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Inner Gold: Understanding Psychological Projection
Robert A. Johnson , bestselling author of He, She, We, and other psychology classics, shares a lifetime of insights and experiences in this easy-to-read explanation of psychological projection -- seeing traits in others that are, in fact, our own. He masterfully reveals how each of us gives up our "inner gold" to those whom we idealize or are attracted to. Each one of us must learn the arduous task of "taking back" this gold as we move through life's journey.
Drawing on early Christianity, medieval alchemy, depth psychology, and the myths of "The Flying Dutchman" and "The Once and Future King," he also explores the subjects of loneliness, fundamentalist religion, and the spiritual dimensions of psychology.
One of the most influential and visionary analysts of his generation, Johnson follows the tradition of Carl Jung and Joseph Campbell among those whose ideas have shaped our deepest metaphors of self and psyche. His books are known worldwide for presenting Jung's complex theories with the simplicity and grace.
With twinkling eyes and the smile of a wise old man, Robert Johnson brings us the wisdom of a life fully lived....The healing power of Robert's writing is palpable.
- Marion Woodman
Robert Johnson's work always has that naked intensity that tells you you're in the psychic house of an honest man.
- Robert Bly
Drawing on early Christianity, medieval alchemy, depth psychology, and the myths of "The Flying Dutchman" and "The Once and Future King," he also explores the subjects of loneliness, fundamentalist religion, and the spiritual dimensions of psychology.
One of the most influential and visionary analysts of his generation, Johnson follows the tradition of Carl Jung and Joseph Campbell among those whose ideas have shaped our deepest metaphors of self and psyche. His books are known worldwide for presenting Jung's complex theories with the simplicity and grace.
With twinkling eyes and the smile of a wise old man, Robert Johnson brings us the wisdom of a life fully lived....The healing power of Robert's writing is palpable.
- Marion Woodman
Robert Johnson's work always has that naked intensity that tells you you're in the psychic house of an honest man.
- Robert Bly
88 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2008
148 people are currently reading
1972 people want to read
About the author
Robert A. Johnson
96 books820 followersRobert A. Johnson is a noted lecturer and Jungian analyst in private practice in San Diego, California. He has studied at the Jung Institute in Switzerland and at the Sri Aurobindo Ashram in India.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 88 reviews
October 2, 2020
بین تمام کتابهایی که تا به حال از اولین روزی که باسواد شدم خوندم رتبه یک رو گرفت!
جواب خیلی از سوالات منو داد و منو از بهت چندین ساله درآورد.
واقعا دوستش دارم
کتاب کوتاهیه
بنیاد فرهنگ زندگی هم با عنوان طلای درون چاپش کرده
می ارزه که یک بار بخونید
شاید برای شما هم مثل من پاسخی برای سوالاتتون بود و لذت بردین
جواب خیلی از سوالات منو داد و منو از بهت چندین ساله درآورد.
واقعا دوستش دارم
کتاب کوتاهیه
بنیاد فرهنگ زندگی هم با عنوان طلای درون چاپش کرده
می ارزه که یک بار بخونید
شاید برای شما هم مثل من پاسخی برای سوالاتتون بود و لذت بردین
May 6, 2024
It started pretty good.
But the then author smuggled some religious stuff into it in the final chapter.
And that sort of wrecked it for me so.....
There’s that.
But if you’re not allergic to that type of thing.
Go for it.
Three of these: 😐😐😐
But the then author smuggled some religious stuff into it in the final chapter.
And that sort of wrecked it for me so.....
There’s that.
But if you’re not allergic to that type of thing.
Go for it.
Three of these: 😐😐😐
April 21, 2017
The gist of this book: owning and reclaiming projected content.
I kind of just stumbled upon Robert A. Johnson ... and so far, his writing is vivacious, luminous and often borders on the mythical, the personal even—which I enjoy, immensely.
It all comes down to having the courage to take that inward look—diverting from the object and going back to the subject:
"When we awaken to a new possibility in our lives, we often see it first in another person. A part of us that has been hidden is about to emerge, but it doesn’t go in a straight line from our unconscious to becoming conscious. It travels by way of an intermediary, a host. We project our gold onto someone."
"When we observe the things we attribute to the other person, we see our own depth and meaning. Our gold goes first from us to them. Eventually it will come back to us. Projecting our inner gold offers us the best chance for an advance in consciousness."
I kind of just stumbled upon Robert A. Johnson ... and so far, his writing is vivacious, luminous and often borders on the mythical, the personal even—which I enjoy, immensely.
It all comes down to having the courage to take that inward look—diverting from the object and going back to the subject:
"When we awaken to a new possibility in our lives, we often see it first in another person. A part of us that has been hidden is about to emerge, but it doesn’t go in a straight line from our unconscious to becoming conscious. It travels by way of an intermediary, a host. We project our gold onto someone."
"When we observe the things we attribute to the other person, we see our own depth and meaning. Our gold goes first from us to them. Eventually it will come back to us. Projecting our inner gold offers us the best chance for an advance in consciousness."
October 16, 2008
If you want to understand psychological projection this is not the best book for you. There are some good examples of projecting your inner gold in the first section, but you will be left wanting more clarity. Johnson is a wise and learned man but he assumes too much of his readers. He writes well, but with too broad a brush and abstractly.
Many of his statements contain the possibility of treasures but they remain only a tease. If he were giving this book as a lecture hands would be popping up asking for more specifics, further elaboration, and examples. The book is like a lovely unfurnished house.
Perhaps the problem is that he is trying to covey too much depth in too thin a work.
Many of his statements contain the possibility of treasures but they remain only a tease. If he were giving this book as a lecture hands would be popping up asking for more specifics, further elaboration, and examples. The book is like a lovely unfurnished house.
Perhaps the problem is that he is trying to covey too much depth in too thin a work.
November 10, 2014
"Anything that can burn in a person should burn. Only the things that are fireproof are worth keeping."
"The only cure for loneliness is aloneness. (...)
When we are able to move from solitude to vision, redemption takes place and loneliness vanishes- not because it gets filled, but because it was illusory in the first place. It could never be filled. A new kind of consciousness arises that does not find the immanence of God unendurable.
There never was anywhere to go outwardly. But there is a lot to do inwardly. The change of consciousness that turns loneliness into solitude is genius. Each time the handless maiden comes to a crisis, she goes to the forest in solitude. This is especially powerful in a woman's way. It is the feminine spirit."
"Literalism is the death of insight"
"Balancing Heaven and Earth
St.Teresa of Avila was consumed by ecstasy at unpredictable moments. She often found herself caught up in rapture for minutes at a time, sometimes longer. But someone observed that she was never enraptured while she was cooking her breakfast. If she were, she might burn it. Eternity can dovetail into our practical lives. It's possible for us to manage the toast and the rapture.We need poets to rescue us from the awful contradictions we get into. Speech is literal and rational and cannot easily contain the depths of the mystery. For that we need symbols and symbolic language. During Mass- a great symbol of the intersection of time and eternity - we are liberated from space and time. But after Mass, we need to go home and cook our breakfast. We can discover within ourselves the capacity to sustain both the presence of the divine and the holiness of daily life. The two in fact are one."
"The only cure for loneliness is aloneness. (...)
When we are able to move from solitude to vision, redemption takes place and loneliness vanishes- not because it gets filled, but because it was illusory in the first place. It could never be filled. A new kind of consciousness arises that does not find the immanence of God unendurable.
There never was anywhere to go outwardly. But there is a lot to do inwardly. The change of consciousness that turns loneliness into solitude is genius. Each time the handless maiden comes to a crisis, she goes to the forest in solitude. This is especially powerful in a woman's way. It is the feminine spirit."
"Literalism is the death of insight"
"Balancing Heaven and Earth
St.Teresa of Avila was consumed by ecstasy at unpredictable moments. She often found herself caught up in rapture for minutes at a time, sometimes longer. But someone observed that she was never enraptured while she was cooking her breakfast. If she were, she might burn it. Eternity can dovetail into our practical lives. It's possible for us to manage the toast and the rapture.We need poets to rescue us from the awful contradictions we get into. Speech is literal and rational and cannot easily contain the depths of the mystery. For that we need symbols and symbolic language. During Mass- a great symbol of the intersection of time and eternity - we are liberated from space and time. But after Mass, we need to go home and cook our breakfast. We can discover within ourselves the capacity to sustain both the presence of the divine and the holiness of daily life. The two in fact are one."
June 10, 2017
I enjoyed this book, most especially chapters two and three, dealing with the different types of loneliness and an exposition on the figure of Beatrice in Dante's Divine Comedy. Johnson uses rich imagery and offers much food for gourmet thought that nourishes the heart and the spirit as much as the intellect.
Another reviewer didn't like this book because it describes projection but doesn't give a nuts-and-bolts guide to dealing with it. Johnson's approach is visionary and intuitive and he writes about literalism being idolatary, so hoping for a nuts-and-bolts practical approach from this author's work is like looking for apples on a pomegranate tree.
Another reviewer didn't like this book because it describes projection but doesn't give a nuts-and-bolts guide to dealing with it. Johnson's approach is visionary and intuitive and he writes about literalism being idolatary, so hoping for a nuts-and-bolts practical approach from this author's work is like looking for apples on a pomegranate tree.
May 13, 2022
چ خزعبلاتی
August 10, 2021
3.5 ستاره!
اگه کتاب راجع به مسائلی مثل تنهایی و عشق که راجع بهشون بحث می کنه بیشتر و واضح تر توضیح می داد، و از طرفی هم الکس جانسون کمتر عقاید مذهبیش رو در مسائل دخیل می کرد، بهتر می شد. البته راجع به مسائلی مثل فرافکنی و دلیل علاقه و عشقی که نسبت به دیگران داریم توضیحات خوبی داده و از طرفی مسئله ارتباط با دیگران و همچنین اینکه چرا یک فرد رو از خودمون بهتر می دونیم و اون رو الگو قرار می دیم هم از طریق فرافکنی توضیح و بسط داده. بحث های به هم ریخته و نامرتبی هم در باب کهن الگو ها کرده که چندان کمک زیادی به درک مطلب نمیکنه، البته داشتن آشنایی با روانشناسی تحلیلی یونگ می تونه درک این کتاب رو سهل کنه.
یکی دیگر از مزیت هاش اینه که کنجکاوم کرد که مطالعه کمدی الهی رو شروع کنم.
اگه کتاب راجع به مسائلی مثل تنهایی و عشق که راجع بهشون بحث می کنه بیشتر و واضح تر توضیح می داد، و از طرفی هم الکس جانسون کمتر عقاید مذهبیش رو در مسائل دخیل می کرد، بهتر می شد. البته راجع به مسائلی مثل فرافکنی و دلیل علاقه و عشقی که نسبت به دیگران داریم توضیحات خوبی داده و از طرفی مسئله ارتباط با دیگران و همچنین اینکه چرا یک فرد رو از خودمون بهتر می دونیم و اون رو الگو قرار می دیم هم از طریق فرافکنی توضیح و بسط داده. بحث های به هم ریخته و نامرتبی هم در باب کهن الگو ها کرده که چندان کمک زیادی به درک مطلب نمیکنه، البته داشتن آشنایی با روانشناسی تحلیلی یونگ می تونه درک این کتاب رو سهل کنه.
یکی دیگر از مزیت هاش اینه که کنجکاوم کرد که مطالعه کمدی الهی رو شروع کنم.
February 18, 2014
I want to be a jungian analyst in part because of this man. Mythic huge understanding of what it means to be a human. Simple, poetic, wise and helpful.
July 15, 2013
This wonderful little book offers a mytho-poetic explanation of idealization in a way that both illuminates and suggests practical ways of dealing with projection so it does not turn destructive. Since just about everyone idealizes, falls in love, admires and so on, just about everybody could learn some very powerful personal lessons from this jewel of a book. I re-read it every time I feel bitterly disappointed with someone and it helps more and more each time I re-read it.
September 17, 2012
These chapters inspired me and continue to in many ways to love from a place that is free and wild for all involved in my love. I love this book as if it were a friend..
Read
February 16, 2018فصل ۱ و ۳ کتاب رو خیلی پسندیدم. فصل ۱ در مورد پدیده فرافکنی خیلی خوب توضیح داده. و فصل ۳ در مورد چگونگی راهبری عشق، مخصوصا در زندگی افراد میانسال.
عالی بود.
فکر کنم دوباره بخونمش
عالی بود.
فکر کنم دوباره بخونمش
October 11, 2024
There are 3 major points the book taught me:
1) Things change, philosophy stays the same
Author towards the end of the book emphasizes that things, especially philosophical things in life, can’t be taken literally but only metaphorically. This is especially true while reading timeless books such as the Bible. That is because - my own interpretation of the author's words - things change. As the author wrote:
The idea of a stone tablet or crucifixion wouldn’t translate well to today’s world. But life lessons remain the same. If we always take things literally for philosophies, we will always miss the big picture of things: things change, but lessons remain the same.
2) Projection is a tool our body gives us, use it properly
What the author meant by “gold”, and by giving our gold to other people is: our unconscious part of ourselves uses projection to guide us. It projects what it wants our conscious self to know onto other people - thus, placing the “gold” onto other people. Male often project beauty onto attractive females, especially when the male’s understanding of his anima is underdeveloped. That isn’t love, as the author wrote:
What the male anima wants to tell the male - through projecting onto an attractive female - is that the unconscious wants the male to develop his own inner beauty, inner feminine side (while still maintaining his masculine energy). If a person doesn’t understand that, such person will never be satisfied with any attractive females he sees, for that he is innately narcissistic and aims to look for god through mere mortal females.
Obviously, this applies not only through attraction to females, it also applies from having personal heroes, for instance. We want to become a hero we see - our unconscious project that onto our hero. Merely meeting our heroes - which I’ve experienced - wouldn’t mean anything. But rather, working to become your own hero is what our unconscious wants us to do.
Loneliness has 3 stages
Author noted that feeling lonely is a very normal thing for humans to experience. But there are 3 stages: longing for the past that will never return, which is useless; longing for the future that will never happen, which is better than the earlier option, but still isn’t supreme - or, being in solitude with God. Which could be practiced regularly, as the author wrote:
Being in solitude with God is a skill that one has to learn gradually. The author noted that while everything seems to be occurring to us through the outside rather than inside, the truth is that our interpretation of events stem from inside. If we always long for the past or the future, we will always be lonely as neither events will ever occur. Both events are illusionary, seemingly from the outside, but really only conjured up by us from the inside. As the author wrote:
But if we abandon longing for the past and future, and stay concretely in the present, being in solitude with God, we will then get the vision of what we ought to do at the present. As the author wrote:
For the past few years, there's been an inner voice inside of me that tells me I’m only enough when I realize I’m enough. For a long time I didn’t know what that meant. Until recently - especially this book - enlightened me that if I always chase external validation, I will never be content. But if I chase my internal validation, I would be made whole. For external validation is nonexistent, but only internal validation is real. But it’s important to note that it doesn’t mean doing nothing and working on meditation 24-7. It means having the inner solitude to guide you to the next step, and act onto the next step. As a deep Taoist, I always want to remind myself what Lao Tzu wrote:
(I aim not to translate the above due to the certainty of loss in translation. I’d only note that it came from Tao Te Ching Chapter 37.)
1) Things change, philosophy stays the same
Author towards the end of the book emphasizes that things, especially philosophical things in life, can’t be taken literally but only metaphorically. This is especially true while reading timeless books such as the Bible. That is because - my own interpretation of the author's words - things change. As the author wrote:
Literalism is idolatry… If you take the inner world literally into our time-space world, you lose it.
The idea of a stone tablet or crucifixion wouldn’t translate well to today’s world. But life lessons remain the same. If we always take things literally for philosophies, we will always miss the big picture of things: things change, but lessons remain the same.
2) Projection is a tool our body gives us, use it properly
What the author meant by “gold”, and by giving our gold to other people is: our unconscious part of ourselves uses projection to guide us. It projects what it wants our conscious self to know onto other people - thus, placing the “gold” onto other people. Male often project beauty onto attractive females, especially when the male’s understanding of his anima is underdeveloped. That isn’t love, as the author wrote:
Loving is a human faculty. We love someone for who that person is. We appreciate and feel a kinship and a closeness. Romantic love, on the other hand, is a kind of divine love. We deify the other person. We ask that person, without knowing it, to be the incarnation of God for us. Being in love is a deep religious experience, for many people the only religious experience they’ll ever have, the last chance God has to catch them.
What the male anima wants to tell the male - through projecting onto an attractive female - is that the unconscious wants the male to develop his own inner beauty, inner feminine side (while still maintaining his masculine energy). If a person doesn’t understand that, such person will never be satisfied with any attractive females he sees, for that he is innately narcissistic and aims to look for god through mere mortal females.
Obviously, this applies not only through attraction to females, it also applies from having personal heroes, for instance. We want to become a hero we see - our unconscious project that onto our hero. Merely meeting our heroes - which I’ve experienced - wouldn’t mean anything. But rather, working to become your own hero is what our unconscious wants us to do.
Loneliness has 3 stages
Author noted that feeling lonely is a very normal thing for humans to experience. But there are 3 stages: longing for the past that will never return, which is useless; longing for the future that will never happen, which is better than the earlier option, but still isn’t supreme - or, being in solitude with God. Which could be practiced regularly, as the author wrote:
If you don’t know what to do, sit quietly until your wits come back.
Being in solitude with God is a skill that one has to learn gradually. The author noted that while everything seems to be occurring to us through the outside rather than inside, the truth is that our interpretation of events stem from inside. If we always long for the past or the future, we will always be lonely as neither events will ever occur. Both events are illusionary, seemingly from the outside, but really only conjured up by us from the inside. As the author wrote:
When we are able to move from solitude to vision, redemption takes place and loneliness vanishes - not because it gets filled, but because it was illusory in the first place. It could never be filled.
But if we abandon longing for the past and future, and stay concretely in the present, being in solitude with God, we will then get the vision of what we ought to do at the present. As the author wrote:
The change of consciousness that turns loneliness into solitude is genius.
For the past few years, there's been an inner voice inside of me that tells me I’m only enough when I realize I’m enough. For a long time I didn’t know what that meant. Until recently - especially this book - enlightened me that if I always chase external validation, I will never be content. But if I chase my internal validation, I would be made whole. For external validation is nonexistent, but only internal validation is real. But it’s important to note that it doesn’t mean doing nothing and working on meditation 24-7. It means having the inner solitude to guide you to the next step, and act onto the next step. As a deep Taoist, I always want to remind myself what Lao Tzu wrote:
無為而無不為，無成見順勢而為，使天下大治。即，治天下，順其自然；取天下，為而不爭。
(I aim not to translate the above due to the certainty of loss in translation. I’d only note that it came from Tao Te Ching Chapter 37.)
April 4, 2019
Beautiful Book about the positive aspect of projecting what is most wonderful about you onto another and so much more.
July 24, 2020
خيلي وقت بود كتاب به اين مزخرفي نخونده بود
March 5, 2014
This little book is a truly exquisite exploration into the psychology/soul of intimate relationship. I had picked it up thinking it would explore psychological projection in all avenues of life, and was a little surprised to find it focusing pretty well solely on romantic partnership. Johnson's revelations, however, go so deep, are so penetrating and navigate into a realm of understanding that is so profound, I was very happy it wasn't what I had expected.
Basically, Johnson paints a picture of romantic love as a means of transmutation - a means of meeting the divine that is one's true nature outside oneself, and then integrating it - growing to hold that beauty for oneself.
The last section of the book gets a little sloppy, as Johnson steps out of the individual, psychological/spiritual stage and starts delving into cultural commentary and prophecy. Many people would appreciate this, but I see it as an unfortunate shift of focus into Johnson's own projections (ironically).
Still, this book is short and brilliant - I really, really recommend it.
Basically, Johnson paints a picture of romantic love as a means of transmutation - a means of meeting the divine that is one's true nature outside oneself, and then integrating it - growing to hold that beauty for oneself.
The last section of the book gets a little sloppy, as Johnson steps out of the individual, psychological/spiritual stage and starts delving into cultural commentary and prophecy. Many people would appreciate this, but I see it as an unfortunate shift of focus into Johnson's own projections (ironically).
Still, this book is short and brilliant - I really, really recommend it.
January 11, 2013
A light and wonderful read, in a day! Deals with our psychological projections and how at some point or another, we have to posses our own gold as opposed to letting others carry it for us! All of us have inner gold as creatures of the light! Through life, institutionalization, fear, trauma, and life events, we can loose our gold. Sometimes we freely give it away because we can no longer carry it ourselves. This is the info we need to consider in order to reclaim our Gold, and be all the person, love, and wholeness one desires to be! Be encouraged to reclaim your Gold, You can do it! Take back your life!!!
April 9, 2014
This book was an assignment from my therapist, if you can believe it. I'm glad it was as it put the concept of psychological projection - a concept I struggled to grasp - into more understandable and tangible terms.
I do not care for the latter theological portions of the book as I do not entirely agree with his statements on the second coming, but the book is a solid B+ prior to that.
The most helpful portions to me were when the author would weave mythology into his writing to illustrate his point. Well done, overall.
I do not care for the latter theological portions of the book as I do not entirely agree with his statements on the second coming, but the book is a solid B+ prior to that.
The most helpful portions to me were when the author would weave mythology into his writing to illustrate his point. Well done, overall.
January 4, 2011
I read this book in one day but was left wanting and perplexed. Although the book's subtitle refers to psychological projection it seems to treat projection and transference indiscriminately as one and the same thing and - what I found most confusing - as a process over which one potentially has, or can acquire, full control. The author did not offer any real guidance or explanations as to how this process is to be initiated and cultivated. All in all I found it disappointing.
November 27, 2011
The book has certainly helped me understand some of my otherwise mysterious to me attractions. It is great to be able to view life and relationships through this lens of inner gold projection and discover so much more about myself. I was put off by the author's lapses into Christian themes and terminology but other than that this quick volume holds a very valuable self analysis tool for life and as such is highly recommended.
October 12, 2015
I really loved this gem of a book! Robert Johnson is such a wise teacher of the soul and its magical journey through life … I especially appreciated his second chapter on the three types of loneliness.
May 4, 2018
Johnson knows how to speak right to his point. While I tend to think that his views are a bit old-school patriarchal, his underlying psychological themes are helpful anyway. Projection is easily grasped through this text.
September 15, 2019
کتاب خوبیه که خوندنش ارزش داره
در بدترین شرایط بخونیدش تا ذهنتون باز بشه
«اگر نمیدونید چکار باید بکنید،لازم است ان قدر ارام بنشینید تا فکرتون به کار بیفته»
در بدترین شرایط بخونیدش تا ذهنتون باز بشه
«اگر نمیدونید چکار باید بکنید،لازم است ان قدر ارام بنشینید تا فکرتون به کار بیفته»
April 5, 2020
A beautiful way of understanding an exchange between people, yourself, and the emotions attached.
May 19, 2020
اولین بار هست که این کتاب را خواندم و احساس میکنم دوباره و حتی چند باره باید این کتاب را بخوانم، بعضی از قسمتها رو متوجه نشدم.
March 7, 2021
A wonderful slim (76 pages) volume about both the positive and negative aspects of projection. He writes about Christianity as well in a nuanced and helpful way.
February 6, 2022
I struggled to understand the ideas discussed in Chapter 1, I suspect I need to do more research before listening to this part of the book again, I am sure after reading several books by Robert A. Johnson that there is gold within this chapter. Chapter 3 was fantastic!
Unfortunately I found Chapter 4 unbearable to read.. Overall 3 stars.
Unfortunately I found Chapter 4 unbearable to read.. Overall 3 stars.
January 10, 2025
Robert Johnson té el poder de l’escriptura sanadora. Clar i concís. Una joia de la psicologia de Carl Jung i de la mitologia de Joseph Campbell. M’ha enganxat des del primer moment!
May 8, 2022
Started off so strong and wow did that go off the rails by then end.
First half worth reading.
First half worth reading.
December 14, 2015
Robert Johnson presents alchemical inner gold as a metaphor for psychological projection. When we awaken to a new possibility in our lieves, we often see it first in another person. A part of us that has been hidden is about to merge, but it doesn’t go in a straight line from our unconscious to becoming conscious. It travels by way of an intermediary, a host. We project our gold onto someone, and suddenly we’re consumed with that person. We project our inner gold onto others, until we are ready to hold it ourselves.
In our culture, mutual projection is regarded as the prerequisite for marriage. We take for granted that we will marry the person we are in love with. When we are in love, we put our gold- our expectations - on the other person, and this obliterates him/her. There is no relatedness.
One of the reasons why we have difficulty letting people go— letting our children leave the house, letting people die — is because we have transferred our gold onto them. We cling to people who are the repositories of our gold and wont let them loose.
If it has an impact, it means there is a war inside me. You set it off, but what you set off is my business. Anything that can burn in a person should burn. Only the things that are fireproof are worth keeping. If you can hurt my feelings, then they are better off hurt, because it’s an error in me.
The next time you ask someone to carry your gold, make the effort to know what is going on. Stay in contact with your own gold as you put it on someone else. If you ask him/her to carry that numinous, glow-in-the-dark quality for you, understand that doing so will obscure him/her from you as a person.
don’t behave as though your projection is a dog you can whistle home any time you want it.
the change of consciousness that turns loneliness into solitude is genius
In our culture, mutual projection is regarded as the prerequisite for marriage. We take for granted that we will marry the person we are in love with. When we are in love, we put our gold- our expectations - on the other person, and this obliterates him/her. There is no relatedness.
One of the reasons why we have difficulty letting people go— letting our children leave the house, letting people die — is because we have transferred our gold onto them. We cling to people who are the repositories of our gold and wont let them loose.
If it has an impact, it means there is a war inside me. You set it off, but what you set off is my business. Anything that can burn in a person should burn. Only the things that are fireproof are worth keeping. If you can hurt my feelings, then they are better off hurt, because it’s an error in me.
The next time you ask someone to carry your gold, make the effort to know what is going on. Stay in contact with your own gold as you put it on someone else. If you ask him/her to carry that numinous, glow-in-the-dark quality for you, understand that doing so will obscure him/her from you as a person.
don’t behave as though your projection is a dog you can whistle home any time you want it.
the change of consciousness that turns loneliness into solitude is genius
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