Sitting With the Unknown: Finding Meaning in the Void

We all know the feeling of not knowing, whether that's waiting for a message that doesn't come, sitting with the uncertainty of a new beginning or fearing how a difficult conversation that needs to be had might turn out. The unknown can feel like a huge, empty, unsettling void and it can be frightening.

Our instinct is to fill that space as quickly as possibly. We create stories, scenarios and fantasies to try and make sense of what we can't see yet. We ask: What if they're angry with me? What if I fail? What if this all falls apart? The unknown becomes a backdrop for our imagination and we rush to paint it with colour. The fantasies aren't meaningless. In fact, they can be deeply revealing.

What We Project into the Unknown

In psychodynamic therapy, we often explore what happens in the moments of silence where the things we don't know live. When faced with uncertainty, we tend to project our inner world outwardly. The unknown becomes a mirror reflecting our fears, hopes and longings. For example, in therapy, a client might sit in silence and imagine that their therapist is judging them. Another might assume the therapist is bored or that silence means rejection. The silence itself is neutral; it's the fantasies woven into it that tells us something about the client's inner life. This is why the unknown matters. It shows us what we carry inside.

Jung's Canvas of the Unconscious

Carl Jung suggested that the unconscious reveals itself through symbols, fantasies and projections. From this perspective, the unknown is not an empty void but a blank canvas. Onto this canvas, we project images drawn from our inner world. Some may seem familiar, some may seem surprising and some may seem archetypal.

When we pay attention to these projections, we begin to understand ourselves more deeply. The fantasy that rushes in to fill the void is a bridge to the unconscious and a way of seeing what usually stays hidden.

The Value of Sitting with the Unknown

It's tempting to try and escape uncertainty and chase after answers or certainty but something important happens when we stay with the unknown.

When we resist the urge to rush, we give ourselves the chance to notice the narrative. We begin to ask; what am I imagining here? What does this reveal about me? In therapy the space is held safely. Together, therapist and client can explore not only the unknown itself but also the meanings and projections that emerge within it.

How Can You Work with the Unknown?

The unknown isn't truly empty. It's alive with stories, fear and desires we project into it. It's a canvas that reflects our unconscious life.

Next time you find yourself in the midst of uncertainty, pause. Before reaching for certainty, notice the narrative that forms. Ask yourself:

• What am I imagining?

• Where might this story come from?

• What is this showing me about myself?

Sitting with the unknown isn't easy but within it we may discover truths about ourselves that certainty could never reveal.