Quotes from Memories, Dreams, Reflections

“As a child I felt myself to be alone, and I am still, because I know things and must hint at things which others apparently know nothing of, and for the most part do not want to know.”
― C.G. Jung, quote from Memories, Dreams, Reflections

“The acceptance of oneself is the essence of the whole moral problem and the epitome of a whole outlook on life. That I feed the hungry, that I forgive an insult, that I love my enemy in the name of Christ -- all these are undoubtedly great virtues. What I do unto the least of my brethren, that I do unto Christ. But what if I should discover that the least among them all, the poorest of all the beggars, the most impudent of all the offenders, the very enemy himself -- that these are within me, and that I myself stand in need of the alms of my own kindness -- that I myself am the enemy who must be loved -- what then? As a rule, the Christian's attitude is then reversed; there is no longer any question of love or long-suffering; we say to the brother within us "Raca," and condemn and rage against ourselves. We hide it from the world; we refuse to admit ever having met this least among the lowly in ourselves.”
― C.G. Jung, quote from Memories, Dreams, Reflections

“Nights through dreams tell the myths forgotten by the day.”
― C.G. Jung, quote from Memories, Dreams, Reflections

“The decisive question for man is: Is he related to something infinite or not? That is the telling question of his life. Only if we know that the thing which truly matters is the infinite can we avoid fixing our interests upon futilities, and upon all kinds of goals which are not of real importance. Thus we demand that the world grant us recognition for qualities which we regard as personal possessions: our talent or our beauty. The more a man lays stress on false possessions, and the less sensitivity he has for what is essential, the less satisfying is his life. He feels limited because he has limited aims, and the result is envy and jealousy. If we understand and feel that here in this life we already have a link with the infinite, desires and attitudes change.”
― C.G. Jung, quote from Memories, Dreams, Reflections

“My whole being was seeking for something still unknown which might confer meaning upon the banality of life.”
― C.G. Jung, quote from Memories, Dreams, Reflections

“We no longer live on what we have, but on promises, no longer in the present day, but in the darkness of the future, which, we expect, will at last bring the proper sunrise. We refuse to recognize that everything better is purchased at the price of something worse; that, for example, the hope of grater freedom is canceled out by increased enslavement to the state, not to speak of the terrible perils to which the most brilliant discoveries of science expose us. The less we understand of what our [forebears] sought, the less we understand ourselves, and thus we help with all our might to rob the individual of his roots and his guiding instincts, so that he becomes a particle in the mass, ruled only by what Neitzche called the spirit of gravity. (p.236)”
― C.G. Jung, quote from Memories, Dreams, Reflections

“The sight of a child…will arouse certain longings in adult, civilized persons — longings which relate to the unfulfilled desires and needs of those parts of the personality which have been blotted out of the total picture in favor of the adapted persona.”
― C.G. Jung, quote from Memories, Dreams, Reflections

“Life has always seemed to me like a plant that lives on its rhizome. Its true life is invisible, hidden in the rhizome. The part that appears above ground lasts only a single summer. Then it withers away—an ephemeral apparition. When we think of the unending growth and decay of life and civilizations, we cannot escape the impression of absolute nullity. Yet I have never lost a sense of something that lives and endures underneath the eternal flux. What we see is the blossom, which passes. The rhizome remains.”
― C.G. Jung, quote from Memories, Dreams, Reflections

“The less we understand of what our fathers and forefathers sought, the less we understand ourselves, and thus we help with all our might to rob the individual of his roots and his guiding instincts, so that he becomes a particle in the mass, ruled only by what Nietzsche called the spirit of gravity.”
― C.G. Jung, quote from Memories, Dreams, Reflections

“Philemon and other figures of my fantasies brought home to me the crucial insight that there are things in the psyche which I do not produce, but which produce themselves and have their own life. Philemon represented a force which was not myself. In my fantasies I held conversations with him, and he said things which I had not consciously thought. For I observed clearly that it was he who spoke, not I. He said I treated thoughts as if I generated them myself, but in his view thoughts were like animals in the forest, or people in a room, or birds in the air, and added, “If you should see people in a room, you would not think that you had made those people, or that you were responsible for them.” It was he who taught me psychic objectivity, the reality of the psyche. Through him the distinction was clarified between myself and the object of my thought. He confronted me in an objective manner, and I understood that there is something in me which can say things that I do not know and do not intend, things which may even be directed against me.”
― C.G. Jung, quote from Memories, Dreams, Reflections

“The dream shows the inner truth and reality of the patient as it really is: not as I conjecture it to be, and not as he would like it to be, but as it is.”
― C.G. Jung, quote from Memories, Dreams, Reflections

“The meaning of my existence is that life has addressed a question to me. Or, conversely, I myself am a question which is addressed to the world, and I must communicate my answer, for otherwise I am dependent upon the world’s answer.”
― C.G. Jung, quote from Memories, Dreams, Reflections

“I early arrived at the insight that when no answer comes from within to the problems and complexities of life, they ultimately mean very little. Outward circumstances are no substitute for inner experience.”
― C.G. Jung, quote from Memories, Dreams, Reflections

“As far as we can discern, the sole purpose of human existence is to kindle a light in the darkness of mere being. It may even be assumed that just as the unconscious affects us, so the increase in our consciousness affects the unconscious.”
― C.G. Jung, quote from Memories, Dreams, Reflections

“It was only after the illness that I understood how important it is to affirm one’s own destiny. In this way we forge an ego that does not break down when incomprehensible things happen; an ego that endures, that endures the truth, and that is capable of coping with the world and with fate. Then, to experience defeat is also to experience victory. Nothing is disturbed—neither inwardly nor outwardly, for one’s own continuity has withstood the current of life and of time. But that can come to pass only when one does not meddle inquisitively with the workings of fate. I”
― C.G. Jung, quote from Memories, Dreams, Reflections

“Among the so-called neurotics of our day there are a good many
who in other ages would not have been neurotic-that is, divided
against themselves. If they had lived in a period and in a milieu in
which man was still linked by myth with the world of the ancestors,
and thus with nature truly experienced and not merely seen from
outside, they would have been spared this division with themselves.
I am speaking of those who cannot tolerate the loss of myth and
who can neither find a way to a merely exterior world, to the world
as seen by science, nor rest satisfied with an intellectual juggling
with words, which has nothing whatsoever to do with wisdom.”
― C.G. Jung, quote from Memories, Dreams, Reflections

“Nepromišljeno jurimo za novotarijama, gonjeni sve snažnijim osjećajem nedostatnosti, nezadovoljstva i nemira. Više ne živimo od onoga što imamo, nego od obećanja, više ne u svjetlosti današnjega dana, nego u tami budućnosti, koja će, kako očekujemo, napokon donijeti pravi izlazak sunca.”
― C.G. Jung, quote from Memories, Dreams, Reflections

“Anyone who takes the sure road is as good as dead. It”
― C.G. Jung, quote from Memories, Dreams, Reflections

“They do not realize that a myth is dead if it no longer lives and grows. Our myth has become mute, and gives no answers.”
― C.G. Jung, quote from Memories, Dreams, Reflections

“J'ai encore un vif souvenir de Freud me disant : "Mon cher Jung, promettez-moi de ne jamais abandonner la théorie sexuelle. C'est le plus essentiel ! Voyez-vous, nous devons en faire un dogme, un bastion inébranlable." Il me disait cela plein de passion et sur le ton d'un père disant : "Promets-moi une chose, mon cher fils : va tous les dimanches à l'église !" Quelque peu étonné, je lui demandai : "Un bastion -- contre quoi ?" Il me répondit : "Contre le flot de vase noire de…" Ici il hésita un moment pour ajouter : "… de l'occultisme !" Ce qui m'alarma d'abord, c'était le "bastion" et le "dogme" ; un dogme c'est-à-dire une profession de foi indiscutable, on ne l'impose que là où l'on veut une fois pour toutes écraser un doute. Cela n'a plus rien d'un jugement scientifique, mais relève uniquement d'une volonté personnelle de puissance.
Ce choc frappa au cœur notre amitié. Je savais que je ne pourrais jamais faire mienne cette position. Freud semblait entendre par "occultisme" à peu près tout ce que la philosophie et la religion -- ainsi que la parapsychologie qui naissait vers cette époque -- pouvaient dire de l'âme. Pour moi, la théorie sexuelle était tout aussi "occulte" -- c'est-à-dire non démontrée, simple hypothèse possible, comme bien d'autres conceptions spéculatives. Une vérité scientifique était pour moi une hypothèse momentanément satisfaisante, mais non un article de foi éternellement valable. (p. 244)”
― C.G. Jung, quote from Memories, Dreams, Reflections

“Mi-a venit foarte greu sa ma afirm alaturi de gandurile mele. Era un demon in mine, iar in cele din urma prezenta lui a fost decisiva. Ma domina si mi-o lua inainte, iar cand se intampla sa nu mai tin seama de nimic, era fiindca el ma presa. Nu ma puteam opri niciodata la ceea ce obtinusem deja. Trebuia sa continui sa alerg, pentru a-mi ajunge din urma viziunea. Intrucat, dupa cum e lesne de inteles, contemporanii mei nu puteau percepe viziunea mea, vedeau in mine doar pe cineva care fuge aiurea.
Am ofensat multi oameni; caci, indata ce observam ca nu ma intelegeau, pentru mine cazul era incheiat. Trebuia sa merg mai departe. Exceptie facand pacientii mei, n-aveam rabdare cu oamenii. Intotdeauna trebuia sa-mi urmez legea interioara care-mi era impusa si nu-mi lasa libertatea alegerii. Ce-i drept insa, n-o urmam de fiecare data. Cum am putea s-o scoatem la capat fara inconsecvente?
Pentru unii oameni eram nemijlocit prezent, in masura in care se aflau in contact cu lumea launtrica; dar apoi se putea intampla ca, brusc, sa nu mai fiu acolo cu ei, dat fiind ca nu mai exista nimic care sa ma lege de ei. Am invatat anevoie ca oamenii continua sa fie prezenti, chiar si atunci cand nu mai au nimic a-mi spune. Multi trezeau in mine sentimentul unei umanitati vii, dar numai cand apareau in cercul magic al psihologiei, devenind vizibili; in clipa urmatoare, cand farul isi indrepta raza in alta directie, nu mai exista nimic. Unii oameni ma puteau interesa in modul cel mai intens, pentru ca, de indata ce ii "descifram", farmecul sa dispara. Mi-am facut multi dusmani astfel. Dar, ca om creator, esti la discretia demonului, nu esti liber, ci inlantuit si manat de el. "... o putere rusinos ne smulge / Inima. / Caci jertfa cere orice e ceresc. / Dar cand un zeu este lasat deoparte, / N-aduce nici un bine." (Holderlin, Imnuri si ode)
Lipsa de libertate m-a umplut de tristete. Adesea aveam senzatia ca ma gasesc pe un camp de lupta. Acum ai cazut tu, bunul meu camarad, dar eu trebuie sa continui! Eu nu pot, nu, nu pot ramane! Caci "o putere rusinoasa ne smulge inima". Mi-esti drag, te iubesc chiar, dar nu pot ramane! Pe moment, este ceva sfasietor. Caci eu insumi sunt victima, nu pot, sa raman. Dar demonul aranjeaza lucrurile astfel incat s-o scoatem la capat, iar binecuvantata inconsecventa are grija ca, in contrast flagrant cu "infidelitatea" mea, sa pot ramane credincios intr-o masura nebanuita.”
― C.G. Jung, quote from Memories, Dreams, Reflections

“School came to bore me. It took up far too much time which I would rather have spent drawing battles and playing with fire.”
― C.G. Jung, quote from Memories, Dreams, Reflections

“Diagnozele clinice sunt importante, întrucât oferă o oarecare orientare, dar ele nu-l ajută cu nimic pe pacient. Punctul decisiv este problema “poveștii” pacientului; căci ea dezvăluie fundalul uman și suferința umană și numai atunci poate începe terapia medicului. Am văzut asta clar și într-un alt caz.
Era vorba despre o pacientă bătrână de la secția de femei, în vârstă de șaptezeci și cinci de ani. Venise la spital cu aproape cincizeci de ani în urmă, dar nimeni nu-și mai amintea de momentul internării ei; toți muriseră între timp. Doar o soră-șefă, care lucra în această instituție de treizeci și cinci de ani, mai știa câte ceva din povestea ei. Bătrâna nu mai putea vorbi și nu putea consuma decât hrană lichidă sau semilichidă. Își ducea hrana la gură numai cu ajutorul degetelor. Uneori îi lua aproape două ore pentru o cană de lapte. Dacă nu era ocupată cu mâncarea, făcea niște mișcări ciudate, ritmice, cu mâinile și brațele, cărora nu le înțelegeam natura și sensul. Eram profund impresionat de gradul distrugerii pe care-l poate produce o boală mintală, dar nu găseam nici o explicație. În conferințele clinice era prezentată ca o formă catatonică de demență precoce, ceea ce nu-mi spunea nimic, căci nu mă lămurea absolut deloc în legătură cu semnificația și originea mișcărilor ei ciudate.
Impresia lăsată de acest caz asupra mea caracterizează reacția mea la psihiatria de atunci. Când am ajuns medic, am avut senzația că nu pricepeam nimic din ceea ce pretindea psihiatria că este. Mă simțeam extrem de jenat față de șeful meu și de colegii care afișau atâta siguranță, în timp ce eu orbecăiam nedumerit prin întuneric. Consideram că misiunea principală a psihiatriei este cunoașterea lucrurilor care se petrec în interiorul spiritului bolnav, iar despre aceasta nu știam încă nimic. Eram antrenat deci într-o meserie în care nu mă orientam deloc!
Într-o seară, târziu, m-am dus prin secție, am văzut-o pe bătrâna cu mișcările ei enigmatice și m-am întrebat din nou: de ce o fi așa? Care o fi explicația? M-am dus la bătrâna noastră soră-șefă și m-am interesat dacă pacienta fusese dintotdeauna astfel.
– Da, mi-a răspuns, dar sora dinaintea mea îmi povestea că pe vremuri bolnava confecționa pantofi.
Apoi i-am studiat încă o dată vechea poveste; scria despre ea că ar fi avut niște gesturi de parcă ar fi făcut cizmărie. Odinioară, cizmarii țineau pantofii între genunchi și trăgeau firele prin piele cu niște mișcări foarte asemănătoare. (La cizmarii de la sate se mai poate vedea și astăzi.) Pacienta a murit curând și fratele ei mai mare a venit pentru înmormântare.
– De ce s-a îmbolnăvit sora dumneavoastră? l-am întrebat.
Mi-a povestit că sora lui iubise un cizmar, care însă nu voise să se însoare cu ea dintr-un oarecare motiv și atunci ea “o luase razna”. Mișcările de cizmar arătau identificarea ei cu omul iubit, care a durat până la moarte.”
― C.G. Jung, quote from Memories, Dreams, Reflections

“Ciotka pałała świętym oburzeniem, jakby przegoniono ją przez instytut pornograficzny.

Gdy umarła, jej krewni powiedzieli mi, że w ostatnich miesiącach jej życia charakter jakby od niej odpadał kawałek po kawałku, aż w końcu dziewczyna powróciła do stanu dwuletniego dziecka i tak zapadła w swój ostatni sen.

Popadłbym w znany błąd autobiografów, który polega na tym, że albo snują iluzje, jak to być powinno, albo kreślą jakąś apologia pro vita sua. A przecież człowiek jest zdarzeniem, nie może ocenić samego siebie, lecz raczej - for better or worse - podlega osądowi innych.”
― C.G. Jung, quote from Memories, Dreams, Reflections

“I always wonder about people who go to Rome as they might go, for example, to Paris or to London. Certainly Rome as well as these other cities can be enjoyed aesthetically but if you are affected to the depths of your being at every step by the spirit that broods there, if a remnant of a wall here and a column there gaze upon you with a face instantly recognised, then it becomes another matter entirely.”
― C.G. Jung, quote from Memories, Dreams, Reflections

“Moj život je ono što sam učinio, moje znanstveno djelo; jedno je nerazdvojivo od drugoga. Moje djelo je izraz moga unutarnjeg razvoja, jer posvećivanje sadržajima nesvjesnog oblikuje čovjeka i dovodi do njegovih preobrazbi. Moja se djela mogu smatrati postajama na životnom putu.”
― C.G. Jung, quote from Memories, Dreams, Reflections

“Întâlnirea cu oameni de cele mai diverse tipuri și niveluri psihologice a avut pentru mine o însemnătate incomparabil mai mare decât o discuție fragmentară cu o celebritate. Conversațiile cele mai frumoase și încărcate de semnificații și de consecințe pe care le-am purtat în viața mea sunt anonime.”
― C.G. Jung, quote from Memories, Dreams, Reflections

“Le noyau de toute jalousie est un manque d'amour. (p. 225)”
― C.G. Jung, quote from Memories, Dreams, Reflections

“Les réformes qui tiennent compte de l'expérience passée sont en général moins coûteuses et en outre elles sont durables, car elles retournent vers les voies simples et plus éprouvées de jadis et ne font qu'un usage très modéré des journaux, de la radio, de la télévision et de toutes les innovations faites soi-disant pour gagner du temps. (p. 377)”
― C.G. Jung, quote from Memories, Dreams, Reflections

“L'objectivité, vécue dans ce rêve et dans ces visions, relève de l'individuation accomplie. Elle est détachement des jugements de valeur et de ce que nous désignons par attachement affectif. En général, l'homme attribue une grande importance à cet attachement affectif. Or, celui-ci renferme toujours des projections et ce sont celles-ci qu'il s'agit de retirer et de récupérer, pour parvenir à soi-même et à l'objectivité. Les relations affectives sont des relations de désir et d'exigences, alourdies par des contraintes et des servitudes : on attend quelque chose de l'autre, ce par quoi cet autre et soi-même perdent leur liberté. La connaissance objective se situe au-delà des intrications affectives, elle semble être le mystère central. Elle seule rend possible la véritable conjuctio*.
* Ces pensée de Jung soulèvent beaucoup de problèmes et il faut éviter les malentendus, surtout de la part des lecteurs jeunes.
La vie affective est d'importance ! Le fin du fin de la sagesse n'est pas du tout une manière d'indifférence, indifférence qui, à des phases plus juvéniles de la vie, caractérise au contraire certaines maladies mentales. C'est à force d'indifférence et d'inaffectivité que le malade schizophrène, par exemple, se trouve coupé de la vie et du monde.
Ce que Jung veut dire, c'est qu'il s'agit, après avoir vécu les liens affectifs dans leur plénitude, de les laisser évoluer vers une sérénité, voire un détachement. Car les liens affectifs ayant rempli leurs bons offices d'insertion au monde, et ayant fait leurs temps, comportent pour tous les partenaires, par leur maturité même, d'être dépassés.
Jung parle ici en tant qu'homme de grand âge, d'expérience, de sagesse humaine, qui, en tant que tel, s'est détaché de ce que l'affectivité comporte nécessairement de subjectif et de contraignant.
Sand doute avait-il atteint, lorsqu'il écrivit ces pages, à travers son individuation à ce que nous appelons pour notre compte la "simplicité de retour". (Dr Roland Cahen)
p. 467”
― C.G. Jung, quote from Memories, Dreams, Reflections

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