Projection and Transference

 In the very earliest stages of the Introductory classes we highlight the significance of projection.

This is critical because without a systematic approach to working with our own projections, there is no way to discern the plant from our ‘fantasy’ of the plant. However, once we embrace the fact that we always bring ourselves to the relationship and thus colour it, we start to develop the skills to recognise our own projections and journey through them, into a deep meeting with the plants (and other humans!). This is described in our first book ‘Intuitive Herbalism’ in the chapter ‘Hall of Mirrors’.

Projection (and transference – see notes below) are just as significant in our human dynamics. As a white neurodiverse cis-male in a position of authority, I’m in an ongoing process of reflecting how power, identity and history shape the spaces I hold. As a school, we are committed to supporting a deeply collaborative and equitable approach to herbalism – one that honours each person’s heritage and the implicit wisdom carried by countless, often-unrecorded wisdom keepers and recognises the harm caused by colonial approaches (past and present). This commitment invites many rich conversations and exploration.

There is always more to learn and unlearn here and these conversations are always welcome. There’s much to bring into awareness, to dismantle where needed, and to rebuild together in ways that strengthen both integrity and connection.

We invite this dialogue at an early stage in the group discussions in the school. Over twenty years of teaching I’ve learned to compassionately navigate mine and others’ projections – the most common male authority projections are now deeply familiar to me: father, brother, guru, lover, saviour, judge, protector, healer, shaman, patriarch. All of these projections can exist in idealisation or demonisation, and can flip very quickly between the two. (Part of the reason I don’t do any social media is because it appears to me to all too often celebrate the creation of a glamour, which then invites projection, which then feeds a loop of addiction.)

If and when projections arise these are a gift for us to recognise unmet needs and to claim these aspects and archetypes as our own and bring them back to ourselves. For instance if you notice a tendency to father or mother projections with authority figures you respect, this can be taken as a doorway to nurture your own inner parenting.

From what I hear from students our open and informed approach to welcoming these discussions is unusual – but feels to me essential – many reflect that in years of attending various trainings these things are never talked about openly. Things that remain unnamed in this realm can easily become confused and destructive.

This article’s purpose is to name and welcome all of this as part of the mix and so invite it into consciousness and sovereignty.

Myself and Emily are really aware that once people become aware of (previously unconscious) projections it can sometimes trigger guilt, shame, grief and confusion. Know that we will always meet such sharings with deep compassion, spaciousness, confidentiality and care.

Just as much as we invite compassionate awareness for students, we – as facilitators – are very much on our own journeys to recognise our projections and transference, for me this is a key part of walking this path with integrity. As such we are always welcome to hear your reflections on our possible blind spots. 

Projection is generally understood as an unconscious defence mechanism whereby we project our thoughts, feelings or traits onto another, generally because they are uncomfortable or painful for us to recognise as our own.

Transference is a relational dynamic. It is easy to understand in a therapeutic dynamic: the client might, in response to their own mother wounds, project their maternal needs and even a maternal idealisation onto the therapist. The therpaist, if unaware of this or not trained sufficiently, might start to identify with this rather than understand it as a function of the relational dynamic. Another classic example is where a client has experienced authority figures to be untrustworthy, they might (1) be hyperalert to any indication of this in their therapist or (2) idealise the therapist and so bypass engaging deeply with their own relationship with trust.