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Transsociation For The 21st Century
By
J. Sue Gagliardi, M.A., PMAFA |
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All of my life I have been a student of psychology or study of the soul. Being a professional Astrologer for 33 years, from the first I had wanted to be a Jungian Analyst, but family concerns made that dream impossible. They didn't keep me from Jungian analysis nor from years of studying Dr. Jung's concepts, however.
When I first heard the term, dissociation, it was considered pathological and commonly associated with multiple personality disorder.
Later, some Doctors in the early 1990s reconsidered after finding clinical and cognitive evidence that dissociation may be a normal capacity in some people. In fact, dissociation was being viewed in some individuals as an acceptably valid, healthy path towards personal transformation. Pondering the subject, I realized that one of my "tricks" was dissociation and I believed that it was simply a coping mechanism. At the time, I was studying for my Master's Degree in Transpersonal Studies at Atlantic University and was prompted to write a paper entitled, Dissociation Can be Healthy!
Reading over that paper, I ended it by writing, "Within the humanistic/transpersonal field of endeavor, there is a growing awareness and interest in the dissociative path. Moreover, it is being regarded as a normal, healthy way to explore and pursue the vast human potential called consciousness."
If I were writing that paper today, I would probably not connect dissociation with a "path." It is still a mechanism to me, if not for defense, for peace of mind. But, to divorce from its bad reputation as a defense mechanism, I'd like to introduce a new word for the 21st century path of enlightened consciousness; "transsociation!" What is the difference?
Dissociation is a defense mechanism which unconsciously occurs when certain thoughts, emotions, or sensations are so overwhelming that one's consciousness splits off and completely detatches oneself from the occuring situation or trauma. I can give you an example in my own life even though I sometimes feel really foolish by telling the story; it seems so implausible.
In 1994 we moved to Florida and I began teaching Astrology (among other things) at our church center. I had about 15 students in this particular class and as I was telling a story on myself, I felt a deep, hot, flush spread upwards from my neck to my cheeks. I was embarrased. I couldn't believe it! I had never blushed in my life. I had to sit back down and stop for a moment. Then, of course, I had to explain to the class what was going on. I told them about my defense mechanism of dissociation and that it was what kept me from blushing when I was embarrased and from crying in front of people when I was hurt. I had used dissociation from a little child onward and now I didn't have to use it anymore. My unconscious had given it up. I was transformed!
Lately I have been reading Gregg Braden, Eckhart Tolle, Ervin Laszlo, among others and have joined groups involved in expanded consciousness over the internet. It is a tremendously, spiritual growing time for me and I feel it is expressing all over the globe. With all of my continuing study, I felt a new mechanism bubbling up within me. I finally named it the other day,
"transsociation." It is like dissociation, but is a conscious rather than unconscious process.
When I find myself thinking negatively, I don't try to fill my head with positive thinking. First, I consciously admit and accept my negativity of the time, then I dismiss and transsociate it. It's a bit like mindfulness meditation where, when thoughts come, one simply says, "thinking, thinking," and gently goes back to meditation. I can say things like, "grumbling, grumbling," or "judging, judging," and gently go back to my business at hand. I haven't struggled, admonished myself, or tried to summon positive thoughts which I didn't feel; I just acknowledged the negativity and transsociated.
When I find myself with others who are seemingly know-it-alls, self-righteous, and arrogant, where I used to be caught in a huffy disagreement, more than likely now I will hush and project, "blessings, blessings" to them. With my Sun opposite Mars, that's sometimes a difficult transsociation!
Author's Bio
J. Sue Gagliardi has been a professional Astrologer since 1975 when she passed the American Federation of Astrologer's professional examination in Chicago, IL. For the next 19 years she taught, lectured, and practiced in the Chicago area. Moving to Florida in 1994, she continued her practice there which, by then,included Reiki as a Reiki Master and a certified Bach Flower Remedy Consultant.
Sue earned her B.A. degree in 1977 and her Master's degree at Atlantic University in Virginia Beach, VA in 1992. Her Master's thesis was entitled, Birth Chart Analysis and Synthesis: A Comparative Study. It concerned one person's birth chart analyzed by 20 professional Astrologers. You can read the thesis on Sue's web site: www.astrologyfreecharts.com
She is the mother of three grown children, grandmother of five, an avid bridge player, loves to be with family and cooking which her husband of 50 years, Len, enjoys.
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