Carl Jung

In Modern Man in Search of a Soul, C.G. Jung explains how therapists can use dreams to help a patient heal: Nothing is unclear to the understanding; it is only when we fail to understand that things appear unintelligible and confused. In themselves, dreams are clear—that is, they are just as they must be under the given conditions. If we look back at these "unintelligible" … [Read more...] about How Therapists Can Interpret Dreams to Treat Patients

In Modern Man in Search of a Soul, Carl Jung explains the primary differences between his theories and those of Sigmund Freud: I am no opponent of Freud's; I am merely presented in that light by his own short-sightedness and that of his pupils. No experienced psychotherapist can deny having met with dozens of cases at least which answer in all essentials to Freud's … [Read more...] about The Main Differences between Freud and Jung

In Modern Man in Search of a Soul, Carl Jung examines the spiritual crux of modern man:  how to achieve spiritual happiness in a world that embraces consciousness while largely ignoring the unconscious mind: To me, the crux of the spiritual problem of today is to be found in the fascination which psychic life exerts upon modern man. If we are pessimists, we shall call it a … [Read more...] about Confronting the Spiritual Problem of Modern Man

In Modern Man in Search of a Soul, C.G. Jung examines how psychic archetypes guide the individual psyche towards wholeness: When first I took this direction I did not know where it would lead. I did not know what lay hid in the depths of the psyche—that region which I have since called the "collective unconscious", and whose contents I designate as "archetypes." Since time … [Read more...] about How Archetypes Guide the Individual Psyche

In Modern Man in Search of a Soul, Carl Jung explains his concept of the collective unconscious and how the collective unconscious guides the individual psyche towards health: Psychology can do nothing towards the elucidation of this colourful imagery except bring together materials for comparison and offer a terminology for its discussion. According to this terminology, that … [Read more...] about How the Collective Unconscious Guides the Individual Psyche

In Modern Man in Search of a Soul, C.G. Jung discusses the psychological impact of a patient believing in the hereafter: So for many people all too much unlived life remains over—sometimes potentialities which they could never have lived with the best of wills; and so they approach the threshold of old age with unsatisfied claims which inevitably turn their glances … [Read more...] about Why Believing in the Afterlife Promotes Psychic Health

In Modern Man in Search of a Soul, Carl Jung advocates that therapists study mythology and religion to understand the forces within a patient’s dreams: I need not try to prove that my dream interpretation is correct, which would be a somewhat hopeless undertaking, but must simply help the patient to find what it is that activates him—I was almost betrayed into saying what is … [Read more...] about Why Mythology Is Essential to Understanding Dreams

In Modern Man in Search of a Soul, Carl Jung explains why the cause of a neurosis is not as important as what the neurosis tells the patient about his own psychic needs: For the time being we will content ourselves with this hint, and return to the question whether dreams enable us to explain the causes of a neurosis. I have cited two dreams that actually do this. But I could … [Read more...] about Why the Cause of a Neurosis Isn’t as Important as Its Meaning

In Modern Man in Search of a Soul, C.G. Jung discusses the keys to assimilating the unconscious mind with the conscious mind and achieving the ultimate goal of individuation: Dreams give information about the secrets of the inner life and reveal to the dreamer hidden factors of his personality. As long as these are undiscovered, they disturb his waking life and betray … [Read more...] about Achieve Individuation: Conscious – Unconscious Assimilation

In Modern Man in Search of a Soul, C.G. Jung examines painting as a tool of active imagination in allowing a patient’s unconscious mind to express itself freely: It not infrequently happens in these circumstances that the patient has an especially colourful or curious dream, and says to me: "Do you know, if only I were a painter I would make a picture of it." Or the dreams … [Read more...] about How Painting and Active Imagination Aid Therapy

In Modern Man in Search of a Soul, Carl Jung examines how artists freely channel unconscious forces into their art and how understanding art can help reveal the truth about the human psyche: It is not alone the creator of this kind of art who is in touch with the night-side of life, but the seers, prophets, leaders and enlighteners also. However dark this nocturnal world may … [Read more...] about How the Artist Brings the Unconscious Mind to Life

In Modern Man in Search of a Soul, C.G. Jung discusses the importance of understanding mysticism and religion in helping a patient to heal and the dangers of reducing psychology to mere science: Theology does not help those who are looking for the key, because theology demands faith, and faith cannot be made: it is in the truest sense a gift of grace. We moderns are faced with … [Read more...] about How Mysticism Plays a Key Role in Psychology

In Modern Man in Search of a Soul, C.G. Jung elucidates how understanding the shadow self leads to psychic health: Not infrequently the soul is identified with the shadow, for which reason it is a deadly insult to tread upon a person's shadow. For the same reason, noon-day, the ghost-hour of southern latitudes, is considered threatening; the shadow then grows small, and this … [Read more...] about Understanding the Psyche through the Shadow Self

In Modern Man in Search of a Soul, C.G. Jung emphasizes the need for therapists to be flexible and to abandon dogma and preconceived notions in order to help patients who are stuck in a neurotic state: The human psyche is highly equivocal. In every single case we must consider the question whether an attitude or a so-called habitus exists in its own right, or is perhaps only a … [Read more...] about Why a Therapist Must Be Flexible to Help Stuck Patients

In Modern Man in Search of a Soul, Carl Jung implores therapists to actively confront their own psychic forces in order to effectively treat patients: The fourth stage of analytical psychology, then, demands not only the transformation of the patient, but also the counterapplication to himself by the doctor of the system which he prescribes in any given case. And in dealing … [Read more...] about Why Therapists Must Heal Themselves before Treating Patients

In Modern Man in Search of a Soul, Carl Jung addresses the psychic challenges of aging and how the denial of age is rooted in a patient’s spiritual problem: Just as a childish person shrinks back from the unknown in the world and in human existence, so the grown man shrinks back from the second half of life. It is as if unknown and dangerous tasks were expected of him; or as … [Read more...] about How Therapists Should Handle the Psychic Challenge of Aging