Category Archives: Chuck’s Blog

Welcome to Chuck’s Place! This is where Chuck Ketchel, LCSW-R, expresses his thoughts, insights, and experiences! Currently, Chuck posts an essay once a week, currently on Tuesdays, along the lines of inner work, psychotherapy, Jungian thought and analysis, shamanism, alchemy, politics, or any theme that makes itself known to him as the most important topic of the week. Many of the shamanic and psychological terms used in Chuck’s essays are defined in Tools & Definitions on our Psychotherapy page.

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Chuck’s Place: Loosening The Divine Imagination from Its Divine Shadow

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Know Thy Fullness of Self…
-Artwork © 2026 Jan Ketchel

Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung were the founders of a new psychology, one that grappled with an unconscious region of the psyche that cast a huge shadow over one’s fate and fulfillment in life.

Their healing technology was psychotherapy, an approach that brought to awareness those hidden influences from the depths, and enabled consciousness greater freedom in choosing the course of one’s life.

Freud’s contribution centered on one’s personal unconscious, repressed instincts and traumas that severely compromised normal adaptation to life. Jung, went far deeper into the shared collective unconscious of humankind, which contains all the experiences of human history that weigh heavily upon the present life of every individual.

Simultaneous with this fledgling new world of psychotherapy was the mystical world of hypnosis with its explorations of the fuller capacities of the subconscious mind, as well as The New Thought Movement that focused on the divine capabilities of the human mind.

Jung discusses his early meetings with William James, considered the father of American psychology, where he felt professionally encouraged to explore more deeply the mystical and spiritual depths of the psyche. However, Jung was reticent to alienate the new science of psychotherapy from mainstream science and he exposed little of his own personal transcendent experiences.

Consequently, both Jung and Freud remained steeped in bringing a rational perspective to the structure and dynamics of the shadow of the unconscious mind. Ironically, William James was far more open to validating spiritual approaches to the psyche, as well as being far more appreciative of the power of autosuggestion.

Today, mainstream science largely dismisses psychotherapy, which has been replaced by the deepening materialist emphasis upon brain functioning. New Thought is alive and well but has largely been dismissed as lay positive psychology.

The consequence of these dismissed and varied approaches to the mind has left humankind largely ignorant of both its shadow roots and its divine potential. Shadow is real, but so is divinity. Both the history of the human race and our personal history overshadow access to our human imagination, the divine center of our being.

When we are unconscious, and unreconciled with our shadow roots, it creates a veil over our divine imagination that confines it’s divine creative capability to repeating and generating the negative worldview of our suggestive inner dialogue. Our divine capacity to manifest remains fixed on generating powerlessness and victimhood.

Yes, our shadow is divine and must be lived, as ultimately, all that is, is one divine being. But the karma of shadow is to seek completion through spiritual liberation. One approach to shadow work remains with psychotherapy, as the shadow is identified and integrated through inner and outer work.

Neville Goddard, of New Thought tradition, recommended the art of revision to address the shadow. Here we are instructed to fully acknowledge the play of our shadow in our regretted behaviors in life. With total acceptance we then allow ourselves to fully inhabit, in the imagination, the state of being that fully lives out that which we would have wanted to do instead.

In order to fully imagine this correction, we have to fully feel it and live it in the imagination. When this is accomplished we indeed  change, or evolve, the past into complete resolution. With this we are freed to release the divine creative capacities of the mind to manifest the reality we truly want to live in. This is not rejecting or repressing shadow, it’s evolving it.

Go to that which you desire. Imagine it accomplished. Bring your physical senses into the realness of your imagination; see, hear, smell, touch and taste. Luxuriate in gratitude and awe.

If something from down below refuses to loosen its grip to your happiness then slide down and bring light and compassion to that shadow part. Insist that it bless you and let you carry on, free at last.

Imagination is the heart of the Law of Attraction. What we truly believe about ourselves, and what we truly believe is possible, is that which we will manifest in our lives.

Acknowledge the roots of your divine shadow. Then, imaginatively grow them into the flower at the heart of your deepest desire. Truly imagine it, and just let it become.

Becoming,
Chuck

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Chuck’s Place: Necessary Waiting In A Time Of Urgency

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Time of Patient Waiting…
-Artwork © 2026 Jan Ketchel

The urgency of now is ever so upon us. I have encouraged for quite some time the exercise of autosuggestion to manifest desired change. But how long must one wait? The urgency of now tempts impulsive if not revolutionary action.

I posed this dilemma to the I Ching. In response I received hexagram #1, Chien, The Creative, with moving lines in the 1st and 4th places.

Chien is comprised of 6 Yang lines. This is an extraordinary feat: 6  throws of the coins, 6 solid lines. This hexagram represents Heaven, the Divine, Initiation, the Beginning; in a word, the Word.

All things on Earth issue forth from the Word and Imagination, as suggestions from the conscious to the subconscious mind are birthed in physical form. The subconscious mind is hexagram #2, Kun, The Receptive.

It is the Receptive feminine, that conceives with her divine masculine counterpart, The Creative, to give birth to, that is, to transmute, our desires into physical life.

The first charged moving line of Chien warns sternly: Hidden dragon. DO NOT ACT! In China the dragon is a symbol of an electrically charged, arousing dynamic force that presents itself in a thunderstorm.

This is the primal impulsive energy of Yang, sick of waiting, ready to break forth and impose its will. This is ego, drawn to surrender itself to Id.

The I Ching counsels utmost restraint. This creative force is still buried at the bottom, in the Earth. The Earth is Yin, carrying her pregnancy with all its dynamic forces contained. Yin, the subconscious mind will deliver physical life when it is time to deliver, not upon demand.

The guidance is to rest content in the knowing that the pregnancy is real, new life is coming. Take solace in this deep knowing. A warning is put out that if one acts precipitously, that is, tries to make something happen through the will of the ego, it will be faced with Hexagram #44, Coming To Meet.

In Coming To Meet the ego is met with a seduction. An easy, seemingly harmless opportunity to get what it wants presents. Ego, in its hungry desirousness, takes the bait and then is confronted with the true nature of what it has dallied with: a power greater than itself that robs it of its thunder, the very energy needed to manifest desired change. Heed the warning: DO NOT ACT!

Having prevailed beyond this temptation, ego rises next to the activated line in the 5th place where guidance rejoices: Dragon flying in the sky; there arises a great person to be a leader.

Here the attitude of calm knowing faith is rewarded with the manifestation of the right person to assume leadership. Here ego is in conformity with the High Self. This is not the inflation of Icarus. Ego is refined to act in alignment with the Tao.

The patience of the ruler, the 9 in the 5th place results in the birth of the physical reality that it is fully fit to lead. The dragon soars, its energy fully deployed to effect great change. The key to this maturation lies in humility, faith and alignment with what is right.

Having heeded the warning of the first activated line, the ego was humble, accepting that nature was in charge of the pregnancy, that things shouldn’t be rushed based upon ego righteousness or immaturity. What is right is calm readiness to receive when the time is right.

Faith rested upon the absolute knowing that what was rightfully one’s own to live would come to physical manifestation. The key is to hold to that truth in the quiet of the knowing mind, enjoying it always in the spirit life of the imagination,

The future of this hexagram becomes Hexagram #50, The Caldron. The Caldron is the cooking vessel used in achieving communion and nourishment with the ancestral spirits.

What has been brought to physical life is in alignment with the depth of one’s Spirit and is sure to enjoy lasting influence, that is, until the cycle of life calls for a new play!

Faith, Patience and Imagination rule,
Chuck

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Chuck’s Place: How To Assume Conscious Authorship Of Your Life

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You are the Dream and the Dreamer…
-Artwork © 2026 Jan Ketchel

Carl Jung once had a dream where he was hiking in the mountains and came upon a Christian chapel. He went inside to discover a Yogi seated in a lotus position upon the altar.

As he approached he noticed that the Yogi was himself, Carl Jung, dreaming himself into physical life. Jung also had the clear realization that when the Yogi woke up his life would end.

This dream reflects the simple truth that some thought-centered part of ourselves is creating the physical life we are living. That thought center is the conscious mind that, through its suggestions to the subconscious mind, dreams us into our current lives.

When we fully become lucid to this basic genesis of our lives we are empowered to fully create the life we so desire. The hallmark of this technology is the power of suggestion to manifest physical reality.

Jung’s dream did not place Christ at the expected place upon the altar. Nor did it replace Christ with a Buddha. The central character was Jung himself, directing the show, in a lotus position, as his mind meditated on creating his waking life. Here the dream affirms that the power of creation is not to be projected beyond the self. The lives we are in are fully of our own creation.

By being shown this creation dynamic, Jung was empowered to take fuller responsibility for the direction of his life. One of his greatest contributions to achieving fulfillment was his technique of active imagination, where, through conscious interaction with dream characters, the conscious mind advances the health and healing of the self.

To actively imagine, still your mind and body into a calm state and turn attention to the dream scene or character you wish to engage, to either learn more from or have a different interaction than previously dreamed. State your intention to engage, and then wait, patiently.

The character or image may spontaneously arrive. Be with it and interact with it. Don’t feel pressure to create an interaction. Be with what is. It’s fine to allow yourself to imagine the changes you seek, fully feeling them to be real. Be accepting of whatever arises and know that your efforts are well received.

Going to sleep itself offers the ideal entrée into creating the waking life one desires. When we enter the hypnagogic state—where we are still awake but on the brink of dreaming, such that we slip in and out of it yet are still in conscious command—we have the greatest opportunity to influence the course of our lives.

What we feel and imagine at these moments powerfully impresses the subconscious mind, which then sets about bringing our intentions to life. The hypnagogic state is a time to exercise the psychic power of suggestion.

Neville Goddard introduced a practice he called revision of the day as one moves toward the hypnagogic state of sleep. The technique has one, in a restful state but before sleep, review the events of the day just lived, first completely forgiving oneself and others for any judged failures of self, or other, in events lived through the day being reviewed.

Next he instructs one to choose events from the day one wishes to revise, that is, to have lived differently. In the imagination, one revises these scenes to become the ideal one would have had them to be. These edits are then fully acted out in the imagination.

This revision is completed as the hypnagogic state gains the ascendence and the subconscious mind takes up these revisions as suggestions to manifest the desired changes within the self and toward others, just as imagined.

This then positively impacts the feelings and judgments one wakes up to; inner changes that free one from yesterday’s limiting habits. In waking life, the conscious mind can also purposefully change the habitual internal dialogue, to state the new “I Am” that one intends to embody.

Habits are efficiency shortcuts that the subconscious creates for ease of functioning in life. The subconscious will defer to new instructions to form new habits. Take command of the suggestive power of the internal dialogue to form desired new habits that manifest a changed physical reality.

If, for instance, the prevailing automatic internal dialogue states: “It won’t happen for me.” Counter that by stating incessantly: “It is happening for me, it has happened.” State these words hundreds of times each day, especially when the old script grabs your attention.

Remember, always: “In the beginning is the Word.” Use the words of your internal dialogue to edit and create your life, as you desire it. Then, let go into the knowing that your subconscious will publish your intended life story. Let go knowing that it will certainly happen, when and how is best.

Jung realized that his inner yogi waking up meant the end of his current life. When we wake up from the sleep of our habitual lives we can no longer live the old dream. This is the essence of death and resurrection. We cannot author the life we desire until we sacrifice the old habits that composed the old chapters of our life.

Use the tools of active imagination, revision and internal dialogue to thoroughly script that desired new life.

Wake up and live,
Chuck

NOTE: I have started a new blog called: Chuck’s Conversations with AI, which you can find under the Blogs tab in the top menu bar. Postings in this series are sporadic, as the spirit moves.

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Chuck’s Place: Reconciling The Worlds Of New Thought And Trauma

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Phineas Parkhurst Quimby of New Thought

New Thought is a philosophical and practical healing paradigm that had its birth in America, specifically in New England, in the early 19th century. Phineas Parkhurst Quimby, a clockmaker, mesmerist and healer is, I believe, rightfully credited as the inadvertent founder of this movement.

Though locally famous throughout Maine for his miraculous healings, it was Mary Baker Eddy, one of Quimby’s patients, who founded Christian Science subsequent to his death, bringing his healing principles to worldwide attention. It should be noted that she took credit for his unique approach though largely misunderstood it and misrepresented it.

The essential principle that Quimby discovered and practiced was that one’s mental beliefs are fundamental to the state of one’s body. That is, you become what you believe you are. Changing a belief had the potential to effect a cure.

Quimby found organized religion largely abhorrent. However, he greatly appreciated Christ’s emphasis upon the state of one’s beliefs as the essential ingredient to one’s healing. Quimby used the term Christian Science frequently to define the exercise of a technology of unfettered consciousness, which emphasizes truth over illusion.

Great emphasis has been placed upon the power of positive thinking as an outgrowth of the New Thought movement, as evidenced in the 21st century by the 2006 bestseller, The Secret, by Rhonda Byrne. The tools of the Law of Attraction and the Power of Manifestation have woven their way into modern culture as a result of the popularity of this book.

One major criticism of New Thought is the notion that one can skip over trauma processing, or shadow integration, and achieve fulfillment and wholeness through positive intention alone.

By definition, trauma and shadow represent unprocessed lived experiences and complexes that create major divisions and sub-personalities within the psyche that defy wholeness. At best, these components are included in wholeness as triggers or in illegitimate suffering, as Jung defined neurosis, where necessary suffering is traded for a less painful obsession.

For the past few years I have highlighted the power of the subconscious mind to create desired change in one’s life. I was led to this emphasis through a variety of synchronistic phenomena and personal experiences that helped me to understand that we are in the midst of a major paradigm shift as a human race that explains the rock bottom Kali Yuga of our time. Kali Yuga is a spiritual season, of Hindu origin, which depicts humanity at its basest state of existence, much as we experience today. It’s the precursor to new life.

What is highlighted in our world now is the power of belief, right or wrong, and the warring competition to dominate the world’s belief system. This proves Quimby right. What we believe we become.

More fundamentally is the challenge to the belief systems that have governed health and healing. People are being empowered to discover their own latent healing powers. Certainly it is timely to wake up to the power of autosuggestion and the ability to have influence through the subconscious mind, especially in a time where many feel so outwardly powerless.

I have discovered that suggestions impressed upon the subconscious mind are indeed realized. However, the path to their manifestation cannot be controlled. Often the subconscious manifests challenges that appear diametrically opposed to the impressed suggestion.

However, it often becomes evident that solving the issue presented is prerequisite to fulfillment of a suggestion. Hence, if a trauma or complex must be encountered before a suggestion can manifest it comes forth to be processed.

I always suggest that intentions impressed upon the subconscious be for the greater good of self and other. This insures that the path to fulfillment includes and does not skip over needed integration of shadow.

Sometimes people present suggestions for selfish motives and the subconscious dutifully fulfills these requests. However, the karma or effect of those manifestations will inevitably ultimately be encountered. There’s no escaping, only postponing encounter with shadow.

The deeper we explore the shadow we may discover a black hole of trauma from past lives. If we take into consideration the 4th dimension of our being, our soul body, we are 3-dimensionally working with issues from prior lives at the behest of our soul.

From even more higher dimensions we are carrying the evolution of everything from the beginning. Trauma processing is processing and growing into coherence with our greater oneness.

Trauma, from this perspective, is necessary and normal and will likely always be present when we confront the unknown. To be able to be existentially fulfilled in the now of life while simultaneously carrying trauma to be processed is probably the true nature of all human life.

Of course, we could say there is trauma that’s come due and must be dealt with now if we are to proceed toward fulfillment, but it’s not necessary to push beyond what’s come due. The greater challenge that’s come due might be to dive deeper into life now with support from the subconscious manifesting the way.

The self-empowerment of New Thought and the processing of trauma from whatever source are complementary practices for greater individuation in this life and beyond.

Be so empowered,
Chuck

NOTE: I have started a new blog: Chuck’s Conversations with AI. Find it under the Blogs tab in the top navigation bar. Postings will be random.

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Chuck’s Place: Love Thy Neighbor No Matter What

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Love is Divine Healing Vibration…
-Artwork © 2026 Jan Ketchel

As a psychotherapist, who has studied intensely the structure and dynamics of the psyche for the past 40 plus years, I have come to value the relationship of the conscious mind to the subconscious mind as the most powerful tool available to everyone, to advance their lives and the greater good of the world.

Autosuggestion is a tool we all use all the time. It is simply the thoughts, beliefs and feelings we hold in our conscious minds, that are impressed upon our subconscious minds, which in turn create the physical reality we knowingly, or unknowingly, are suggesting all the time.

I am emphatic, as a psychotherapist, in stating that the practice of autosuggestion is indeed the exercise of divine powers. In the beginning are our words, and they do indeed become the flesh through the divine creative power of the subconscious mind. I usurp not any divinity with my assertion. I simply recognize that the human mind has divine powers. Everything that is, is divine.

My mission at this time of great worldly transition is to awaken individuals to the existence of these divine powers and to gain awareness of how they currently deploy them. For instance, waking up to the incessant internal dialogue in the back of the mind, which is constantly feeding suggestions to the subconscious mind that create and limit one’s personal potential.

Once educated in the dynamics of autosuggestion, one is freed to redeploy one’s energy in a thoughtful and intentional way. One example is in personal healing. The subconscious mind has total control over the operations of the physical body. The conscious mind can send healing suggestions directly to the subconscious mind, to heal physical concerns.

The greatest challenge to benefiting from this healing potential is believing it is possible. Often, rational doubts create powerful autosuggestions that compromise one’s healing suggestion practice. I recommend that one persevere with healing suggestions regardless of doubt. Perseverance furthers.

I also suggest that one share one’s practice with no one, as we are all affected, overtly or telepathically, by the thoughts and beliefs of others. We avoid the doubting or negative energy of the opinions of others by impressing our subconscious with our intentions in private. 

On the flip side, the fact that all thoughts are telepathically impactful opens the door to having influence upon others through our personal suggestions to them, telepathically delivered.

The dark side of suggestive influence upon others is blatantly demonstrated by political leaders throughout the world, who incessantly suggest hatred and elimination of thy supposedly evil neighbor as a resolution to the clash of opposites, which is so evident in our currently devolved civilization.

Moses channelled God, stating, “Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself.” (Leviticus 19:18)

Jesus stressed the command to “love your neighbor as yourself”  as the second most important of the great commandments. (Matthew 22:37)

Love is the highest vibrational healing energy. Love is greater than all opposition. When we send a healing intention to another, what is typically called energy medicine, that energy is transmitted from our own subconscious to the subconscious of that intended person.

Our loving healing suggestion may then awaken a latent loving potential in that person, and, if the subconscious mind of that person is receptive to that suggestion, it may effect a healing.

Ultimately, we cannot control another person. If they are completely closed to love, except for love of their own greed within themselves, they will fend off outside energy, even that which is loving or potentially helpful to them.

However, I do believe that the potential for love is latent in all beings and am not deterred by anyone’s insistence upon hatred to protect themselves from love. Evoking anger in another is a shield to avoid being touched by the power of love.

Indeed, my motto is: Love thy neighbor as thyself, no matter what! Love the neighbor that you truly hate. Take up that challenge. Perseverance furthers.

When you deliver suggestions to the subconscious mind, be sure to be at rest. Stress blocks manifestation. Also, once delivered, however frequently, respect the intelligence of the subconscious mind to decide the time and path needed to bring the suggestion to physical life. Let go of attachment to the outcome. Relax, and let love find its way.

Finally, I must deliver a song that has feverishly been playing in my mind, for weeks: Democracy is Coming by Leonard Cohen. May my mind be at peace that I put out this link. Incidentally, Leonard Cohen died on November 7, 2016, the day before the current president was sworn in for his first term.

Love will solve it all,
Chuck