Customer Reviews

The Myth of Analysis: Three Essays in Archetypal Psychology

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Mr. Hillman's early works are exciting reading, even today, some 25-30 years after their original publication. Here is a true scholar, in the old ways or classical sense. Mind you, I am not one. A visionary, a brave soul, a seeker, and never removed from life; Mr. Hillman remains fully immersed within it. I love this man for his courage, and his inspiring, challenging, and wholly imaginative ideas. If the word 'imagination' stirs something wonderful deep within you, read this man's work, please. For me, it seems this piece, together with 'Re-Visioning Psychology' and 'The Dream and the Underworld' bring together the author's core vision. Mr. Hillman of course, may disagree! A great man; an even greater contribution.

Aristotle said the definition of man is the definition of his soul.So everybody who wants to know psychology is necessary to read this book !

right off the start, I'm at odds with Hillman. He quotes Aristotle on opening page. I favor Plato's thoughts, and avoid Aristotle. Jung's also was decidedly Platonian. I find Hillman confusing and i'm sure there are many others out there that agree, but have refrained from posting that opinion.
Why Hillman decided to re-interpret Jung , bring in his own theories, only Hillman can tell us.
Recently i was banned froma "Jung-ian-ISM" chat forum for my opinion on Hillman. No tolerance. As Hillman is a big wiz over at the Jung training center in california. many of the formun members felt my comments on Hillman, was 'in-appropriate".
Like Jung who was rejected from the Freudian worshippers, so too I from the "new american style Jungian-ISM"
btw many on the chat board were,,, atheists. How far can one go with jung's ideas and be atheist at the same time, is a perplexing thought...or was it this question to the board "was Jung atheist?" that had me "rejected by the elders".?
For one reason or another the members could not take the confrontation.
btw Jung mostly stayed alone with a very select group of friends and devoted to his studies. The main psychological "clubs" he avoided like the plague.
Jungian-ISM, is alive and well, as the atheists flock to Jung look as a substitue for their lack of religion.
Little do they understand , Jung is all about experience, Gnosis. Without this core knowledge, his words remain ink on paper, and there remain. Jung stated often his path was something to help those who had for one reason or another lost their way and found it difficult to re-connect to christianity. Those who threw away any sense of faith with stubborness, (turned atheist), Jung could not bring much success to the case. Jung did not accept every case, only those he felt a connection with.