Hi, dear listeners! Today, we’re exploring a fascinating and slightly spooky topic—your unconscious mind. Yep, that hidden part of you that bubbles beneath the surface, influencing your behavior, thoughts, and emotions in ways you may not even realize.
Raise your hand—have you ever done something so completely out of character, so downright stupid, that you couldn’t believe you did it? I’m raising both hands because, trust me, I’ve been there. However, most of mine was done before social media, and thank god for that!
If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably wondered, “Where on earth did that come from?”
The answer, my friends, lies in your unconscious. It’s that sneaky, shadowy part of you that loves to show up in weird and unexpected ways, especially if you’re not paying attention. Today, we’ll explore why the unconscious is so powerful, how it can hijack your behavior, and, most importantly, how to become more aware of your whole self so you can live a more integrated, intentional life. Let’s get started!
To start, let’s get clear on what the unconscious actually is. Remember that old saying that we only use 10 % of our brain? Well, nowadays we know that’s not true, but many people still don’t understand how the unconscious fits into that picture. The unconscious mind, according to Carl Jung and many other psychologists, is the part of your psyche that holds everything you’re not actively aware of—your suppressed memories, unresolved emotions, forgotten experiences, instincts, and desires. It’s the behind-the-scenes operator of your life. And trust me, it’s working 24/7, whether you like it or not.
Carl Jung, one of the most influential thinkers in psychology, believed that the unconscious wasn’t just a personal storage unit for forgotten stuff. It also connected us to something much bigger—the collective unconscious, a shared reservoir of human experiences, archetypes, and instincts that shape all of humanity. In his work, Jung suggested that civilization itself depends on our ability to uncover and integrate the unconscious. In other words, if we don’t deal with what’s hiding beneath the surface, it’s going to deal with us—and not always in ways we like.
Let’s talk about what happens when you ignore your unconscious mind. If left unchecked, your unconscious will find ways to make itself known, often through bizarre, out-of-character behavior. Here are a few examples:
The Blurt-Out Moment: Ever been in a meeting or conversation and suddenly said something completely inappropriate or weird? It’s like your unconscious grabbed the microphone and took over.
The Impulse Buy: You’re on a budget, but suddenly you’re walking out of the store with a $300 gadget you definitely don’t need. Where did that impulse come from?
The “Why Did I Do That?” Behavior: Maybe you sabotage a relationship, skip an important deadline, or ghost a friend for no good reason. Later, you’re left scratching your head, wondering, “What was I thinking?”
The truth is, in those moments, you weren’t thinking—you were reacting. Your unconscious had something to say, and it came out in the only way it could: through your behavior.
Jung believed that the unconscious doesn’t act out just for fun. It does so because it holds parts of yourself that you’ve repressed, ignored, or denied. Maybe it’s an unresolved childhood trauma, a desire you’re too ashamed to admit, or a fear you’d rather not face. When you push those things into the shadows, they don’t disappear—they fester. And eventually, they’ll demand to be acknowledged, often in disruptive ways.
Jung also warned that ignoring your unconscious isn’t just bad for you—it’s bad for society as a whole. He believed that civilization’s greatest challenges—wars, social unrest, environmental destruction—stem from our collective inability to deal with the unconscious.
It’s a sobering thought, isn’t it? If we want to create a better world, we need to start by creating a better relationship with ourselves.
So, how do we do this? How do we bring our unconscious into the light and integrate it with our conscious selves? Here are some practical steps:
1. Pay Attention to Your Triggers
One of the easiest ways to spot your unconscious is to notice your emotional triggers. These are the moments when your reaction feels bigger than the situation calls for. Maybe someone makes an offhand comment, and you find yourself irrationally angry or defensive. That’s your unconscious saying, “Hey! There’s something here you need to look at.”
So, the next time you’re triggered, pause and ask yourself:
• What am I feeling right now?
• Does this remind me of something from my past?
• What unmet need or unresolved issue might this reaction be pointing to?
•
2. Keep a Dream Journal
Your dreams are like postcards from your unconscious. They’re full of symbols, metaphors, and hidden messages that can give you clues about what’s going on beneath the surface. Jung was a big believer in analyzing dreams as a way to connect with the unconscious. `I have done this for decades and even have some of my childhood dreams written down and they are soo much fun to decipher!
What you need to do is keep a notebook by your bed and jot down your dreams as soon as you wake up. Look for recurring symbols, themes, or emotions, and ask yourself what they might represent in your waking life.
3. Practice Active Imagination
This is a technique Jung developed to engage directly with your unconscious. It involves entering a meditative state and allowing images, thoughts, or feelings from your unconscious to surface. Think of it as a dialogue between your conscious mind and your unconscious.
How do I do this? Find a quiet space, close your eyes, and focus on a question or issue you’re struggling with. Allow your mind to wander and see what comes up. Don’t judge or analyze—just observe.
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4. Explore Shadow Work
Your “shadow” is the part of your unconscious that holds all the traits you’ve rejected or denied—things like anger, jealousy, greed, or even positive traits like ambition or assertiveness. Shadow work is about acknowledging those parts of yourself and integrating them into your identity.
This is a not-so-fun one, but quite eye-opening. Make a list of qualities in others that irritate you. These traits often reflect aspects of your own shadow that you are denying exist within you. Ask yourself, “How might this quality show up in me, and how can I make peace with it?”
5. Get Curious About Your Mistakes
When you mess up or act out of character, don’t beat yourself up. Instead, get curious. What was your unconscious trying to tell you? What need or emotion might have been driving your behavior?
So the next time you have a “Why did I do that?” moment, journal about it. Write down what happened, how you felt, and what you think your unconscious was trying to communicate.
6. Read and Reflect
Books can be powerful tools for exploring your unconscious. I highly recommend CG Jung on Nature, Technology, and Modern Life, edited by Meredith Sabini. It’s a collection of essays that explores Jung’s thoughts on the unconscious and its impact on modern society. Reading Jung can be dense, but it’s incredibly rewarding if you’re willing to dig deep.
The Benefits of Integrating Your Unconscious
When you take the time to uncover and integrate your unconscious, amazing things start to happen:
1 Greater Self-Awareness: You’ll understand yourself on a deeper level, including why you do the things you do.
2 Improved Relationships: By owning your unconscious patterns, you’ll stop projecting them onto others and create healthier connections.
3 Enhanced Creativity: The unconscious is a wellspring of inspiration and ideas. When you tap into it, your creativity will soar.
4 Inner Peace: Integrating your unconscious helps you feel whole and aligned, reducing inner conflict and anxiety.
5 Personal Growth: You’ll become more resilient, adaptable, and empowered to face life’s challenges.
Your unconscious is like a hidden treasure chest, filled with parts of yourself that are just waiting to be discovered. Yes, it can be messy, unpredictable, and even a little scary. But it’s also the key to understanding who you truly are and living a more authentic, intentional life.
So, the next time you catch yourself doing something weird, stupid, or totally out of character, don’t panic. Get curious. Ask yourself what your unconscious is trying to say. And remember, as Jung said, “Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life, and you will call it fate.”
Thanks for tuning in, my friends! Until next time, stay curious, stay mindful, and keep shedding light on your amazing, complex, and wonderfully weird self.