The feeling function is the function in the personality that sorts out our feelings. But where do these feelings come from?
As Jungian analyst James Hollis says in his book Living Between Worlds, we do not create feelings. He says the feeling function provides “spontaneous, autonomous, qualitative, evaluative analyses as to how the psyche is registering the moment.”
Other people, outer circumstances, and our complexes can push us in directions that may be the “right things” as defined by others, but are dead places for our soul. This causes depletion of our most precious resource: our soul’s energy. Boredom, insomnia, depression or other symptoms may arise.
The solution isn’t to suppress our feelings or take palliative measures. Instead Hollis encourages us to ask ourselves: Why have they come? What is their critique? What do they want from us?
Your feeling function is autonomous and continually weighs in with its opinion. The important thing is to be attuned to your feelings regardless of what kind of feeling function you have in your personality type.
Click here to see the book summary I wrote on Instagram about Living Between Worlds.
