8th House: How To Gain Insight Into Your Psyche

8th houseA gal asked me how to gain insight into her own psyche. I responded:

“Think in terms of starting a conversation with your subconscious.  You want to have a dialog. Ask questions.  Why am I drawn to this guy?  What experience am I seeking?  What am I trying to feel or realize or remember?”

I usually tell people to lie still for this kind of thing; this what works for me.  It’s a super private thing.

If something gross comes up, which is almost a given, you don’t have to broadcast it.  It’s information for your use,  though it’s nice if you can find at least one non-judgmental person you can talk too. This is because it normalizes things and/or neutralizes the information.

“I’ve thought that before.”

“Okay, whew!

We all have a dark side. Sometimes it drives. I think spending your life trying to avoid knowing this is pretty strange.

Do you take time to reflect on yourself and your motivations?  What’s your method?

35 thoughts on “8th House: How To Gain Insight Into Your Psyche”

  1. Paying attention is so key! I’ve found that some of my ‘darker’ side is ancient conditioning or some whacked ‘story’ I’ve attached to something, and my ‘noticing’ it shines a light on the whacked parts, giving the driving back to me. 😉 Did that make any sense?

    1. Yes! It is said: to observe those hidden parts from a new perspective, from the person we are now, we transform that letting it all come out to the surface. It has happened to me a lot.. all sorts of thibgs come up from my subconcious, and the more I “work through” the more Integrated I become. Whole.

  2. Yes. I have never thought about my method before. It’s just so much a part of my thinking, since as long as I can remember. I was still a little girl. I think this was a byproduct of the family I was raised in.

    For my entire life until very recently I thought everyone had this kind of access. I feel very fortunate, when I think of it. Moon-ruled 8th House; Saturn is in there.

  3. Yes. I want to better understand why I do certain things or act a certain way. It’s taken me awhile to become comfortable with my darker side so that now I’m not so hard on myself or freaked out by it.

  4. Great questions…If I’m alone I talk to myself, questioning and sharing life philosophy out loud. I’ve also kept a journal for several years because I understand better if it’s organized and coherent-ish. I have a couple of pluto squares, and they are ugly but they are all mine and part of the deeper end of me.

  5. I have a constantly running internal conversation about things like this. My Moon’s in the 8th, so it fits. Also in Libra, so it’s mostly about how I’m dealing with other people. Great post.

  6. this just happends naturaly the internal conversations, analyzing, asking why…reflecting. Things come up to the surface all the time, when l least expect them. It happendsa and it’s hard not to listen.

  7. my worst behavior comes out of unconsciously acting out of my woundedness…

    the creative act, i’ve fund, is a good way to bring out the deep and converse with it. also, dreams. even better to combine the two- create out of one’s dreams…

  8. my inner self dissecting dialogue never stops. If I have something that I really need to dig at I meditate and write stream of consciousness notes resolve, adapt, redirect and start all over again.

  9. Uh, yes. Almost compulsively but its fun too. I pretty much do what you descibed. The question “what am i getting out of this or what am i trying to get out of this?” , has been fhe most illuminating and empowering for me. Because there is always something there for me and my ego! When i find out what it is i can decide to give it to myself in healthier ways if need be.

    It also helps me to create some kind of division in myself where i identify with the question as opposed to the answer. Ive noticed that it dissolves a lot of resistance.

    But then remembering that i still own answer. Once you know, its your responsibility. In other words if you can articulate it to yourself, its been brought up into your consciousness from the subconscious. Thats where i think a lot of people get stuck. They feel like its just the way it is and dont know that they are the master! But even with my method, i always prepare myself to be grossed out for a bit without wallowing in it.

  10. When the deep waters within are stirred I know it’s time for a consultation with myself. Trampling heartily through the forest opposite my home, usually equipped with tissues and a rosary help me face upto the things I don’t always want to deal with and provide a get-out-of jail card.

  11. I really resonated with your list, Elsa. Engaging our subterranean currents. This is my main M.O. Saturn in 8th house Aquarius. I came across Dream work techniques I think through Gestalt therapy descriptions that suggested speaking as the different parts of the dream to find meaning. So if I Dream of a train, I say: I am a train on a track. I know my destination. I am quick.
    Now I am the stranger on the train that scares me a bit. Why do I want to scare myself. Do I need to be afraid? I am a part that wants to be seen and known.

    Anyway! Just an example. Sometimes I’ve found it unleashes some good meaning…

  12. I always check my dark side.
    Im rather fanatical about it
    Cant help it
    Virgo sun and pluto in 12th
    Moon in 8th
    Venus in scorpio in 2nd
    Neptune with Venus in scorpio
    Jupiter in piscies in 6th
    I analyze deeeeepp
    I analyze my body
    I analyze my emotions
    I analysze my soul path.
    Three spinning plates on wobbly sticks.
    Im like a child with a scalpel. Poking here and there. My child always tells me what she sees.
    Never ending conversation.
    I thought everybody does this.
    Nope…

  13. I have also have Venus in Scorpio at end of 4th house, Libra Sun earlier 4th house with Mercury (difficult to make decisions) AND Neptune and Mars in Scorpio 5th house. With Cancer Rising crabclaws I go deep and sometimes have difficulty letting go of all that delicious intensity and coming up for air, and then finding ground.
    Learning though. Uranus, Pluto, Moon 3rd house Virgo.

  14. During Saturn in Libra i did nothing but write to myself and try to therapize myself. It didnt work. I needed a conversation with someone else from the outside. During moon pluto transit so far id been cut off from outside support and worked a lot with myself and internet sources i found. I have a therapist who believes im mildly depressed. I am digging into my dark side and bringing it to the light, i think. But nothing is clear and no one wants to believe me and nothing is getting better.

  15. Although initially posted in 2011, I think Jayne has a great insight – we picked up and started talking about this again now.

  16. I’m highly Plutonic. Asc Virgo. 8th house stellium. And Gemini stellium. I use this method a lot! Laying still thinking but also my fav, going to a lake and think/having inner conversations while looking over the calming lake.

    Also I write down my feelings, insights and every small details, like obsessively writing them down, mostly on my computer but also in a journal. Its exhausting because I can’t stop. Its almost like I try to find the answer in my writings. But I have to do it.

    But calmly quetly thinking is the best method!

  17. Lol – I examine my astrology charts deeply for myself. I also examine my life patterns about how I have behaved in regular situations and what I know about myself and the lessons I’ve learned previously. I look at my dreams and I trust my intuition as well and ask people who are honest and know me well.

    🙂

  18. Kri, you said nothing is getting better. I have found a good way of facing myself and dropping unhealthy stories I was telling myself through Gaganji’s guidance… and this website too.

  19. I’ve come back to meditation lot more regularly since 3 months. Joined at 17 but life got busy n I neglected in the next 2 decades. Just sit n close my eyes n drift into my concisiousness. Letting the higher power take care of everything I am part of.

  20. Avatar
    Hildegarde's Noviciate

    I think about my motives ALL THE TIME. Moon in 8th house. I am always digging deep to find the root of the cause. Not always pretty and usually painful. I keep smashing away at my venus scorpio underbelly when I think my motives arent entirely pure. I try to resolve them and take the high road. Its a battle at times tho

  21. I have venus in Aquarius 8th house. That’s why I love astrology, also unusual people. I also have Mars in scorpio 6th house. That’s why I love to research a topic, unrelentingly.

  22. I have Uranus in the 8H, Sag. As it is now transiting my 1H, the why’s have become very clear and realizations come at no huge effort. Like lightning, they just strike!
    It is also becoming progressively easier to muster up the strength and courage to charge forth with a follow-up plan, even if there isn’t an actual plan aside from taking action.
    I get the downloads just by listening. Really listening to what’s being said to me and how my thoughts develop and the emotions they bring up. Then I vow to remember later to trust whatever my intuition said about it all.
    It wasn’t like this when uranus went through my 12H not so long ago… I would make up excuses and overwrite my intuition… And even though it is a continuous process, it is a lesson learned. And what a lesson! My mind is finally free from others’ expectations, regardless! I might slip once in a while, but I won’t stay down for long 🙂

  23. Oh yes. The greater fear comes from not giving value to those dark spaces; a disconnect with the reality that not all plants/beings/creatures bloom in the light. One of my teachers has told us to known/notice some plants photosynthesize only at night. For me it’s part of recognizing to be unafraid to express the ‘darker’ elements directly (anger) so they can be diffused and not fester.

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