Psychological Compass

Inner Worlds: Exploring What It Means to Be Conscious

What does it mean to be conscious? Is it simply being awake, able to think and feel? We assume we’re conscious—and that our pets, like dogs and cats, are too. But how do we know? Can we really measure consciousness, or even define it clearly? For something so central to our lives, it remains one of the greatest mysteries of existence. 

Are You In The Matrix… Or Being Programmed Into It?

Have you ever stopped and asked yourself, “Am I truly making my own choices?” Or have you simply been following the path laid out for you — school, job, bills, sleep, repeat — without even realizing it?

 

Carl Gustav Jung

Carl Gustav Jung was one of psychology’s most pioneering and influential thinkers. A contemporary of Freud, Jung broke away to form his own theories, placing greater emphasis on the unconscious as a source of guidance and meaning, rather than merely repression. He introduced the concepts of the personal unconscious and the collective unconscious—a universal psychic layer shared among all humans, containing archetypes and inherited symbols. Jung believed that by engaging with this deeper layer of the mind, individuals could achieve greater self-understanding and inner balance.

A key part of Jung’s work involved the interpretation of dreams. Unlike Freud, who saw dreams primarily as expressions of repressed desires, Jung viewed them as meaningful communications from the unconscious, rich with symbolic content. He believed dreams could offer insight into emotional conflicts, highlight neglected aspects of the self, and even point toward healing. In Jungian analysis, the dream is a dialogue between the conscious and unconscious, often attempting to restore psychological equilibrium. The recurring figures and themes in dreams—like the Shadow, the Anima/Animus, or the Wise Old Man—are archetypes that speak to universal experiences across cultures and histories.