Down Gothic Land

Expanding the Origins

We all carry stories from childhood stories that linger, unsettling and intriguing us in ways we can’t yet understand. For me, that story was Alice in Wonderland, a tale about a girl with my name, wandering through strange and surreal worlds. Wonderland, with its dreamlike landscapes and shifting realities, always felt more like a disorienting nightmare than a place of wonder. It hinted at shadows and distortions I couldn’t make sense of at the time, stirring anxiety about the unknown, about those aspects of ourselves and our lives that remain hidden.

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This feeling followed me, as did my name, through years of schooling and into university, where I encountered Gothic literature for the first time. In those haunted castles and dark, mysterious characters, I found a language that echoed the surreal landscapes of Wonderland but added depth and purpose. Gothic literature illuminated a path to confront our shadows and understand the unconscious forces shaping us. It was a path that ultimately led me to Jungian psychology, a discipline that gave me the tools to dive deeply into those hidden worlds, uncovering truths about death, transformation, and the soul’s journey.

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The Call to Jungian Psychology

My fascination with the Gothic evolved as I began studying Jungian psychology, earning my Master’s and continuing my education through analysis, readings, and courses. Jung’s work revealed to me that the worlds of the unconscious, which I had first glimpsed in Gothic literature, are essential to our personal transformation. In Jung’s view, the unconscious communicates through symbols, myths, and archetypes,

the very tools of Gothic storytelling. Suddenly, the unsettling dreams and dark themes I had been drawn to all my life found meaning in Jungian ideas like the Shadow, the Anima and Animus, and the journey of individuation.

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The concept of death, often the ultimate fear and taboo in Gothic tales, took on new meaning as I studied Jung. Rather than being an end, death is becoming a symbol of profound transformation. In Jungian psychology, facing our own metaphorical deaths, our fears, and those parts of ourselves we wish to keep hidden is what allows us to become whole. I now see death as a guide, a portal to understanding ourselves and our inner mythologies on a deeper level.

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Embracing the Myth of Alice in Gothic Land

From my studies, my own name took on new significance. In Greek, “Alicia” means “one who tells the truth.” I embraced this definition as my journey led me to uncover the truths within shadowy places, both in myself and in the stories that inspire me. I founded Alice in Gothic Land years ago as a place for others drawn to the Gothic and Jungian realms, who feel called to explore their inner landscapes, confront their shadows, and emerge transformed.

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Through the lens of both Gothic literature and Jungian psychology, "Alice in Gothic Land" isn’t just about a fascination with the dark; it’s a journey into the depths of the soul. It’s a place where we learn that death, in its many forms, can be a gateway to a more integrated, authentic self.​​

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