26-02-2015, 06:51 PM
James Ruby Wrote:I have as much respect for CGJ as I have contempt for his erstwhile mate Sickmind Fraud. But something jarred for me in the aforementioned 'Memories, Dreams, Reflections'. Early on in the book I'm sure I remember him recounting a dream about seeing various boys or peoples faces and then gravely announcing that some of these were soon to die... I didn't buy it. It seemed too much of a gratuitous egg-splash in a little pudding, an unnecessary hint of supernatural drama, in short, bollocks.
Sort of made me think as I carried on: 'Do I entirely trust his words? If I embellish my dreams, why and for whom*?'
But I'm on your side Mr. Guyatt; even if it's only allegory, it's some of the best we've got.
* Don't bother David...
James, thanks for your post. I don't know the quote you mention and I have read almost everything Jung wrote - although many of his lectures still remain unpublished. But then my memory isn't what it once was, so that's probably why.
Anyway, I don't believe Jung was in the slightest bit interested in gratuitousness or exaggeration like this. He talked about what he experienced and knew. He was also a man who had many powerful and telling visions (his book "Memories, Dreams and Reflections" is a very good source for this btw), and these days there are some practising Jungians who pooh-pooh this side of his school of psychology - believing it to be a mystic illusion.
Personally, I unequivocally accept he had incredibly powerful visions, dreams and what he termed as "active imagination" journeys (although this description miserably fails to convey the immensity of experiences that can occur). I believe him because I've been there, and done that, and got the scars. When you consciously get in contact with the deeper levels of the unconscious, an entirely different stream of knowledge, reality and understanding take place. It's a place of en entirely different order of existence and being.
Let me give you an example of what I mean. Once, during a meditative active imagination foray into the timeless spaces (many years ago) I was shown a book of my life. Very clearly btw. I was completely in the instant and instantly knew it contained every minute detail, experience and event of my life. On the front was my name, my date of birth and... at the bottom my date of death. I consciously and quickly averted my eyes from that last part. I didn't want to know that particular date as I was concerned that this bit of knowledge would alter my life path.
Who was I kidding I now wonder?
Because obviously that decision was already written in that book.
Of course, many will say this is utter nonsense, and I cannot counter them or prove them wrong. But I lived that moment of timelessness and other people's disbelief will never rob me of that experience and the absolute knowledge that accompanied it. Rational thinking has it's place in our world, but it is not an attribute that exists outside of other non-rational abilities. Or rather it shouldn't be allowed to dominate us. But sadly it does tend to dominate us and that's one of the important problems we face today.
Reality has many dimensions and they all have something to gift us.
The shadow is a moral problem that challenges the whole ego-personality, for no one can become conscious of the shadow without considerable moral effort. To become conscious of it involves recognizing the dark aspects of the personality as present and real. This act is the essential condition for any kind of self-knowledge.
Carl Jung - Aion (1951). CW 9, Part II: P.14