Witness to the Fire: Creativity and the
Veil of Addiction
Solowoniuk, 2008
1
Encourage you to read The Heart of Addiction Reading and the Slides paying
attention to the concepts of displacement and Case Study the Good Women
Re-read Dislocation theory and Slides – understand it
Review your notes on the Cyber Sex Video / Clean and Sober
Read Rosenthal and Staying in the Action (5 defense mechanisms)
Review Relapse concepts (efficacy, coping, craving, etc.). paying attention to
Stages of Change and Dynamic Model of Change
And Finally Pay Attention to Today’s Slides and More of the first 17 pgs. Of
Creativity and the Veil of Addiction Reading
 Have a recollection of themes in Beyond 12 steps

Classroom Question?

So what is the craving behind addiction?
The Process of Individuation
From Latin “individuus” – “undivided,” “whole”
A process of psychological differentiation, having for its
goal the development of the individual personality

Not to overcome one’s personal psychology and
become perfect, but to become familiar with it
Increasing awareness of one’s unique psychological
reality, including personal strengths and limitations, and
at the same time a deeper appreciation of humanity in
general
When we are on the path, we are at the goal
Jung’s Landscape
Psyche refers to the totality of all psychological
processes. It “embraces all thought, feeling, and
behavior, both conscious and unconscious. It functions
as a guide which regulates and adapts the individual to
his social and physical environment.”
The Self

The Center of the Psyche
 The “Central Archetype”
 Like the Sun in the Center of the Solar System
 Archetype of order, organization, and unification
 Unites the personality
 Responsible for fulfilling the blueprint of life
 At birth – all is the Self
 Connecting bridge to “The Unity”
 Goal is psychological wholeness and completeness
 Transpersonal, transcends the ego
J u n g ' s M o d e l o f th e P s y c h e
ego
Ego-Self Axis
Personal
unconscious
consciousness
C
A
A
Self
A
C
C
A
C
collective
unconscious
A
A
C
A=Archetype
C=Complex
C
Adapted from Stevens, 1990, pg. 29

Giving oneself
over and being
possessed

Held Hostage
through denial

Dracula casts no
shadow – loss of
soul

Falling in love with our addiction – a
lending / luring

We will need to pay it back

Moneylender and Demon Lover may
emerge

Demon Lover – is our addiction

Folks will give different names to
their sub personalities or archetypes
if you will

Appears helpful

May show up in dreams

Inflation / Deflation

Ego Ideal

Guilt and Guiltlessness
The Ego
 The central complex in the field of
consciousness
 Organizing function of the
conscious mind
 Gives sense of identity, continuity and
personality – “I”
 Composed of conscious perceptions, memories,
thoughts and feelings
 The “gatekeeper to consciousness”
 Actually a very small part of the overall psyche
The ego has believed that everything revolves around it.
Wrong!
Ego
The Self
“The night darkens the spirit, but only
to illuminate it”
Leonard states – “here was my hope”
Confrontation with meaning of our existence
Purposeful journey?

The yearning behind addiction and the
reason why addiction can be understood to
be a counterfeit quest for wholeness is
because the addict is trying to commune with
a power that is beyond one’s one ordinary
self.
 And the usual choice an addict makes to get there
is through egoic apparati.

Underneath addiction
then, is a thirst for
wholeness, to be truly
ourselves, to feel alive,
to be at one within
ourselves.

However, through
addictive means, a
counterfeit feeling of
spiritual connection or
“okayness” can be
misunderstood as
connecting or finding
this inner core.
which often leads to
destruction and disaster...
Song Interlude – Van Nuys
I don't want to die out here in the valley
Waiting for my luck to change
And I just want my dad to know
That I finally made it...
Everybody gets high
Everybody gets low
Everybody gets bruised
Everybody gets sold
I don't want to die out here in the valley
You don't have to lie,
I know that's what I'll do
I don't want my mom to know
That I never loved my life
And I sold my soul
Everybody gets high
Everybody gets low
Everybody gets bruised
Everybody gets sold
Everybody gets dark
Everybody unfolds
Everybody gets high
Everybody gets so low
And everyone's eyes are blue
And everyone's mouth is dry
And nobody wants to die
In Van Nuys
Van Nuys
18
Following the Spiritual Call
There are a great deal other individuals who regularly attend to their
spiritual center... Some of these activities include
•Painting / artwork
•Meditation
•Spiritual or religious practice
•Prayer
•Reading
•Among other activities
Solowoniuk, 2008
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
Constant Craving K.D. Lang.