So, what is 'the cultural unconscious'?

I just found myself providing a definition for ‘the cultural unconscious’ in a conversation, and thought to share it with you.

I’m using ‘the cultural unconscious’ to refer to ‘the presence of habitual modes of meaning-making and social practices which emerged in a cultural historical process of which we have forgotten as a collective or never knew to begin with. These habits of thought, belief and social practice go largely unnoticed, and therefore unexamined.’

The cultural unconscious does function within individuals, but its main habitat is the social life of cultures themselves.

This is just my current working definition. The shape of the concept and its definition will likely evolve over time.

By shining the light of awareness upon our cultural unconscious we provide a space of opening for new personal and social possibilities to emerge.

I’ll be publishing another essay for The Heron House soon. This is just a note in passing.