tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6044142780132694422011-07-30T14:01:59.606-07:00A 40-something's journey through significant life changes with Jung's Red BookTimothy H. Warnekahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15463392736236453871noreply@blogger.comBlogger21100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-604414278013269442.post-82083574688086680582009-11-13T09:53:00.000-08:002009-11-13T10:03:13.070-08:00<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yiBP8qRgIEA/Sv2d8cHuoVI/AAAAAAAAAHI/jKg7VtGvJFY/s1600-h/serpentking.bmp"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yiBP8qRgIEA/Sv2d8cHuoVI/AAAAAAAAAHI/jKg7VtGvJFY/s320/serpentking.bmp" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403648789580783954" /></a><br />Jung writes, <em>"The spirit of the depths took my understanding and all my knowledge and placed them at the service of the inexplicable and the paradoxical. He robbed me of speech and writing for eveything that was not in his service, namely the melting together of sense and nonsense, which produces the supreme meaning."</em> [Folio 1]<br /><br />Jung's drawing of the serpent king on this page grabbed my attention.<br /><br />What ails me?<br /><br />Before I answer that question, I'll say that I'm not that interested in showing up on Oprah, and I very much dislike the current American tendency to over-expose oneself psychologically in public.<br /><br />Having said that, I would answer (echoing Dante), "I am wholly lost." I find that I have little interest in most things thave have gone on before me in my life. And yet nothing has replaced those interests. So I find myself in a limbo state.<br /><br />Jung's quote that I began with speaks to me because Jung's words feel very similar to my experience. I very much feel like I am at the service of the inexplicable and paradoxical.<br /><br />And I don't even know what that means.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/604414278013269442-8208357468808668058?l=readingjungsredbook.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Timothy H. Warnekahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15463392736236453871noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-604414278013269442.post-5965699663105260822009-11-13T09:37:00.000-08:002009-11-13T10:06:04.445-08:00<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yiBP8qRgIEA/Sv2a6LoJFKI/AAAAAAAAAG4/PZl3h-uLi-s/s1600-h/Red+Book+cover.bmp"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yiBP8qRgIEA/Sv2a6LoJFKI/AAAAAAAAAG4/PZl3h-uLi-s/s320/Red+Book+cover.bmp" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403645452258710690" /></a><br />At age 42, I found myself undergoing several tremendous life changes. To quote Dante, "In the middle of the road of my life I awoke in the dark wood where the true way was wholly lost." <br /><br />This was my experience.<br /><br />As Fate would have it, this was the same year that Jung's Red Book was finally published.<br /><br />As Fate would further have it, a wonderful couple with whom I am friends recently gave me a copy of this long-awaited book.<br /><br />Ah, the joys of synchronicity.<br /><br />The Red Book is amazing! Even though it has only been available for a short period of time, there are already many positive reviews on Amazon.<br /><br />My intention is to write a review of the Red Book, but I plan to savor the reading, taking my time and allowing Jung to teach me in the "wholly lost" space that I currently inhabit.<br /><br />[Disclaimer ... of course, any images and words from the Red Book are owned by the copyright owners.]<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/604414278013269442-596569966310526082?l=readingjungsredbook.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Timothy H. Warnekahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15463392736236453871noreply@blogger.com