Okay, I usually do a lot of speculative, theoretical stuff and/or critique in this blog, however, I thought I'd share some of my work with active imagination.
The problem of the inferior function, Jung thought, was a tough one. In most cases, not even the auxiliary fully came into its own, but rather worked in only a slightly differentiated way to aid in the aims of the dominant function. If a person really worked at it, and most likely had the help of a skilled psychoanalyst (though von Franz does say at one point that certain people may be self-aware and honest enough to do it on their own)then they could conceivably work through the functions. This would mean living fully as the dominant, then the auxiliary, then the third, then finally, hopefully, integrating the inferior function. It was only when the dominant and the inferior were integrated that a person could become whole. Otherwise, they'd remain in a very split, one-sided state.
The importance of integrating the inferior function can't be overemphasized. von Franz thought that not only was it necessary in order for the personality to become integrated, but it was a social responsibility as well. She described the inferior function as where "the devil comes in" and so while it may start in the individual, if left unchecked, it would grow into social ills. She believed, for example, that Nazi Germany was able to happen because of people's inferior function. Hitler, she explained, could read a crowd well and knew how to play on the inner demons of the unconscious. The inferior function isn't just something we're not good at, it's something that is incredibly intense, something which not only houses secret passions but secret terrors as well, and when those things aren't recognized and integrated,can be manipulated in horribly destructive ways.
Still, Jung grew skeptical about most people doing this, and at one point suggested that for most people, it could really only be tackled through active imagination. Von Franz describes typical creative activities for all of the types except for the feeling types. Thinking types can work through their inferior function through painting or dancing, intuitive types through clay and sensing types through creative writing. So, I figured this would be a nice starting point for myself. Now, I enjoy painting, I'm a fairly skilled character writer, but true to von Franz's description, clay has long since tended to be the bane of my existence. So, I decided, while looking at some dalek figurines that we picked up in England, to do a little bit of working with clay. (I looked at an actual object since typically my imagination is given very free rein when I'm doing artwork, so I thought working from observation would be more suitable to my aims.) Here's what I came up with. Now, if this doesn't exemplify one's inferior sensing, I don't know what does:
My Clay Dalek
8 comments:
What is it about working with clay that is supposed to reach inferior sensing?
Clay very much engages the five senses, you have the direct, unmediated contact with your hands as you shape it, etc. Cooking engages inferior extraverted sensing for the same reason. Extraverted sensing is very much involved with engaging in the outer world through your sensory experiences. When you have inferior extraverted sensing, it can be really difficult to do these things--you either can't do them consistently, or it takes a long time, or you get so frustrated that you rush through them so fast just to get it over with (usually making a number of mistakes along the way).
That's really interesting. Being an introverted intuitive, I cook an awful lot, but I cook in an intuitive way--therefore I can never make the exact same meal twice--I can make something very close, but I just don't like to follow precise instructions. You can get away with that (and be extremely successful) in cooking, but not in baking. Even though I am a pretty good baker, I am not as good of a baker as my daughter, who follows instructions exactly.
When you say that "being an introverted intuitive, I cook a lot" do you mean that you consider cooking to be an introverted intuitive activity or are you just explaining how your intuition intersects with cooking? The reason I'm asking is that introverted intuition doesn't per se lend itself to cooking...rather, it tends to tap into the collective unconscious and express these sorts of mystical visions of the future which are highly idiosyncratic and thus are most often expressed in things like painting, creative writing, philosophy and prophecy. Cooking definitely engages a different function. (Though, if you have inferior sensing, you may be drawn to activities that engage that function, which would include cooking.)
My husband is an intuitive, though extraverted, and he's an excellent cook. He doesn't use directions either. He can taste something we're eating in a restaurant and not only replicate it, but improve upon it. That really exemplifies what happens when a person tries to engage their inferior function. The person instinctively overcompensates with their dominant function. So, an intuitive that's working with clay, cooking or doing some other sensing activity will do it for a few minutes, but then they'll shift and start processing it through intuition...thinking of possibilities for the thing or letting hunches or imagination take over.
I meant that was how my dominant function intersects with cooking. I am definitely drawn to things that I would think engage my inferior sensing--cake decorating is one thing that comes to mind. I am good at it if I am willing to take the time to do it right, but most of the time I get in a hurry and just want to be finished, so I start working through intuition, for example, if I skip that step and combine the next three...
Yeah, and that's generally how we tend to overcompensate for our inferior functions, too. It gets filtered through the dominant, but also we adapt, do stuff to cover up the fact that it's a difficulty area, which von Franz says gives very collective expressions of the inferior.
Cake decorating sounds yummy. I can't cook to save my life, probably because my mom couldn't cook to save her life (seriously, even mac and cheese was confusing for her). Growing up in the 70s and 80s in a single parent home, I was very much part of the tv dinner generation. The extent of my baking would be the freezer aisle chocolate chip cookie dough...oh, and I can make a mean cannoli. So, most of my unconscious Sensing comes out through enjoying the desserts that other people make. :P
Good way to do it...is that why I love food so much--my inferior sensing coming out?
It could be. Von Franz mentions how intuitives, especially introverted intuitives, tend to really love to indulge in food. Extraverted Sensing types enjoy food, and generally have rather refined tastes, though they tend to be more moderate about it. The inferior function is often all-or-none, it's either avoided or the person gets an absolutely euphoric feeling when they do it, so the intuitive tends to experience food (and other sensory stuff) rather intensely.
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