Grounded in the natural philosophy of the Middle Ages, alchemy formed a bridge: on the one hand into the past, to Gnosticism, and on the other into the future, to the modern psychology of the unconscious.
Carl JungRead
Complexes are psychic contents which are outside the control of the conscious mind. They have been split off from consciousness and lead a separate existence in the unconscious, being at all times ready to hinder or to reinforce the conscious intentions.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Complexes are unconscious elements that influence our thoughts and actions without our awareness.
Carl Jung's quote highlights the importance of understanding subconscious complexes, which are elements of our psyche that we are not aware of, yet they significantly impact our conscious mind and behaviors. These complexes can either obstruct or support our intentions, revealing the complexities of human psychology and the need for self-awareness to gain control over our actions and decisions.
Themes
ComplexesUnconsciousPsychologyConsciousnessSelf-Awareness
In practice
Example use cases
In a psychology class discussion about the influence of the unconscious mind.
More from Carl Jung
All quotes →The majority of my patients consisted not of believers but of those who had lost their faith.
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We are in a far better position to observe instincts in animals or in primitives than in ourselves. This is due to the fact that we have grown accustomed to scrutinizing our own actions and to seeking rational explanations for them.
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From the viewpoint of analytic psychology, the theatre, aside from any aesthetic value, may be considered as an institution for the treatment of the mass complex.
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I have treated many hundreds of patients. Among those in the second half of life - that is to say, over 35 - there has not been one whose problem in the last resort was not that of finding a religious outlook on life.
Carl JungRead
Part of the human Self or Soul is not subject to laws of space and time.
Carl JungRead
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