LEO and everyone - Carl Jung

[Bill W]

I've been active on the forum for months and haven't asked any direct questions of Leo or many general question to everyone. 

CARL JUNG

A lot of my journey and the content I get into seems to trace its way back to Carl Jung in some fashion.

Some examples,

• The book I'm about to start on Shadow Work (Shadow Dance by David Richo)
• The whole beginning of the Oxford Group and then Alcoholics Anonymous
• I've just finished watching the Wayne Dyer film "The Shift" and Wayne Dyer attributes a lot of inspiration gained from the work of Carl Jung. 

However, I'm mindful that Carl Jung has so much literature out there. I wouldn't know where to start? Perhaps people would need to know more about me or my goals to advise here? But I don't want to turn this post into chapter & verse. I will say if it helps, that I am an addict in recovery, long history of anxiety disorder, and recent convert within the last year to Christianity and the Bible. Also, thus far falling in love with the work of David Hawkins (Letting Go). 

Just wondering what people find useful or not useful  (I know asking this can be pointless sometimes as it's an individual taste often) with regards Carl Jung's work (I know this is a vast body of work). Or tips on what books or articles of his you found to be a good introduction to his work? Or if me giving you the above very brief history on me indicates any particular element of his work that I might really resonate with? Again, hard for someone else to answer this for me, but you never know...... 

Thanks in advance

[Preety_India]

 

Emerald has a bunch of videos where she explains Jungian philosophy in depth. Might want to start with that. 

 

 

 

 

[Bill W]

31 minutes ago, Preety_India said:

 

Emerald has a bunch of videos where she explains Jungian philosophy in depth. Might want to start with that. 

 

 

 

 

Thank you. Yes I know her channel. Good idea 

[Sucuk Ekmek]

I found this useful. At least for my own taste. It's rendered by hermeneutics (which is a fancy word for interpretation) but if it fits it sits. During an interview a woman asked Jung if he is believing the god, he think little while and  said; no, i know. I think he referred to temple of Apollo. But who knows? 

 

[Bill W]

@Sucuk Ekmek Thank you. Interesting. Will take a look. 

[Bill W]

43 minutes ago, Leonora said:

Jung wasn't focussed on how to help individuals

Wasn't focused on trying to help individuals? I was under the impression he was a major player in the field of neurosis, and what about all his shadow work stuff? Although I'm not looking at hiring him as my therapist 

43 minutes ago, Leonora said:

what exactly are you curious to learn from him? what are you hoping to find

These are both good questions, but I am a bit like that type of person who would answer with "I'll know when I get there" which I admit doesn't make things any easier for myself or others who are trying to advise 

43 minutes ago, Leonora said:

J.P on his website

Who is this J.P ? 

And thanks for replying, appreciate it. 

Edited December 20, 2019 by Bill W

[Bill W]

@Leonora Ah! Gotcha!!! I should have guessed. I will take a look this evening, and thanks again. 

[Lento]

Sometimes I feel that the theory can prevent me from taking action, it comes very subtly, covered with good intentions.

Chances are this is not the kind of answers you were looking for, but I think meditation alone for your current situation can help a lot. I mean you seem to have a very good idea about healing, so I don't think you need more theory.

Can you manage to meditate for 2 hours straight every single day?

[Bill W]

@Lento Yeh I hear you on that! And no, my meditation practice generally tops out at about 15-30 mins per day. You are quite right about well intentioned distractions getting in the way of taking action. 

[Lento]

@Bill W

Can you manage to walk for 1 hour a day?

[Bill W]

5 minutes ago, Lento said:

@Bill W

Can you manage to walk for 1 hour a day?

Yes. Often do. I've meditated this way before as well now that I think about it. 

[Lento]

13 minutes ago, Bill W said:

Yes. Often do. I've meditated this way before as well now that I think about it. 

Perfect! I would say slow down your pace a little bit, perhaps pause sometimes for a moment or two, and focus more on the visuals. Try to do the labeling technique, it usually puts me in the present moment. After that, when your mind is calm and clear, you can start the healing process. It usually starts spontaneously, in the form of emotional release. Yesterday, I cried and felt tremendous gratitude for everything, that gratitude turned into love, and I felt pure and innocent like a little child.

Edited December 21, 2019 by Lento

[Salvijus]

There's more from alan watts 

 

[lmfao]

Carl Jung's books are not directly geared towards self help from what I've seen so far. I've started reading his book called archetypes and the collective unconscious. Whilst it's interesting, I wouldn't classify it as self help at all. It's just an interesting topic. Perhaps some of his other books would be more directly applicable, but even then the point is he isn't directly self help. But boy does he seem to be a genius of some sort.

I think my motivation to continue reading Jung has been to somewhat mimic structures of thought and analysis from him, despite the problem that I'm then just "believing" something. So I try and make an active effort to interact with what is said a lot, process it for myself, so as to not let this theory be an additional problematic element to my belief system. For someone like me who's always been good at mathematics and scientific ways of analysis, thinking in terms of metaphors like Jung does might be a partial complement of some yang/yin in me. 

Edited December 21, 2019 by lmfao

[Bill W]

@Salvijus Thanks for contribution here

@lmfao Thank you as well. 

 

[CreamCat]

Don't spend too much time on him. He's been dead for many decades. Psychology progressed a lot since his death.

Your time is better spent on Leo's book list or Leo's other materials.

Edited December 23, 2019 by CreamCat