A Message From Host/Webmaster
About Jerry {Gerald} Gifford
|
I am a retired contractor, age 72 and living in the Ocala National Forest in Central Florida and a caretaker of 15 rescued felines. Originally from Nashville I relocated to Florida in 2012 upon retirement. I discovered Jungian psychology some 30+ years ago and have made it a priority to help others find balance and harmony in life using Jungian psyche, his concepts and theories. This website is my way of sharing this vital path of self discovery. {Who is Carl Jung}
|
|
Home Page
Topics: Inner Journey Jungian Psyche Dreams Sirituality Websites Physical Fitness Kitty City
Inner Journey
In 1993 I began a journey of self discovery delving into the deep psyche {what is commonly known as the INNER JOURNEY}. In the interim years I learned there are aspects about oneself that are not consciously known and need to become known. A primary aspect of my life {which was at the beginning of my journey unknown to me} that needed resolution was my inability to sustain relationships {having been married and divorced 3 times}. Little did I know that these unknown aspects were motivating energies that influenced many of my actions in adult life.
Through my studies of Jungian psychology I was able to discover these unknown motivating energies and found resolution to them. I also discovered other inherent aspects about the my-Self such as a creative aspect and a spiritual aspect. Inherent in the fact we all possess these qualities and are mostly unaware of them. Within the unconscious are hidden energies, many beyond the recall of conscious knowing. The energies that motivated my actions in adult life I will touch on in this message. The creative and spiritual aspects can be found in greater detail in the pages of the Power of Dreams website.
Jungian Psyche
Jungian pyschology is a science predicated on a systematic methodology based on evidence. If it is true facts will bare it out. Through Jung's developed concepts we are able to concatenate {connect and integrate} unconscius energies to conscious knowing. The fact I now know why I was unable to sustain my marriages {to three intelligent and wonderful women} demonstrates there are avenues to right the wrongs brought about by psychological experiences from early life and traumatic experiences. In short my actions can be described by the old adage 'like father, like son'. A son will have traits similar to his father upon reaching adulthood and for me and many like me it fits to a tee. Not to excuse my wrongful actions but to give light to the unconscious energies that prompted me to take the path I did. It is psychologically plain and simple and for those who discover the inner workings of the unconscious mind wholeness is attainable despite the imprinting of early life and/or traumatic experiences in later life.
Dreams
Analyzing and Interpreting
At the core of Jungian psychology is the dream world. This world is totally unconscious and what is within this realm is pure truth not encumbered by ego desires.
| "Dreams are impartial, spontaneous products of the unconscious psyche, outside the control of the will. They are pure nature; they show us the unvarnished, natural truth, and are therefore fitted, as nothing else is, to give us back an attitude that accords with our basic human nature when our consciousness has strayed too far from its foundations and run into an impasse."
|
Although I do not have any formal education in Jungian psychology I do have 30+ years of indepth study and self education as well as direct experience in analyzing and interpreting dreams {at my Dream Forum.....on the internet since 2005}. I have interpreted thousands of dreams using this forum which includes 100s of responses from those from posted dreams.
Although it was Sigmund Freud who provided the earliest clues to understanding the language of dreams {symbol and metaphor} it was Carl Jung who provided the ultimate guide to the dream world. Being able to utilize our natural ability to tap into the unconscious using Jungian concepts and theories is not an unusal or an unnatural phenomenon. We all have the ability of perception of the natural forces within the psyche. I am fortunate to have been able to use this psyche aspect when analyzing dreams as well as in daily life acessing other people's personality. My success in interpreting dreams is cronicaled at my Dream Forum for everyone to view and verify {I personally designed the web forum using Bravenet web services}.
Intuition and the Intuitive Mind
I possess a keen intuitive sense which allows me to access and assess distinguishing characteristics and energies from the human psyche whether it be in direct contact with people or through images and/or actions as in dreams. When I analyze dreams I have an ability to 'see' beyond the words and determine the patterns of emotional energies the dream is trying to communicate. I know this to be true {my intuitive abilities} from the great success I have had in interpreting thousands of dreams at my Dream Forum where there were responses to my analysis. I am not alone in this ability in analyzing dreams since there are literally hundreds if nt thousands of others who use Jungian concepts when interpreting dreams {internet search will provide others}.
|
Intuition may be defined as understanding or knowing without conscious recourse to thought, observation or reason.
Intuition is the subliminal processing of information that is too complex for rational thought. Whereas the processes that make up intuition are learned and not innate I believe everyone possesses an intuitive ability. Just as with animals in the wild there are 'instincts' we possess that provide insights as well as 'guidance'. |
As for dream analysis and interpretation. If not for my intuitive sensing I would not be able to properly analyze dreams. The 30 years of study of Jungian dream psychology provides me with the academic tools to analyze dreams but the sensing abilities provide the insights beyond the science of dream analysis. Although there are concrete possibilites to an image or action within a dream {see my dream dictionary} accessing and evaluating the proper framework the images/actions are speaking to requires more than a Jungian education. Many educated Jungian psychologists/psychiatrists are great in their fields but they are not always able to properly interpret dreams. Academics will provide the blueprint but intuitive insights will provide the required tools to correctly determine the dream message.
An example. If in a dream someone is being killed {which would represent some aspect of the dreamer and not likely an actual killing} determing what the actual context the killing represents requires some intuitive sense as well as experience in dream analysis. The 'killing' will fit within a pattern and along with other patterns a theme will evolve. The themes point to emotional energies that influence if not control the dreamer's life. Realizing and understanding these energies will help resolve the issues that impact the life of the dreamer. Bringing these patterns and energies
to the dreamer's attention is a {primary function of dreams. We sleep not only for physical rest and rehabilitation but also for the psychological self.
I attribute my success in dream interpretation to my intuitive mind as much as from the experience and education I have gained over the 30 years I have been working with dreams. For more on the intuitive mind see my page What Is An Intuitive Psyche?
Note: There is a Law and Order episode that features a student studying Jungian psychology who is characterised as an 'Intuitive Jungian'.
Law & Order CI Episode 'Lost Children of the Blood'
Reference to 'iIntuitive Jungian' by a college student studying Jungian psychology
RECAP: A Goth-looking college student, Sarah Price, is found dead in her bed after a night of partying with a guy. Later, with Detectives Zach Nichols (Jeff Goldblum) and Serena Stevens on the scene, ME Rodgers determines Sarah has been exsanguinated. Nichols sees a new edition of a book by Carl Jung called the "Red Book" and it has a note inscribed from "K." Note: In this episode Sarah Price is described by her professor as an 'intuitive Jungian'. {see full recap of episode at Law & Order CI "Lost Children of the Blood" Recap & Review.
|
Spirituality
I will touch briefly on this topic since for many spirituality and religion is a very personal thing. I grew up in the Southern Baptist and Church of Christ Being baptised in the Baptist church at a very early age. My first marrigae was in a Church of Christ where I was member {age 19}. In that church a new pastor was installed and he visited me at my home to get better aquainted. After some discussion he aksed me where I was baptised and my reply was in the Southern Baptise church. His response was, "you ill need to be baptised again in teh Church of Christ." The C of C did not recognize my first baptism.
That was the beginning of the end of my affiliation with organized Christian churches {although in later years I was a member in both the Unitarian Universal church and Unity churches}. Through my education in Jungian psyche and mythology I have studied all the religions of the world and have discovered they all are predicated on biased 'truths' that fit a given religous doctrine. My philosophy is that actions and deeds trump faith. And that Karma in this life and the laws of cause and effect {what goes around comes around/you reap what you so} are better guaranteed paths that lead to a true spiritual life. Living in accord with nature and natural law. But I did retain one aspect of my Christian upbringing, one that I assert in any discussion about religious beliefs. WWJD? Not pick and choose but in every instance in life. That is what I strive to do in my life and have found most Christians fail in that endeavor. For me heaven and hell is within oneself as is god.
Joseph Campbell
My Spiritual Mentor |
|
"Heaven and hell are within us, and all the gods are within us. This is the great realization of the Upanishads of India in the ninth Century B.C. All the gods, all the heavens, all the world, are within us. They are magnified dreams, and dreams are manifestations in image form of the energies of the body in conflict with each other. That is what myth is. Myth is a manifestation in symbolic images, in metaphorical images, of the energies of the organs of the body in conflict with each other. This organ wants this, that organ wants that. The brain is one of the organs."
|
Websites
In the light of these discoveries I CREATED my first website {in 1998} Myths-Dreams-Symbols {now retired} and years later after my retirement {2012} my current site the Power of Dreams. The intent of these wesbites, beyond developing my creative self and discover a true spiritual identity {related aspects}, is to share what I have learned so to provide an avenue for others to also make these discoveries. I am self taught not only in Jungian psyche but web design as well using the pure html coding instead of software most use to build websites. My websites are as much a creative endeavor as informational.
Physical Fitness
Physical fitness has been a part of my life since 1980 when over a period of one year I lost 40 pounds through exercise and change of diet. Over the years I have engaged in one aspect of fitness routines including weights, aerobics, running, hiking and for the past 15 years a basketball routine. I do not play against anyone but instead I have a play alone regime. Basketball incorporates the use of all the muscles which includes cardio. Next to swimming there are few other fitness routines that provide a complete conditioning exercise as does basketball. Along with diet I have maintained my weight in the 160s and have no medical issues. I stress the importance of physical fitness to anyone who will listen having through experience benefited from my years of fitness. The old adage pay me now pay me later is no truer than when you reach your 70s and have to face the the body in decline. No matter who you are how you take care the body comes to the forefront in life. Most health issues come about because of whether one has done due diligence in taking care of oneself.
Animal Rescue and Kitty City
I became involved with animal rescue while living in Palm Bay. I have had cats as pets for many years and brought 4 furry felines with me when I moved to Florida from Nashville in 2012. The rescue community in Brevard County had been working for years to make changes and improvements to the county animal shelters where at the time I began my involvement they were euthanizing as many as 400 animals a month. My contribution to the cause was designing and maintaining a website where I provided detailed information about the conditions and the county officals who were responsible for the needless deaths of thousands of healthy animals. Thankfully the County Commission finally relented and desolved the then shelter arrangement and moved all responsibilities to the Brevard County Sheriff's Department. Although there are still many isues within the sheriff's department and how they manage the shelters and animal control Brevard County is now a NO-KILL shelter.
Note: Read the story of Herbie the Cat a cat I had planned to adopt only to find he was euthanized 2 1/2 hours before I was able to rescue him.
Herbie the Cat
In 2024 I bought a home in Cocoa and moved in with four cats. Soon I began feeding a small unity of feral cats and within months had rescued several abandoned cats from a home in the neighborhood. At one time I was feeding 27 cats. I decided the easiest way to care for them was to construct confined shelters. I called the confinment Kitty City. But I soon found myself in the sights of Cocoa codes and because I could not/would not abide by their draconian rules I packed up and moved to Altoona, Fl. in Lake County {they are a NO-KILL shelter with a new facility}. This link will provide a few photos of the old Kitty City in Cocoa as well as provide a few more details
Cocoa Kitty City
In Altoona I constructed a new Kitty City with access to inside my home. All have been neutered/spayed and are healthy and happy. There are currently 15 felines I feed and care for {two outside the pens but mainly stay on my premises. I not only look after their physical health but also their psychological health since a happy cat needs more than food and shelter. I brought 12 cats with me from Cocoa and have taken in several others for which four have new homes. Little Boy passed away in January of 2022 which a hole in my heart. I had not had to make any visits to my vet between his passing until mid December 2022 when I had two that needed medical attention {and $900 costs}. Some would say I am lucky not to have had to made visits inbetween but all may felines are healthy and I do all I can to maintain an environment where they can strive and live out their lives.
Caring for so many felines costs a lot of money not to mention the time involved. I spend between $10,000 to $13,000 a year caring for my extended family. I work for the family fence business one day a week which covers part of the required income to properly maintain Kitty City. I have had some small contributions {completely voluntary} associated with my Dream Forum. Being retired and on a fixed income I dread any major injury to any of the felines {the $900 vet bill I paid recently came from a $1000 Christmas bonus I received from my son and family fence business}. Despite the costs and requirements caring for my feline family it is a task I can not/will not/do not wish to abandon. When you become a member of the rescue community it is a life long endeavor no matter the requirements.
If you would like to help in caring for my 15 furry felines and help maintain Kitty City to its highest level of good health you can do so by visiting my current Kitty City webpage {has photos at the new location}. This website and all its contents are free {including free dream interpretations upon request} and I only ask for voluntary contributions to the Kitty City fund for my efforts. Visit Kitty City for details.
Rescue-Homeless-Feral Cats
Current Residents-15 Furry Felines
|
