Psychology of the Unconscious: A Study of the Transformations and Symbolisms of the Libido. A Contribution to the History of the Evolution of ThoughtJung, C. G. (Carl Gustav)
Philosophy
Psychology of the Unconscious: A Study of the Transformations and Symbolisms of the Libido. A Contribution to the History of the Evolution of Thought
Jung, C. G. (Carl Gustav)
Libido (Psychology); Mother and child; Psychoanalysis; Subconsciousness; Symbolism (Psychology)
We would show but slight justice, however, to the intellectual
originality of our author, if we were satisfied to trace back the
commotion of that sleepless night absolutely and entirely to the sexual
problem in a narrow sense. That would be but one-half, and truly, to
make use of the mystic’s expression, only the under half. The other half
is the intellectual sublimation, which strives to make true in its own
way the ambiguous expression of “the idea which produces its object
spontaneously,”—_ideal creation in place of the real_.
In such an intellectual accomplishment of an evidently very capable
personality, the prospect of a spiritual fruitfulness is something which
is worthy of the highest aspiration, since for many it will become a
necessity of life. Also this side of the phantasy explains, to a great
extent, the excitement, for it is a thought with a presentiment of the
future; one of those thoughts which arise, to use one of Maeterlinck’s
expressions,[76] from the “inconscient supérieur,” that “prospective
potency” of subliminal combinations.[77]
I have had the opportunity of observing certain cases of neuroses of
years’ duration, in which, at the time of the beginning of the illness
or shortly before, a dream occurred, often of visionary clarity. This
impressed itself inextinguishably upon the memory, and in analysis
revealed a hidden meaning to the patient which anticipated the
subsequent events of life; that is to say, their psychologic
meaning.[78] I am inclined to grant this meaning to the commotion of
that restless night, because the resulting events of life, in so far as
Miss Miller consciously and unconsciously unveils them to us, are
entirely of a nature to confirm the supposition that that moment is to
be considered as the inception and presentiment of a sublimated aim in
life.
Miss Miller concludes the list of her fancies with the following
remarks:
“The dream seemed to me to come from a mixture of the representation
of ‘Paradise Lost,’ ‘Job,’ and ‘Creation,’ with ideas such as ‘thought
which spontaneously produces its object’: ‘the gift of love,’ ‘chaos,
and cosmos.’”
In the same way as colored splinters of glass are combined in a
kaleidoscope, in her mind fragments of philosophy, æsthetics and
religion would seem to be combined—
“under the stimulating influence of the journey, and the countries
hurriedly seen, combined with the great silence and the indescribable
charm of the sea. ‘Ce ne fut que cela et rien de plus.’ ‘Only this,
and nothing more!’”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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