Carl Jung

Posted by Tel Asiado Jul 26, 2008

Great Thinkers Datebook: July 26.

Carl Jung is born today, July 26 (1875). He was a Swiss psychologist and psychiatrist, who founded the modern analytic and depth psychology. Jung was born in Kesswil, Switzerland, and died in Zürich, 1961, from a short illness.

Jung noticed that the myths and fairytales from different cultures contained certain similarities he called "archetypes", and believed that these archetypes came from a collective unconscious shared by all human beings, and that if people could get in touch with these archetypes in their lives, they will be more happy and healthy. He emphasized the importance of balance and harmony and cautioned that modern people rely too heavily on science and logic; that they would benefit from integrating spirituality and appreciation of unconscious realms.

Based on his study of Christianity and other religions, Jung perceived that a person's journey of transformation is the heart of all religions. It is a journey where self meets the Divine. Unlike Sigmund Freud, Jung believed that spiritual experience was essential to an individual's state of well-being.