Customer Reviews

Lectures on Jung's Typology (Seminar Series)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

If one has "read a little" of Jung's typology but has not ventured yet, or has ventured only partially, into Jung's seminal work Psychological Types, this book by von Franz and Hillman is a very good tutorial to get some of the concepts organized in ones head a little better. The book is divided into two sections. Both sections are transcripts of lectures given at the Jungian institute in Zurich. The first section is by von Franz and covers the Inferior Function. Hillman's half covers the Feeling Function. Although von Franz's section is focused on the development of the psychological type that is one's weaker type (ie: "inferior"), her exposition does cover all of the types. Each of von Franz's lectures is followed by a question and answer section as recorded during the seminars (Hillman's are not). One can say only that von Franz is masterful in her explanations. If one has read any of Jung's own seminars from the 1920's and 30's, von Franz's echo these here. Without overstating it, von Franz truly was closest to Jung in depth of understanding and ability at expression, perhaps better in the latter regard. She was primarilty a "thinking" type and it shows in her thoroughly thought out and well presented arguments. Hillman is another matter. Perhaps it is his disadvantage that his text follows von Franz's, but he does not rise to the same level, at least not for me. He must be a feeling-type as his arguments undulate choppily, taking a sideroad here, a back alley there, a forward lob somewhere else. He uses almost no examples, preferring to "define" as he goes along and seems to expect the reader to nod in agreement. Too much patience is expected of one, I'm afraid, and I didn't finish reading his part. Sorry. Von Franz' section is certainly worth the price alone, however. But feeling-types may prefer Hillman.

Marie-Louise von Franz describes very clearly and with her usual sense of humour the different psyhcological types according to C. G. Jung. Short of reading Jung himself, it is the best book I have come across on the subject.

I have read much over the years of Jung's typology and the Myers-Briggs typology. Yet, this set of lectures kept me spellbound in almost every paragraph, particularly Hillman's lectures on the feeling function. When I consider that these lectures were given relatively early in his career and before 1971 I am all the more impressed. I have not read anything that describes the feeling function in such depth and clarity. My perseptive is quite adjusted. This is a consciousness raising book and not a self help book.

P.111 statement was why this book was recommended for my gaining more empathy with my 100 year old mother.

Finishing,celebrated watching ILM movie "Pirates of Caribean: into darker waters" had the symbology of devouring mermaids whose identity was ignored. Maybe providence was telling me I was on right path with ILM imprimatur.

I felt there was much beyond what Hillman understood of the ignored anima having taken excruciating notes on Jung's writing on the anima while Jung was still scared of it. Something Hillman wrote about anima complex had really disturbed me within about ten pages before finishing and I dug up that the Jung community found him
difficient in fearing the anima. Anima, as I understand is woman in shadow of a man and spirit guide into darker waters and the integration healing of fulfilled romance.

Maybe I understand what I have yet to understand with this introduction.