Metamorphosis: A Heuristic Inquiry into Holding the Tension of The Opposites

Abstract

This dissertation examines the Jungian concept of holding the tension of the opposites. Weaving together literature related to dance, somatic theory, yoga therapy, and depth psychology this study offers an embodied access point to create a deeper understanding of this theory. Case studies and heuristic research methods are employed, including interviews and personal experiences, in order to understand how various somatic practices approach the concept of holding the tension of the opposites, both through the body and through languaging. The research illuminates the core themes of holding time and space for the work, lineage, and the numinous and culminates in a photographic creative synthesis of images; embodied images.