Umma, a Blue Heeler (Australian Cattle Dog)
A walk with a pet can be a joy—or a source of irritation.
You’re in a rush to get somewhere, and the dog, as if on purpose, slows down at every bush, like he’s rewriting the history of the whole neighborhood.
You can understand him—he’s been waiting for this moment all day inside four walls. Give him full freedom, and he’ll remember home only when hunger wakes him at night.
The goals of a human and an animal don’t match. Tension appears. A quiet struggle: who leads whom. Especially if the dog is strong and has character.
In the same way, a person’s Ego and the Self move through life together—the Self being the center of the collective unconscious, the conductor of all archetypes. They, too, are tied by a leash. And it’s a big question who is really the boss.
Of course, the Ego thinks it’s in charge. But it quickly sobers up when the Self suddenly disappears — and with it, the energy to live. Or the other way around: the Self swallows the Ego, and the man loses his autonomy, his conscience, and his mind.
Their interests often diverge. They can’t get rid of each other. The choice remains: learn to negotiate, or keep ruining the relationship.
But if the partnership works, such a person is unstoppable.
Sincerely yours,
-Alexander
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