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theesotericcamel's review against another edition
4.0
Written as he was working on his magnum opus "Mysterium Coniunctionis," this book examines the image and symbolism of Christ, as a representation of the Self. The self is an archetype of an ideal man with a cognition of their whole nature. A man that knows itself very well, and through this knowledge is capable of extraordinary things. Christ is only one instance of this archetype, but Jung argues that it was the evolution of Christ's image through Christianity that has led us to our present materialism and spiritual drought, at least where Western thought is involved. He traces this evolution of Christ symbolism along with the unfolding of the astrological Age of Pisces, and makes some interesting observations connecting Christ to fish symbolism.
He begins by briefly looking at the Shadow and the Anima/Animus archetypes, as components of the Self. He then continues with the Fish Symbolism and traces it through Pagan, Gnostic, Catholic, and Alchemical lenses. He argues that Alchemy was in many ways, the continuation of Gnostic thought, which saw existence in a very dualistic manner. In Gnosticism, Christ literally embodied this dualistic nature, which was later suppressed by the Catholic interpretation of Christ and God. Gnosticism and Alchemy are in turn, early attempts at man trying to understand the self, or to put it simply, early psychology.
I always find reading Jung to be nourishing of my mind and spirit. But I do find him to be rather Western-centrist. He often assumes his readers are too. He also studied various Eastern philosophies, but argues that we should not adopt them if we were not born into them because we will not be able to comprehend such a different world view. He thinks Christianity is complex enough it it's own right, and has become quite the psychological apologist for it. Personally, I can appreciate the beauty of the symbolism of Christianity, but see no harm in following another faith if you find it more meaningful to you.
He begins by briefly looking at the Shadow and the Anima/Animus archetypes, as components of the Self. He then continues with the Fish Symbolism and traces it through Pagan, Gnostic, Catholic, and Alchemical lenses. He argues that Alchemy was in many ways, the continuation of Gnostic thought, which saw existence in a very dualistic manner. In Gnosticism, Christ literally embodied this dualistic nature, which was later suppressed by the Catholic interpretation of Christ and God. Gnosticism and Alchemy are in turn, early attempts at man trying to understand the self, or to put it simply, early psychology.
I always find reading Jung to be nourishing of my mind and spirit. But I do find him to be rather Western-centrist. He often assumes his readers are too. He also studied various Eastern philosophies, but argues that we should not adopt them if we were not born into them because we will not be able to comprehend such a different world view. He thinks Christianity is complex enough it it's own right, and has become quite the psychological apologist for it. Personally, I can appreciate the beauty of the symbolism of Christianity, but see no harm in following another faith if you find it more meaningful to you.
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