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The Flight to and From Addiction Classroom Question? So what is the craving behind addiction?

The Process of Individuation From Latin “ individuus ” – “ undivided, ” “ whole ”  A process of psychological differentiation, having for its goal the development of the individual personality  Not to overcome one ’ s personal psychology and become perfect, but to become familiar with it  Increasing awareness of one ’ s unique psychological reality, including personal strengths and limitations, and at the same time a deeper appreciation of humanity in general  When we are on the path, we are at the goal

The Self  The Center of the Psyche  The “ Central Archetype ”  Like the Sun in the Center of the Solar System  Archetype of order, organization, and unification  Unites the personality  Responsible for fulfilling the blueprint of life  At birth – all is the Self  Connecting bridge to “ The Unity ”  Goal is psychological wholeness and completeness  Transpersonal, transcends the ego

Jung ’ s Landscape Psyche refers to the totality of all psychological processes. It “ embraces all thought, feeling, and behavior, both conscious and unconscious. It functions as a guide which regulates and adapts the individual to his social and physical environment. ”

Is Their Meaning in Addiction? Call that is challenging my being? Creative connection? Similar experience of being enslaved by the energy behind creativity? – Are they both drawn to the dark regions of the soul? 7

Addiction a Counterfeit Quest for Wholeness? “The night darkens the spirit, but only to illuminate it” Leonard states – “here was my hope” Confrontation with meaning of our existence Purposeful journey? 8

Etymological Roots: Addiction ORIGIN mid 16th cent.: adjective addict [bound or devoted (to someone) From Latin addict- ‘assigned,’ from the verb addicere = to say 9

Addicts Experience Possession Give ourselves over to almost anything  Food  Sex  Shopping  TV  Gambling  Relationships  EBAY  Facebook  Money  Power  Identity (our minds) 10

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Dracula Syndrome Giving ourselves over Possessed  If there is going to be transformation – the individual has to admit that they allowed themselves to be taken over  Individual chooses to take the first drink – maybe too many first drinks and we become bound by a demon lover who takes over our soul 12

Demon Lover / Dark Passenger 13

Let’s Talk About Denial We can’t see ourselves We need a crack in the ego Is the crack a voluntary act or is it … Grace 14

What Characterizes Addiction? Addiction brings me to face the void Brought me before death Fear, anger, and anxiety It’s about wanting order, perfection, and control but being unable able to get it Power struggle with reality – we deny “what is” Can bring us to awakening 15

Creativity and Addiction Create ORIGIN late Middle English – 1150 CE (in the sense [form out of nothing,] used of a divine or supernatural being) From Latin creat- ‘produced,’ from the verb creare. The use of imagination or original ideas 16

Leonard’s Essence of the Matter Creativity and addiction? But to choose to be taken by the creative call – was this not the challenge of creativity? Was this not my urge to drink the “spirits” of the alcohol ultimately a desire for the higher spirit of the creative? The Creative Daimon 17

Creative Daimon In ancient Greek belief: a divinity or supernatural being of a nature between gods and humans. An inner or attendant spirit or inspiring force. Socrates said it was an inner voice that guided him Rilke once said that he did not want to undergo psychoanalysis because it might remove his “devils” and he might also lose his angels 18

Clip Immersion 19

Daimon: Angels and Demons According to Jung the energy of the psyche, is by its nature daimonic – it is a force that carries destructive capacities and capacities for self-discovery Jung said: “If evil were to be utterly destroyed, everything daimonic, including God himself would suffer a grievous loss” Thus we have to take the creative fire or the desire behind our addictions and make a turn toward wholeness Addiction is a “dysdaimonic act” of giving oneself over 20

21 Battle for Control in the Psyche The creative [she/he] must negotiate the poles between succumbing to the creative genius (being possessed) and then believing they are the genius While the addict tries to escape the tension of existence – must live through the tension of existence. Often the addict becomes an object via their addiction

Song Conclusion... Constant Craving K.D. Lang. E ven Through the darkest phase Be it thick or thin Always someone marches brave Here beneath my skin Constant craving Has always been Maybe a great magnet pulls All souls towards truth Or maybe it is life itself That feeds wisdom To its youth Constant craving Has always been Craving Ah ha Constant craving Has always been Constant craving Has always been Constant craving Has always been Craving Ah ha Constant Craving Has always been Has always been Has always been Has always been Has always been Has always been