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The God CrucibleThe God Crucible
Uniting God’s Masculine and FeminineUniting God’s Masculine and Feminine
SidesSides
Dr. Jean Benedict RaffaDr. Jean Benedict Raffa
Question #1:Question #1:
Does God have a masculine andDoes God have a masculine and
feminine side?feminine side?
Question #2
How can human beings have
anything to do with changing or
healing God?
The struggle to know who I am, in truth and in spirit,The struggle to know who I am, in truth and in spirit,
is the spiritual quest.is the spiritual quest.
The movement in myself from the mask to the face,The movement in myself from the mask to the face,
from the personality to the person,from the personality to the person,
from the performing actor to the rulerfrom the performing actor to the ruler
of the inner chamber,of the inner chamber,
is the spiritual journey.is the spiritual journey.
To live, work, and suffer on this shoreTo live, work, and suffer on this shore
in faithfulness to the whispers from the other shorein faithfulness to the whispers from the other shore
is spiritual life.is spiritual life.
Ravi RavindraRavi Ravindra
Whatever we persistently exclude from consciousWhatever we persistently exclude from conscious
training and adaptationtraining and adaptation
necessarily remains in an untrained, undeveloped,necessarily remains in an untrained, undeveloped,
infantile, or archaic condition,infantile, or archaic condition,
ranging from partial to complete unconsciousness.ranging from partial to complete unconsciousness.
Hence…unconscious influencesHence…unconscious influences
of a primitive characterof a primitive character
are always normally present in ample measureare always normally present in ample measure
and disturb the intentions of consciousness.and disturb the intentions of consciousness.
Carl JungCarl Jung
Question # 3Question # 3
What does uniting the opposites
have to do with creating
consciousness?
It is my beliefIt is my belief
that the problem of opposites…that the problem of opposites…
should be made the basis forshould be made the basis for
a critical psychology.a critical psychology.
A critique of this sortA critique of this sort
would be of the utmost valuewould be of the utmost value
not only in the narrower field of psychology,not only in the narrower field of psychology,
but also in the wider field of the culturalbut also in the wider field of the cultural
sciences in general.sciences in general.
Carl JungCarl Jung
Dualistic ThinkingDualistic Thinking
GoodGood BadBad
RightRight WrongWrong
Self OtherSelf Other
Brain LateralizationBrain Lateralization
 Left HemisphereLeft Hemisphere
• Written WordsWritten Words
• DiscriminationDiscrimination
• Separating andSeparating and
AnalyzingAnalyzing
• HierarchicalHierarchical
AuthorityAuthority
 Right HemisphereRight Hemisphere
• ImagesImages
• HolismHolism
• Harmonizing andHarmonizing and
BalancingBalancing
• Shared AuthorityShared Authority
Stages of Development of the Human PsycheStages of Development of the Human Psyche
Stage 1: Right-Hemisphere DominantStage 1: Right-Hemisphere Dominant
 People see themselves as one with naturePeople see themselves as one with nature
and the universe and have no concept ofand the universe and have no concept of
their individualitytheir individuality
 No sense of personal moral responsibilityNo sense of personal moral responsibility
 Unconscious identification with Mother andUnconscious identification with Mother and
her genius: Beingher genius: Being
 Conventional tribal standards are allConventional tribal standards are all
importantimportant
 Society is Matri-centric; Deity is femaleSociety is Matri-centric; Deity is female
Stages of Development of the Human PsycheStages of Development of the Human Psyche
Stage 2: Left-Hemisphere DominantStage 2: Left-Hemisphere Dominant
 People acquire a terrifying awareness ofPeople acquire a terrifying awareness of
their separateness from Mother and thetheir separateness from Mother and the
ego is bornego is born
 The ego questions and rejects tribalThe ego questions and rejects tribal
conventions and heroically suffers theconventions and heroically suffers the
consequencesconsequences
 Individuality and moral responsibility areIndividuality and moral responsibility are
bornborn
 The ego rejects Mother and identifies withThe ego rejects Mother and identifies with
Father and his genius: DoingFather and his genius: Doing
 Society becomes Patri-centric; Deity isSociety becomes Patri-centric; Deity is
malemale
Stage 3: HolisticStage 3: Holistic
 Ego meets the shadow and turns withinEgo meets the shadow and turns within
 Ego acknowledges the influence of theEgo acknowledges the influence of the
contrasexual opposites and its ultimatecontrasexual opposites and its ultimate
opposite, the Selfopposite, the Self
 Opposites are tolerated, valued, andOpposites are tolerated, valued, and
integrated into consciousnessintegrated into consciousness
 Fear and alienation are replaced byFear and alienation are replaced by
spiritual meaning, harmony, and a sensespiritual meaning, harmony, and a sense
of connection with othernessof connection with otherness
 Thinking becomes holistic: ego readilyThinking becomes holistic: ego readily
consults both hemispheres of the brainconsults both hemispheres of the brain
 God-image loses gender and tribalGod-image loses gender and tribal
associations to become universalassociations to become universal
Holistic ThinkingHolistic Thinking
Question # 4Question # 4
What does my title, The God
Crucible, have to do with any of
this?
““To know oneself is to know God.”To know oneself is to know God.”
Mystics from everyMystics from every
age and religionage and religion
Mother Julian of NorwichMother Julian of Norwich
 “The purpose of the Incarnation...is not so much
as to scrub away an original sin as to heal the
two sides to our nature.”
 “Just as God is truly our Father, so also is God
truly our Mother.”
 “We are in God and God whom we do not see is
in us. We are of God. That is what we are. I
saw no difference between God and our
Substance but as if it were all God.”
 “We can never know God until we first know
clearly our own soul.”
A Unified God-ImageA Unified God-Image
Self OtherSelf Other
GodGod
The God CrucibleThe God Crucible
Just as it takes a union between masculinity andJust as it takes a union between masculinity and
femininity to create new physical life, so the union offemininity to create new physical life, so the union of
our inner opposites is the source of new spiritualour inner opposites is the source of new spiritual
growth and life. We each contain every qualitygrowth and life. We each contain every quality
and potential we associate with the feminineand potential we associate with the feminine
and masculine principles. We are sacredand masculine principles. We are sacred
vessels of transformation. By unitingvessels of transformation. By uniting
the opposites within ourselves,the opposites within ourselves,
we create consciousness.we create consciousness.
WeWe
becomebecome
God crucibles.God crucibles.
Becoming More Conscious of
Your Shadow
What is it about these people you don’t like?
What parts of you are like this?
What is it about the people you like that you
admire?
What parts of you are like this?

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The God Crucible

  • 1. The God CrucibleThe God Crucible Uniting God’s Masculine and FeminineUniting God’s Masculine and Feminine SidesSides Dr. Jean Benedict RaffaDr. Jean Benedict Raffa
  • 2. Question #1:Question #1: Does God have a masculine andDoes God have a masculine and feminine side?feminine side?
  • 3. Question #2 How can human beings have anything to do with changing or healing God?
  • 4. The struggle to know who I am, in truth and in spirit,The struggle to know who I am, in truth and in spirit, is the spiritual quest.is the spiritual quest. The movement in myself from the mask to the face,The movement in myself from the mask to the face, from the personality to the person,from the personality to the person, from the performing actor to the rulerfrom the performing actor to the ruler of the inner chamber,of the inner chamber, is the spiritual journey.is the spiritual journey. To live, work, and suffer on this shoreTo live, work, and suffer on this shore in faithfulness to the whispers from the other shorein faithfulness to the whispers from the other shore is spiritual life.is spiritual life. Ravi RavindraRavi Ravindra
  • 5. Whatever we persistently exclude from consciousWhatever we persistently exclude from conscious training and adaptationtraining and adaptation necessarily remains in an untrained, undeveloped,necessarily remains in an untrained, undeveloped, infantile, or archaic condition,infantile, or archaic condition, ranging from partial to complete unconsciousness.ranging from partial to complete unconsciousness. Hence…unconscious influencesHence…unconscious influences of a primitive characterof a primitive character are always normally present in ample measureare always normally present in ample measure and disturb the intentions of consciousness.and disturb the intentions of consciousness. Carl JungCarl Jung
  • 6. Question # 3Question # 3 What does uniting the opposites have to do with creating consciousness?
  • 7. It is my beliefIt is my belief that the problem of opposites…that the problem of opposites… should be made the basis forshould be made the basis for a critical psychology.a critical psychology. A critique of this sortA critique of this sort would be of the utmost valuewould be of the utmost value not only in the narrower field of psychology,not only in the narrower field of psychology, but also in the wider field of the culturalbut also in the wider field of the cultural sciences in general.sciences in general. Carl JungCarl Jung
  • 8. Dualistic ThinkingDualistic Thinking GoodGood BadBad RightRight WrongWrong Self OtherSelf Other
  • 9. Brain LateralizationBrain Lateralization  Left HemisphereLeft Hemisphere • Written WordsWritten Words • DiscriminationDiscrimination • Separating andSeparating and AnalyzingAnalyzing • HierarchicalHierarchical AuthorityAuthority  Right HemisphereRight Hemisphere • ImagesImages • HolismHolism • Harmonizing andHarmonizing and BalancingBalancing • Shared AuthorityShared Authority
  • 10. Stages of Development of the Human PsycheStages of Development of the Human Psyche Stage 1: Right-Hemisphere DominantStage 1: Right-Hemisphere Dominant  People see themselves as one with naturePeople see themselves as one with nature and the universe and have no concept ofand the universe and have no concept of their individualitytheir individuality  No sense of personal moral responsibilityNo sense of personal moral responsibility  Unconscious identification with Mother andUnconscious identification with Mother and her genius: Beingher genius: Being  Conventional tribal standards are allConventional tribal standards are all importantimportant  Society is Matri-centric; Deity is femaleSociety is Matri-centric; Deity is female
  • 11. Stages of Development of the Human PsycheStages of Development of the Human Psyche Stage 2: Left-Hemisphere DominantStage 2: Left-Hemisphere Dominant  People acquire a terrifying awareness ofPeople acquire a terrifying awareness of their separateness from Mother and thetheir separateness from Mother and the ego is bornego is born  The ego questions and rejects tribalThe ego questions and rejects tribal conventions and heroically suffers theconventions and heroically suffers the consequencesconsequences  Individuality and moral responsibility areIndividuality and moral responsibility are bornborn  The ego rejects Mother and identifies withThe ego rejects Mother and identifies with Father and his genius: DoingFather and his genius: Doing  Society becomes Patri-centric; Deity isSociety becomes Patri-centric; Deity is malemale
  • 12. Stage 3: HolisticStage 3: Holistic  Ego meets the shadow and turns withinEgo meets the shadow and turns within  Ego acknowledges the influence of theEgo acknowledges the influence of the contrasexual opposites and its ultimatecontrasexual opposites and its ultimate opposite, the Selfopposite, the Self  Opposites are tolerated, valued, andOpposites are tolerated, valued, and integrated into consciousnessintegrated into consciousness  Fear and alienation are replaced byFear and alienation are replaced by spiritual meaning, harmony, and a sensespiritual meaning, harmony, and a sense of connection with othernessof connection with otherness  Thinking becomes holistic: ego readilyThinking becomes holistic: ego readily consults both hemispheres of the brainconsults both hemispheres of the brain  God-image loses gender and tribalGod-image loses gender and tribal associations to become universalassociations to become universal
  • 14. Question # 4Question # 4 What does my title, The God Crucible, have to do with any of this?
  • 15. ““To know oneself is to know God.”To know oneself is to know God.” Mystics from everyMystics from every age and religionage and religion
  • 16. Mother Julian of NorwichMother Julian of Norwich  “The purpose of the Incarnation...is not so much as to scrub away an original sin as to heal the two sides to our nature.”  “Just as God is truly our Father, so also is God truly our Mother.”  “We are in God and God whom we do not see is in us. We are of God. That is what we are. I saw no difference between God and our Substance but as if it were all God.”  “We can never know God until we first know clearly our own soul.”
  • 17. A Unified God-ImageA Unified God-Image Self OtherSelf Other GodGod
  • 18. The God CrucibleThe God Crucible Just as it takes a union between masculinity andJust as it takes a union between masculinity and femininity to create new physical life, so the union offemininity to create new physical life, so the union of our inner opposites is the source of new spiritualour inner opposites is the source of new spiritual growth and life. We each contain every qualitygrowth and life. We each contain every quality and potential we associate with the feminineand potential we associate with the feminine and masculine principles. We are sacredand masculine principles. We are sacred vessels of transformation. By unitingvessels of transformation. By uniting the opposites within ourselves,the opposites within ourselves, we create consciousness.we create consciousness. WeWe becomebecome God crucibles.God crucibles.
  • 19. Becoming More Conscious of Your Shadow What is it about these people you don’t like? What parts of you are like this? What is it about the people you like that you admire? What parts of you are like this?

Editor's Notes

  1. Consider this quote by a true mystic of the Eastern world. (Read quote) Carl Jung was often called a mystic too. Whether or not that’s true, what we do know is that he was a brilliant psycho-spiritual pioneer, one of the few people in the Western world who understood that self-discovery and creating consciousness are the keys to acquiring spiritual maturity and meaning. He, more than almost anyone else in his time, truly understood that the psychology of the individual cannot be separated from the quest for enlightenment. A courageous scientist and radical thinker who was ahead of his time in many ways, he believed that humanity’s single-minded emphasis on masculinity for the past 5,000 years has given rise to a one-sided masculine God-image that has seriously compromised our hope for peace and harmony in this world. In this religiously condoned climate of obsessive masculinity, the feminine principle is a metaphor for otherness: everything about ourselves and the world that has been rejected and that remains unconscious and undeveloped within us. Why is becoming conscious of our inner other the way to become a true spirit person?
  2. Here is Jung’s answer in his own words. (Read quote) In other words, we all have a conscious and an unconscious self. Remaining ignorant of our unconscious selves is the primary obstacle in the spiritual journey. Making the unconscious conscious is our ultimate goal. One of Jung’s major discoveries was the archetype of the shadow, which is a composite of all that we reject about ourselves and relegate to our personal unconscious. Just as every individual has a personal shadow, so every group has a collective shadow. Jung also discovered and named the anima, which he saw as a man’s unconscious feminine side. Today, many neo-Jungians, including myself, see the anima as the unconscious feminine in either gender, just as the animus would be the unconscious masculine in either gender. Jung knew that the extent to which individuals in a society obsess over their masculine sides and repress their feminine qualities has a direct relationship to conflicts within and between societies. He saw this as the explanation for prejudice, divisiveness, and hostilities of every kind, including some forms of mental illness, societal injustice, crime, and wars, including religious wars. By making the unconscious conscious, by struggling to unite our own inner opposites, we can heal the divisiveness within ourselves and contribute to the healing of our culture and our world. As Jung said…. (Next Slide)
  3. Understanding the importance to the world of the union of opposites in each individual, Jung strove to understand and empower the neglected feminine principle, and to restore the archetypal feminine to her proper place in the human psyche and the world. As wise as any Eastern mystic, he knew that healing and uniting the opposites within ourselves is the key to a healthier God-image, which, in turn, is humanity’s only hope of creating world peace. Before I go any further, I need to clear up a common misconception. In today’s world where there is so much emphasis on accepting diversity and creating unity, many people mistakenly think that to acknowledge the opposites is to condone dualistic thinking. But this is not true. Understanding and valuing the differences between the opposites is a prerequisite to unity and wholeness. In the physical world of appearances, the human ego naturally sees things in terms of opposites: either/or, good/evil, right/wrong, us/them, north pole/south pole, male/female, Self/Other. Dualistic thinking occurs when we identify with one side, calling it good, and reject the other, which we think of as bad, or other. It is not our awareness of the appearance of opposites that is the source of our problems, but our tendency to make value judgments about them and our inability to recognize the sacred truth that beneath the appearance of opposites there is an underlying unity. It is this unity that we think of as God. As we unite the opposites within ourselves, we become more conscious of this unity. This is what enables us to grow toward spiritual maturity. This is what connects us with God. There’s an ancient Mayan saying: God is not dualistic : God is duality . In other words, God is the union between every pair of opposites. Symbolically, this would look something like this. I find it fascinating that currently, we in America are witnessing a political campaign that is, for the first time, consciously addressing this very issue of uniting the opposites. Both leading candidates in the democratic party are striving to heal the cultural divisiveness that has long dominated the politics and health of our country. Senator Clinton hopes to heal the ‘good old boy’ system that relegates women and minorities to subordinate positions beneath invisible glass ceilings. Senator Obama hopes to heal the racial rifts that have created so much social injustice and unrest. If Jung was right, the election of either has the potential to foster enormously healthy changes in our beloved country.
  4. Dualistic thinking is separating, divisive. It sees things in a linear way. It believes that, “My way is on one side and your way is on the other, and there is a thick barrier between us that cannot be bridged!” I find it enormously significant that currently, we in America are witnessing a political campaign that is consciously addressing this very issue of uniting the opposites. Both leading candidates in the democratic party are striving to heal the cultural divisiveness that has long dominated the politics and health of our country. Senator Clinton hopes to heal the ‘good old boy’ system that relegates women and minorities to subordinate positions beneath invisible glass ceilings. Senator Obama hopes to heal the racial rifts that have created so much social injustice and unrest. If Jung was right, the election of either has the potential to foster truly beneficial changes in our beloved country.
  5. Holistic thinking is unifying. It understands that there are opposite points of view, and honors them both because it knows that, at bottom, we, others, God, life, nature, and the universe, are composed of every potential, every pair of opposites, including everything we think of as good and everything we consider evil.
  6. Here’s another way of envisioning a unified God-image. As you can see, it contains both Self and Other, Light and Dark, Ego and Shadow, Masculine and Feminine. (Taoism’s yin/yang symbol would be another way of depicting this underlying unity of the universe without and the universe within.) By now you might be wondering what all of this has to do with this workshop which I call The God Crucible .
  7. (Read Quote) Organized religion has tried for thousands of years to heal individuals and the world. But for at least five thousand years it has overlooked the fact that there is only one thing capable of birthing genuine spiritual maturity. This crucial factor is the feminine principle in conscious, loving, reciprocal relationship with the masculine. As we face our internal conflicts and overcome our biases against otherness, we become sacred crucibles filled with the kind of wisdom, power, and compassion that we’ve always associated with Deity. Only maturing consciousness has the power to create lasting, healing change. Only by uniting the opposites within ourselves can we find our way to God.