As I flipped back through the pages of my well-worn copy, I was drawn to the "Preface to the New Edition." The original came out in 1972, when, Singer says, most of Jung's writings had not yet been translated from German to English. By 1994, when the revised edition came out, the Collected Works had been published in English. Also, Singer says her thoughts had matured. Reflecting Jung's own attitude and approach, she felt a need to revise and update the book. Singer says, " Rereading Jung, I found that his basic understanding of the psyche as it operates in our lives endures and provides a solid foundation for inner work. Much of what he wrote is timeless..." (Singer, x) Yet she points to the fact that throughout Jung's life he continued to evolve. So, she says that she feels "justified in taking a fresh view of Jung's concepts and considering where they remain applicable to contemporary life and where some revisions may be called for." (Ibid.)
One of her chapters that had to be revised was that entitled "Animus and Anima: The Opposites Within." Jung was a product of his time and culture, and we owe some gratitude to those of his followers who have further explored the concepts of masculine and feminine in our ever-changing world.
By Singer's example in revising the book, I think she reinforces what is a very Jungian concept in itself. That is that we are never finished. As people live longer we are blessed with the opportunity to continue our journeys further. Jungian psychology, if it is true to Jung's beliefs, should not become a static body of doctrine but should be open to the continued process of what we can learn about ourselves. As those who were closer to Jung himself are now leaving us, we can be appreciative as well of their contributions to the field. It is in that regard that I write this article today in memory of June Singer.
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