Enantiodromia is one of my favorite concepts to contemplate, and it is a central theme woven into Jungian personality theory. The basic definition is that a superabundance of any force inevitably produces its opposite. It is a governing principle of natural cycles and of psychological development. It is reported as having Greek origins and is made up of two Greek words, enantios = opposite and dramein = to run. However, since it is a defining and observable principle of nature itself, it is found in most old wisdom cultures throughout the world.

R.A. Schwaller de Lubicz tells us how to understand the dynamics of opposites as seen in Egyptian glyphs, which are expressed within one symbol. For example, two god heads would be shown looking in opposing directions, but were both attached to one shared body (the third “thing”). Lubicz states, “Being, as existence, manifests only through relationship, that is, the interchange between the two component complements of Being.” The symbol communicates that opposites are not actually separate from each other; that this relationship between them is the basis for dualistic reality. This concept is also described in Eastern philosophies like Taoism.

Rahu and Ketu are the calculated opposing points of intersection between the Earth’s course around the Sun, with the Moon’s course around the Earth. These two calculated points show the path of the Individual’s consciousness in this lifetime and can provide information about past lives and inherited/acquired psychological patterns. There are many different factors that go into understanding how they will be expressed in an individual’s chart, but for now, we are just acknowledging that they are the two opposing forces in a person’s life that will create the tension out of which the third “thing” will emerge.

“Ketu creates compulsions that destroy or free the native from things. Rahu creates compulsions that that pull one into things they have little knowledge or skill in, and where they are therefore bound to suffer difficulty. Ketu creates discontent due to the old and the familiar. Rahu creates discontent due to the impossibility of anything being as good as the wish; dreams are always better than reality until of course, the world is seen as a dream. Rahu creates radical changes that force one to rely on or accept something unfamiliar. Ketu creates radical change to liberate one from attachments, or those things that are completed and therefore have no more purpose in the native’s development,” (Ernst Wilhelm, Character Effects of the Grahas). [This process forces transformation, the third “thing.”] “The three forces of Rahu and Ketu – compulsions, discontent, and radical change plague every man. If the individual handles these three with a spiritual consciousness of growth and expansion, then transformation occurs. If the individual is unable to do this then these serve to destroy the happiness of his life.”

The opposing nodes of Rahu/Ketu (which the mythology tells us are one Asura who was cut into two) when out of balance become poisonous, and when we bring them into balance we get the third thing which is health. The failure to tolerate the tension or balance the poison successfully, is commonly the time when therapeutic interventions are either sought out or forced upon the individual through conflicts with authority, loved ones, illness, and the outside environment. Jung observed that an emergence of unconscious shadow material (Rahu) always occurs when an unbalanced tendency dominates the “conscious” life (Ketu). This is the basis of how the Rahu/Ketu relationship functions within our psyches and lives, and can be expressed through our bodies as illness. The more a compulsion or attitude is repressed or repeated, the more unbalanced Ketu’s poison becomes. This unconsciously invites the shadow opposite Rahu’s poison to emerge, in an attempt to force a balance. This can be frightening for many people because the shadow contains our worst fears and thoughts that we do not want to acknowledge about ourselves. Rahu brings them into our life externally so that we must change internally (Ketu). This is explained in a famous quote of Jung’s, “Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate.” Building awareness of the shadow content and processing it voluntarily won’t necessarily save you from all negative outcomes, but you won’t be as surprised when you encounter it and will have built up more skills and healthy habits to handle it (hopefully).

When facing a problem, Jung states there are usually two opposing paths to solving it but neither solution will be correct. We must learn to tolerate the tension between the two that will eventually result in a third. The energy of Rahu is meant to draw out the imbalance of Ketu and through the tension of holding these energies, the third solution/state emerges. I find the following letter of advice to one of his patients very helpful when struggling with this kind of inner conflict because it is a reminder for me to switch “modes” of processing and release the internal pressure of feeling I have to choose or “do” something about it. I can then engage with the passive mode of awareness, presence, tolerance, and observation. He writes:

“…There can be no resolution, only patient endurance of the opposites which ultimately spring from your own nature. You yourself are a conflict that rages in itself, and against itself, in order to melt its incompatible substances, the male and the female, in the fire of suffering, and thus create that fixed and unalterable form which is the goal of life. Everyone goes through this mill, consciously or unconsciously, voluntarily or forcibly. We are crucified between the opposites and delivered up to the torture until the “reconciling third” takes shape. Do not doubt the rightness of the two sides within you, and let whatever may happen, happen. A life without inner contradiction is either only half a life or else a life in the Beyond, which is destined only for angels. But god loves human being more than angels. With Kindest regards, CG Jung”

What practical things can be done to help us tolerate the tension long enough to bring forth the “third”? Each axis or set of signs that Rahu/Ketu fall in are going to present differently and specifics will require more in-depth exploration. In general, the ideal intervention is to find a therapist or skilled counseling astrologer to work with you on learning to engage, explore, and integrate the unconscious material of Rahu/Ketu. The conscious and unconscious are the two heads on the symbol of your one body and the conscious ego must develop a working relationship with this other passive principle which is the inverse activity (Schwaller de Lubiz) counterpart to active consciousness. The relationship of the consciousness to the unconscious produces the emerging third of “Being”. The relationship between the two poisons of Rahu/Ketu is health and/or transformation. These 1/2/3 relationships can start to be seen everywhere in nature and the answer is always balance.

In a previous post I shared how the unconscious can be thought of as a direct link with nature; the “drop of ocean that contains the entire ocean”.  Rahu/Ketu are two parts of this invisible side made up of feelings, impulses, actions, desires, shame, trauma etc. This is the part of you that must be approached with curiosity and courage. Cooperation between the parts is the only path to a successful working relationship within yourself and working on this internally will automatically generate the corresponding external changes. This is what classic psychodynamic therapy is all about, integrating the shadow and making the unconscious, conscious so it can no longer pull you into the same situations over and over again; to give you freedom to choose something different. Rahu/Ketu’s poison must be balanced within the unconscious and then the unconscious must be balanced with the conscious mind.

A more simplified popular version of opposites can be found in Jung’s theory of psychological types, which was developed into the famous Myers-Briggs Personality Inventory. The inventory has been criticized as being overly simplistic, reductionistic, and European/American culture specific, but I have found it to be useful at times, even with its limiting results. It can be helpful to discover your “type” within couples and families so others can learn to better negotiate their needs and boundaries. It is a tool among many others and not meant to be descriptive of your entire experience. Jung’s notable therapeutic tools for interacting and communicating with the unconscious includes a variety of projective exercises, with most modern expressive therapies (art, dance, music, play etc) being derived from his work. More details on using these can be found in my previous post “Healing the Unconscious”.

Archetypes, also made popular by Jung, inherently contain opposing energies within them and can help people recognize their unconscious behavior patterns. For example, the Rescuer archetype can begin with a beautiful intention of compassion and resourcefulness, until it becomes enabling and keeps the other person stuck in order for the rescuer to feel “needed” and safe (Ketu). Reading about different archetypes and their positive and shadow expressions (Rahu) can assist the mind in learning to think in terms of the two “heads” of the one archetypal body. Reading the language of archetypes is a fun way to uncover the structural patterns and themes in the personality and then identify the shadow behaviors needing integration.

A more simple, and easily accessible way to learn to tolerate the tension of opposites is through the practice of Yoga Nidra, which is a specific type of guided meditation. In Richard Miller PhD’s book, Yoga Nidra: A Meditative practice for deep healing, he emphasizes the importance of evoking opposites to explore the feeling and emotional body. When relaxed, invite into your awareness the opposing feelings one at a time. Fluctuate back and forth between them until you learn to feel them both simultaneously and the third emerges. Miller states, “Whatever you are willing to be with, you go beyond” and “When we stop trying to change and learn to be aware, magic happens. Awareness is like fire. Fire purifies, awareness purifies.” He states that nonaccepting is a form of self-loathing. This leads to denial and a powerful shadow influence. Integrating this influence and learning to tolerate the discomfort of sitting with these painful thoughts and emotions allows us to go beyond them. Hypnotherapy can work in a similar way.

A more concrete/cognitive/skills based approach that works effectively through evoking opposites is Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), in which one learns to “work the dialectic of opposites”. This model was developed by Marsha Linehan who spent much of her time practicing Buddhism and learning to use mindfulness to help her tolerate the discomfort of her intense emotions. DBT offers structured exercises and workbooks to help you “work your way out” of the conflict by coming to understand that Emotion + Reason = Wise Mind, the emerging third that happens by accepting and balancing the “opposing two”. Mindfulness practices of simply observing feelings as they arise mixed with cognitive exercises for changing inner dialogue and interpersonal effectiveness are combined. She also stresses grounding and self-soothing through the senses and the importance of directing the mind to the here and now when experiencing hyperarousal. In the behavioral realm she asks us to simply act the opposite of what our urge is telling us to do. If we want to lash out, then we instead perform an action of kindness or compassion. The action is likely to activate the opposing desired emotion, and eventually can create lasting behavioral change.

There is no formula or remedy that will completely protect you from experiencing the lessons of Rahu/Ketu, but you can learn to balance the opposing forces, hold the tension, develop healthy habits that balance the poison, and allow the space for the third solution/transformation/health/consciousness to emerge. If we can learn to view and work with the energies of Rahu/Ketu like this, we may be able to harmonize more with our body and psychology and reduce unnecessary pain and trauma to ourselves and others along the way.