Golden Emptiness: Exploring Emotional Complexes through Carl Jung's Theory of the Personal Unconscious

 We will not discuss the film I watched today, even though you might find a "gap" in my story related to the picture.

Looking back, I remember a time when I wanted to ask a certain "lady" out. She was a typical Taurus, and I was always captivated by her smile, despite continually delaying my intention to invite her. How did she respond?

"sorry, I cannot for now haha"

"aww it's hot."

"hmm noo, too far."

"ohw, so expensive.."

At that moment, my thoughts began to limit myself, thinking:

"okay, perhaps it's better not to ask her out now. Maybe I should invite her in the morning on weekends or in the evening between 6-9 PM. AH, maybe a nearby place, but where? Even nearby places are expensive. If I invite her to Puri or Pluit, would she like it?"

And yes, ultimately, all these thoughts only occurred in my mind.

Do you know what happens to someone who gets stuck without action?

Correct, it becomes a repository of neglected or buried memories. This turns into a blacklist within our minds that we can't control. Normally, people have this, and it accumulates into something that can devastate us or unconsciously steer our actions when we fail to act correctly in those moments.

AND THAT IS A COMPLEX (PERSONAL UNCONSCIOUSNESS WEB)

In psychoanalytic theory, Carl Jung proposed that:

"Personal consciousness contains forgotten, repressed, or insignificant experiences. However, these experiences can resurface at any time. In the personal unconscious, there are various ideas, such as feelings, thoughts, perceptions, or memories organized into complexes. These complexes have a core that functions like a magnet, attracting various experiences. The core is unconscious, but the connections can and often do become conscious."

This means that a person has an unconscious attraction or drive when triggered by a topic or situation beyond their control, based on past experiences (through forgetting, repression, or neglect) that they couldn't achieve, thus forming a complex.

A complex holds meaning derived from the entirety of experiences channeled through emotions. Every human experience with emotional weight builds the foundations of complexes that create a unified drive from each fragment of the self, containing countless deep meanings when triggered by a situation.

Back to my story,

As I grew more confused and simultaneously desired to watch a movie with a lady like before, I became increasingly scared and ashamed. When I didn't know what to do, my anxiety appeared. (If I invited her, she seemed closer to "others" in her stories, and I couldn't ruin someone else's relationship again since I was just an admirer with love emoticons for her... and so on.) Ultimately, I didn't invite anyone to watch with me for fear of rejection and anxiety about last-minute invites and being judged based on previous experiences. So, I went alone.

Walking alone, I realized I was anxious about my solitude when others brought their partners, families, or friends (though I was quite disgusted by gay couples there). After watching the film, I saw that my experience today closely relates to the workings of the Personal Unconscious, where the web of complexes weaves each emotionally charged experience. 

I then realized that it's okay to fail at attracting a woman's attention, to feel disgusted by gay people, or to notice my dwindling savings (and decreasing marriage funds). Whatever it is, you're still human. Everything I've strived for has been about accepting what I can about myself and setting boundaries without forgetting or repressing emotions. Recognizing this, I try to resolve the complexities to prevent them from becoming resentment, hatred, or other excessive feelings.

And yes,

When I realized the film's ending was satisfying and highlighted many aspects of complexity, I understood that:

* Emotional experiences are meaningful if each moment is lived according to its context or situation. When I am sad, learning to channel it properly is the key to how memory can grow and develop. When given the same experience with a different effort, that's how sadness, anxiety, fear, and happiness become a unified memory remembered throughout life.

* We can't expect everything to go as planned to gain recognition, avoid disappointment, win over others, or achieve expectations for the future. The key is living in the moment. When you lose a match, sit down and calm yourself without thinking, "others will trample you if you lose." Instead, in those moments, there's no need to discard, forget, or ignore a sea of memories.

* Every experience is the best teacher for realizing the human learning process to derive meaning (though we can't take everything). Take a little and learn how it can impact you. If that's enough, move on to new experiences to unlock other emotional charges, even with the same experiences. What was experienced yesterday is a lesson. Today is a blessing. And the future is a mystery. This cycle is called True Peace.

Conclusion

This reflection illustrates how personal experiences can be understood through the lens of Carl Jung's psychoanalytic theory, particularly concerning the personal unconscious and complexes.

1. Role of Complexes in Personal Experience:

Forgotten, repressed, or unconscious experiences form complexes that significantly influence our behavior and emotional responses. These complexes act like magnets, attracting various relevant experiences often without our full awareness.

2. Emotional Triggers and Complexes:

When specific situations or topics trigger dormant complexes, our reactions can be influenced by organized memories and emotions from the past within these complexes. This often occurs without full consciousness and can affect how we behave and make decisions.

3. Experience as a Teacher:

Every emotional experience, whether joy, sadness, anxiety, or fear, plays a crucial role in shaping our memories and learning. By facing and managing these emotions appropriately, we can glean profound meaning from each experience, turning them into valuable memories.

4. Living in the Present:

The key to living peacefully is accepting each experience and emotion as they come, without seeking recognition or avoiding disappointment. Valuing every moment as part of a learning and personal development process helps us find true peace.

5. Self-Acceptance:

Acknowledging and accepting our limitations and failures, without suppressing or ignoring negative emotions, allows us to grow and learn from these experiences. Thus, we can avoid excessive feelings of resentment or hatred and build a positive attitude towards ourselves and life.

In conclusion, this reflection emphasizes the importance of understanding complexes and the personal unconscious within ourselves, and how we can manage and learn from each emotional experience to achieve peace and wisdom in life.

Source:

Psikologi Analitik Carl Gustav Jung : Teori, Struktur, dan Perkembangannya - DosenPsikologi.com

https://www.saltypopcorn.co.uk/movies/inside-out-2 (sumber gambar)

Pengalaman Si Penulis (yang menyedihkan itu haha)

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Golden Emptiness: Personal Unconscious dan Kompleksitas Emosi - Refleksi Berdasarkan Teori Carl Jung (filusufngawur.blogspot.com)