Definitions HQ

Regression (n.) can ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠go all the way back to the pre-sexual stage: a catatonic girl, newly engaged, kissed her doctor and said “Papa, give me something to eat!”

Regression (n.) that ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠reaches the presexual stage restores the libido to its original undifferentiated polyvalency — and from there it can take a new form, like tilling the earth-mother.

Regression (n.) before ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠a great task is the dangerous moment between annihilation and new life: stuck below, a man is a shadow to the upper world; torn loose, the descent proves a plunge into the fountain of youth.

Regression (n.) should ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠be supported by therapy, not condemned: it leads only apparently back to the mother, who is really the gateway into the unconscious, where the “divine child” — the germ of wholeness — awaits his realization.

Regression (n.) seeks ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠not only incest but food: whoever gives up adapting and returns to the family bosom expects to be warmed, loved — and fed.

Regression (n.) that ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠goes down to the nutritive layer turns the Oedipus complex into a Jonah-and-the-Whale complex: fear of incest becomes fear of being devoured by the mother — witch, wolf, ogre, dragon.

Regression (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠not only retreat: when progress is blocked by a divided will, libido flows back to the common archaic root of all functions — where something new can arise.

Regression (n.) sets ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠in automatically whenever a man meets a task he cannot master: the libido draws back, turns inward, and reawakens in the unconscious a primitive analogue of his present situation.

Regression (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠retreat before the insurmountable: we reach for what helped in youth, and when that fails go back into childhood — and beyond it.

Regression (n.) that ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠goes back to the mother is not only a fixation: the libido seeks in the mother-imago the memories from which further development can take place.

Regression (n.) brings ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠up what looks like slime from the depths — but the slime holds germs of new life and possibilities for the future.

Regression (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠the moment outward progress becomes impossible and the psyche is forced to adapt to its own inner world.

Regression (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠not degeneration but a necessary phase of development — the monster swims east toward sunrise with the hero inside; only staying stuck there is decline.

Regression (n.) has ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠two exits: a retreat from the world that ends in dull brooding, or a flight into the world that ends in the life of a wastrel.

Regression (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠invariably accompanied by a heightened sense of life — hence the quickening thrill of the mass.

Regression (n.) can ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠be a nation's reculer pour mieux sauter: the stream dammed up breaks into its old bed, but will one day overleap the obstacle.

Regression (n.) that ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠stays within the sacred precinct is not a relapse but a systematic descent ad inferos, retreading history to the pre-Christian level — a psychological nekyia.

Regression (n.) turns ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠into progression when the tension of opposites is unbearable enough.

Regression (n.) that ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠reaches the mythic layer is a reculer pour mieux sauter — not decay but an amassing of powers that will grow into a new order.

Regression (n.) means ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠the patient is seeking himself in his childhood: his one-sided development left parts of his personality behind, and he has to go back for them.