Depth Psychology-Dr. Arielle Schwartz

The Study of the Soul

Depth Psychology Dr. Arielle Schwartz

My family and I just returned from a trip to Chaco Canyon, Grand Canyon, Zion, and Bryce National parks. Being in these places provided a powerful reminder of history and culture as we walked in the footsteps of the Pueblo people, gazed upon the remains of their homes and ceremonial grounds. Profound images of Kivas and the ancient people whose lives peacefully revolved around the seasons and celestial markers of time. Thousand year old stone structures were aligned with the passage of the sun revealing powerful alignments with the solstices and equinoxes. Moments of awe and a sense of being on sacred ground were amplified by the timing of our trip that happened to coincide with the spring equinox and the full moon.

This trip reminded me of my psychological roots. My mother introduced me to Jungian Psychology as it was a passion of hers as she had the opportunity to undergo many years of her own analysis. When I began my studies in psychology I too was drawn to this depth approach through many years of dream work and embodied process work. Psyche is the Greek word for โ€œsoul.โ€ Psychology in true form is the study of the soul.

โ€œDepth psychology explores dreams, stories, myths, symbols, culture, and history as ways to access a sense of meaning. This provides substance behind the superficial, yet equally important, aspects of life. Of course, we need to work, to pay the bills, to cook the meals, and to wash the dishes. Equally, we need to feel connected to something bigger than us to know how our unique thread fits into the fabric of all life.โ€
-Dr. Arielle Schwartz

Dreamwork

Dept psychology Dr. Arielle Schwartz

Two days before our trip I awoke from a dream that called me towards a piece of โ€œinner work.โ€ What I recalled upon awakening was really just an image that lingered in my consciousness yet this fragment was sufficiently powerful to capture my attention. The dream was of three sea lions caught in a fishermanโ€™s trap being pulled behind a large boat trolling the ocean for fish. I was standing on the shore wondering how to free the sea lions that were caught in the cage.

Later that day, I began a process of active imagination, โ€œdreamworkโ€ that involves returning to the scene or image from a dream and exploring the associated images, sensations, and emotions:

As I re-enter the watery scene I explore my relationship with each part of the dream. As the sea lions I feel how my body longs to be free; to return to the watery depths. As the cage I am made up of sharp lines firm and unyielding. I let you in but will not let go. As the ocean I feel vast and limitless, spacious, and deep. As the dreamer I long to free to sea lions who now become the mythological Selkies who live as seals in the water and humans on land. I recall the story of a man who hides away the sealskin of his Selkie wife so she cannot go back to sea. I am like the Selkies torn between my love of the sea and land; my capacity to explore the depths and need to return to the surface. I envision that Poseidon rises from the sea and lifting his trident releases the sea lions from their cage. Something shifts internally as I drop into the watery depths, an emotional release.

Soul Medicine

Depth Psychology Dr. Arielle Schwartz

Chaco canyon was rich with petroglyph images of spirals and stone circles. Powerful symbols. Spirals remind us of the power of the inner journey, the need to “spiral in” to the center, the path of discovery. Here we gather power and wisdom. The spiral also reminds us of the need to bring our gifts back out into the world; this completes the circle. Receiving and giving, spiraling in and spiraling out, diving into the depths of the soulโ€™s journey and returning to the surfaceโ€”the cycles of life.

Synchronicity

Depth Psychology Dr. Arielle Schwartz

Next stop on our journey was to the Grand Canyon. I felt a strong calling to walk down from the rim to the river. But I knew that we were unable to complete the descent and ascent in one day as this is an arduous 17 mile hike. I had heard of the highly desired campsites and cabins down at the base within the safe haven of Phantom Ranch but knew that people wait months and sometimes over a year to secure a place to sleep at the base of the canyon. Chances were slim.

On our way in I called down to the ranch to find out if there happened to be any cancellations to discover they had just had a cancellation with enough room for a family of four. I took this is as a sign.

Descending to the Sacred Waters

Depth psychology Dr. Arielle Schwartz

The scale of the Grand Canyon is so enormous it can hardly be comprehended by mind or sight alone. Rock lifted up over 7,000 feet in elevation and a canyon a mile deep carved out by the powerful persistence of water. This vast canyon is something that can only be experienced and felt.

The descent into the canyon was one of the most profoundly spiritual experiences of my life. A pilgrimage. A life-changing event complete with obstacles to overcome. I hit a wall of fatigueโ€ฆmy legs could not go one step further. My mind tried to convince me that I could not make it, that I took on a challenge too big. โ€œWhat was I thinking?โ€ โ€œWhat was I trying to prove?โ€

Somehow, despite the fatigue and ramped up inner critic I managed to place one foot in front of the other. I moved past the traps of self-imposed limitations. I called upon my inner Poseidon and broke the spell. The energy that was directing my self-judge became fuel for the journey.

Initially the river was hidden by rock but as we descended the sight of blue-green water encouraged me on. The profound beauty of the canyon, the sheer effort of the hike, I was moved to tears. Having touched the sacred waters we all made it, rim to river and back again.

Depth Psychology

Depth psychology Dr. Arielle Schwartz

Carl Jung believed that disconnection from the deeper โ€œSelfโ€ is the root cause of psychological distress. It is easy to over-identify with superficial aspects of ourselves and the world. We can all get caught up in the โ€œrolesโ€ that we play at home or work, the current fashion fad, or even our Facebook profiles. Dreams, stories, myths, symbols, culture, and history offer ways to connect to what James Hillman describes as the โ€œseat of meaningful experience.โ€ Such experiences that harbor emotional or spiritual significance provide substance behind the superficial, yet equally important, aspects of life. Yes we need to work, to pay the bills, to cook the meals, and to wash the dishes. However, the goal of depth psychology is to cultivate a relationship to a Self that is less subject to change; to return the soul into psychology.

We need to feel connected to something bigger than us. You have your unique path to arrive at such an experience. Mine just happened to correspond with a descent into the Grand Canyon. Spiral in. Listen to your dreams, attend to your hopes, mend your heart. Only you hold the keys to your truth. Spiral out and bring your gifts to the world. Your unique thread fits into the fabric of all life; you are needed.

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About Dr. Arielle Schwartz

Dr. Arielle Schwartz

Dr. Arielle Schwartzย is a licensed clinical psychologist, wife, and mother in Boulder, CO. She offersย trainings for therapists, maintains a private practice, and has passions for the outdoors, yoga, and writing. Dr. Schwartz is the author ofย The Complex PTSD Workbook: A Mind-Body Approach to Regaining Emotional Control and Becoming Wholeย (Fall, 2016). She is the developer of Resilience-Informed Therapy which applies research on trauma recovery to form a strength-based, trauma treatment model that includes Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), somatic (body-centered) psychology and time-tested relational psychotherapy.ย Likeย Dr. Arielle Schwartz on Facebook,ย follow her on Linkedinย and sign up for email updatesย to stayย up to dateย with all herย posts.


Comments

Depth Psychology-Dr. Arielle Schwartz — 5 Comments

  1. Oh how I have loved the vast open magical beauty of the Grand Canyon and hiking down to Phantom Ranch. How wonderful that it worked out so beautifully for all of you!

    I find that I get more and more clear about how working with my inner process is linked to what shows up in my external world. It feels like one of the most powerful ways to keep manifesting what I want in my life :-). It’s also been a powerful pathway to connecting deeply with myself and to the sense of something so much bigger than I am too. Just as you so beautifully described.

    • Veronique,
      Love your comment! Did you also hike to phantom ranch at some point? Magical indeed.
      An yes, the inner/outer weaving and reflections of who we are…equally magical.
      Thank you for writing.
      Dr. Arielle Schwartz

  2. I love the opening picture with door after door leading to room after room. I also love all and, this picture spoke to my process of continual learning’s opening one after another.
    As I heard about the suffering of a friend’s wife of 20hr’s of induced labor I had a brand new level of respect for Women in totality.
    As I heard clearly how that brought up what he was tasked with as an Air Force pilot during the gulf war I had a brand new respect for Men too. Doors upon doors and room after room connecting life experiences quite far apart.
    A common connection of suffering in some form as humans. I was quite honored to be one of us.

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