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February
15
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I met him some years ago when I went regularly for coffee on Saturday mornings at Starbucks in the local Safeway. I had seen him before as he stood out. He was a cross dresser appearing in women’s clothing. We met because there was only one seat left and I invited him to sit down at my table. I learned right away that he was a writer, and that he was writing various things that detailed different outcomes than had been true (e.g., World War 2). He was not yet published but he was committed to his projects. We met many times and our meetings continued until my Saturday plans changed, and I started going to a new coffee shop in Everett (Narrative).
I had not thought of him for several years and had not seen him walking around town as I often had before. B But a couple of days ago, as I was driving home from Safeway, I saw him walking with a cane. I felt good that he was still out and about.
That night, I had a dream. In the dream, I was walking in the hallway of some business-like building with a colleague. The man referred to above walked by, and I went after him to reconnect. We did so and quickly caught up on writing and other things we had discussed. It felt good to reconnect with him.
I don’t usually dream about things that happen in my outer life, so this stood out as being important for that reason. I connected it immediately with a persistent feeling I have been having, namely, there was “something new and different” to come into my writing. The connection to the cross-dresser and our mutual interest in writing seemed to be an expression of this feeling. So far, something new and different has not yet appeared, but I am very expectant and even more so since this dream.
Russ
We got our first TV in 1950. It had a small 10-inch screen. Black and white. One of the things that was broadcast was “professional” wrestling. My grandmother was a huge wrestling fan. Her favorite wrestler was Gorgeous George, the flamboyant figure who transformed wrestling into a public spectacle. During one of the shows, Wild Red Berry was doing bad things to Gorgeous. My grandmother was yelling and screaming. Our dog, Blackie, was running wildly in circles and barking. It was general pandemonium. At one point, grandma took off her shoe and threw it at the TV, as if that would stop Wild Red from pummeling Gorgeous. It didn’t but everyone held their breath waiting to see if the TV sateen was broken. It wasn’t. And. as often the case, Gorgeous won the match after getting completely clobbered. But that scene endeared me to grandma; I loved her passion.
The three pillars of Nazism (and most other oppressive ideologies) are (1) absolute rule rule by decrees without regard to law, (2) enforce decrees by force, threat, coercion and intimidation, and (3) absolute certainty of the necessity for purity of race, religion, culture or other characteristics. All of this is now happening under the guise of “Make America Great Again. (MAGA).” The process is insidious, implacable, and (so far) unstoppable. The president controls Congress and the Supreme Court. The opposition can only come “from the people” through demonstrations and voting. Very likely, voting will be diluted either by orders (e.g., no mail in voting) or through Marshall law which could be used to cancel elections. The threat to democracy is real and it growing daily. So far, opposition to this reality is ineffective.
Today, on the anniversary of David Bowie’s death, I am remembering the seminar I taught at the C. G. Jung Institute in Los Angeles in 1973, a few months after the release of his album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars. The purpose of the seminar was to illustrate how new myths are always forming in the psyche and that hints of these new myths may be found first in art and popular culture. I speculated that David Bowie was likely open to and a carrier of new mythemes and that attention to his future work would be very important. I think this speculation proved correct. His music, lyrics, and interviews are a mine of psychic gold.
Russ
I have written a number of times about what I call the alternative reality virus (ARV). This is a psychological virus that infects, is contagious, and difficult, if not impossible to treat. Its symptoms include denial of consensual reality, rejection of facts, attraction to and acceptance of fabricated realities (aka, conspiracy theories), rejection of others. Lying becomes a normative act as does the rejection of values. Because of the spread of the ARV and so little to mitigate its effects, all institutions are subject to collapse, as is true of cultural and religious containers. The spread of ARV is world wide. In addition to the aforementioned qualities, it is useful to note how rapidly ARV mimics addictive processes. And, like most addictive processes, treatment is largely ineffective. As the ARV takes over, the qualities of unconscious suicidal factors begin to manifest. When characteristic of those in power, the dangers to the culture at large are increased. What we are witnessing now is the large-scale effects of those in power displaying all the symptoms of ARV, openly and without any sense of the harm that is engendered. Almost every news story bears witness to this. This creates a time of great danger to everyone, those infected by ARV included. So far, I can see no treatment or enantiodromia available r on the horizon. It looks as though things will only get worse.
ral
January 1, 2026
I do not make New Year’s resolutions. However, I do have certain New Year’s rituals I tend. One of these is to pay close attention to whatever image stands out in a New Year’s dream. The image that stands out this year is ginger. The dream voice said I would need to bring the “qualities” of ginger into relation with whatever I, but most particularly with my writing and teaching. My usual approach to working on such a “command” is to begin with an exploration of the etymology and symbolism of the word.
Etymology
Ginger does not have an Indo-European root. The earliest known reference is found in the Dravidian language of ancient India: inchi-ver which referred to “ginger root.” The word traveled through many languages as it developed, historically finding its meaning of “spicy taste” to metaphoric sense of “spic,”” with spunk,” “pizazz.” as well as referring to hair color (red in US, ginger in UK). From the etymology one gets the impression of something “fiery” and “energetic.” `I was a red head as a kid, so there may be a backward reference to things related to a younger age when I had ginger hair.
Symbolism
The use of ginger has generated symbolism in three areas: the shape of the plant, the taste, and cultural uses. The shape of the plant has given rise to the image of “horny-body” as well as “branching rhizome.” This symbolism suggests multiplicity rather than singularity. The taste of the plant has given rise to symbols of heat, fire, circulation, and pungency. This symbolism suggests strong motion. The cultural uses of ginger have given rise to its uses in medicine, trade, ritual, and preservation. These images suggest that ginger does not refer to the “rare” or “hidden,” but to the open, common and available. In many traditions, ginger is used to “ignite” animation, spirit and spunk, arousing one from stupor and listlessness. The horn imagery is connected to masculine, strength, and potency. The rhizome associations indicate something is “arising.” The ritual uses can be seen in warding off illness, calming nerves as a prelude to engendering courage, heating the body so it can take action.
Application
All this etymology and symbolism refers to something highly energetic, moving, fiery, spirited, and potent. These are the qualities, then, that the dream voice tells me to bring to my activities this year, particularly in connection with my writing and teaching. I take these dream voice messages as tasks and do what I can to bring the task to fruition. This is not my ego intention, but the intention of something other that speaks to me in dreams. When an intention comes from the deep psyche, it is more likely to be carried out than if it is only an ego-based resolution.
As a kid, Christmas was my favorite time of year. As a parent, Christmas was my favorite time of year. As a grandfather, Christmas is my favorite time of year. As a kid, the focus was on what I would get as presents. As a parent, the focus was on what I would give as presents. As a grandparent, the focus is on the importance of specific traditions, like Christmas, working as a kind of balm for the toxic narcissism that is pervading our culture, from the President on down. As one’s attention turns to the new year, one can hope for something to happen to trigger an enantiodromia from what we are suffering. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to each and every.
As I thought about the tragic death of Rob Reiner, I found myself remembering well-known
people I have been fortunate to meet. Back in the 70s, this happened frequently, not only
because I was a Jungian analyst, but because some of the people I connected with connected
me with others. For example, Tom Laughlin was a prominent figure in the Jungian community.
He was known for his role in the Billy Jack movies, his Jungian writings, and his founding of what
became the largest Montessori school in the US, his financial support of Jungian projects,
and his presidential run in several elections. We became friends, and he invited me often to his
home to play tennis with other well-known people (e.g, Clint Eastwood) as well as to the
occasional dinner. One evening, I remember he invited my wife and me, as well as Mel Brooks.
What I remember is how funny Brooks was, and I remember we talked about humor being good
medicine for most everything. I’ve never forgotten that, and it echoed what my father taught me:
the importance of being silly.
Russ
I can’t stop thinking about the effect of reading László Krasznahorkai has had on me.
He won the 2025 Nobel Prize for literature. Susan Sontag described him as the
“Hungarian master of the apocalypse.” He doesn’t write about apocalypse; he makes
you feel it through his writing. His writing is like no other. You can get an idea of
it by reading his speech in accepting the prize. Here is the link:
László Krasznahorkai – Banquet speech – NobelPrize.org
Russ
This site is the access point for all the online activities of “ral” otherwise known as Russell Arthur Lockhart, Ph.D. I work as a Jungian Analyst, Writer, Editor & Publisher (The Lockhart Press), and Consultant. The focus in all my activities is the psyche as it expresses itself in dreams, imagination, language and culture. Your comments are most welcome and appreciated.