Jungian psychology and Yoga
...uired brining all aspects of opposites into consciousness". (Jung) When people feel separate, isolated or ill they become aware of the feeling by sharing it with other people and experience the need for wholeness. (Living Yoga p.78) And when the intellectual understanding is enriched by actual experience of unity and wholeness, people are on the road towards self-actualization, consciousness and awareness experiencing balance, harmony and healing. Yoga strives for that so as Jungian psychology. Wholeness and unity is a huge part of both beliefs. The idea of the shadow looms large in Jungian psychology. “The shadow is that part of us we fail to see or know…But the refused and unacceptable characteristics do not go away: They only collect in the dark corners of our personality.” Than Robert Johnson says that whatever culture we spring from, “we divide the self into an ego and shadow”, a system of right and wrong and that the religious process is the one who consists of restoring the wholeness of the personality. In Jungian psychology so as in Yoga philosophy ego is defined as what we are and know about consciously. But Yoga doesn’t talk about the existence of the shadow or the dark side of our personality as much as Jungian psychology does. Yoga concentrates more on incorrect comprehension, avidya, which cloud our perception and make us weight things wrong in those situations. Another difference between those two is that in Jungian psychology ego takes the right and the good side where in Yoga, ego is part of the branches of avidya. Ego, Desikachar says often confuses us and make us go on the wrong way. Here I want to point out another big difference between Jungian psychology and Yoga and that is the fact that yoga does not condemn any religion, where Jungian psychology deals a lot with Christianity and its branches. But in both, Yoga overall in both, Jungian psychology, the spiritual needs (for example the search for meaning) are at least equally, if not more important, than biological needs. Another similarity between Yoga philosophy and Jungian psychology is the importance of balance and equality. Yoga posters require balance. Also to balance can mean to merge and intersect with our environment and other people. (Living Yoga p59) Balance might be really difficult sometimes. It requires calmness so that your body and mind will join together into one. Robert Johnson also talks in his book about balancing and the importance of balance. He says that an increase of energy in one area will be accompanied by a decrease of energy in the opposite area and vice versa, for example the energy taken from the ego must go somewhere else so that the balance between the ego and shadow is equilibrium. Though Johnson adds that this often requires a very great expenditure of energy. At the last part of his book Robert Johnson talks about mandala or about the holy circle or bounded place that is a representation of wholeness. "Mandalas are devices that remind us of our unity with God and with all living things. And the ultimate goal of Jungian psychology is a total wholeness and balance.” (Owning your own Shadow, Robert Johnson) The process of owning one's own shadow is finding balance and equilibrium between our light side and our shadow side. That means embracing the paradox, recognizing the value and purpose of our shadow. It is the place of reconciliation, to make whole once again. In yoga your last step is to become one as well. Paramahansa Yogananda says, "We are all par...