"After all, Eros is an alchemical agent of transformation—our love for others forces us to face our defences, to rewrite our morals, and to learn to love and hate simultaneously without falling apart. It challenges us to grow up. Is that why we fear it so much?"
So true! and tricky! Thanks for your sharing! And I wish you the best on this noble way that is our profession! (I'am also a psychotherapist!)
"While our minds might immediately go to sexuality, the invitation of eros is in fact for a deep involvement with life." Thank you for the entire post - and congratulations of this ending and beginning. This line in particular helped me remember what I am in the process of learning now. 🙏
I stumbled into your Substack this morning and so glad I did! From what I’ve read thus far I glean you’ll have a long rich career ahead of you and I do indeed wish you all the best! Congratulations!
Love your take on Jung in another essay. Makes so much sense to help clearly define the iconic terms. And love that The Red Book is featured in your photo. I'm making my way through it as an accompaniment to my studies about alchemy and Hermeticism.
I'm glad! The Red Book is quite a read! I've dipped into it again and again over the last few years, almost using it as a divinatory practice to find a passage that resonates or guides what I'm going through. It's been wonderful for that. But I found sitting down to read it, as you would a regular book, pretty challenging–it's like a spiritual experience in itself. I aim to be able to do this this year, maybe alongside Liz Greene's book on the Liber Novus.
Ooh, I'd like to check out Greene's book. My perceptions of shadow and daimons have been shifting since diving into alchemy... I'm also reading Marlene Seven Bremner's volumes.
Loved reading this this morning. A glimpse into your hero’s journey.
I’ve been diving deep into Eros as well, allured by the sense of what it is to be fully alive. I loved how you mentioned being entangled with humans by having relationships or participating in community, all the while keeping our hearts open. Now that’s a hero’s journey itself!
Thanks for opening your belly of grief just a bit to us, so we can take a little of that and translate it in our lives.
Congratulations on graduating in what seems to be a long journey returning back to yourself. The title caught my eye and it felt poignant. I realised its because I am sending my final report in today for marking on the same course you have completed which I started in 2004 (long break), so there is a similar sense of a journey destined to be unfolding in this way. The sense of grief is also something I can really relate to, its been a long process. You will fly.
A fellow CCPE student, how cool! Congrats on sending the final report in, I remember that feeling well. It's a massive accomplishment, especially with taking a long break and finding the energy to return when you know full well what that demands of you. Fingers crossed for your upcoming qualification and please say hello if we ever bump into each other at the institute.
Congratulations on completing your training! Love the reflections you've shared here. Took me right back to the whirlwind of change that was training. Good luck with your practice!
This is wonderful news Maria! I completely understand the ambivalent response. I imagine I’m going to feel a bit of an anticlimax when it finally happens. Thank you for so eloquently describing the process of training, whilst each persons experience is highly individual you have so justly described the arduous journey. I was also touched by what you said about coming back into the world and the grief for the time passed during this process. It sounds like you will be ready to birth something new for Spring! Your clients will be in for a treat, Oh and the website looks AMAZING!
Sinead, thank you so much! I'll be there to cheer you on in the anticlimactic moment and remind you that it's still a glorious achievement. I look forward to meeting up back in our "normal lives", whatever those are.
Reading this after reading your post on the dangers of Jungian psychology. Both were very insightful and moving pieces.
I’m about to embark on my own study in transpersonal psychotherapy (psychosynthesis - developed by lesser known contemporary and friend of Jung, Roberto Assiagoli) next week. I’m cautiously excited with some niggling fears of what’s ahead.
I’ll be digging into your backlog of posts and looking forward to more of what you have to share. Glad I stumbled across your page! Thank you and congratulations 🥳
How exciting for you! I loved reading Assagioli and later discovering his keen interest in astrology, which seemed to have underpinned his psychological theories. Wishing you a beautiful journey through your training as you’re going into this initiation! And thanks a lot for reading.
"After all, Eros is an alchemical agent of transformation—our love for others forces us to face our defences, to rewrite our morals, and to learn to love and hate simultaneously without falling apart. It challenges us to grow up. Is that why we fear it so much?"
So true! and tricky! Thanks for your sharing! And I wish you the best on this noble way that is our profession! (I'am also a psychotherapist!)
Very tricky! Thank you, Daniel, best to you as well ☀️
Thank you, i found this piece very moving, so honest and vulnerable
Thank you, Amy.
Congratulations, Maria! Been following you for a while and pleased to know all your hard work has paid off!
Wow, thank you very much!
Congratulations, Maria! What an incredible achievement :)
Thank you, Alyssa!
"While our minds might immediately go to sexuality, the invitation of eros is in fact for a deep involvement with life." Thank you for the entire post - and congratulations of this ending and beginning. This line in particular helped me remember what I am in the process of learning now. 🙏
Thank you for reading, Robyn! It feels like the great lesson (and challenge) of our times, doesn't it?
I stumbled into your Substack this morning and so glad I did! From what I’ve read thus far I glean you’ll have a long rich career ahead of you and I do indeed wish you all the best! Congratulations!
Aw, thank you so much Josh! This is very kind.
Love your take on Jung in another essay. Makes so much sense to help clearly define the iconic terms. And love that The Red Book is featured in your photo. I'm making my way through it as an accompaniment to my studies about alchemy and Hermeticism.
I'm glad! The Red Book is quite a read! I've dipped into it again and again over the last few years, almost using it as a divinatory practice to find a passage that resonates or guides what I'm going through. It's been wonderful for that. But I found sitting down to read it, as you would a regular book, pretty challenging–it's like a spiritual experience in itself. I aim to be able to do this this year, maybe alongside Liz Greene's book on the Liber Novus.
Ooh, I'd like to check out Greene's book. My perceptions of shadow and daimons have been shifting since diving into alchemy... I'm also reading Marlene Seven Bremner's volumes.
Loved reading this this morning. A glimpse into your hero’s journey.
I’ve been diving deep into Eros as well, allured by the sense of what it is to be fully alive. I loved how you mentioned being entangled with humans by having relationships or participating in community, all the while keeping our hearts open. Now that’s a hero’s journey itself!
Thanks for opening your belly of grief just a bit to us, so we can take a little of that and translate it in our lives.
Thank you, Malia! It's a journey I aspire to follow. How do you work with Eros, do you have any practices or ideas you follow?
Thank you for sharing these vulnerable emotions… what a milestone, but as you seem to point to here: the road continues on. ❤️
Thank you, Michael. We keep going.
Congratulations on graduating in what seems to be a long journey returning back to yourself. The title caught my eye and it felt poignant. I realised its because I am sending my final report in today for marking on the same course you have completed which I started in 2004 (long break), so there is a similar sense of a journey destined to be unfolding in this way. The sense of grief is also something I can really relate to, its been a long process. You will fly.
A fellow CCPE student, how cool! Congrats on sending the final report in, I remember that feeling well. It's a massive accomplishment, especially with taking a long break and finding the energy to return when you know full well what that demands of you. Fingers crossed for your upcoming qualification and please say hello if we ever bump into each other at the institute.
Congratulations on completing your training! Love the reflections you've shared here. Took me right back to the whirlwind of change that was training. Good luck with your practice!
Thank you, Billie!
Beautiful reflections! congratulations on this milestone. The journey continues
Thanks, Kai!
This is wonderful news Maria! I completely understand the ambivalent response. I imagine I’m going to feel a bit of an anticlimax when it finally happens. Thank you for so eloquently describing the process of training, whilst each persons experience is highly individual you have so justly described the arduous journey. I was also touched by what you said about coming back into the world and the grief for the time passed during this process. It sounds like you will be ready to birth something new for Spring! Your clients will be in for a treat, Oh and the website looks AMAZING!
Sinead, thank you so much! I'll be there to cheer you on in the anticlimactic moment and remind you that it's still a glorious achievement. I look forward to meeting up back in our "normal lives", whatever those are.
Reading this after reading your post on the dangers of Jungian psychology. Both were very insightful and moving pieces.
I’m about to embark on my own study in transpersonal psychotherapy (psychosynthesis - developed by lesser known contemporary and friend of Jung, Roberto Assiagoli) next week. I’m cautiously excited with some niggling fears of what’s ahead.
I’ll be digging into your backlog of posts and looking forward to more of what you have to share. Glad I stumbled across your page! Thank you and congratulations 🥳
How exciting for you! I loved reading Assagioli and later discovering his keen interest in astrology, which seemed to have underpinned his psychological theories. Wishing you a beautiful journey through your training as you’re going into this initiation! And thanks a lot for reading.