This week while doing research on the unconscious, I rediscovered Carl Jung, the imminent Swiss psychiatrist who ultimately broke his collaboration with Sigmund Freud when, in my limited estimation, Jung outgrew the childish fixation Freud had on the importance of the sexual instinct. Jung was simply a much brighter candle than Freud. Perhaps it was his association with the spiritual philosophies of India during his trip to India in 1937-38 — I suspect Jung had always been a bud waiting to blossom in the right soil.

Jung noted how people often have two different personas. For example, one persona at home and a different persona at work, one of which is more authentic than the other. Interestingly, he surmised that this is not a problem if you are aware you are playing a role in the inauthentic one. However, if you are unconscious of your inauthenticity, you invite neuroses. Can our struggles be as simple as this?

The Shadow Mind
This view goes hand in hand with one of Jung’s most well-known hypotheses, that of the shadow mind. According to Jung, the shadow mind is the unconscious aspect of ourselves that contains repressed thoughts, feelings, and impulses we have deemed unacceptable or undesirable. Jung believed that the shadow mind is not solely negative but also contains valuable attributes such as instincts, emotional energy, creativity, and realistic insights we have suppressed. In essence, our shadow mind is our repressed authenticity which is always seeking to get our attention, sometimes through aggressive, self-sabotaging, or even violent behaviour. 

Astrology, Ketu, and the Shadow Mind
In Vedic astrology, Ketu (South node) represents your unconscious, those aspects of your authentic nature you have repressed. To escape their feelings of suffocation, disillusionment, and confusion, you seek relief through unconscious choice. Rahu, the North node, represents these unconscious actions and the resulting dead end and suffering you create for yourself.

The Mirror
Jung says we can get hints as to what is suppressed by paying attention to what it is we most criticise in others. In yoga, we informally call this “the mirror theory” which basically cautions that whatever you don’t like in others is simply a reflection of what you don’t like in yourself and what you don’t like in yourself is your repressed authenticity calling out to you for help. When repressed, our authenticity transforms into what we hate the most.

The Cry of the Heart
Vedic astrology points us towards where we are suppressing our authentic nature. Simply look at the sign which holds your Ketu, then the house it occupies by counting the number of signs from the Ascendent. This will tell you where you are keeping your opportunities and circumstances stuck because of past life experiences.

More
There are many layers to this, but doing this simple technique will give you a great start. A little knowledge in this sense does go a long way. Knowing where you are stuck reveals your shadow mind and where you are trying to protect yourself. These areas are where you are micromanaging your life and the reason you struggle. Once you know where these areas are, do what you can to loosen up, relax, and not take life so seriously. It is only ourself who keeps us locked in the cage, but the really crazy reality is we have the key to let ourselves out. We are like the poor man lamenting his misfortune when all the time he has a diamond in his pocket…

Uranus
Fortunately, we have a dear friend coming to visit in Gemini who wants nothing better than to see us embrace our authenticity. He has not been to our house in Gemini since 1949, before must of us were born. Sometimes he gets a bit carried away in his excitement and will throw us into many unexpected situations, but he never creates anything on his own; he simply uses a torch to shine a light on our shadow mind and encourages us do the work with a friendly nudge. He’s going to be a guest for about 7 years — I hope he doesn’t overstay his welcome. We should bend to his will, not the other way around. 😉

In the meantime, examine Ketu and its location in your chart. Then check your pockets. You have the key; you’v’e had it all along. All you need do is use it.

 🤗

David 🔆

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