The Basic Writings of C.G. Jung

by C.G. Jung

In exploring the manifestations of human spiritual experience both in the imaginative activities of the individual and in the formation of mythologies and of religious symbolism in various cultures, C. G. Jung laid the groundwork for a psychology of the spirit. The excerpts here illuminate the concept of the unconscious, the central pillar of his work, and display ample evidence of the spontaneous spiritual and religious activities of the human mind. This compact volume will serve as an ideal introduction to Jung's basic concepts.Part I of this book, "On the Nature and Functioning of the Psyche, " contains material from four "Symbols of Transformation, " "On the Nature of the Psyche, " "The Relations between the Ego and the Unconscious, " and "Psychological Types." Also included in Part I are "Archetypes of the Collective Unconscious" and "Psychological Aspects of the Mother Archetype." Part II, "On Pathology and Therapy, " includes "On the Nature of Dreams, " "On the Pathogenesis of Schizophrenia, " selections from "Psychology of the Transference." In Part III appear "Introduction to the Religious and Psychological Problems of Alchemy" and two sections of "Psychology and Religion." Part IV, called "On Human Development, " consists of the essay "Marriage as a Psychological Relationship."

Genres: Psychology, Philosophy, Nonfiction, Science, Religion, Psychoanalysis, Essays

Paperback

First published January 1, 1991

About the author

Carl Gustav Jung (/jʊŋ/; German: [ˈkarl ˈɡʊstaf jʊŋ]), often referred to as C. G. Jung, was a Swiss psychiatrist and psychotherapist who founded analytical psychology. Jung proposed and developed the concepts of extraversion and introversion; archetypes, and the collective unconscious. His work has been influential in psychiatry and in the study of religion, philosophy, archeology, anthropology, literature, and related fields. He was a prolific writer, many of whose works were not published until after his death.

The central concept of analytical psychology is individuation—the psychological process of integrating the opposites, including the conscious with the unconscious, while still maintaining their relative autonomy. Jung considered individuation to be the central process of human development.

Jung created some of the best known psychological concepts, including the archetype, the collective unconscious, the complex, and synchronicity. The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), a popular psychometric instrument, has been developed from Jung's theory of psychological types.

Though he was a practising clinician and considered himself to be a scientist, much of his life's work was spent exploring tangential areas such as Eastern and Western philosophy, alchemy, astrology, and sociology, as well as literature and the arts. Jung's interest in philosophy and the occult led many to view him as a mystic, although his ambition was to be seen as a man of science. His influence on popular psychology, the "psychologization of religion", spirituality and the New Age movement has been immense.

Reviews

[Miguel Cisneros Saucedo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recently delved into the profound world of Carl Jung through the masterpiece compilation, "The Basic Writings of C. G. Jung," skillfully edited by Violet De Laszlo and published by Modern Library. This collection is nothing short of a literary gem that offers readers an immersive and comprehensive exploration of Jung's foundational ideas, making it an indispensable resource for both seasoned scholars and newcomers to the realm of psychology.

First and foremost, the compilation's selection of Jung's writings is exceptionally curated, presenting a balanced mix of his key essays, lectures, and seminal works. From the exploration of archetypes and the collective unconscious to the in-depth analysis of individuation, the book takes readers on a thought-provoking journey through Jung's evolving theories. The meticulous editing by De Laszlo ensures a smooth and coherent progression, allowing readers to grasp the nuances of Jung's complex ideas without feeling overwhelmed.

One of the standout features of this compilation is the insightful introduction, which provides valuable context and background to Jung's life, influences, and the historical milieu in which he developed his revolutionary theories. This addition greatly enriches the reading experience, offering a gateway for readers unfamiliar with Jung's work to approach the material with a deeper understanding.

The book's organization deserves commendation. The thematic grouping of Jung's writings facilitates a logical and cohesive exploration of his evolving concepts. From the foundational concepts of the psyche to the profound exploration of the transcendent aspects of human experience, each section builds upon the previous one, creating a narrative that allows readers to witness the development of Jung's thought over time.

Furthermore, the language used in the book strikes a balance between academic rigor and accessibility. Jung's ideas are presented in a way that invites intellectual engagement without sacrificing clarity. This thoughtful approach to language makes the complex concepts accessible to a broad audience, making the book suitable for both scholars and those approaching Jung's work for the first time.

Finally, the inclusion of Jung's original research adds an empirical dimension to the reading experience. These elements offer readers a glimpse into Jung's creative and symbolic world, enhancing the understanding of concepts that are often challenging to grasp through opinion alone.

In conclusion, "The Basic Writings of C. G. Jung" is a literary masterpiece that stands as a testament to the enduring relevance and significance of Jungian psychology. Violet De Laszlo's meticulous editing, coupled with the thoughtful organization and inclusion of empirical evidence, creates a reading experience that is both intellectually satisfying and emotionally resonant. Whether you are an avid follower of Jungian psychology or a curious mind seeking to explore the depths of the human psyche, this compilation is an indispensable addition to your library. I consider it to be influential due to its scholarly excellence, accessibility, and the profound impact it has on anyone eager to embark on a journey into the captivating world of Carl Jung's mind.

[Sam Hval · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's hard to know where to begin with Jung. You could write a million books about even three of the topics in this book and not get to an endpoint. Perhaps the most intelligent person I've ever read, Carl Jung writes with such clear articulation and prose that even if a concept is hard to grasp, it implores you and inspires you to search deeper. It took me a whole month to read, but it's well worth the effort. Jung's impact on the world and modern thinking is clearly visible in all of the texts collected in this book. From the concept of introversion/extraversion, to the archetypes of the collective unconscious, and the influence of psychology on religion, every idea concept has bled its way into the cultural fabric of our current understanding of the unconscious and religion. One of the most illuminating and exciting aspects was the exploration of alchemy and its philosophical roots, which I desire to read further on. Reading Jung is less like reading a textbook on psychology and more like journeying into the unknown. You leave learning more about yourself than anything else.

Favorite quote: "It seems as if it were only through an experience of symbolic reality that man, vainly seeking his own 'existence' and making a philosophy out of it, can find his way back to a world in which he is no longer a stranger." (Psychological Aspects of the Mother Archetype, pg. 449)

[Suzanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was life changing for me. I discovered and learned as if from a live mentor to embrace and respect the unconscious part of myself without judgement. I was able to understand the process of Jung's amazing life journey from his own words. Truly inspirational.

[Ben · Rating 3 out of 5]

The tragic thing is that psychology has no self-consistent mathematics at its disposal, but only a calculus of subjective prejudices. Also, it lacks the immense advantage of an Archimedean point such as physics enjoys. The latter observes the physical world from the psychic standpoint and can translate it into psychic terms. The psyche, on the other hand, observes itself and can only translate the psychic back into the psychic. Were physics in this position, it could do nothing except leave the physical process to its own devices, because in that way it would be most plainly itself. There is no medium for psychology to reflect itself in: it can only portray itself in itself, and describe itself. That, logically, is also the principle of my own method: it is, at bottom, a purely experimental process in which hit and miss, interpretation and error, theory and speculation, doctor and patient, form a symptosis or a symptoma -- a coming together -- and at the same time are symptoms of a certain process or run of events. What I am describing, therefore, is basically no more than an outline of psychic happenings which exhibit a certain statistical frequency. We have not, scientifically speaking, removed ourselves to a plane in any way "above" the psychic process, nor have we translated it into another medium. Physics, on the other hand, is in a position to detonate mathematical formulae -- the product of pure psychic activity -- and kill seventy-eight thousand persons at one blow.

This literally "devastating" argument is calculated to reduce psychology to silence. But we can, in all modesty, point out that mathematical thinking is also a psychic function, thanks to which matter can be organized in such a way to burst asunder the mighty forces that bind the atoms together -- which it would never occur to them to do in the natural course of things, at least no upon this earth. The psyche is a disturber of the natural laws of the cosmos, and should we ever succeed in doing something to Mars with the aid of atomic fission, this too will have been brought to pass by the psyche.

The psyche is the world's pivot: not only is it the one great condition for the existence of a world at all, it is also an intervention in the existing natural order, and no one can say with certainty where this intervention will finally end. It is hardly necessary to stress the dignity of the psyche as an object of natural science. With all the more urgency, then, we must emphasize that the smallest alteration in the psychic factor, if it be an alteration of principle, is of the utmost significance as regards our knowledge of the world and the picture we make of it. The integration of unconscious contents into consciousness, which is the main endeavor of analytical psychology, is just such an alteration of principle, in that it does away with the sovereignty of the subjective ego consciousness and confronts it with unconscious collective contents. Accordingly ego consciousness seems to be dependent on two factors: firstly, the conditions of the collective, i.e., the social, consciousness, and secondly, on the archetypes, or dominants, of the collective unconscious. The latter fall phenomenologically into two categories: instinctual and archetypal. The first includes the natural impulses, the second the dominants that emerge into consciousness as universal ideas. Between the contents of collective consciousness, which purport to be generally accepted truths, and those of the collective unconscious there is so pronounced a contrast that the latter are rejected as totally irrational, not to say meaningless, and are most unjustifiably excluded from the scientific purview as though they did not exist with a vengeance, and if they appear nonsensical to us, that only proves we do not understand them. Once their existence is recognized they can no longer be banished from our world picture, especially as the prevailing conscious Weltanschauung proves to be incapable of grasping the phenomena in question. A conscientious study of these phenomena quickly reveals their uncommon significance, and we can hardly avoid the conclusion that between collective consciousness and the collective unconscious there is an almost unbridgeable gulf over which the subject finds himself suspended.

As a rule collective consciousness wins hands down with its "reasonable" generalities that cause the average intelligence no difficulty whatever. It still believes in the necessary connection of cause and effect and has scarcely taken note of the fact that causality has become relative. The shortest distance between two points is still, for it, a straight line, although physics has to reckon with innumerable shortest distances, which strikes the educated Philistine of today as exquisitely absurd. Nevertheless the impressive explosion at Hiroshima has induced an awestruck respect for even the most abstruse alembications of modern physics. The explosion which we recently had occasion to witness in Europe, though far more terrible in its repercussions, was recognized as an unmitigated psychic disaster only by the few. Rather than do this, people prefer the most preposterous political and economic theories, which are about as useful as explaining the Hiroshima explosion as the chance hit of a large meteorite.

[Dianna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a wonderful way to get to know the man and become acquainted with the ideas and theories that made him famous and well loved.

[Readius Maximus · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read several books on Jung but was still kind of lost until I read this collection. Granted I read the version from 59 which I think is smaller then the newer versions but it really put a lot of things together!

This collection outlined Jung's basic framework on how he understands psychology and the issues he addresses in therapy.

The psyche comprises the totality of the individual. The symbols of unity of the individual is the masculine and Christian 3 as well as the feminine and dark 4. The individual is comprised of the ego which is the conscious self, the persona which is the self portrayed to the world and is kind of a mask of sorts but necessary, the soul for men is the anima and women have an animus which doesn't seem to be soul like for Jung, and the unconscious which has the personal unconscious (that Freud mainly focuses on) and the collective unconscious which is where the architypes reside.

The anima for men is individual and possessive in contrast to the male consciousness that is prone to wonder and comprised of multiplicity of interest or ideas. The animus for women is in contrast a multiplicity and prone to wonder since women by nature are by nature possessive of their husbands and have a much better understanding of the realm of feelings then men ever could. People can identify with their anima or animus and thus be confused about their sex. Sound familiar anyone? If people are repressing their anima they will likely marry their anima and then project their anima onto that person. This can happen when the person over identifies with their persona.

This book also went over the different psychological types. Which was very similiar to the Myers Briggs obviously but it was different. The two main types are introvert and extrovert, where introvert is focused on the internal and tends to be mystical like Plato. The extrovert is focused externally and is more empirical like Aristotle. These two main types are then broken into different ways of viewing the world, between the rational such as thinking and feeling and the irrational of sensing and intuition.

Interesting quotes and points:

" The victory of Hegel over Kant dealt the gravest blow to reason and to the further development of the German and, ultimately, of the European mind, all the more dangerous as Hegel was a psychologist in disguise who projected great truths out of the subjective sphere into a cosmos he himself had created."

"A philosophy like Hegel's is a self revelation of the psychic background, and philosophically, a presumption. Psychologically, it amounts to an invasion by the unconscious. The peculiar high-flown language Hegel uses bears out this view: it is reminiscent of the megalomaniac language of schizophrenics, who use terrific spellbinding words to reduce the transcendent to subjective form, to give banalities the charm of novelty, or pass off commonplaces as searching wisdom. So bombastic a terminology is a symptom of weakness, ineptitude, and lack of substance. But that does not prevent the latest German philosophy from using the same crackpot power words and pretending that it is not unintentional psychology."

"The "average man," who is preponderantly a mass man, acts on the principle of realizing nothing, nor does he need to, because for him the only thing that commits mistakes is that vast anonymity conventionally known as "State" or "Society."

"This medieval man had not yet fallen such a helpless victim to worldliness as the contemporary mass man, for, to offset the notorious and so to speak tangible powers of this world, he still acknowledged the equally influential metaphysical potencies which demanded to be taken into account."

"The current "isms" are the most serious threat in this respect, because they are nothing but dangerous identifications of the subjective with he collective consciousness. Such an identity infallibly produces a mass psyche with its irresistible urge to catastrophe."

"So long as the communal consciousness presided over by the Church is objectively present, the psyche, as said, continues to enjoy a certain equilibrium. At all events it constitutes a sufficiently effective defense against inflation of the ego. But once Mother Church and her motherly Eros fall into abeyance, the individual is at the mercy of any passing collectivism and the attendant mass psyche. He succumbs to social or national inflation, and the tragedy is that he does so with the same psychic attitude which had once bound him to a church."

The essence of religion comes from the archetypes.

"A sense of solidarity with the world is gradually built up, which is felt by many natures as something very positive and in certain cases actually is the deciding factor in the treatment of neurosis."

[Kay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jung is often remembered for his work involving the terms extravert (not extrovert) and introvert, albeit in a highly diluted way. I knew the original intent behind these ideas was different from what is considered common knowledge today, but to understand how different you must read his own words.

What I found far more arresting however, was his research into the collective unconscious, a concept that later had a huge influence on Frank Herbert (Jung's work as a whole had a major impact on the Dune series, and once you read it you start seeing it everywhere). Jung appreciated the value of myth, as well as how much our ancestors appreciated it. We tend to think of the ancients as superstitious old fools, lesser than us because they had no computers or iphones. This arrogance assumes the present is better because we have technology--but in our acquisition of it we lost something. As Jung put it, our forebears were scientifically poor but psychically rich. The reverse is true of us.

I can't possibly summarize his work in a review, even considering that this edition is itself an abridged collection from different sources. If you need a reason to check it out for yourself, I present this quote:

"I would recommend my reader to study the comparative history of religion so intently as to fill these dead chronicles with the emotional life of those who lived these religions. Then he will get some idea of what lives on the other side. The old religions with their sublime and ridiculous, their friendly and fiendish, symbols did not drop from the blue, but were born of this human soul that dwells within us at this moment. All those things, their primal forms, live on in us and may at any time burst in upon us with annihilating force, in the guise of mass suggestions against which the individual is defenseless. Our fearsome gods have only changed their names: they now rhyme with--ism. Or has anyone the nerve to claim the World War or Bolshevism was an ingenious discovery? Just as outwardly we live in a world where a whole continent may be submerged at any moment, or a pole be shifted, or a new pestilence break out, so inwardly we live in a world where at any moment something similar may occur, albeit in the form of an idea, but no less dangerous and untrustworthy for that."

Much has been made about the irrelevancy of religion, philosophy, and other such topics in the modern world. What good are such things if they don't generate profit, or new gizmos, or go viral? Don't believe such nonsense. Myths and legends have persisted for a reason: we remember them as a species. They are crucial in our understanding of the only topic that will ever really matter as long as humanity exists--ourselves. They were here long before our little empires of digits and circuits, and they will continue long after them.

[Catherine Woodman · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really prefer Freud, tho' this is a kinder gentler view of mankind

[Nehrlisa Behrmann · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an excellent introduction to Jung. I think it’s safe for me to say that Jung is certainly amongst the most fascinating Psychologists to read.

[John Engelman · Rating 4 out of 5]

If the essays in “The Basic Writings of C. G. Jung” will be the first time you have read anything by Jung, I recommend that you first read “Modern Psychology: The Teaching of Carl Gustav Jung,” by David Cox.

Jung is a turgid writer, so it is a good idea to begin reading him with an understanding of what he is trying to say.

Jung is most famous for his writing about extroversion and introversion. This is his definition of extroversion:

“Extraversion means an outward-turning of the libido. With this concept I denote a manifest relatedness of subject to object in the sense of a positive movement of subjective interest towards the object.”

This is Jung’s definition of introversion:

“Introversion means a turning inwards of the libido, whereby a negative relation of subject to object is expressed. Interest does not move towards the object, but recedes toward the subject.”

This is my explanation of the difference between extroversion and introversion:

An extrovert thinks about people in his immediate environment. He enjoys social events. An introvert thinks about whatever he chooses to think about. He enjoys solitude or the company of a close friend.

If an extrovert and an introvert enter the same room full of people, the extrovert will notice how the people look and how they interact with each other. When called on to say something, he will usually say something appropriate to the situation.

While this is happening, the introvert may be thinking about a book he read several years ago. Most introverts can learn how to behave appropriately in social situations, but it usually takes effort. It comes easily to an extrovert.

Who do you think gives a better explanation?

Sigmund Freud became noted for his discovery of the personal unconsciousness. This contains memories that are forgotten or suppressed, but which continue to influence how a person feels and behaves. Freud uncovered contents of the personal unconsciousness through hypnotism.

When Jung hypnotized patients he thought he discovered motifs that could not be explained by the patient’s personal life, but which resembled motifs found in fairytales, myths, and legends. He called this “the collective unconscious.” The collective unconscious contains archetypical events and characters.

I became interested in Jung during the late 1970’s. Historical romances from the perspective of women were popular then. I wanted to write a historical romance from the perspective of the man. I thought that if I added archetypical events and characters to my story I would add resonance to it.

In time I became mildly skeptical of Jung’s concept of the collective unconscious. I think it exists, but that it is less detailed than Jung claimed it to be, and understanding it is unimportant in curing neurosis.

An archetype is the mind thinking about an instinct. Jung missed the most common archetype, which is the image of the dragon. Dragons exist in the myths and legends of many cultures. Dragons are mentioned in the Bible. A dragon is a reptilian creature that is often called a serpent. I believe the dragon is a mythological image of the instinctive fear of snakes humans share with other primates. The fire that comes from the dragon’s mouth is the mythological image of the snake’s poison fangs.

I never wrote my novel. The closest I came was to compose a short story based loosely on the Legend of Perseus. The Legend of Perseus is the oldest and most widespread fairy tale in the world. It is explained in “The Legend of Perseus: A Study of Tradition in Story Custom and Belief.”

If you want to see what I wrote, do a Google search for “Richard and the Seven Brigands.” The first story that comes up is my fullest treatment of the story, and an explanation of sources and inspirations. In one of the versions of “Richard and the Seven Brigands” there is an erotic element that I regretted adding, and removed from subsequent versions.

My specialty is the PG or PG-13 kind of story. I like romance, some violence, but no sex, no nudity, and no obscene words. My stories could have become made for television movies, and shown during prime time in the 1950’s.

When reading Jung you should ask yourself if his writings are relevant to your psychological problems, and if they help you solve them. What was most relevant to me in this anthology was Jung’s essay “Psychological Types,” where he explains extroversion and introversion.

I read some of Sigmund Freud in college, but it was not relevant to me. Nevertheless, it was relevant to many people, because Freud became famous.

Books that helped me are “Neurosis is a Painful Style of Living, by Samuel I. Greenberg, and “Our Inner Conflicts,” by Karen Horney.

[William Schram · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Basic Writings of C. G. Jung is a collection of the writings of Carl Gustav Jung. It covers his most important points about the nature of the psyche and the collective unconscious. Considering the thickness of the book I thought it would be harder to read and get into, but I was wrong about that. In some cases, half of the page is covered in footnotes. Recently, I have been in a mood where I feel like reading stuff by Jung in general. I realized long ago that he was someone that made a name for themselves, but I did not know exactly how and in what capacity. This book is an attempt to display Jung’s primary thought and main ideas.

Reading through a lot of this, I can see that Jungian psychology is at the core of a video game, surprisingly. This game, or rather this series of games, is the Persona series by Atlus. Much of that game deals with the shadow, the collective unconscious, the persona that a person uses to get through life, and so on. Then with the idea that the gods and goddesses of ancient times are all manifestations of the collective unconscious is also really interesting. I have never played a Persona game, but that is only because I don’t own a PlayStation.

Back on topic though, the book was edited by Violet Staub de Laszlo. I don’t know who that is, but maybe she was a student of his? The name sounds familiar somehow, but I am bad with names. The book is made up of excerpts from the works of Jung, so while it isn’t exactly complete, it isn’t like there are glaring gaps or holes in the logic and cohesion of the works. As I mentioned, it covers all of Jung’s basic ideas; so it also includes the anima/animus, extraverted(sic) and introverted types, the persona, the shadow, archetypes and so on. All of the ideas are introduced in the original context with examples from Jung’s practice. The ideas on comparative religion are especially fascinating.

In any case, this book was pretty easy to breeze through. Some words I had to look up, but it wasn’t too bad.

[Sally Kilpatrick]

No, I did not read ALL 700+ pages. I mainly read parts about dreams and the collective unconscious.

I couldn't read much mire because Jung insists on this "anima" thing, and it's so horribly sexist. That's before you even get to the part where he says homosexuality comes from something the mother did to "mess up" her child.

I mean, dude. I know you were writing back when "hysteria" was still an official diagnosis, but I wonder what kind of relationship you had with your wife and mother that you are so down on all things women. Mercy.

Also, if I read the phrase "a priori" one more time....

[Francisco Becerra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jung, founding stone of symbology. Jung, controversial, wise, a non paralled erudition with the vocation of helping others understand themselves through dreams and mythology. Jung, the one who helped reinvigorate legends, myths, faery tales, and dreams, as mirrors from which we can understand ourselves and the world. Jung, the analyst of theology, of motherhood, philosopher. Jung, master. This book was everything I hoped and beyond. It took a very long while to get it done, but one has to savor it page by page. Astonishing.

[Castles · Rating 5 out of 5]

in these days, a book like this would surely not pass as an introduction, as there are simpler ones. and yet, it's a great starting point to whomever wants a macro view on Jung's works, as this book brings several different chapters from his huge collected works. even though its length, it still covers only a small part of it, but you can get a sense of Jung's interests and subject matter.

[Phil Linder · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first deep dive in Jung. I recommend reading his biography before you start with this. But this is a good anthology of some of his basic concepts, included the collective unconscious, archetypes, the ego, the persona, etc.

[Vijayakumar Belur · Rating 4 out of 5]

His theories now may be out dated but his concept of subconscious as given at birth is something akin Karma vaasanas of Hindu concept. But, heavily relying on Greel and biblical characters makes his writings incomprehensible to a reader out side the European literary influence.

[Jus · Rating 4 out of 5]

“The Basic Writings of C. G. Jung” by C. G Jung, edited with an introduction by Violet Staub De Laszlo.

“Carl Gustav Jung was born in 1875… and died in 1961.”

The book reminded me of my A-Level Psychology days.

[Singleton Makin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grear writing in psychology....a bit hard to grasp many of the concepts but if you are reading other sources referenced it makes the footnotes helpful and the overall power of the book

[Edmond · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The Basic Writings of C. G. Jung”. A GoodRead.

[Sofie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I will pray for your soul Mr. Jung

[Kaelen Kinnaman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Assortment of entries compiled from other books, but it's a good introduction

[Belinda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m not really sure what to rate this because I wasn’t really reading this book with “is it good or not” in mind

[Human Being · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is outstanding in its depth of describing the minds many layers and most interestingly its preexisting awareness of itself from the begining of mankind. I had no idea Jung embraced the mystical rylm in all its compexities as he did in defining our unconcious. Extremly interesting.
But disturbing was his extreme hostility towards woman. He even went so far as to state that they have an animus but no sole! I know society in his time was of course paternalistic and there was no thought police, but one would think in his decades of treating troubled people which certainly had to include a portion of women, that he would develop some sympathy for their emotional delima of being seen only as homemakers. But nope, he clearly believed that that was exactly what a woman was pyschologicaly born to do and nothing more. And he places every single delima and failure that a man has on women! He writes with almost venom when he details the abuses women inflict on men. And I thought it was Freud who hated women! I guess mother issues drive these wounded little boys into navel gazing over any other occupation. But a lot of fabulous insight in all that he wrote on religon and alchemy! Excellent stuff!
Oh I want to add that it makes this book much more readable if you first read his redbook, specificaly its long and excellent introduction which will give the reader a very good background on Jungs life and his work.

[Larry · Rating 4 out of 5]

It has been said that has Freud was to the 20th Century, Jung will be to the 21st. He work is very enlightening. His purpose is to help us understand ourselves and come to wholeness, which he calls the process of individuation. I feel his work correlates nicely with the Gospel. I recommend reading other books my him, these writings can be a bit complex.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seeing "A Dangerous Method" and then reading "Anatomy of Addiction" brought me to this, just because I'm curious and have a desire to revisit Jung. Last time I read anything by him was 25 years ago. Enjoyed this re-introduction.

[Jennie · Rating 4 out of 5]

learned too much

[Guy · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent overview of Jung's ideas. Sophisticated but not too much so for readers looking at a good introduction to Jung, but with enough meat for the more knowledgeable Jung reader.

[John]

This will go back and forth from to read to reading for a long time.

[Fiddler · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderfully written and edited introduction to the works of Carl Jung. It is one the best out there, in my estimation.

[Charles Bell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not for everyone and sometimes strange but insightful.