All posts tagged: Jungs

The Unlived Life: Jung’s Most Haunting Concept

The Unlived Life: Jung’s Most Haunting Concept

Published by Jenni Sidey

There is a particular kind of emptiness that arrives not in failure but in success. You worked toward something for years—perhaps a career, a relationship, a version of yourself that would finally feel like enough—and then you got there. In the silence that followed, something unexpected surfaced—not gratitude nor relief, but a quiet and unsettling question. Is this actually my life? If you have ever felt that, you have already encountered what Jung spent a lifetime trying to name. He had a phrase for it that I have never been able to improve upon: the unlived life. It is one of the most important psychological concepts of the 20th century, and despite its clinical relevance, the unlived life remains surprisingly underrepresented in many contemporary psychotherapy or health care settings. The Unlived Life Jung used the concept of the unlived life to describe the aspects of personality that never got to fully develop; the paths not taken, the deeper parts of ourselves left uninhabited, and the desires set aside in service of adaptation, survival, or to …

The Invisible Game: Jordan’s Negative Space and Jung’s Shadow

The Invisible Game: Jordan’s Negative Space and Jung’s Shadow

Published by Jenni Sidey

What do basketball legend Michael Jordan and psychiatrist Carl Jung have in common? More than you might think. Both focused on seeing things that others often don’t see. Jordan saw “negative space,” which is the empty area between the other players on the court. Jung’s idea of the Shadow describes the hidden parts of ourselves that we don’t generally see. Both concepts teach us that the things we’re not looking at, such as the gaps, the blind spots, and the overlooked spaces, hold the key to extraordinary performances and deeper self-understanding. The Art of Seeing What Isn’t There Jordan’s Hall of Fame basketball career was built in part on his unique ability to perceive and utilize negative space. Jordan didn’t just see players. He saw the spaces between them. This enabled him to navigate through defenses, finding paths that others didn’t see. His famous fadeaway jumper wasn’t just about athletic ability. It was about recognizing and creating negative space between himself and the defender. Carl Jung’s concept of the Shadow is the psychological equivalent of …

The Extraordinary Symbolism Behind Carl Jung’s Child Archetype

The Extraordinary Symbolism Behind Carl Jung’s Child Archetype

Published by Sam Flores

  Carl Jung proposed that within each person exist timeless and potent underlying patterns known as archetypes. One of these is what he called the Child Archetype. It is not simply a memory of childhood but an innate part of us all, symbolizing innocent beginnings and unlimited potential (though also including unfulfilled wishes and a capacity for being wounded). This figure appears in dreams, myths, and popular culture—stories that offer healing shifts in perspective if we pay attention to their messages.   The Child Archetype in Jungian Psychology: An Overview Child with a Dove, Pablo Picasso, 1901. Source: PabloPicasso.org   The Child Archetype in Jungian psychology symbolizes far beyond youth. It represents innocence, beginnings, and the potential of what we can be.   Carl Jung believed that this archetype resided deep within our unconscious minds and manifested in dreams, myths, and bedtime stories as a sign that new beginnings and unrealized potentials were nearby.   Two versions of the child regularly appear. One is full of wonder and capability (“divine child”), while the other has strength …

The Mother Archetype in Carl Jung’s Theory

The Mother Archetype in Carl Jung’s Theory

Published by Sam Flores

  Carl Jung postulated that within each person, there exist primordial symbols, which he termed archetypes—cross-cultural patterns of human experience. Perhaps the most puissant is the Mother Archetype—this figure appears in reveries, stories, and feelings. This figure has two poles: the nurturing, life-giving mother and the possessive, devouring one. Either can influence the ways in which we love, grow, and relate to others. So the question is this: How has this inner image of “mother” shaped who you are and what you currently are, and how do you perceive the world?   What Is the Mother Archetype? Jung’s Definition and Origins Mother and Child, Camille Corot, 1860s. Source: The MET   Within Jungian psychology, the Mother Archetype is a potent symbol existing within the collective unconscious—a shared psychological framework inherited by all human beings.   This goes beyond one’s relationship with their personal mother. Rather, it encapsulates an image of “motherhood” that is universal: giver of life, nurturer, protector, and sometimes controller.   It appears in countless forms, including dreams, myths, religion, and nature itself. Jung felt …

Tom Jung’s 1977 ‘Star Wars’ Artwork Fetches .9 M. at Auction

Tom Jung’s 1977 ‘Star Wars’ Artwork Fetches $3.9 M. at Auction

Published by José Betancourt

At a Heritage Auctions sale of Hollywood memorabilia in Dallas on Wednesday, a Star Wars painting sold for $3.88 million, breaking the record for an object associated with the series. The work, a painting by illustrator Tom Jung, served as the original half-sheet poster for Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope when it was first released in 1977. The work was consigned by the family of the film’s producer Gary Kurtz, who has owned it since it was first produced by Jung. The work first appeared in national newspapers on May 13, 1977, two weeks before the film’s release, marking the first image used to widely promote the film. The work was subsequently used for the film’s official program, billboards, and magazine and newspaper ads. Related Articles “This isn’t just a milestone for Star Wars. It’s a landmark moment for the entire field of pop culture collectibles and artwork,” Charles Epting, Heritage’s director of pop culture and historical consignments, said in a statement. “This painting defined the visual language one of the most …

Carl Jung’s Theory of Color Symbolism That Will Change the Way You See Color

Carl Jung’s Theory of Color Symbolism That Will Change the Way You See Color

Published by Sam Flores

Published: Nov 28, 2025written by Maysara Kamal, BA Philosophy & Film   Colors don’t only paint our world, but animate our hearts. Carl Jung understood the profound significance of colors for the human psyche. According to him, colors are not mere visual stimuli, but functions that well up from the depth of our unconscious. His works paved the way to understanding the curious ways we interact with the hues that color our waking world and our dreamscapes.   What Is the Origin of Color Symbolism According to Jung? Carl Jung in a 1955 interview. Source: Wikimedia Commons   According to Jung, the origin of color symbolism is the collective unconscious. Unlike other theories of color psychology, his understanding of color symbolism is not limited to personal and cultural associations of colors. Colors don’t have acquired, but innate, meanings. The origin of these innate meanings is the collective unconscious – an aspect of the unconscious shared by humanity at large. The patterns of meanings (i.e. archetypes) in this aspect of our unconscious are universal and impersonal. …