I think it was James Hillman who said something along the lines of, "No one is born who isn't called first." No one. Which means everyone is born to express, and as an expression of, anima mundi - the world's soul. Which also means that everyone is born with purpose and meaning. Every one. But this soul, purpose and meaning, even though they are all part of individual Potential, neither belongs exclusively to the individual. This reality makes the individual and the collective Experience of being alive a complex Relationship between the Perceptions of ego and the worldly intentions of calling.
"How I Am" Potential in the context of otherness (i.e., ego), and the Potential of otherness in the context of "Being Human" (i.e., Self), are what define the psychology of calling. For example, a newborn's calling is a sensory and emotional Experience of Self that lasts for many years before he or she begins to consciously discover, express, connect to or make personal meaning with ego's formulations. But every newborn is having an immediate impact on the ego and calling - the Potentials, Relationships, Experiences and Perceptions - of at least two others (the parents) which then includes countless others (the family, the community, the state, nation and the world). Simultaneously, the sensory and emotional affect of others and otherness on the newborn influences the awakening of his or her ego. This makes it evident that throughout one's ego-Self Life it is vitally important to ask, "What's my calling?" yet, it's irresponsible to think "How I Am: Being Human" is separate from the soulful, purposeful and meaningful callings of others and otherness.
All otherness takes part in one's calling. Likewise, one's calling takes part in all otherness. And even though calling is part of the ancient past and the unknown future it's main quality is that it is always participating in the here and now. This psychology of calling intends to open ego's consciousness to new Potential, new Relationships, new ways of interpreting Experiences and new Perceptions of others and otherness. Most other psychological theories address the "developed" ego as the sole experiencer and creator of others and otherness - i.e. "reality." But "the ego is only one member of a commune" (Hillman) and so not going further into the connections of the human psyche with the world's soul cuts a person off from calling. Such a cutting-off limits discovery, expression, connection and meaning to the ego alone. This type of "nature versus nurture" situation, as anyone can plainly see, is a disaster for the individual, others and otherness. A "nature via nurture" psychology of calling, on the other hand, is always addressing the vital conduit between ego and calling, reinterpreting and reconnecting the immense Potential of Self with the immeasurable Relationships, Experiences and Perceptions of all others and otherness.
PS: I'm not going to go into it now but the complex Experience of grief is the most common way we all transform ego's discoveries, expressions, connections and meanings. Calling, after all, becomes highly intensified when the Potentials, Relationships, Experiences and Perceptions of those left behind are awakened by the ancient emotions encircling death.
