Collected Papers on Analytical PsychologyJung, C. G. (Carl Gustav)
Science
Collected Papers on Analytical Psychology
Jung, C. G. (Carl Gustav)
Psychoanalysis
which gradually passed over into the waking state. The waxy anæmic
pallor which was an almost constant feature of the attacks made one
really anxious; it sometimes occurred at the beginning of the attack,
but often in the second half only. The pulse was then small but regular
and of normal frequency; the breathing gentle, shallow, or almost
imperceptible. As already stated, S. W. often predicted her attacks
beforehand; just before the attacks she had strange sensations, became
excited, rather anxious, and occasionally expressed thoughts of death:
"she will probably die in one of these attacks; during the attack her
soul only hangs to her body by a thread, so that often the body could
scarcely go on living." Once after the cataleptic attack tachypnoea
lasting two minutes was observed, with a respiration rate of 100 per
minute. At first the attacks occurred spontaneously, afterwards S. W.
could provoke them by sitting in a dark corner and covering her face
with her hands. Frequently the experiment did not succeed. She had
so-called "good" and "bad" days. The question of amnesia after the
attacks is unfortunately very obscure. This much is certain, that after
each attack she was quite accurately orientated as to what she had gone
through "during the rapture." It is, however, uncertain how much she
remembered of the conversations in which she served as medium, and of
changes in her surroundings during the attack. It often seemed that
she did have a fleeting recollection, for directly after waking she
would ask: "Who was here? Wasn't X or Y here? What did he say?" She
also showed that she was superficially aware of the content of the
conversations. She thus often remarked that the spirits had communicated
to her before waking what they had said. But frequently this was not
the case. If, at her request, the contents of the trance speeches were
repeated to her she was often annoyed about them. She was then often
sad and depressed for hours together, especially when any unpleasant
indiscretions had occurred. She would then rail against the spirits and
assert that next time she would beg her guides to keep such spirits far
away. Her indignation was not feigned, for in the waking state she could
but poorly control herself and her emotions, so that every mood was at
once mirrored in her face. At times she seemed only slightly or not at
all aware of the external proceedings during the attack. She seldom
noticed when any one left the room or came in. Once she forbade me to
enter the room when she was awaiting special communications which she
wished to keep secret from me. Nevertheless I went in, and sat down with
the three other sitters and listened to everything. Her eyes were open
and she spoke to those present without noticing me. She only noticed me
when I began to speak, which gave rise to a storm of indignation. She
remembered better, but still apparently only in indefinite outlines, the
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account