Credit: Carl Jung in 1910, via Wikipedia
A passage of Carl Jung's writings read by Alan Watts
The English philosopher Alan Watts was a great admirer of Carl Gustav Jung's work. Watts was immersed in Eastern philosophy and was one of the greatest promoters and translators of the wisdom of the Orient for Western audiences. Carl Jung was also a tremendous explorer of Eastern traditions. This is certainly a link that connects the two thinkers but what really ties them is their interest in the existential challenges met by each individual, the connections between the conscious and the unconscious parts of the psyche.
One of the most popular components of Jung's work is the so-called shadow. That is the personification of all the repressed complexes and problems, which are thrown in the deepest parts of the human unconscious. The shadow is the first ordeal one should meet if he wants to take on the path of the individuation (another Jungian term, which means becoming one with the true self, self-realization, or the integration of the unconscious into the consciousness). If a person fears the acquaintance with the hidden and repressed contents, qualities, and tendencies locked in his shadow, then he enters into a state of inner civil war. Such a situation could be resolved not by condemnation of what is seen as undesirable parts of the unconscious but by accepting and integrating them until the moment of realization that they are not necessarily ominous, malevolent features but inhibited parts of one's own personality.
In the 6o's, Alan Watts was leading a radio show, and he read a passage of Jung's works after the death of the latter. Now, you can enjoy the illuminating force of two great minds - the thought of Carl Jung with the voice of Alan Watts.
