The author analyzes a dream of an underworld journey undertaken with his deceased parents. Coincident with this dream is an e-mail communication from a patient whose son had recently died and whose wife is currently undergoing treatment for a fatal condition. Last year, at the time of the son’s death, the author and his patient had had a mutual dream of “waking up dead.” Now, realizing his...
This essay, an evolving psychoanalytic manifesto, contemplates the “state of the world,” arguing that we are facing imminent symbolic collapse. It invites psychoanalysis to recognize that the loss of conventional, historic anchors and entrenched polarities and hierarchies, while eliciting fear for many, also unleashes a possibly unprecedented acceleration of human and planetary consciousness....
Meditation in the West is often described as helpful, whether used by individuals to relax or professionally in mindfulness-based treatment approaches. This article explores the lesser-known psychological risks of meditation, drawing on existing research about meditation’s adverse effects along with contemporary psychoanalytic concepts. One psychological risk of meditation is that it may...