The bogeyman.
Exactly who he is and where he comes from seem to
be somewhat mysterious.
But, as far as I can ascertain, he is scary.
Perhaps what makes him so scary is that no one seems to
really know what he looks like, where he comes from and what
he will do to us if he catches us.
Whatever he is and wherever he comes from, folklore tells us
to get as far away as possible from him.
The Scientific American suggests that the bogeyman can be viewed
as a metaphor for something that to us represents fear, anxiety and danger.
Although known by other names such as: Krampus, jumbie, bhoot,
Baba Yaga, etc., variations of the bogeyman can be found
in many cultures.
Regardless under what name the bogeyman is known,
in many cultures.
Regardless under what name the bogeyman is known,
often he is used as a tool for keeping children in line, for
making them follow ''the rules'',
(whatever they may be according to cultural
(whatever they may be according to cultural
ideals).
Although the bogeyman is a folklore, there seem to me to be
a number of ''bogeymen'' hiding behind quite ordinary looking
facades.(Appearances)
Pleasant and polite at work>>>a tyrant at home
Loyal and committed in words>>>devious and sneaky in action
Jovial when sober>>>violent when drunk
Loving husband/wife/partner before others eyes>>>
an abuser behind closed doors,
just to give a few examples.
Perhaps the potential for becoming a ''bogeyman'' is possible
for most of us human beings given certain circumstances?
War, for instance, in my view, seem to qualify as such a circumstance.
Atrocities are often carried out under the banner of
fighting the enemy, protecting one's country,
serving one's country, doing one's duty,
etc.etc.
Those in the know say that when we are faced with highly
stressful and threatening circumstances, how we
respond during such times often affect our behaviour.
At times even to a degree that we respond in ways
that during normal circumstances we would classify as
un-acceptable.
When at war, peace-time values, ethics and morals are reevaluated.
A soldier is sanctioned to murder the enemy, although it is
no longer called murder, it's called killing.
A man/woman who kills 20 people in peace-time
is called a mass-murderer, a soldier who kills 20 people
in combat is often called a ''hero''.
Whenever there is a war of any kind, it seems to me that
this is when seemingly ordinary folks can turn into bogeymen.
Which is a worry, because when the war is over, where do
they all disappear to?
Perhaps the Bogeyman is what Carl Jung calls the Shadow?
According to Jung the shadow represents the dark side
of our personality that our consciousness doesn't want
to acknowledge.
''Everyone carries a shadow, and the less it is embodied in
the individual's conscious life, the blacker and denser
it is. At all counts, it forms an unconscious snag,
thwarting our most well-meant intentions.''
(Carl Jung)
Okay, if Jung is right, what can be done about
the shadow(bogeyman within)?
A few suggestions:
Identify your shadow and what triggers it.
When it is triggered, what are your feelings?
Investigate those feelings compassionately.
Try not to confront the shadow, rather, try to
understand it.
''Name the fears that are holding you back.
It's the equivalent of flooding the bogeyman
with light.''
(Gina Greenlee)
about the image: graphite on paper, border made in pxlr
Atrocities are often carried out under the banner of
fighting the enemy, protecting one's country,
serving one's country, doing one's duty,
etc.etc.
Those in the know say that when we are faced with highly
stressful and threatening circumstances, how we
respond during such times often affect our behaviour.
At times even to a degree that we respond in ways
that during normal circumstances we would classify as
un-acceptable.
When at war, peace-time values, ethics and morals are reevaluated.
A soldier is sanctioned to murder the enemy, although it is
no longer called murder, it's called killing.
A man/woman who kills 20 people in peace-time
is called a mass-murderer, a soldier who kills 20 people
in combat is often called a ''hero''.
Whenever there is a war of any kind, it seems to me that
this is when seemingly ordinary folks can turn into bogeymen.
Which is a worry, because when the war is over, where do
they all disappear to?
Perhaps the Bogeyman is what Carl Jung calls the Shadow?
According to Jung the shadow represents the dark side
of our personality that our consciousness doesn't want
to acknowledge.
''Everyone carries a shadow, and the less it is embodied in
the individual's conscious life, the blacker and denser
it is. At all counts, it forms an unconscious snag,
thwarting our most well-meant intentions.''
(Carl Jung)
Okay, if Jung is right, what can be done about
the shadow(bogeyman within)?
A few suggestions:
Identify your shadow and what triggers it.
When it is triggered, what are your feelings?
Investigate those feelings compassionately.
Try not to confront the shadow, rather, try to
understand it.
''Name the fears that are holding you back.
It's the equivalent of flooding the bogeyman
with light.''
(Gina Greenlee)
about the image: graphite on paper, border made in pxlr
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