PRINCIPLES

Jung wrote: "By understanding the unconscious we free ourselves from its domination."
The chapter below is one of his most luminous reflections on that inner turning when the ego loosens its grip, and consciousness begins to withdraw from its entanglement with the outer world.
Drawn from The Secret of the Golden Flower commentary (CW 13, 164-71),
Jung explores what happens when projection ends, when participation mystique dissolves, and a new organizing principle constellates from within~ what he calls the Self.
This is not an escape from the world, but a transformation of how we relate to it.
A preparation for death, yes~ but also a deeper embrace of life, in all its fullness and emptiness.
Chapter Title:
The Detachment of Consciousness from the
Object 64
By understanding the unconscious we free ourselves from its domination. That is really also the purpose of the instructions in our text. The pupil is taught to concentrate on the light of the innermost region and, at the same time, to free himself from all outer and inner entanglements. His vital impulses are guided towards a consciousness void of content, which nevertheless permits all contents to exist. The Hui Ming Ching says of this detachment:
A halo of light surrounds the world of the law.
We forget one another, quiet and pure, all-powerful and empty.
The emptiness is irradiated by the light of the heart of heaven.
The water of the sea is smooth and mirrors the moon in its surface.
The clouds disappear in blue space; the mountains shine clear.
Consciousness reverts to contemplation; the moon-disk rests alone.

65
This description of fulfilment depicts a psychic state that can best be characterized as a detachment of consciousness from the world and a withdrawal to a point outside it, so to speak. Thus consciousness is at the same time empty and not empty. It is no longer preoccupied with the images of things but merely contains them. The fullness of the world which hitherto pressed upon it has lost none of its richness and beauty, but it no longer dominates. The magical claim of things has ceased because the interweaving of consciousness with world has come to an end. The unconscious is not projected any more, and so the primordial participation mystique with things is abolished. Consciousness is no longer preoccupied with compulsive plans but dissolves in contemplative vision.
66
How did this effect come about? (We assume, of course, that the Chinese author was first of all not a liar; secondly, that he was of sound mind; and thirdly, that he was an unusually intelligent man.) To understand and explain this detachment, we must proceed by a roundabout way. It is an effect that cannot be simulated; nothing would be more childish than to make such a psychic state an object of aesthetic experiment. I know this effect very well from my practice; it is the therapeutic effect par excellence, for which I labour with my students and patients, and it consists in the dissolution of participation mystique. Bya stroke of genius, Lévy-Bruhl singled out what he called participation mystique as being the hallmark of the primitive mentality. What he meant by it is simply the indefinitely large remnant of non-differentiation between subject and object, which is still so great among primitives that it cannot fail to strike our European consciousness very forcibly.
When there is no consciousness of the difference between subject and object, an unconscious identity prevails. The unconscious is then projected into the object, and the object is introjected into the subject, becoming part of his psychology.
Then plants and animals behave like human beings, human beings are at the same time animals, and everything is alive with ghosts and gods. Civilized man naturally thinks he is miles above these things. Instead of that, he is often identified with his parents throughout his life, or with his affects and prejudices, and shamelessly accuses others of the things he will not see in himself. He too has a remnant of primitive unconsciousness, of non-differentiation between subject and object. Because of this, he is magically affected by all manner of people, things, and circumstances, he is beset by disturbing influences nearly as much as the primitive and therefore needs just as many apotropaic charms. He no longer works magic with medicine bags, amulets, and animal sacrifices, but with tranquillizers, neuroses, rationalism, cult of the will, etc.
67
But if the unconscious can be recognized as a co-determining factor along with consciousness, and if we can live in such a way that conscious and unconscious demands are taken into account as far as possible, then the centre of gravity of the total personality shifts its position. t is then no longer in the ego, which is merely the centre of consciousness, but in the hypothetical point between conscious and unconscious. This new centre might be called the self. If the transposition is successful, it does away with the participation mystique and results in a personality that suffers only in the lower storeys, as it were, but in its upper storeys is singularly detached from painful as well as from joyful happenings.
68
The production and birth of this superior personality is what is meant when our text speaks of the "holy fruit," the "diamond body," or any other kind of incorruptible body. Psychologically, these expressions symbolize an attitude that is beyond the reach of emotional entanglements and violent shocks-a consciousness detached from the world. I have reasons for believing that this attitude sets in after middle life and is a natural preparation for death.
Death is psychologically as important as birth and, like it, is an integral part of life.
What happens to the detached consciousness in the end is a question the psychologist cannot be expected to answer.
Whatever his theoretical position he would hopelessly overstep the bounds of his scientific competence. He can only point out that the views ofour text in regard to the timelessness of the detached consciousness are in harmony with the religious thought of all ages and with that of the overwhelming majority of mankind. Anyone who thought differently would be standing outside the human order and would, therefore, be suffering from a disturbed psychic equilibrium. As a doctor, I make every effort to strengthen the belief in immortality, especially with older patients when such questions come threateningly close. For, seen in correct psychological perspective, death is not an end but a goal, and life's inclination towards death begins as soon as the meridian is passed.
69
Chinese yoga philosophy is based upon this instinctive preparation for death as a goal.
In analogy with the goal of the first half of life-procreation and reproduction, the means of perpetuating one's physical existence-it takes as the goal of spiritual existence the symbolic begetting and birth of a "spirit-body," or "breath-body," which ensures the continuity of detached consciousness. It is the birth of the pneumatic man, known to the European from antiquity, but which he seeks to produce by quite other symbols and magical practices, by faith and a Christian way of life. Here again we stand on a foundation quite different from that of the East. Again the text sounds as though it were not so very far from Christian ascetic morality, but nothing could be more mistaken than to assume that it actually mneans the same thing. Behind our text is a civilization thousands of years old, one which is built up organically on primitive instincts and knows nothing of that brutal morality so suited to us as recently civilized Teutonic barbarians.
For this reason the Chinese are without the impulse towards violent repression of the instincts that poisons our spirituality and makes it hysterically exaggerated. The man who lives with his instincts can also detach from them, and in just as natural aay as he lived with them. Any idea of heroic self-conquest would be entirely fereign to the spirit of our text, but that is what it would infallibly amount to if we followed the instructions literally.

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8 months ago | [YT] | 2

PRINCIPLES

"We are awakening a little to the feeling that something is wrong in the world, that our modern prejudice of overestimating the importance of the intellect and the conscious mind might be false -
Carl Jung "

I came across this thought-provoking quote by Carl Jung, and it really resonated with me and I think it does with most viewers here.


Let’s break this down a bit. In today’s world, we often prioritize logic, reason, and the conscious mind above all else. We’re taught to believe that if we can think our way through a problem, we can solve it. But Jung is suggesting that this might be a flawed approach. What about intuition, emotions, and the deeper, unconscious parts of ourselves? Are we neglecting something vital by focusing so much on the intellect?

This quote feels especially relevant now, as many of us are starting to sense that something feels "off" in the world—whether it’s the way we live, the systems we’ve built, or the disconnect we feel from ourselves and others. Maybe it’s time to explore a more balanced approach, one that values not just the mind, but also the heart, the soul, and the mysteries of the unconscious.

What do you think? Have you ever felt like we’re missing something by relying too much on logic and reason? Let’s discuss in the comments—I’d love to hear your thoughts!

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1 year ago | [YT] | 6

PRINCIPLES

People will do anything, no matter how absurd, in order to avoid facing their own souls. They will practice Indian yoga and all its exercises, observe a strict regimen of diet, learn the literature of the whole world - all because they cannot get on with themselves and have not the slightest faith that anything useful could ever come out of their
OWn souls. #carljung

1 year ago | [YT] | 0