Finding the inner treasure

This post is all about integration. Not so much service integration as personal integration although what affects the individual can affect the service. It comes from myself and Denis meeting for lunch one day in Bradford. Two particular stories were shared in that conversation, one was a very sad tale, the other was a beautiful and inspiring one.

They both point to the need for what Carl Jung called 'individuation'. This is where the innate elements of a person come together and become a working integrated whole. This is the path to psychological wellness and wholeness. Jung saw this as a journey and a deep work. He referred to the 'cure of souls'. Some have suggested that a film like 'Star Wars' is all about individuation. The Jungian analyst Stephen Galipeau wrote a whole book on the subject. Star Wars is all about a young man, Luke Skywalker, who leaves his family as he feels pulled away from the familiar and towards an unknown adventure. This journey becomes a search for the truth - the truth about himself. It is a quest for his true self. He encounters the good and the bad. He has the face the shadow aspects of an Evil Empire and Darth Vader (who turns out to be his own father). In the journey he discovers his own power ('the Force') and has to learn to use it. In this passage Luke finds the truth and becomes who he is. He becomes actualised. This is a journey we all can take. Jung speaks of those who hear the call of the inner person to grow and develop. 'They are called' Jung remarks.

The first story was someone who we know who has taken time off work with stress. He works for a non NHS organisation. Where he works can be very rigid and some people there can struggle with all the rules and control. We wondered how much a culture (that doesn't always support but controls) had been a factor in this good man's struggles. His job is with people and is often a lonely one. We were both struck by the need for structures that nurture and develop us. We see this as the need for wellness practice and wellness structures. We should all have a wellness practice. Something that keeps us connected to our true self and nourishes us with inner food. Along with this, the emergence of workplace structures that nurture wellness and health should be welcomed. We need to move away from 'institutional' templates to templates that think of what help staff to work and be healthy.

The second story was about a good friend of ours who is on the individuation journey. This offers great hope and scope to us. This person is undergoing what we can only transformation. Jung compared the process to alchemy where base metals were transmuted into gold. Our friend is turning the base metals of his life into the gold of a real and free personality. Words like harmonious, peaceful, calm, responsible, free and open come immediately to mind and experience in knowing him.  He has worked on dropping certain things from his life - things which acted as chains. He now projects a wisdom, presence and compassion. This transformation enables him to transform situations and help others on their transformation journey. Jung referred to the undiscovered self. This friend is on the road which will lead to the discovery of the True Beautiful Self we all are and have. To not take this journey can lead in Jung's words to a 'painful fragmentariness' in life.

The good news is that this transformation is both possible and is happening. In the story of Humpty Dumpty he fell from a wall and no one could put the pieces back together again. The great thing is we can. We can re-integrate the pieces and become whole again in a new and brighter way than before. Often we don't know our gifts, power and sheer amazingness. There has to be a process of discovery. This means seeing, owning and manifesting who and what we are. When we do that that's when the magic starts to appear. When we think of great services like the NHS we wonder if this shouldn't play a key role in staff development. Work can often be on a surface level. This is depth work supporting us all find our own inner treasure. The staff and patients of the NHS and other services (in fact every human being) have incredible gifts and energies. The question is how we support each other release them. It is our view that unless we touch the deep we won't receive it.

John Walsh. Support Manager. York Street Health Practice 

Denis Jackson. Mental Health Chaplain. South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust