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
I cannot define for you what God is. I can only say that my work has proved empirically that the pattern of God exists in every man and that this pattern has at its disposal the greatest of all his energies for transformation and transfiguration of his natural being. Not only the meaning of his life but his renewal and his institutions depend on his conscious relationship with this pattern of his collective unconscious.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Carl Jung suggests that while we may not define God, the divine pattern exists within everyone and is essential for personal transformation.
In this quote, Carl Jung emphasizes that the concept of God cannot be easily defined but rather understood through the inner experiences and patterns found in every individual. He argues that this divine pattern is instrumental in facilitating profound changes in a person's life, shaping their identity and institutions, and pointing to the significance of forming a conscious relationship with this collective unconscious that connects us all. It highlights the importance of internal exploration for personal growth and renewal.
Themes
GodTransformationCollective UnconsciousRenewalPattern
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about spirituality and personal growth.
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.
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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.
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