Friday, January 8, 2010

Dreams, Jung, God and Stuff Like That There

How does anyone ignore an invitation like this? http://www.huffingtonpost.com/llewellyn-vaughanlee/dreamwork-what-we-can-lea_b_413787.html

As I'm reading this article, and might I just admit right here and now that I am fascinated by Jung's ideas. This man's work, his discoveries about the human psyche are to my mind just one of the many proofs of the existence of God. It is hard to deny that his theory of archetypes and the collective unconscious isn't pointing to an underlying structure, the foundation of the human psyche which must point to 'Intelligent Design', I'll use that soulless, impersonal and blandly scientific term for what I firmly believe is exactly the opposite. Anyhoo...

By the way for anyone who is interested in Jung's ideas I would suggest also the work of Joseph Campbell, specifically The Hero With A Thousand Faces. If you're interested in Jung than you must also read mythology and in doing so you will find out that there have been about a gajazillion other people who have been on the same life journey as you. Jung and mythology. They go together like salt and pepper, cream and coffee, Laverne & Shirley, Abbott & Costello, like ramalamadingdong...

5 comments:

  1. Not so long ago I watched a DVD containing a series of interviews or talks with Joseph Campbell. It was called "Joseph Campbell and the Power of Myth." There was something about him that just oozed comfort and wisdom.

    I consider Jung to be one of my first spiritual guides. His work inspired me to dig deeper into (and out of) myself.

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  2. I saw that on PBS awhile back and I was completely intrigued by it. That show was my impetus for reading further and led me to Jung's work. Good stuff.

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  3. I remember readin Jung's book, 'Memories, Dreams and Reflections' when I was about 15 and being completely fascinated by his theory of the unconscious.
    Being young, much of the book went over my head (I should probably find it and re-read it) but it did make me think that there really is something 'outside the box' (if that makes any sense...)

    My therapist often asks me if I have had any dreams and then will discuss the meanings of certain ones.

    I am in two minds about the whole idea of dreamwork and there is a part of me that just wants to kick the whole idea out of te window with one mighty jerk of my leg.
    Another part very much believes in the potential wisdom, revelation and intuitive understanding that lies within our dreams.

    Certainly, over and over, there is a little girl (different each time but nevertheless, a little girl) who pops up in a vast amount of my dreams.
    I only recognised that since I've been in therapy.

    Does funny things to you huh...

    Thanks for such an intersting post.

    Would be interested to know what you make of your dreams? Do you remember them? Work with them? Trust them?

    x

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  4. That’s a hell of a book for a 15 year old to read. It’s a hell of a book for a 45 year old to read. Jung’s writings are not read once and put way. I’m quite sure that I’ll spend the rest of my days re-reading his books.
    Perhaps before you kick the dreamwork out you might try learning about what they mean, how to interpret them. You might find that they are very valuable and why would you want to pass up something valuable? Besides I suspect that part of you that believes in their potential wisdom is the part of you that knows. Don’t discount your intuition, it’s there for a reason.

    My dreams? Let’s just say that I have started to pay attention to them. I don’t obsess about them but when I wake up in the morning if I remember a dream I write it down in as much detail as possible and I try to mull them over. There have been a few times where it’s taken a few days or weeks where I’ll be puzzling over something in a dream and all of a sudden a meaning comes to me that feels comfortable. Dreams are all about the symbolism and I’m still pretty unpolished in that area, although slowly educating myself. I can say this, I’ve had a few in recent months that have been just a little too indicative of my current situation to dismiss them.

    I will say this. I have never been, until recent years, the kind of person to spend much (if any) time pondering my inner psychic/spiritual workings. I always in my horrendous close-mindedness simply discounted that stuff of new-age BS. Through various circumstances over the past twelve years or so I have done a complete 180 and I am so regretful because I know that I have missed so much. I no longer discount the possibility of the validity of anything although I always try to be discerning. My life’s view-finder has panned out considerably as I very much have come to believe that our experience is everything. Perhaps that is the meaning of life – to experience as much as possible without judging it, rating it, classifying it as good or bad but rather just knowing that it is our experience.

    We are our own undiscovered country and that is a terrible waste.

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  5. If you like Jung and Campbell then I do recommend Campbell's DVD 'Mythos I'.

    I don't recall Campbell refering to Jung very much in 'Hero with a Thousand Faces.'

    He does in Mythos and praises Jung to the skies. He says 'Jung says the most' and gives a good introduction to the Shadow and the Anima, and there's lots more. If you find Jung heavy going then I'd also recommend Marie-Louise von Franz. She says the same stuff, but more accessible.

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