Saturday Memory
January 10, 2026

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

Thought for the Day
Wednesday, January 7, 2026

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

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

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.

Thought for the Day
Wednesday, December 24, 2025

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

Saturday Memory
December 13, 2025

I think the purpose of remembering has something to do with the future. Perhaps the point is that by remembering, one can better serve the future. As I have written, the same is true of dreams. They have to do with the future, even if their content focuses on the past. I woke up this morning remembering a dream from a while ago in which I saw three pennies on the sidewalk. Later that morning, on a walk, I happened upon three pennies on the sidewalk. This synchronicity felt significant. Even if pennies as such are not considered very significant, this synchronicity points to something of value. What came to mind immediately was the sense of finding value in the worthless, the importance of the Rule of Three, and how I might ritualize this event with the pennies as I often do with “found” objects. One thing I have done to ritualize with the pennies is to use them when I consult the I Ching. Another way has been to use the coins when I am feeling stuck in some way. I toss the coins three times and total up the values, which can range from 18 to 27 (heads = 3, tails =2).  I then reduce the total to a single digit and focus on the symbolism of that number. Notice that the series of single digits is bounded by the number 9, so the least is 9 and the most is 9. I always found this particularly valuable in relation to W. D. Gann’s Square of Nine when teaching about the financial markets. In any event, whatever number is obtained, delving into the symbolism of that number will always open a pathway forward.

Saturday Memory
December 6, 2025

Frank Gehry, the soul of postmodern architecture, has died at 96. Back in 1978, when I lived in Santa Monica, Frank and I were neighbors. He was working on an unprecedented reworking of his home, and it was this that caught the world’s attention. The somewhat posh neighborhood was outraged at his reconstruction, but the world of architecture saw something new in the making. Around this same time, I was a member of the C. G. Jung Institute and the C. G. Jung Society of Los Angeles. A new building was proposed to serve as the home of the Institute and Society, as well as the Analytical Psychology Club of Los Angeles. I suggested that Frank be the architect and design the building after interviewing all the members. Most members wanted the architect to follow their ideas. I proposed that we let Frank be free to create whatever he is inspired to design after talking with the members. Sad to say, after speaking with everyone, Frank said he could not take on the project when there was so much fear about what he would design. I think almost everyone imagined him doing something “crazy,” as he had done to his house. Frank continued to live in his Santa Monica house for decades. In the early 80s, I left Los Angeles and fell out of touch with Frank. He went on to become one of the world’s great architects. Please take a look at his famous buildings. Here is a picture of his house in Santa Monica.

Saturday Memory
November 29, 2025

At first, as I looked across the room of the psychophysiology class, all I could see was her dress. It was a Scottish Black Watch pattern. But it was enough to set my heart racing. Then I saw her, and my heart raced even more. Somewhere, somehow, I knew “she is the one.” About two weeks before, my mother asked if I had ever thought I would get married. “No way,” I said. But here I was set aflame as I’d never experienced. I had to ask her for a date. We connected and chatted, and finally, I worked up the nerve to ask her. “I’m doing a hysterectomy on a rat tonight in the lab. Would you like to watch?” As I reflect on that now, I think that may be the most original pickup line ever. She said, “Yes.” The night of the operation, she appeared with her brother, whom she brought along to check me out. She dismissed him quickly, and I began the operation, and it all went well. We have been married ever since: 65 years!

Russ

Thought for the Day
Wednesday, November 26, 2025

Over the years, I’ve collected thousands of books. Now, at 87, it’s time to say goodbye. This is hard for me. But I have begun. Some I donate, some I sell. And a very few, I say, “Not yet.” Some I cannot yet part with. I was helped in this task by a simple dream that said, “Remember them.” From this dream, I developed a ritual. I would hold each book and try to remember why I bought it, when I bought it, and what I had learned from it. I was surprised by how clear and accessible most of this remembrance was. Some of these encounters were like meeting an old friend I had not seen in years, and the time of separation just evaporated, and one was just present. So, yes, books are like friends, perhaps not just “lie” friends, but friends indeed. By enacting this ritual, my task has not become easier, but it has become meaningful in satisfying ways. At my age, saying “goodbye” to anything takes on a poignancy that burrows deep. Bittersweet comes to mind.

Russ