecreative,RolloMayintheCouragetoCreate,feelsthecreativehastheimpetustoriseinbothsaintandrebelbeyonddestruction:Artistsaregenerallysoft-spokenpersonswhoareconcernedwiththeirinnervisionsandimages.Butthatiswhatpreciselymakesthemfearedbyanycoercivesociety.Fortheyarethebearersofthehumanbeing,sage-oldcapacitytobeinsurgent.Foreverunsatisfiedwiththemundane,theapathetic,theconventional,theyalwayspushontonewerworlds.Thustheyarethecreatorsofthefctuncreatedconscienceoftherace.”(28)Thisquoteamplifiesmytheorythattheshadowaspectofcreativitymustnotbeignoredorsplitoff;butre-integrated.Theimportanceofthisresponsibilityisparamountincreatingthepathwayfortheascensionoftheartistintotherolesofsocialconsciousnessandglobalpeacemaker.Thecreativespeaks:thisismyworldandthetotalityoftheartifactsIleavebehind.IncreativityIhavefoundnotonlytheconceptionoftheA-bombbuttheimaginationtodeconstructandintegrateitsviolence.Creativityformeisa“both/andratherthanan4fceitherof,phenomenon.Ascreationanddestructionappeartobeengagedinasymbioticunconsciousrelationship,ofequalimportancetotheresearchonHiroshimaanditsaftermatharetheartists'andartcritics,perspectivesonthe“creative.”FromadepthpsychologicalperspectivetheBombbearswitnesstoevolvingarchetypalthemes.C.G.Jungnamedtheinvisibleforcesofuniversalthematicmotifs,myths,andthemanyfacesoftheGod(s),withtheterm“archetypes."AccordingtoJung,thearchetypesareunknowabletoconsciousnessandexistonlyinunconsciousorpsychoidrealms(Memories,Dreams,Reflections392-93).We,ashumanaspectsofpsyche,canwitnessthetangibleeffectsoftheinvisiblearchetypesthroughactsofcreativity,violence,andarchetypalpossession”ordominanceofaperson,place,thing,orcountry.Iunderstandthesearchetypalforcesasmeridiansoftheimaginal,linesofenergy,thought,andpower,whichmoveoninvisiblegridsthroughboththeinternalandexternallandscapesofallspeciesandenvironments.Invisiblethreads,meridiansoftheimaginalarepointsofenergyflow,notunlikeconceptsfromtraditionalChinesemedicine,whichatitscore,believesenergyflowsinrelationtotheelementsofnatureinspecificplacementwithlinesonthehumanbodyandlandscapeoftheplanet.Sotoodoourpowersofcreativity,chaos,anddeepestviolenceliewithinthelandscapeofrealandimaginedmeridiansofindividualpsycheandcollectiveunconscious.Atthispointinhistory,ourmeridiansarecastwiththeshadowaspectofthecreativeprocessinconcertwiththerawintensityoffear.Fearandbattleinstinctslieinwaitintheinternalinstinctualshadowhouseofourlonging.Notyetintegrated,thishousekeepstheunimaginedworldcontinuallyblind,obscuringourauthenticvisionnottaintedbythepathofhistory.Whatwefearmostwhencreativity,sshadowremainsabsent,buried,orunacknowledgedistheexchangeofideas,ofphilosophiesandimages.TheInheritedWound.Template:AscentandReconciliationoftheWound.Thefilmproduction,whichaccompaniesthispaper,dealswithhistorical,mythopoeticandpersonalaspectsoftheAtomicBombingofHiroshimaandhowIinheritedmyfather,swoundandwasexposedtohorrificimagesOfHiroshimafromearlychildhood.Thewoundofmyfatherwasdeeplyimbeddedinmypsyche.Myjourneyandstruggleistocreativelyhealandmovebeyondmyinheritedwound.Oneofthevariedwayshealingcanoccuristhroughenantiodromia,definedbyJungasaprocess:theconversionofoneextremeintoitsopposite(CW1111).Theterriblegiftsofcreativity'sshadowperformaspassagewaysilluminatingthisconversionprocess.AnotherfactorinhealingandcomingtotermswiththeinheritedarchetypalforcesofcreationanddestructioninmyownlifeoccurredwhenImadeapilgrimagetoHiroshima.IworkedinconjunctionwiththeembassyofJapaninWashingtonD.C.toreturnaflagmyFatherhadtakenfromadeadJapanesesoldierinHiroshima.InlateJulyof2000,1receivedpermissionfromTokyotoreturntheflagtotheGovernmentOfficeoftheWarVictimsReliefBuildinglocatedintheMinistryofHealthandWelfareinChiyoda-Ku,Tokyo.Afterreturningtheflag,IjourneyedtoHiroshimaforthe55thanniversaryofthebombing.MypersonalmythologyismergedwithHiroshima.IgrewupwithimagesofHiroshima.Asanartistandtheoldestchildoffourinthefamily,Iwitnessedthepowerofimagesmyfathercarriedinhispsycheandinhisimagination.Throughmyfather'sjourneyandhisstories,IinheritedthelegacyOfHiroshima.Forthehumanracetocollectivelymovebeyondtheexternal4roundzero,“eachpersonmustencounterandowntheinternalgroundzeroofherinnercoreshadow.Toneglecttodosoistosealafateofdestructionlurkingonlyinthedepthsofimagination.Wemustentertherealterrorofthenuclearageandembracewhatpartofuscreateditandwhatpartofuscantransformwhatcanneverbetakenback.IhavefoundconsciouskinshipinauthorMichaelPerlman,sbookHiroshimaForever:TheEcologyofMourning.PerlmanviewsandamplifiesthehorrorsOfHiroshimathroughaperspectiveofdepthpsychology,whichbearswitnesstoourinherentnatureofuseeingthrough.,Itallowsustoengagewiththeauthenticbonesoftwoofthegreatestactsofterrorismperpetratedontheplanet:theAtomicBombingsOfHiroshimaandNagasaki.Mergingmultifacetedlayersofconsciousness,thetextattemptstomapthelineageofactualeventsinconcertwithstagesofmourningforthedeadanddying.Perlmanteachesustothinkliketheplaceitself.ThatistothinklikeHiroshimaandAsanoPark,aplaceofsanctuarytowhichmanyJapanesefledthedayofAugust6,1945.Acknowledgingthatnature,spresencehasnotonlyvoicebutalsodepthandconsciousthoughtprocess,Pcrlman,surgentmessageentwinesthebearerofA-bombdeathwiththedemiseofmoral,integral,andplanetaryecology.Ifoundhisinsightstobringpivotalperspectiveintotheevolutionofthecollectivepsycheregardingtheshardsofconsciousnessreleasedbythebombing.America,whichlinkedtheworldtothehorroroftheA-bomb,offersgenerationsthemushroomcloudofdeathasaniconofourprojectedapocalypticfate.TheworldriseseachmorningspunonthefateofamonotheisticculturalmythologyandtherefusaltolookatthedarkfaceofGod.CouldthefaceofGodbeinthebomb?Withthisinmind,JimGarrison,stext,TheDarknessofGod:TheOIOgyafterHiroshima,punctuatestheurgentneedtolookagainatthedarkshadowaspectofGod,sauthenticface.IwasintroducedtoGarrison'sworkthroughacompilationofpsychologicalessaysinthetext,HumanSuvivalandConsciousnessEvolutionyeditedbyStanislavGrofTwoessaysintheGroftextaugmentmytheory.OneofthemisGarrison's"TheDarknessofGod:TheologyafterHiroshima,inwhichhedealswiththetheologicalquestionofChristianityindenialofthematterofatomicwarfare.Hechallengesthatinheriteddoctrinesofthepastdonotallowforadevelopinggod-conscienceandthattheinstitutionofthechurchoffers“noconceptualframeworkfromwithintointerprettheexperienceOfHiroshimaanditsaftermath"(3).HesuggeststhatbothhumanityanddivinityareinneedofnewconceptualizationstodealwithandcontaintheinherentdestructivenessofWMD.Garrison,sheavyChristianand“depth“overtonesconcludeinhisfinalchapter:4HiroshimaasGatewaytoChristCrucified."HerehecomparestheincarnatelightsideofGod'simageofttheChrisf,withtheappearanceofthe“wrathfillLambofGod“ofJohn,sprophesiedapocalyptictextintertwinedwiththecreationofandimagesofthedeathwieldingyetnuminousAtomicBomb.Thesecondessayis“OnGettingtoKnowOne,sInnerEnemy:TransformationalPerspectivesontheConflictofGoodandEvil,“byRalphMetzner.Metzner,sessaybringstoconsciousnessthedehumanizingactionswhichmusttakeplaceinanindividuaspsychologybeforeonecankillthe“other,“whoisknowntoholdashadowprojectionofourveryselves.BothessaysareinfluentialandrunparallelwithmyownintersectionofthoughtregardingtheA-bombandthedualitiesofcreativityandviolenceindivinity(thedivine)andactofcreationitrepresents.New-ClearVision:APromiseofArchetypalEvolutionandaCommitmenttoReconciliationandInnerDisarmamentFromnowon,inordertodelighttheTathagataIShalISerVetheuniverseanddefinitelycease(tocauseharm).Althoughmanybeingsmaykickandstampuponmyhead,Evenattheriskofdying,mayIdelighttheProtectorsoftheWorldbynotretaliating.(Shantidcva,quotedinHealingAnger,116)InMemoriesDreamsReflections,C.G.Jungwritesofthehierosgamos,themetaphoricalsacredinternalmarriageofthemasculineandthefe