08/09/2025
"There are moments in life when what once sustained us begins to undo us. A virtue becomes a vice, ambition becomes exhaustion, devotion turns into self-betrayal. Enantiodromia—the tendency of things to turn into their opposites. Carl Jung would later adopt this term to describe one of the most profound dynamics within the human psyche: the unconscious drive toward balance and wholeness.
Enantiodromia refers to the inevitable reversal that occurs when a conscious attitude is pushed to an extreme. The psyche, like nature, seeks balance. When one quality dominates—be it control, purity, rationality, or even affection—the neglected opposite gathers in the shadows. It waits, often silently, until the moment it can no longer be denied. Then, it emerges—sometimes as illness, breakdown, or a sudden shift in character—not to punish us, but to restore the lost center.
A wise friend once told me, “The people that I least trust are those who present themselves as pious; you never know when their repressed instincts are going to come out.” And we know this to be true.
A common example comes from people who have spent decades as the ever-reliable caretaker, denying their own needs for the sake of others, until suddenly they find themselves weeping uncontrollably and unable to get out of bed. They may call it burnout, or depression, but more often than not, it is their soul’s quiet rebellion. It is time to reclaim their own life.
Enantiodromia is not a punishment, but an invitation: to hold both sides of the psyche without collapsing into one or the other. The swing of the pendulum into the opposite is the beginning of a more integrated life.
In a world that values consistency, enantiodromia feels disruptive. But it is through this sacred turning that we become real." M.L.
Why join us for our Fall Yeehaw & Namaste Retreat? Because learning to honor and embrace both parts of ourselves creates an ability for us to experience the totality of life! Most of us though, don't even understand the depths of either one of these energies and parts of us that have the ability to make us feel whole. We either lean one way or the other.
I recently opened up an email that shared some of the above. If any of this resonates with you, join us on October for a 4 day journey to dive deep into both your yeehaw and namaste. .....and did it mention we will be hiking a mountain during this retreat as well?! Not only will we be hiking the mountain but we will be gaining tremendous insight from the process that Tom, I, and Emilya will be guiding our retreat guests through.
Reach out if your soul is being called to a new depth of wisdom and awareness.
