The Undiscovered Self: With Symbols and the Interpretation of Dreams (Jung Extracts) Paperback – November 15, 2010

An interesting combination of essays or texts, this edition has a relatively brief essay marked by the effect of its date of composition -- 1956 -- with a longer, more complex argument as to the nature of symbols and their revelatory role in uncovering the "collective unconscious," a concept perhaps inherited by Jung from some earlier figures in he history of psychoanalysis, but fully developed in his later thinking.THe 1956 book is underlined by the collapse of true Soviet empire in Hungary, which happened at the same time as the Egyptian closing of the Suez Canal, and its rescue for international shopping by what he ironically calls, "the Charge of the Light Brigade" of the Israeli army to re-open this major shipping Channel, from the Mediterranean to the Red Sea and back. Was this an effect lot a continuing cause of modern man's continuing lack of a discovered, fully individual Self, still in the grip of the "mass man," which to Jung was a major cause of the Second World War, still fresh in European affairs? It is, of course, difficult to untangle one's thinking from this combination of historical events, although it is equally obvious that the discovery of one's true self continues to the present day, with the continuation of nationalism and the claim of American exceptionalism as the current day's news continues in a drumbeat of victories and defeats in the pursuit of al-Quaeda by drone warfare?.The two works, together, work as an exceptional introduction to Jung's thought, where the translations perhaps reduce Jung from the knotted difficulty of his German composition. Some readers do not see it that way; you will be the judge for yourself.

Good stuff by jung

The new Kindle app for iPad is a terrific tool for delivering books to me! Makes it easy to read what I want on the road. Carl Jung has always interested me and I've read many quotes of his that have really hit home with me and made me curious about his life and works. Now that I've begun to discover him and I'm finding a strong connection with his ideas and feelings about the incredible uniqueness of individual life - and our untested potential.I recommend this book for my friends who love psychology, type theory, coaching and spirituality.Jung claims no easy pattern or theory for interpreting dreams and the symbols they use. Instead, he advises the first task for the professional psychologist is to understand "the dreamer," and that involves a lot of listening, NOT a lot of one-way interpretation. It reminds me a lot of what we are taught as professional coaches.Jung cautions that our psyche, our unconscious, and our dream symbols are the last frontier, so to speak, yet one that our "scientific, reasonable society" ignores at its own peril.He has started me feeling something new, and I've already purchased my next Jung eBook!

"The Undiscovered Self" is an appeal for his generation--and those to come--to continue the individual work of self discovery and not abandon needed psychological reflection for the easy ephemera of mass culture. Only individual awareness of both the conscious and unconscious aspects of the human psyche, Jung tells us, will allow the great work of human culture to continue and thrive.Part I of this book was amazing describing the individual vs the collective. Part II, symbols and interpretation of dreams was rather a dull read.In Jung's words: "The moral responsibility of the individual is then inevitably replaced by the policy of the State. The goal and meaning of individual life no longer lie in individual development but in the policy of the State, which is thrust upon the individual from outside and consists in the execution of an abstract idea which ultimately tends to attract all life to itself."In Jung's words: "The State in particular is turned into a quasi-animate personality from whom everything is expected. In reality it is only a camouflage for those individuals who know how to manipulate it."

It's a very accurate portrayal of the human condition as well as human nature. Review it. A whole LOT of times. It's not incompatible with the Bible's position, although he doesn't try to preach a "Gospel message."

Jung's work entitled The Undiscovered Self asks the question, what is our unconscious? He follows up with other great questions such as "what is our unconscious for?" And "why do we know so little about our unconscious?" To this day, we don't study the human psyche. We ignore it and plow forward with our pursuit of money and power. Amazing how little has changed in 2,000 years. Or more. Jung challenges us to become more conscious of who we really are by getting in touch with our unconscious. Extremely well written and simple to comprehend in lay terms. A fascinating study of who we really are.

This book in Jung's own relatively simple words gives a good beginning to understanding Jungian Analytic Psychology.It is worth a read!

Our modern world needs Jung's knowledge to find and heal the wounds of its collective insanity. Jung speaks to those of us who have understood the urgency of admitting the immeasurable depths of the human psyche; and how ineffective is the mere human intellectual genius to navigate this depths, disconnected from our intuitive faculties.