Although our civilized consciousness has separated itself from the instincts, the instincts have not disappeared; they have merely lost their contact with consciousness.
c. G. Jungquotes
1875 - 1961
The Swiss psychologist and psychiatrist, Carl Jung, developed and furthered some of the most important thoughts and theories of the 20th century. His influence spread not only throughout the psychological world, but also throughout art, religion and literature. Known for developing analytical psychology, and his work expounding on the extravert and introvert personality types, Jung’s theories about the unconscious mind also carry lasting influence and intrigue.
Jung was expected to follow in the footsteps of his father and become a clergyman, but his interest in philosophy led him down a different route. Eventually, he found his way to medicine and earned his M.D from the University of Zurich.
A short partnership and friendship with Sigmund Freud helped the young Jung develop his theories, but eventually the two parted ways forever. Jung outspokenly disagreed with Freud’s view of a sexual basis for neurosis (The Psychology of the Unconscious).
As Jung continued to study his own unconscious mind, he developed the idea that all of humanity shares a collective unconscious, and this can be seen in patterns and symbols that have arisen throughout history (Psychology & Alchemy).
By unfolding one’s own myth through dreams and imagination, Jung believed that people could become whole or complete personalities (Modern Man in Search of a Soul). Ever fascinated with the growth of personality and one’s own inner development, he named the process of this self-discovery “individuation” (The Undiscovered Self). It is a lifelong task of trial and error, but to paraphrase Jung, eventually we all “become what we are.”
It [Joyce’s “Ulysses”] plays on the reader’s sympathies to his own undoing unless sleep kindly intervenes and puts a stop to this drain of energy. Arrived at page 135, after making several heroic efforts to get at the book, to “do it justice”, as the phrase goes, I fell at last into profound slumber.
In the last analysis, most of our difficulties come from losing contact with our instincts, with the age-old forgotten wisdom stored up in us.
Even a happy life cannot be without a measure of darkness, and the word happy would lose its meaning if it were not balanced by sadness. It is far better to take things as they come along with patience and equanimity.
darkness / equanimity / Happy / Life / patience
Reason becomes unreason when separated from the heart, and a psychic life void of universal ideas sickens from undernourishment.
People will do anything, no matter how absurd, to avoid their own souls.
You do not overcome the old teaching through doing less, but through doing more. Every step closer to my soul excites the scornful laughter of my devils, those cowardly ear-whisperers and poison-mixers. It was easy for them to laugh, since I had to do strange things.
To the extent that a man is untrue to the law of his being and does not rise to personality, he has failed to realize his life’s meaning.
Law / Life / personality / untrue
I have done without electricity, and tend the fireplace and stove myself. Evenings, I light the old lamps. There is no running water, and I pump the water from the well. I chop the wood and cook the food. These simple acts make man simple; and how difficult it is to be simple!
acts / electricity / simple / water / wood
In our civilized life, we have stripped so many ideas of their emotional energy, we do not really respond to them any more.