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theesotericcamel 's review for:
The Gnostic Jung and the Seven Sermons to the Dead
by Stephan A. Hoeller
For those who have studied C.G. Jung and his works, it is common knowledge that he went through a "creative disorder" between 1913 and 1916. It is thought by many Jung scholars that the majority of his most well-known concepts regarding Depth Psychology came from his experiences during this time. These experiences were written down by Jung in what he would later call the Liber Novus, but is more popularly known as The Red Book. His close friends and relatives knew of this tome, but it would not be published in Jung's own lifetime. But Jung did manage to privately publish a portion of work from that period known as "The Seven Sermons To the Dead." This slim book was originally written in German, and only circulated among friends. And until the recent formal publication of the Red Book in 2009 these "Sermons" were the only glimpse afforded to us of Jung's psychological preoccupations of that time. And what they revealed surprised many...
This book consists of an English translation of the "Seven Sermons to The Dead" in its entirety along with an exegesis of each sermon by Stephan A. Hoeller. Hoeller makes a strong case that Jung was not only heavily influenced by Gnostic Christian concepts, but that he tried to continue Gnosticism into the present through his Psychological concepts and practices.
Part one is a lengthy introduction explaining the context in which the "Sermons" were written, as well as giving us a crash history course in Gnosticism. He then proceeds to explain where Jung fits on this continuum.
Part two is reprint of "The Seven Sermons" translated into English. An eerie text written very much like a mystical treatise from the ancient world. Abraxas is identified as the main deity, and much is said about ideas and concepts central to religious belief in general. Although written before a lot of his groundbreaking and famous concepts, the seeds for these can be seen in these early "Sermons."
He would later go on to say that his ideas are "grounded upon personal experience." Many people took this to mean his time as a doctor and his observation of his own patients. But Hoeller suggest that the experience may have been even more personal and points to these "Sermons" as proof.
The final part is a detailed exegesis on the "Sermons" by Hoeller. He approaches this very much like a literature scholar annotating an ancient text. And that is exactly how it should be. This is not a scientific work like some of Jung's other books. This could almost be a channeled text, especially as Jung ascribes the "Sermons" to Basilides, the famous Alexandrian Gnostic from about 120 BCE. Hoeller draws on Jung's biography as well as his written works to explain his interpretations of the "sermons." Hoeller clearly did his readings of both Jungian Depth Psychology and Ancient Gnostic Texts and makes a compelling case for himself. The main takeaways being that Jung was a modern Gnostic, and his Depth Psychology was actually modern Gnosticism mixed with scientific observation. Although Jung was interested in Eastern religion and philosophy, Jung believed that it was more beneficial for Western man to stick with their own Western traditions as the concepts would be more readily familiar. Where Jung felt that modern Western religions had dropped the ball, he felt that Gnosticism could potentially provide a healthier spiritual model to live by. Mainly because it had a more holistic view of morality. One that did not deny the darkness but sought to integrate it into itself.
The majority of the book is Stephan Hoeller's literary critique and interpretation of Jung's body of work via "The Seven Sermons of the Dead." But Hoeller clearly has a solid foundation for this, which is what makes this book interesting. His view of Jung as a Modern Gnostic would gain further traction with the official publication of The Red Book in 2009. But a look at his various lectures and commentary will reveal that Jung didn't really make a secret of his Gnostic influences... To quote something a very smart man said once : "No tree, it is said, can grow to heaven unless its roots reach down into hell."
This book consists of an English translation of the "Seven Sermons to The Dead" in its entirety along with an exegesis of each sermon by Stephan A. Hoeller. Hoeller makes a strong case that Jung was not only heavily influenced by Gnostic Christian concepts, but that he tried to continue Gnosticism into the present through his Psychological concepts and practices.
Part one is a lengthy introduction explaining the context in which the "Sermons" were written, as well as giving us a crash history course in Gnosticism. He then proceeds to explain where Jung fits on this continuum.
Part two is reprint of "The Seven Sermons" translated into English. An eerie text written very much like a mystical treatise from the ancient world. Abraxas is identified as the main deity, and much is said about ideas and concepts central to religious belief in general. Although written before a lot of his groundbreaking and famous concepts, the seeds for these can be seen in these early "Sermons."
He would later go on to say that his ideas are "grounded upon personal experience." Many people took this to mean his time as a doctor and his observation of his own patients. But Hoeller suggest that the experience may have been even more personal and points to these "Sermons" as proof.
The final part is a detailed exegesis on the "Sermons" by Hoeller. He approaches this very much like a literature scholar annotating an ancient text. And that is exactly how it should be. This is not a scientific work like some of Jung's other books. This could almost be a channeled text, especially as Jung ascribes the "Sermons" to Basilides, the famous Alexandrian Gnostic from about 120 BCE. Hoeller draws on Jung's biography as well as his written works to explain his interpretations of the "sermons." Hoeller clearly did his readings of both Jungian Depth Psychology and Ancient Gnostic Texts and makes a compelling case for himself. The main takeaways being that Jung was a modern Gnostic, and his Depth Psychology was actually modern Gnosticism mixed with scientific observation. Although Jung was interested in Eastern religion and philosophy, Jung believed that it was more beneficial for Western man to stick with their own Western traditions as the concepts would be more readily familiar. Where Jung felt that modern Western religions had dropped the ball, he felt that Gnosticism could potentially provide a healthier spiritual model to live by. Mainly because it had a more holistic view of morality. One that did not deny the darkness but sought to integrate it into itself.
The majority of the book is Stephan Hoeller's literary critique and interpretation of Jung's body of work via "The Seven Sermons of the Dead." But Hoeller clearly has a solid foundation for this, which is what makes this book interesting. His view of Jung as a Modern Gnostic would gain further traction with the official publication of The Red Book in 2009. But a look at his various lectures and commentary will reveal that Jung didn't really make a secret of his Gnostic influences... To quote something a very smart man said once : "No tree, it is said, can grow to heaven unless its roots reach down into hell."