{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"Dark Forces in the Psyche: Our Self-Destructive Impulses","description":"Why is it that we sometimes fail to rise to life\u2019s most important challenges? Why do we instead procrastinate, withdraw, self-sabotage, or feel unable to move toward the life we want? &amp;nbsp; This week, at a listener\u2019s suggestion, Jungian analysts Lisa Marchiano and Deborah Stewart explore the concept of anti-libidinal forces in the psyche: those self-destructive impulses that oppose growth, pleasure, and forward movement. &amp;nbsp; We discuss the ways this phenomenon has been addressed within the profession, including Freud\u2019s death drive, Melanie Klein\u2019s concept of the bad breast, Clarissa Pinkola Est\u00e9s\u2019 predator in the psyche, and Donald Kalsched\u2019s protector\/persecutor. &amp;nbsp; Libido was understood by Jung to mean life energy, rather than being purely sexual. We explore how blocked libido can become depression, paralyzing fear, hoarding behavior, vicious self-criticism, or simply an inability to begin or complete what matters most. &amp;nbsp; Through stories such as Bluebeard, Jonah and the Whale, and Marduk and Tiamat, we consider inner monsters that threaten to devour vitality. &amp;nbsp; Anti-libidinal forces, however, are not the end of the story. We also discuss the heroic task of meeting fear, reclaiming disowned energies, and choosing life one step at a time. Read the dream we analyze in full on our \u2060website\u2060. Connect With This Jungian Life Download our free&amp;nbsp;\u2060Dream Recall Meditation Guide\u2060. Send a \u2060\u2060\u2060\u2060\u2060\u2060dream\u2060\u2060\u2060\u2060\u2060\u2060 for us to analyze on the show. Check out our TJL \u2060\u2060\u2060\u2060\u2060\u2060podcast merch\u2060\u2060\u2060\u2060\u2060\u2060.  Follow This Jungian Life on \u2060\u2060\u2060\u2060\u2060\u2060Instagram\u2060\u2060\u2060\u2060\u2060\u2060. ","author_name":"This Jungian Life","author_url":"http:\/\/www.ThisJungianLife.com","html":"<iframe title=\"Libsyn Player\" style=\"border: none\" src=\"\/\/html5-player.libsyn.com\/embed\/episode\/id\/41072395\/height\/90\/theme\/custom\/thumbnail\/yes\/direction\/forward\/render-playlist\/no\/custom-color\/319606\/\" height=\"90\" width=\"600\" scrolling=\"no\"  allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen oallowfullscreen msallowfullscreen><\/iframe>","thumbnail_url":"https:\/\/assets.libsyn.com\/secure\/content\/201348670"}