This Jungian Life Podcast Dark Forces in the Psyche: Our Self-Destructive Impulses
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Apr 30, 2026 They explore self-destructive impulses that block growth, from procrastination and paralysis to hoarding and vicious self-criticism. They trace historical ideas like the death drive, predator imagery, and protector/persecutor dynamics. Myths and stories such as Bluebeard, Jonah, and Marduk illustrate inner monsters. They emphasize small, repeated acts of courage and imaginative practices for relating to disowned parts.
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Jung Disagrees With Pure Death Drive
- Freud posited a death drive toward an inorganic state; Jung agreed libido can regress but insisted the ego must prevent permanent regression.
- Jung links this to the incest prohibition and the ego's heroic task to move forward.
Act Like The Hero One Small Step At A Time
- Meet the inner monster with a heroic attitude and stepwise action rather than repression.
- Even small acts like getting out of bed or exercising enact the hero slaying Tiamat in daily life.
Marduk And Tiamat As Psyche Creation Myth
- Lisa retold the Marduk and Tiamat myth to show world-creation as libido withdrawn from mother chaos.
- She connects slaying the mother-dragon to preventing regression and creating a renewed world.
