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
Even the enlightened person remains what he is, and is never more than his own limited ego before the One who dwells within him, whose form has no knowable boundaries, who encompasses him on all sides, fathomless as the abysms of the earth and vast as the sky
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote highlights the relationship between the individual ego and a greater, unfathomable self.
Carl Jung emphasizes that even the most enlightened individuals remain defined by their limited ego, which exists in relation to a deeper, limitless consciousness that transcends their immediate self. This perspective invites contemplation of one's true nature and the larger existential reality that surrounds and encompasses each of us, suggesting that true understanding comes from recognizing both our limitations and our connection to the infinite.
Themes
EnlightenmentEgoSelfInfinityConsciousness
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about self-awareness and spirituality, one might reference this quote to highlight the complexity of the human experience.
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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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.
Carl JungRead
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.
Carl JungRead
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
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