Deep into the unconscious and subconscious

Since last year, I have been studying the unconscious in order to confront my thinking habits.

What is the unconscious, what is the subconscious? When I try to think about this question head on, I always end up lost in a strange labyrinth. Consciousness seems as if it belongs to me, but in reality, I feel as if someone is pulling the strings behind me. Freud proposed the concept of the "unconscious" and Jung preached the "collective unconscious" in order to delve into this "uncertainty of consciousness."

As the metaphor of the tip of the iceberg is often used, the consciousness that we think of as "seeing," "hearing," and "thinking" is only the very surface of the structure of the mind. Deeper, past memories and experiences, or ideas embedded in society and culture, are deposited, and even something pulsating that we ourselves are not aware of. This is the true nature of the subconscious mind, the "invisible co-captain" that steers our lives from the bottom up.

For example, let's say you are the captain of a spaceship sailing through the ocean. However, the person holding the controls is not you, but the first mate who decides the ship's route based on years of experience and memory. Even if you declare, "Let's go this way!", the first mate will unilaterally steer the ship in a different direction, saying, "No, that's too dangerous." This is a diagram that perfectly symbolizes the relationship between the conscious and subconscious. In other words, while humans think they are conscious, they are actually being controlled unconsciously.

How do we convince this First Captain? The answer is to change our "thinking habits." If we change the quality of our thoughts every day, we can rewrite the programs of our subconscious. For example, say to yourself every morning, "Today is a good day." At first, it may seem like an empty affirmation. However, if you continue doing this for weeks, your subconscious will recognize that "I see, life is good," and before you know it, you will be steering in a "good direction."

The workings of the subconscious can sometimes be skillfully depicted through the fictional device of film. For example, Christopher Nolan's film "Inception" is a work that deals with the structure of the subconscious. As the layers of dreams deepen, they approach the realm of the unconscious, and the boundary between reality and fantasy becomes blurred. This overlaps with Freud's model of "consciousness, preconsciousness, and unconsciousness," but also with Jung's concept of "anima/animus."

For example, Dom Cobb, played by DiCaprio, cannot escape the shadow of his late wife Mol because "repressed ideas" are engraved in his subconscious. In Jungian theory, Mol is the anima residing in his unconscious, a "ghost of illusion" created by his subconscious. And the fact that the totem (spinning top) presented at the end of the film is left unclear as to whether it will fall over or not is because it poses the fundamental question of "Can reality really be determined by our consciousness?"

Furthermore, "The Matrix" approaches the subconscious from a more philosophical perspective. The world that people believe to be "real reality" in the film is actually a virtual reality (simulation) created by a computer. This directly connects to the idea that "isn't our reality also nothing more than a subconscious program implanted by society and culture?" The scene where Neo chooses the red pill truly symbolizes his decision to take on the challenge of "rewriting his subconscious."

The concept of the "Force" in Star Wars is also deeply connected to the subconscious. Jedi can sense the energy of the universe through the Force, which allows them intuition and foresight. However, the Force has two sides, "light" and "darkness," and depending on how it is handled, one can become either a Jedi or a Sith. This resonates with Jung's concept of the "shadow" (the negative side repressed in the unconscious). If one is consumed by the "fear" or "anger" deep in one's heart, it will turn to the dark side.

Now, a question arises. Why is it that humans, if left to their own devices, tend to drift in a negative direction? The reason is that the mind is like a garden overgrown with weeds. Positive thoughts must be consciously planted, but negative thoughts will grow on their own without any effort.

This is also related to the order of the universe. As the "law of increasing entropy" in physics shows, everything tends to become disordered if left alone. Just as a room does not get tidy on its own, our thoughts will also become messy if left alone. This is why "cleaning the mind" is necessary. Throwing away unnecessary thoughts and adopting refreshing thoughts little by little every day is the key to aligning the course of the subconscious mind.

In fact, one philosopher said, "The human mind becomes like the air we breathe." If you constantly breathe in dark news and disturbing stories, your subconscious will recognize them as "reality" and will steer you in that direction more and more. On the other hand, if you breathe in beautiful music and poetry, it will create a new reality.

In the end, our lives are shaped not by what we consciously think, but by what is engraved in our subconscious. And rewriting the subconscious is not something that can be done in an instant. The accumulation of conscious choices eventually turns into subconscious habits. So, if that's the case, I'd rather set my own course, educate my co-captain, and sail freely through the ocean of life.

Thank you to everyone who came to the Kumagai Shun and Sakaida Aki exhibition.

It was a wonderful time surrounded by wonderful artwork.

We have asked them to hold another exhibition in two years' time in 2027, so please look forward to it.

This month, I will be traveling overseas for the first time in a while to Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam for an overseas reporting and purchasing trip.

We are also planning various events at Utsushiki, so please look forward to them.

Thank you to everyone who read this long article today.

Harness the power of your subconscious mind to create the life you desire.

Let's have a lovely and happy start to this week too♡

Yasuhide Ono