Carl Jung created a remarkable library of books, letters, and lectures. If you have read any of his work and feel he is sometimes simply "too far out there," you are not alone. During his life he had the luxury of time for reading the great books, engaging in massive letter writing, seeing clients or working in a clinical setting, and seemingly able to travel, write, and present endlessly. He was nothing less than an acute observer of culture, history as manifest in literature, and master of synthesizing information both current and from the past which led him to propose inventive ways of thinking about the human experience.
I think many readers of Jung miss the mark when they forget the intellectual culture in which his work was embedded and his simple proposition that he was sharing his journey. His writings are not particularly straightforward--complicated as well by being translated into English. His ideas are often esoteric. It is easy to see why his family prevented for decades the publication of The Red Book, perhaps the most intimate imagery book of his imagination.
While many in the scientific community mock or attempt to dimish the depth and range of his way of seeing life and understanding human beings, there are increasingly robust scientific findings that confirm many of his propositions. For example, he proposed that the unconscious was the most powerful force in guiding how we interpret and act on life experiences. It is commonplace to read neuroscientists declare that the "decision" you think you've made was made by unconscious mechanisms for you before you even thought about the choices in front of you. Jung proposed that the imagination was more powerful than sensory reality testing in motivating and changing behavior. Simply consider how powerful a movie is in triggering emotions, arousing sexual interest, and prompting thoughts about how to behave in the future.
If you are reading this blog entry, you have decided to join me on a careful reading of Jung's Psychological Types, Volume 6 of his collective works. I have proposed that we take one chapter a month to explore what Jung meant, what it may mean to us, and how we can use his propositions to enrich our lives.
As a co-learner in this journey, try to approach the work with fresh eyes. Ponder that he was attempting to provide a perspective for understanding the human experience using the evidence that was available to him. It is not accidental that he relies on symbols and mythology to make his points. Many of the symbols and mythologies seem distant to us today so we are required to simply step back and read the story as given by a storyteller.
In the one hour of our each of our future discussions, we need to be prepared to be concise, and to share thoughtfully our reactions and how these inform our considerations for moving forward.
I am going to create a blog page for each chapter. PLEASE use these blog pages to share things you didn't get to during our sessions, reflections that came after the session, or questions you want to explore.
Thanks for coming on this thoughtful journey.
I think many readers of Jung miss the mark when they forget the intellectual culture in which his work was embedded and his simple proposition that he was sharing his journey. His writings are not particularly straightforward--complicated as well by being translated into English. His ideas are often esoteric. It is easy to see why his family prevented for decades the publication of The Red Book, perhaps the most intimate imagery book of his imagination.
While many in the scientific community mock or attempt to dimish the depth and range of his way of seeing life and understanding human beings, there are increasingly robust scientific findings that confirm many of his propositions. For example, he proposed that the unconscious was the most powerful force in guiding how we interpret and act on life experiences. It is commonplace to read neuroscientists declare that the "decision" you think you've made was made by unconscious mechanisms for you before you even thought about the choices in front of you. Jung proposed that the imagination was more powerful than sensory reality testing in motivating and changing behavior. Simply consider how powerful a movie is in triggering emotions, arousing sexual interest, and prompting thoughts about how to behave in the future.
If you are reading this blog entry, you have decided to join me on a careful reading of Jung's Psychological Types, Volume 6 of his collective works. I have proposed that we take one chapter a month to explore what Jung meant, what it may mean to us, and how we can use his propositions to enrich our lives.
As a co-learner in this journey, try to approach the work with fresh eyes. Ponder that he was attempting to provide a perspective for understanding the human experience using the evidence that was available to him. It is not accidental that he relies on symbols and mythology to make his points. Many of the symbols and mythologies seem distant to us today so we are required to simply step back and read the story as given by a storyteller.
In the one hour of our each of our future discussions, we need to be prepared to be concise, and to share thoughtfully our reactions and how these inform our considerations for moving forward.
I am going to create a blog page for each chapter. PLEASE use these blog pages to share things you didn't get to during our sessions, reflections that came after the session, or questions you want to explore.
Thanks for coming on this thoughtful journey.
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