Have you ever found yourself wondering, as I do, about whether or not this is all there is to life?
Could there be more to life than the daily routine? As we move busily through our lives, we can find ourselves cut off from our inner, emotional life. Life can feel empty and devoid of meaning. Sometimes this emptiness takes the form of depression; sometimes it manifests in frenetic behavior. Perhaps we eat too much, work too long, or stop making time for the activities that we enjoy.
In Jungian thought, these symptoms have meaning. They show us that something is out of balance and in need of attention. Through careful reflection, the meaning reveals itself. As a person takes time to explore patterns and themes in his or her life, they discover aspects that have been either overvalued or undervalued.
A story will help illustrate this. Stephanie is a 34 year old well-educated woman. Until recently she has lived happily with her husband and 3 school aged children. Over the past few months, she finds herself lacking enthusiasm for her job and snapping more often at her family. She feels guilty about these feelings because, on the surface, she has a very good life. Upon the suggestion of a friend, Stephanie begins to take her change in demeanor more seriously. She wonders what this behavior might be trying to say to her. Is she working too hard? Is she not taking enough time for herself? She is a professional woman with serious responsibilities and a family that relies on her. She doesn’t have time to lie about wallowing in a bad mood or reading self-help books. She wonders if medication will help. Then she remembers the promise she made to herself that after her youngest child started school, she would pursue a writing class. She had put her personal interests on hold after choosing to devote several years to raising her children. Now that they are in school, she could make time for her own ambitions. Eventually she understood her change in mood and behavior as a reminder that something in her life was missing; something she needed for herself.
So why talk about this? It’s common to consult a physician and take an anti-depressant medication. But something will still be missing. The medication may provide some relief from the worst feelings of depression or anxiety, but it won’t supply the deeper remedy to the person’s suffering. That can only be done through reflective introspection and a willingness to engage with the unknown. One’s openness to allow in new perspectives is often exactly what is needed to turn apathy into enthusiasm or stagnation into fruitful movement.
We can find ourselves in the doldrums, feeling flat, mute, or gray. When this happens, I would invite you to look deeper. What is the symptom trying to tell you? Where might your distress be leading you? How is your dis-ease urging you to something new in your life? What are your dreams saying? Dreams offer hints at how some aspect of one’s life is out of balance. Reflecting on the dream’s symbols provides a glimpse of life from a different perspective.
Taking time for this type of reflection and dialogue with another can open up new routes through a difficult time.