Has the meaning of life been within us all along? | Mental health

I was delighted to read the reflections of Moya Sarner on a life improved by a deeper sense and a more textured joy (a better life is possible – but only if you dive deeply in your unconscious, on September 8). In a culture that too often celebrates incessant acquisition and action, his words offer timely encouragement to another way of being.

She observes: “We TO DO To stay in the shallows, we do not have to be in the depths. But we know that the path to a better life is below the surface, not on it. This image of the deep sea is an appropriate and enlightening metaphor for the hidden inner universe of currents and forces that shape us.

My own prosecution of several decades of inner exploration was the decisive work of my life later. This is the only area I can govern with certainty, and I hope it brings advantages to those around me. Some reject an investigation as selfish or narcissistic, citing its apparent lack of visible contribution to the community. However, my experience suggests the opposite. By resisting the attraction of superficial satisfactions, I find myself listening to others, less governed by an egoic need and more capable of compassion and tolerance.

Observing and engaging with these internal dynamics is, I believe, a creative act of person who can enrich and strengthen both Self and Society. It promotes resilience, encourages patience and is inspired. For me, poetry has become the means to trace these passages, experiences of earthing which often challenge language and to give a provisional form to the invisible movements of the unconscious. In writing, I am not only trying to stabilize my own course, but also to point out that such interior trips, although demanding, can offer gifts of empathy, depth and renewal for the broader human community.
Kate Peters
Hamping island, Hampshire

As a psychologist, I appreciated the article by Moya Sarner on the unconscious. I agree that many of us remain busy, concerned and in the shallows, and that it exhausts the meaning of our lives. However, I would say a few points. The first is that although the unconscious certainly contains feelings, in particular in cultures which appreciate the intellect disproportionately, feelings are in fact only the tip of the iceberg. The unconscious also contains symbols, archetypes and creative inspiration, as well as internalized prejudices and beliefs about ourselves, others and the world.

Second, I agree that exploration of the unconscious makes a better life possible, but it also makes a world better possible. The concept of Carl Jung of the collective unconscious suggests that turning to deeper life and the personal unconscious can move the collective needle to help many social ills to solve more easily and peacefully. Finally, the approach of the article suggests working with the unconscious as a means of reaching an end, and this reflects the transactional state of mind of the materialist Western culture. It assumes that by investing our efforts in a personal process, we will draw specific advantages.

However, I found the unconscious more interested in establishing a relationship than allowing yourself to be extracted for resources. By cultivating this relationship with respect, patience, openness and without expecting deliverables, the unconscious can decide to teach us a world which is possible but which is far beyond the scope of our current imagination.

So, in short – I am wholeheartedly with Moya that our unconscious material is “capable of an incredible force” but in disagreement that “everything that exists in our unconscious also exists in the ocean”. I believe that our depths and our potential – individually and collectively – are unfathomable, and working with the personal unconscious is only the beginning of understanding what is possible.
Magda Permut
Portland, Oregon, United States

Moya Sarner says that a better life is possible if you dive deeply into your subconscious, but if your anxiety is triggered by continuous money worries, bad accommodation and poor access to health care, without realistic hope of improving in your life situation, so no amount of “deeply dig” will change your life.

Cognitivo-behavioral therapy and deep breathing can help, but it is not the same thing. “Deep” psychotherapy very rarely considers the major impact of socio-economic factors on the psyche. For those who experience these anxieties, only improved finances and life options will help, then allow an individual to open the door to deeper personal changes.
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Moya Sarner makes the argument that, to find out what we really need, we must dive deep into our unconscious to reveal our hidden emotions. But is it really true? The happiest and most fulfilled people I know are not characterized by their ability to “look inward”, but rather by their interest and their ability to connect with others in a variety of ways.

The article seems to suggest that “doing” is a distraction technique that keeps you in “emotional shave”, but many busy people remain busy because they appreciate life and want to adapt to one more thing, be it a social activity, a hobby or something at the service of others. We all have to think about our own thoughts and emotions from time to time, especially when life gives us challenges, but perhaps to achieve real fulfillment, we would better set aside mental excavation, and look instead of our human beings.
Chris Marshall
ROW FORESTIER, East Sussex

The author seems to presuppose a community of people who can afford to see a therapist or a psychoanalyst. Much of humanity will never be able to receive therapy. In addition, to speak of a significant life, what about people born in a community or a region flooded with a war, famine or constant genocide? Let us focus more on the end of hunger and war, then let’s talk about a more significant life.

I volunteer in a homeless refuge every week, I cook food to live and I regularly provide free food to my community. I certainly think about deeper parts of my conscience and I will tell you what: this does not require money and therapy. Get involved in your community and you will have found free therapy.
Patrick WICKETT
Austin, Texas, United States