Grounded in the natural philosophy of the Middle Ages, alchemy formed a bridge: on the one hand into the past, to Gnosticism, and on the other into the future, to the modern psychology of the unconscious.
Carl JungRead
We can hardly escape the feeling that the unconscious process moves spiral-wise round a centre, gradually getting closer, while the characteristics of the centre grow more and more distinct.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The unconscious mind gradually clarifies personal truths as we explore deeper understanding of ourselves.
Carl Jung's quote suggests that our unconscious mind operates in a spiral, slowly revealing more about our inner selves as we progress on our personal journey. This process indicates that through introspection and self-discovery, we come to understand our core characteristics and identities more distinctly, highlighting the journey of self-awareness and psychological development.
Themes
UnconsciousSelf-DiscoveryJourneyClarityPsychology
In practice
Example use cases
During a self-help workshop, one could use this quote to encourage participants to explore their inner selves.
More from Carl Jung
All quotes βThe majority of my patients consisted not of believers but of those who had lost their faith.
Carl JungRead
Complexes are psychic contents which are outside the control of the conscious mind. They have been split off from consciousness and lead a separate existence in the unconscious, being at all times ready to hinder or to reinforce the conscious intentions.
Carl JungRead
We are in a far better position to observe instincts in animals or in primitives than in ourselves. This is due to the fact that we have grown accustomed to scrutinizing our own actions and to seeking rational explanations for them.
Carl JungRead
From the viewpoint of analytic psychology, the theatre, aside from any aesthetic value, may be considered as an institution for the treatment of the mass complex.
Carl JungRead
I have treated many hundreds of patients. Among those in the second half of life - that is to say, over 35 - there has not been one whose problem in the last resort was not that of finding a religious outlook on life.
Carl JungRead
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