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
No one should deny the danger of the descent, but it can be risked. No one need risk it, but it is certain that someone will. And let those who go down the sunset way do so with open eyes, for it is a sacrifice which daunts even the gods. Yet every descent is followed by an ascent.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Life involves both risks and rewards, and every challenge leads to growth.
Carl Jung's quote emphasizes the inherent risks in life's journeys, particularly when venturing into the unknown or confronting difficult truths. While acknowledging the dangers associated with such descents, Jung suggests that these risks are sometimes necessary and that awareness of the challenges faced is crucial. The notion that every descent is followed by an ascent serves as a reminder that struggles can lead to personal growth and enlightenment, implying that the journey, despite its difficulties, can lead to greater heights.
Themes
RiskGrowthJourneyAscendDescent
In practice
Example use cases
During a motivational speech about overcoming adversity.
More from Carl Jung
All quotes →The 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.
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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.
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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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