writing

There is always a Beginning to Grasp the Whole! P 4

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Stills from the Salvador Dalí-designed dream sequence in Spellbound (1945, dir. Alfred Hitchcock)

Most of the fundamental ideas of science are essentially simple and may, as a rule, be expressed in a language comprehensible to everyone.
~Albert Einstein

Today, I will continue from my previous instalment and share the second part of Freud’s chapter on how memories influence dreams.

Dr Freud reviews various researchers’ perspectives on dreams and offers several compelling examples of how human memories shape them.

(The title image I chose depicts a scene from one of my favourite Hitchcock films, in which Salvador Dali designed the sets for the dream sequences.)

The Material of Dreams—Memory in the Dream (Das Traummaterial – Das Gedächtnis im Traum)

The fact that the dream contains memories inaccessible to the waking state is so curious and theoretically significant that I wish to draw further attention to it by recounting other such “hypermnestic” dreams. Maury relates that, for a time, the word “Mussidan” would frequently come to his mind during the day. He knew it was the name of a French town, but nothing more. One night, he dreamt of a conversation with a certain individual who told him that she hailed from Mussidan; when he asked where the town was situated, she replied that Mussidan was a district town in the Département de la Dordogne. Upon waking, Maury placed no credence in the information he had received in his dream; however, a geographical dictionary informed him that it was entirely accurate. In this instance, the dream’s superior knowledge was confirmed, yet the forgotten source of that knowledge remained undiscovered.

Jessen recounts (p. 55) a very similar dream occurrence from earlier times: “To this category belongs, among others, the dream of the elder Scaliger (Hennings, *l. c.*, p. 300), who had written a poem in praise of the famous men of Verona; a man calling himself Brugnolus appeared to him in a dream and complained that he had been forgotten. Although Scaliger could not recall ever having heard of him, he nevertheless composed verses in his honour; his son subsequently learned in Verona that just such a Brugnolus had indeed once been renowned there as a critic.”

In a source to which I unfortunately do not have access (the *Proceedings of the Society for Psychical Research*), Myers is said to have published an entire collection of such hypermnestic dreams. I believe that anyone who occupies themselves with dreams must acknowledge that it is a very common phenomenon for a dream to bear witness to knowledge and memories which the waking subject does not suppose themselves to possess. In my psychoanalytic work with neurotic patients—which I shall discuss later—I find myself, several times a week, in a position to demonstrate to patients, based on their dreams, that they know quotations, obscene words, and the like very well, and that they make use of them in their dreams, even though they have forgotten them in their waking lives. I should like to share one harmless instance of dream hypermnesia here, as the source from which this knowledge—accessible only to the dream—originated was very easily traceable.

A patient dreamed—as part of a longer narrative sequence—that he was ordering a “Kontuszówka” for himself in a coffeehouse; however, when recounting the dream, he asked what on earth that might be, saying he had never heard the name before. I was able to reply that Kontuszówka is a Polish spirit—a name he could not possibly have invented in his dream, as I myself had long been familiar with it from posters. At first, the man refused to believe me. A few days later, after he had turned his dream into reality by ordering the drink in a coffeehouse, he noticed the name on a poster—specifically at a street corner he had been obliged to pass at least twice a day for months.

One of the sources from which the dream draws material for reproduction—material that, in part, is neither recalled nor utilised during waking thought—is childhood life. I shall cite only a few of the authors who have noted and emphasised this:

Hildebrandt (p. 23): “It has already been expressly acknowledged that the dream, at times, with a marvellous power of reproduction, faithfully brings back to our minds events that are quite remote and even forgotten, dating from the distant past.”

Strümpell (p. 40): “The matter becomes even more remarkable when one observes how the dream—at times, as it were, from beneath the deepest and most massive layers of sediment that later life has deposited upon the earliest experiences of youth—brings forth images of specific localities, objects, and persons, entirely intact and with their original freshness. This is not limited merely to such impressions as may have attained a vivid level of consciousness at the moment of their inception, or become imbued with strong psychological significance—impressions that subsequently reappear in the dream as genuine memories, in which the awakened consciousness takes delight. Rather, the depth of dream-memory encompasses also those images of persons, objects, localities, and experiences from earliest times which either possessed only a faint degree of consciousness or no psychological significance whatsoever—or which had long since lost both—and which, for this very reason, appear utterly strange and unfamiliar both within the dream and upon awakening, until their distant origin is finally discovered.”

Volkelt (p. 119): “It is particularly noteworthy how readily memories of childhood and youth find their way into dreams. Things we have long ceased to think about—matters that have long since lost all significance for us—the dream tirelessly reminds us of them.” The dream’s dominion over childhood material—which, as is well known, largely falls into the gaps of conscious memory—gives rise to interesting hypermnestic dreams, of which I shall, in turn, present a few examples.

Maury recounts (in *Le sommeil*, p. 92) that, as a child, he often travelled from his hometown of Meaux to nearby Trilport, where his father was supervising the construction of a bridge. One night, a dream transports him back to Trilport, allowing him to play once again in the town’s streets. A man approaches him, wearing a uniform. Maury asks for his name; he introduces himself as C… and says he is the bridge keeper. Upon waking—still doubting the memory’s reality—Maury asks an old servant, who has been with him since childhood, whether she can recall a man by that name. “Certainly,” comes the reply, “he was the keeper of the bridge your father built back then.”

Maury recounts another beautifully confirmed example of the accuracy of childhood memories surfacing in dreams, concerning a Mr F… who had grown up in Montbrison. Twenty-five years after leaving, this man decided to revisit his hometown and see old family friends he had not encountered since. On the night before his departure, he dreamed that he had arrived at his destination and, near Montbrison, met a gentleman whose appearance was unfamiliar to him; the man identified himself as Mr T., a friend of his father. The dreamer knew he had known a man by that name during childhood, but could not recall what he looked like while awake.
Upon actually arriving in Montbrison a few days later, he rediscovered the location from the dream—which he had previously not recognised—and met a gentleman whom he immediately identified as Mr T. from the dream. The real person had simply aged more than the figure in the dream image had suggested.

To be continued!

PS: I’ll translate and share the rest of this chapter in my next post. However, I’ve been told I need another surgery soon (the old problem is the new problem!), so I’m unsure when I can do so. Wishing all the best! 🤗💖

“Death as Transformation: Carl Gustav Jung’s View on Mortality on His 65th Anniversary’

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Today, I need to write a second post to celebrate Carl Jung’s sixty-fifth anniversary, and I just couldn’t let it pass!
Carl Jung viewed death as a meaningful transition, emphasising its psychological significance in the acceptance of mortality. He saw it not merely as an end but as a vital part of the individuation process and a profound mystery inviting reflection, highlighting its spiritual dimension.

Jung believed that humans inherently recognise their mortality, which profoundly shapes the unconscious mind. He suggested that our perspectives on death shape our fears, values, creativity, and sense of purpose. Denying or repressing death can lead to psychological difficulties, whereas accepting it fosters growth and wisdom. Jung viewed death not only as a physical event but also as symbolic. Drawing on myth and religion, he noted that many cultures regard death as a transition to another state. These archetypal images reflect the collective unconscious. He believed that, like birth, death can be a form of transformation—a return to the greater whole from which life originates.
In his later works, Jung emphasised the importance of mentally and spiritually preparing for death. He encouraged individuals to confront their mortality openly and reflectively, believing this approach could foster a deeper, more meaningful existence. Jung’s perspective on death was neither overly pessimistic nor escapist; instead, he regarded it as a profound mystery and a crucial part of human life, encouraging contemplation and acceptance.

Here is a letter Jug wrote to an unknown woman during his final days, in response to her question about how he expressed his thoughts on death. I am sharing this letter with you, sourced from a post by my friend Lewis Lafontaine, with many thanks.

Carl Jung on Life after Death

Letters of C. G. Jung: Volume 2, 1951-1961

Dear Frau N., 30 May 1960

My old age and the need for rest make me fight shy of too many visitors, so I have to confine myself as far as possible to written answers.
I can answer your question about life after death just as well by letter as by word of mouth.
Actually, this question exceeds the capacity of the human mind, which cannot assert anything beyond itself.
Furthermore, all scientific statements are merely probable.
So we can only ask: Is there a probability of life after death?
The point is that, like all our concepts, time and space are not axiomatic but are statistical truths.
This is proved by the fact that the psyche does not fit entirely into these categories.
It is capable of telepathic and precognitive perceptions.
To that extent, it exists in a continuum outside time and space.
We may therefore expect post-mortem phenomena to occur, which must be regarded as authentic.
Nothing can be ascertained about existence outside time.
The comparative rarity of such phenomena suggests at all events that the forms of existence inside and outside time are so sharply divided that crossing this boundary presents the greatest difficulties.
But this does not exclude the possibility that there is an existence outside time which runs parallel with existence inside time.
Yes, we ourselves may simultaneously exist in both worlds, and occasionally we do have intimations of a twofold existence.
But what is outside time is, according to our understanding, outside change.
It possesses relative eternity.
Perhaps you know my essay “The Soul and Death .”
For its scientific foundation, I would draw your attention to my “Synchronicity: An Acausal Connecting Principle,” in Jung and Pauli, The Interpretation of Nature and the Psyche. Psychology.
These are my essential thoughts, and I would not express them otherwise in a talk with you.

Yours sincerely,

C.G. Jung ~Carl Jung, Letters Vol. II, Page 561.

Via Carl Jung Depth Psychology

There is always a Beginning to Grasp the Whole! P 3

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Artwork: “Road Less Travelled 2” by Naked Monkey.

Sigmund Freud believed that memories and dreams are deeply interconnected. According to Freud, dreams are not random or meaningless; rather, they express unconscious desires, fears, and—most importantly—memories. He argued that many dreams are constructed from fragments of past experiences, some of which may be long forgotten or repressed.
Freud introduced the concept of “day residues”, in which events and thoughts from the previous day often appear in dreams, intermingled with older memories from childhood or earlier life. He believed that dreams serve as a way for the unconscious mind to process unresolved conflicts, using both recent and distant memories as material. These memories may be disguised, condensed, or symbolically represented in the dream, making their true meaning difficult to recognise without analysis.

One of Freud’s key ideas was that repressed memories—those which are too painful or unacceptable to face consciously—often find their way into dreams. Through the process of “dream work,” the mind transforms these latent memories into the strange and sometimes confusing images we remember upon waking. By analysing dreams, Freud believed we could uncover hidden memories and gain insight into our deepest desires and anxieties.
In summary, Freud saw dreams as a window into the unconscious, built from layers of memories both recent and distant. For him, exploring the connection between memories and dreams was essential for understanding the human mind and the hidden forces that shape our thoughts and behaviours.

Now, following parts one & two, let’s proceed to the next chapter of his book, Dream Interpretation. I divided this chapter due to its length!

The Material of Dreams—Memory in the Dream (Das Traummaterial – Das Gedächtnis im Traum)

That all the material comprising the content of a dream derives in some way from lived experience—that is, that it is reproduced or recalled within the dream—may be accepted, at the very least, as an indisputable fact. Yet it would be an error to assume that such a connection between the dream content and waking life must emerge effortlessly as an immediately obvious result of comparison. Rather, this connection must be sought out with close attention, and in a considerable number of cases, it manages to remain concealed for a long time. The reason for this lies in several peculiarities exhibited by the faculty of memory during dreaming—peculiarities which, though widely noted, have hitherto eluded all explanation. It will be well worth the effort to examine these characteristics in detail.

It happens, in the first place, that the content of a dream features material that, upon waking, one does not recognise as belonging to one’s own knowledge or experience. One may well recall having dreamt the specific item in question, but cannot recall when one actually experienced it. One thus remains in the dark about the source from which the dream drew its material—and is indeed tempted to believe in an independently creative activity on the part of the dream—until, often after a long interval, a new experience restores the lost memory of the earlier event, thereby revealing the dream’s true source. One is then compelled to concede that, in the dream, one possessed knowledge of—and was reminded of—something that had been inaccessible to one’s powers of recollection while awake.

Delboeuf recounts a particularly striking example of this kind, drawn from his own dream experience. In his dream, he saw the courtyard of his house covered in snow; there, he discovered two small lizards—half-frozen and buried beneath the snow—which, being an animal lover, he took in, warmed, and returned to the small niche in the masonry intended for them. Furthermore, he tucked in a few fronds of a small fern growing on the wall—a plant he knew they were very fond of. In the dream, he knew the plant’s name: Asplenium ruta-murale. The dream then continued; after a brief interlude, it returned to the lizards and—to Delboeuf’s astonishment—revealed two new little creatures feasting upon the remnants of the fern. He then turned his gaze towards the open field and saw a fifth, then a sixth lizard, making their way towards the hole in the wall; eventually, the entire street was covered by a procession of lizards, all moving in the same direction, and so on.
In his waking life, Delboeuf’s botanical knowledge encompassed only a few Latin plant names and did not include any familiarity with the genus Asplenium. To his great astonishment, he subsequently verified that a fern of this very name does, in fact, exist.
Asplenium ruta muraria was its correct designation—a name the dream had slightly distorted. One could hardly attribute this to mere coincidence; yet it remained a mystery to Delboeuf how he had acquired knowledge of the name “Asplenium” in his dream.

The dream had occurred in 1862; sixteen years later, while visiting a friend, the philosopher spotted a small album of dried flowers—the kind sold to travellers as souvenirs in certain regions of Switzerland. A memory stirred within him; he opened the herbarium, found the Asplenium from his dream inside it, and recognised his own handwriting in the accompanying Latin names.
The connection could now be established. A sister of this friend had visited Delboeuf in 1860—two years before the lizard dream—while on her honeymoon. At the time, she had with her this album intended for her brother, and Delboeuf had taken the trouble to write out the Latin name beneath each of the dried plants, dictating them from a botanist.

The favour of chance—which renders this example so eminently worth recounting—allowed Delboeuf to trace yet another element of this dream’s content to its forgotten source. One day in 1877, an old volume of an illustrated magazine fell into his hands, and he saw the entire procession of lizards depicted exactly as he had dreamed it in 1862. The volume bore the date 1861, and Delboeuf recalled that he had been a subscriber to the magazine since its inception.

To be continued! 💖🙏

There is always a Beginning to Grasp the Whole! P. 1

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One day, as I browsed my bookshelf, a heavy volume suddenly fell into my hands — it was the Collected Works (die Gesammelten Werke) of Sigmund Freud, a book I had almost forgotten. I had read some of Freud’s writings, especially during my time in Iran, but later I became deeply engaged with Jung’s work. When I opened the book, it felt as though a whisper told me that this was the foundation — something I hadn’t known before. I started reading, and it turned out to be completely true!

Sigmund Freud was an Austrian neurologist, the founder of psychoanalysis, and a pioneer in exploring the hidden aspects of the human mind, particularly the unconscious. He developed a clinical method to assess and treat psychological conflicts arising from inner struggles through patient-analyst dialogue, along with a unique theory of mind and human agency grounded in this approach.

I reached a point where understanding Sigmund Freud and his work would enhance our grasp of Carl Gustav Jung. Freud acts as the key unlocking the door into the unconscious, while Jung is the train guiding us through the hidden depths of our souls!

Therefore, I decided to translate and share his insights on communicating knowledge and experience, beginning with dreams and dream interpretation: The scientific literature on dream issues (Die wissenschaftliche Literatur der Traumprobleme). I will start with his scientific explanation—(a brief summary, of course, to keep it concise)—to help it be better understood.

The scientific literature on dream problems

In the following pages, I will show that a psychological technique exists for interpreting dreams, revealing each as a meaningful psychic construct linked to waking life. I will explain the processes behind dream strangeness and draw conclusions about the psychic forces involved. My presentation concludes by linking the problem of dreaming to broader issues that require other sources. I begin with a review of past research and current understanding, noting that little progress has been made despite centuries of effort. The existing literature offers insight and interesting material, but few definitive answers about dreams. Even educated laypeople have limited knowledge.

The first work to treat dreams as a psychological object is Aristotle’s On Dreams and Their Interpretation. He states that dreams are of a demonic, not divine, nature, but can reveal profound meanings if correctly interpreted. Aristotle notes characteristics such as dreams reinterpreting minor stimuli as large ones, suggesting they might show early signs of bodily changes unnoticed during the day. Due to limited knowledge, I haven’t deepened my understanding of his treatise. Before Aristotle, the ancients saw dreams as divine inspiration, distinguishing true dreams that warn or foretell from false, deceptive ones meant to mislead or harm. This view aligned with their worldview, projecting internal reality onto the external world. They believed dreams came from another world and considered their supernatural origin plausible, a view still held by some today, including mystical writers and certain philosophers such as Schellingians. The debate over dreams’ divinatory power continues, as scientific explanations remain insufficient to account for all dream phenomena.

Writing a history of our understanding of dream problems is difficult because, despite its value in certain areas, no clear progress is visible. No foundational results exist for future researchers to build on; instead, each author starts anew, as if from scratch. If I followed a chronological account of authors’ views, I couldn’t provide a clear overview of current dream knowledge. Thus, I structured the discussion by topic, citing the relevant literature to each dream problem.

Since I haven’t covered all scattered and extensive literature, I ask readers to be modest, assuming no fundamental facts or significant aspects are lost.

Until recently, most authors treated sleep and dreams together, often including analogous states like hallucinations or visions. Recently, work has focused more narrowly on specific questions within dream life. This shift reflects a belief that clear understanding and consensus require detailed investigations. I offer only such psychological investigation here, excluding sleep, which is mainly physiological, though sleep-related changes in mental function are acknowledged.

Freud (assuming these are his words) highlights that psychoanalysis and psychotherapy aim to uncover repressed, unconscious memories and create a supportive environment where these ‘traumas’ can be expressed through language and contact. Whether he explicitly said these words is irrelevant, as his writings demonstrate that he held these beliefs.

The scientific interest in dream phenomena prompts several overlapping questions:

The relationship between dreams and waking life (Beziehung des Traumes zum Wachleben)

The naive judgement of the awakened person assumes that the dream—if it does not originate in another world—has at least transported the sleeper to one. The old physiologist Burdach, to whom we owe a careful and subtle description of dream phenomena, expressed this conviction in a much-noted sentence (p. 474): “…the life of the day, with its efforts and pleasures, its joys and sorrows, is never repeated; rather, the dream aims to free us from them. Even if our whole soul has been filled with an object, if deep pain has torn our inner being, or a task has consumed all our mental power, the dream either gives us something entirely alien, or it takes only individual elements from reality for its combinations, or it merely adopts the tone of our mood and symbolises reality.”

L. Strümpell expresses a similar sentiment in his rightly acclaimed study of the nature and origin of dreams (p. 16): “Whoever dreams is turned away from the world of waking consciousness”… (p. 17): “In dreams, the memory of the ordered content of waking consciousness and its normal behaviour is almost entirely lost…” (p. 19): “The almost memoryless isolation of the soul in dreams from the regular content and course of waking life…”

However, the vast majority of authors have held the opposite view on the relationship between dreams and waking life. For example, Haffner (p. 19) states: “First of all, dreams continue waking life. Our dreams always connect to the ideas that were present in our consciousness shortly beforehand. Close observation will almost always find a thread in which the dream linked to the experiences of the previous day.” Weygandt (p. 6) directly contradicts Burdach’s assertion quoted above, “for it can often be observed, apparently in the vast majority of dreams, that they lead us right back into ordinary life, instead of freeing us from it.” Maury (Le sommeil et les rêves, p. 56) states in a concise formula: “nous rêvons de ce que nous avons vu, dit, desiré ou fait”(We dream of what we have seen, said, desired, or done.); Jessen, in his psychology published in 1855 (p. 530), elaborates somewhat more: “More or less, the content of dreams is always determined by the individual personality, by age, gender, social class, level of education, accustomed way of life, and by the events and experiences of the entire life to date.”

To be continued! 🙏💖

‘Defensiveness’ from Feminist Perspective on Resistance

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Today, I want to share a throwback to one of my Facebook posts from a few weeks ago, of course, more extensive, perhaps for a change, and because of this fascinating woman in the history of psychology.
Actually, I’ve also been considering writing about Sigmund Freud, the originator of psychoanalysis, and this might be a good starting point.

Honestly, I previously didn’t know much about Anna Freud, or rather, I didn’t think highly of her. However, after watching the film ‘Freud’s Last Session‘ about Sigmund Freud’s final days, her brief appearance still caught my attention.

Anna Freud was a trailblazing psychoanalyst who made significant contributions to child psychology. Born in Vienna in 1895, the youngest daughter of Sigmund Freud, she grew up in an intellectually stimulating environment. She was deeply interested in her father’s work and eventually became his close collaborator. Originally trained as a teacher, Anna developed a keen interest in children’s development. In the 1920s, she began psychoanalytic training and started working with children, establishing Vienna’s first child psychoanalysis clinic in 1927. At this clinic, she developed innovative observation and treatment methods. Her influential book, “The Ego and the Mechanisms of Defence” (1936), built on her father’s theories by explaining how the ego defends against anxiety through mechanisms such as repression and denial. Fleeing the Nazis in 1938, she settled in London, where she co-founded the Hampstead Child Therapy Course and Clinic, a prominent centre for child psychoanalysis. Anna emphasised the importance of observing children in their natural settings and customising therapy to each child’s needs. Her contributions remain influential in psychoanalysis and child psychology, setting new standards through her research and clinical work.

Anna Freud with her father, Sigmund, 1928 near Berlin (picture alliance / Mary Evans Picture Library)
This photograph captures Sigmund Freud walking with his daughter Anna Freud, likely during a summer holiday on the Ritten plateau near Bolzano, Italy.

In her 1936 work “The Ego and the Mechanisms of Defence,” Anna Freud identified defence mechanisms as unconscious protections employed by the ego. These mechanisms serve to shield individuals from anxiety, shame, and the instinctual urges of the id that the superego prohibits. Among the major defence mechanisms are repression, projection, reaction formation, regression, and sublimation.

In the film mentioned above, I noticed she had no relationships with men. There is no public or scholarly evidence regarding her sexuality. She never married but had close relationships with women, especially Dorothy Burlingham, her lifelong partner and collaborator. Some biographers speculate about their relationship, but Anna Freud never publicly discussed her sexuality, and no records confirm whether she was lesbian, bisexual, or otherwise. Her private life was discreet, centred on work and family. Any discussion of her sexuality is largely speculative, based on personal correspondence and life choices.

Children have an almost uncanny instinct for the teacher’s personal shortcomings.
They know the false from the true far better than one likes to admit.
Therefore, the teacher should monitor his own psychic condition so he can spot the source of trouble when anything goes wrong with the children entrusted to his care.
Civilisation in Transition (The Collected Works of C. G. Jung, Volume 10)

via Carl Jung DepthPsychology 🙏

Thank you all for your support and presence. Wishing you a peaceful weekend. 🙏🌹

What a Pity!

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As I hover over the news and feel the hangover from all this stress, I give my mind another chance to relax by jotting down a few words.
Of course, I didn’t swear an oath to post every week (like some, daily; oh my goodness, save me!😛). However, as I mentioned in my last post, I need to talk to my “Patient Stone” to help me gather my scattered thoughts.

Honestly, I have numerous projects and ideas to pursue and share, but my busy mind is too preoccupied to concentrate on them. On the other hand, I had to delete many of my old posts because WP warned me that my 13 GB storage limit was full, leaving me with the choice of upgrading or deleting. Since I couldn’t afford to upgrade, I had no option but to delete them. Now I have some space to post more!

I think, as well as believe, that the animals have their own characters and, in their own instinctual life, have their own species-specific way of living, even though we compare some of them, like sheep, with humans in the form of messes.

Dr Jung viewed “mass-mindedness” and mass psychology as perilous, believing crowds trigger “the dynamisms of the collective man,” transforming individuals into “beasts or demons” until they join a mob. Crowds diminish morality, incite fears, provoke “infantile behaviour,” and can cause even the most virtuous to lose their significance, resulting in “psychologically abnormal” individuals. Mobs foster “herd psychology” and produce “mass man,” who is childish, irrational, irresponsible, and emotional. The crowd dissolves personal responsibility, facilitating crimes and increasing reliance on the state.

The levelling down of the masses through suppression of the aristocratic or hierarchical structure natural to a community is bound, sooner or later, to lead to disaster. For when everything outstanding is levelled down, the signposts are lost, and the longing to be led becomes an urgent necessity.
~Carl Jung, CW 17, Para 248

Now, I’d like to share one of my Facebook posts that reflects my thoughts. It is a poem by Lawrence Ferlinghetti, a notable American poet, painter, and social activist. Ferlinghetti published works of many Beat poets and is sometimes considered a Beat poet himself, although he never liked that label!

You are Whitman, you are Poe, you are Mark Twain, you are Emily Dickinson and Edna St. Vincent Millay, you are Neruda and Mayakovsky and Pasolini, you are an American or a non-American, you can conquer the conquerors with words….
~ Lawrence Ferlinghetti. From Poetry as Insurgent Art [I am signalling you through the flames].

Pity the Nation (After Khalil Gibran)

Pity the nation whose people are sheep
And whose shepherds mislead them
Pity the nation whose leaders are liars
Whose sages are silenced
and whose bigots haunt the airways
Pity the nation that raises not its voice
but aims to rule the world
by force and by torture
And knows
No other language but its own
Pity the nation whose breath is money
and sleeps the sleep of the too well fed
Pity the nation, oh, pity the people of my country
My country, tears of thee
Sweet land of liberty!

I’d also like to share one of Mozart’s greatest works, a requiem, to comfort the spirits. Wishing all individuals friends a peaceful time. 💖🙏

The Moon Eye!

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There is once again another nerve-wracking experience (at least for me), hoping that the evil disappears from Iran and that the spring of freedom blooms for its people.

I have never supported wars, but this destructive machine must be stopped now, and the time has come!

Let’s read a lecture by my favourite teacher, Dr Jung.

I will read you some quotations from the book “The Secret of the Golden Flower”:
“The Golden Flower is the Light. What colour has the light?
One uses the Golden Flower as an image.
It is the true power of the transcendent Great ‘One’.
The phrase, ‘The lead of the water-region has but one taste’, refers to it.”
Here, the writer speaks of the substance of which the Golden Flower is made, which is found in the water region, the bladder, in Svadhisthana.
This is the localisation in the psyche which is made entirely of animal substance, the spirit of weight which imprisons us and is described as the most inferior thing.
This is the heaviness which Nietzsche tried to dance away.
He says in “Zarathustra” that the stone is thrown high indeed, but it must fall, and on the thrower.
This is the lead of the water region; it has one meaning: that the Golden Flower grows out of it.
This is the primordial substance out of which the Lapis, the Golden Flower, or the philosophers’ gold is made.
These come from the very commonest things.
The old alchemist said, “If the huckster in the market knew that the things which he sells so cheaply are the materials from which the
philosopher’s gold is made, he would raise their price”, but he does not go on to tell us how to extract the gold.
We are told that it is to be found in old privies and manure heaps, but that “Many have worked on manure heaps and have found – nothing”.
“In the Book of Changes, it is said: Heaven created water through the One. That is the true power of the Great One. If a man attains this One, he becomes alive; if he misses it, he dies. But even if a man lives in the power [air, prana) He does not see the power [air], just as Fishes live in water but do not see the water.”

Image by Craig Nelson

This is the Tao in Chinese philosophy; it is always timeless and is the beginning and the end. Out of Tao comes water – that is the water region.
“A man dies when he has no life-air, just as the fishes are destroyed when deprived of water.
Therefore, the adepts have taught the people to hold fast to the primal and to guard the One; it is the circular course of the Light and the protection of the centre.”
Light is symbolic for consciousness; in doing the “circumambulatio”, you must follow the direction of light, if you go the other way, it is black magic.
” If one guards this true power, one can prolong the span of life, and can then apply the methods of creating an immortal body by ‘melting and mixing’.”
If you are attentive, the diamond or immortal body is formed.
“The work on the circulation of the light depends entirely on the backwards flowing movement, so that the thoughts are gathered together [the place of Heavenly Consciousness, the Heavenly Heart]. The heavenly heart lies between Sun and Moon (i.e. the two eyes),”
The right eye is the sun eye, and the left the moon eye. This heavenly heart, this centre, lies between the two eyes. “The Book of the Yellow Castle says: In the field of the square inch, of the house of the square foot, life can be regulated. The house of the square foot is the face. The field of the square inch is the face: what could that be other than the Heavenly He art? In the middle of the square inch dwells the splendour.”
The Heavenly Heart is placed on the forehead…

~Carl Jung, ETH Lecture 12July1935, Pages 238-241.

Via Carl Jung Depth Psychology 🙏

Just Taking a Breath!

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Since I will be away from tomorrow until Saturday, visiting a friend and attending a concert together, I’ll just say hello and goodbye with my best wishes.

It will be a welcome change of pace in these turbulent times, though my friend is also Iranian, so there will definitely be some deep discussions.

Dr Jung’s philosophy (thoughts) suggests that a “break” often serves as an invitation to explore the unconscious, encouraging a shift from merely doing to a state of being.

“As far as we can discern, the sole purpose of human existence is to kindle a light in the darkness of mere being”.

Dr Jung’s insight about the nature of existence is thoughtfully highlighted at the conclusion of his Life and Death chapter in Memories, Dreams, and Reflections:

Our age has shifted all emphasis to the here and now, and thus brought about a daemonization of man and his world.
The phenomenon of dictators and all the misery they have wrought springs from the fact that man has been robbed of transcendence by the shortsightedness of the super-intellectuals.
Like them, he has fallen victim to unconsciousness.
But man’s task is the exact opposite: to become conscious of the contents that press upward from the unconscious.
Neither should he persist in his unconsciousness, nor remain identical with the unconscious elements of his being, thus evading his destiny, which is to create more and more consciousness.
As far as we can discern, the sole purpose of human existence is to kindle a light in the darkness of mere being.
It may even be assumed that just as the unconscious affects us, so the increase in our consciousness affects the unconscious.
~Carl Jung, MDR, Page 326.(Via carljungdepthpsychologysite.blog, with thanks)

The band we’re meeting is called UFO, and they’re roughly my age, although the videos below are from their earlier years.

Do it well, do it better. 🤗💖🙏

Jiddu Krishnamurti: The Philosopher Who Rejected Authority

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I think it’s time to set aside our current critical perspective on life for a moment and take a deeper look. Jiddu Krishnamurti can gently guide us and help us see things anew.

Jiddu Krishnamurti (1895-1986) was a prominent spiritual teacher and philosopher, famous for his rejection of organised religion, gurus, and spiritual authorities, including his own. Born in colonial India, his life changed when members of the Theosophical Society recognised him as the expected “World Teacher.” In 1929, at age 34, he disbanded his organisation, stating that “truth is a pathless land” and no belief system ensures understanding. Over more than sixty years, Krishnamurti travelled globally, giving talks on the mind, consciousness, and suffering. His teachings emphasised direct observation and awareness, urging questioning of authority to achieve psychological freedom. He believed that the separation between the observer and the observed causes conflict. He encouraged living without fear, exploring love and relationships, and transforming consciousness. His legacy includes books, talks, and schools, inspiring individuals to seek truth from within rather than externally.

Jiddu Krishnamurti’s Parables and Poems

Jiddu Krishnamurti’s parables and poems are central to his teachings, offering glimpses of truth through imagery and metaphor rather than through direct argument. These works appeal to intuition and feeling, promoting immediate perception, often inspired by nature—such as a flower blooming or a bird flying—while highlighting his core idea that truth is perceived directly rather than through thought or belief. They do not explain but point, creating space for sudden insights beyond words. His poems share this sense of immediacy; they are simple, unembellished, emerging from attentive presence—watching, listening, and being aware. Their language is calm, observing without a separate observer, often dissolving the boundary between seer and seen, reflecting his teaching that authentic perception occurs only when the self is absent. These works are essential because they echo his main message: transformation arises through direct insight, not through knowledge. Instead of enriching conceptual understanding, they invite us to set aside concepts, to observe, listen, and remain present without interpretation. His literary works might be his most genuine expression—offering not solutions but gateways to experience.

Once upon a time, when there was great understanding and in a world full of rejoicing, there lived a gentlewoman full of years. One day, she found herself in a temple before an altar made by human hands. She was crying bitterly to heaven, and none was there to comfort her, till in the long last, a friend of God took notice of her and asked the reason for her tears. “God must have forgotten me. My husband is gracious and well. My children are full and strong. Many servants are there to care for us. All things are well with me, and mine own. God has forgotten us.” The friend of God replied, “God never forgets His children.” When she came home, she found her son dead. She
never cried. “God remembers me and mine own.”

Every step we take in life lays the foundation for the experiences we gather. Krishnamurti soon recognised these and attempted to share his experience with us.

A HYMN

I have stood in Thy holy presence. I have seen the splendour of Thy face. I prostrate at Thy sacred feet. I kiss the hem of Thy garment, I have felt the glory of Thy beauty. I have seen Thy serene look.
Thy wisdom has opened my closed eyes. Thine eternal peace has transfigured me.
Thy tenderness, the tenderness of a mother to her child,
The teacher to his pupil, I have felt.
Thy compassion for all things, living and non-living, the animate and inanimate, I have felt.
Thy joy, indescribable, has thrilled me.
Thy voice has opened in me many voices.
Thy touch has awakened my heart. Thine eyes have opened mine eyes.
Thy glory has kindled the glory in me.
Master of Masters, I have longed, yea, yearned for this happy hour, when I should stand in Thy holy presence.
At last, it has been granted unto me.

I am happy. I am peaceful, peaceful as the bottom of a deep, blue lake. I am calm, calm as the snow-clad mountain-top above the storm clouds.
I have longed for this hour; it has come.
I shall follow humbly in Thy footsteps along that path
which Thy holy feet have trodden. I shall humbly serve the world, the world for which
Thou hast suffered, sacrificed and toiled. I shall bring that peace into the world. I have longed for this happy hour; it has come.

Thine image is in mine heart.
Thy compassion is burning in me.
Thy wisdom guides me.
Thy peace enlightens me.
Thy tenderness has given me the power to sacrifice.
Thy love has given me energy.
Thy glory pervades my entire being.

I have yearned for this hour; it has come, in all the
splendour of a glorious spring. I am as young as the youngest. I am as old as the oldest.
I am happy as a blind lover, for I have found my love. I have seen.
I can never be blind, though a thousand years pass. I have seen Thy divine face everywhere, in the stone, in the blade of grass, in the giant pines of the forest,
in the reptile, in the Hon, in the criminal, in the saint. I have longed for this magnificent moment; it came and

I have grasped it.
I have stood in Thy presence.
I have seen the splendour of Thy face.
I prostrate at Thy sacred feet.
I kiss the hem of Thy garment.

Thanks a lot for visiting and for your time in reading! 🙏💖🙏

Stupidity: Humanity in Reverse Function!

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Jacek Lipowczan – “Crazy World”

With a warm greeting to all my friends, I didn’t want to keep writing critical articles repeatedly, although I see no way to look away from all these terrible happenings around me, and around you all, for sure.

Although this topic is quite old—one that Al and I came across in our youth as we distanced ourselves from the masses—we initially believed it was a characteristic of the Third World due to inadequate education systems. However, later observing in the West, we realised it is very common there as well. Therefore, I decided to analyse it, at least for my own understanding, to explore how it might be possible:

As I observe the world and its phenomena, I repeatedly notice the absence of consideration, recklessness, and ignorance shown by many people, and above all, the lack of individuality.

It is not a matter of living in the third world, which we might argue is due to poor education or oppressive rulers! That already happens in the free world!

I think people are getting lazier, aiming for a more comfortable life without the stress of thinking, decision-making, or solitude, which leads to a loss of their individuality. As AI advances, the significance of the self-mind diminishes; the artificial mind assumes creative functions, rendering learning unnecessary.

They often prefer to be part of a crowd that takes them somewhere, no matter the outcome. This reduces the need to use the mind, enabling everyone to enjoy life effortlessly and without deep understanding; making judgments becomes simpler.

I’ve often met people with such judgments; they use these to solve problems that require thought or research to discover the truth, and then they feel proud of their ingenuity.

In this chaos, a deep examination of issues quickly leads to dismissal, labelling as an outsider and a foreigner, and, subsequently, isolation.

Benjamin Franklin’s expression is quite adept: “We are all born ignorant, but one must work hard to remain stupid.”!

The main profit, naturally, goes to the politician. Populism comes to the fore; the bigger the mouth and the louder the voice, the more it draws the crowds, because there is a greater resemblance among them; the stupid always gravitate towards the same type!

I am witnessing the severe turmoil in Iran. The son of Iran’s late Shah, echoing President Trump, urged people to protest against the Mullahs’ regime. “We are coming!” they both declared. Many took to the streets, risking their lives, and thousands have lost their lives. Yet, no one has offered them support. Now, helping the Iranian people is forgotten, as President Trump proudly discusses a deal with the murderous regime!!

One no longer faces the agony of decision – no more being spoiled for choice! They lose their individuality and dreams. Imagination wanes, and visions grow shallow. And those who manage to protect their minds from such propaganda and attempt to stay aware of their own thoughts will be marginalised and become outsiders.

The loneliness began with the experiences of my early dreams, and reached its climax at the time I was working on the unconscious.
If a man knows more than others, he becomes lonely.
But loneliness is not necessarily inimical to companionship, for no one is more sensitive to companionship than the lonely man, and companionship thrives only when each individual remembers his individuality and does not identify himself with others.
~Carl Jung, MDR, Pages 355-356

carljungdepthpsychologysite

In this video, the narrator references Carlo M. Cipolla‘s ideas on stupidity and on people deemed stupid. This seems to serve as an overall summary.

“Stupidity is an indiscriminate privilege of all human groups and is uniformly distributed according to a constant proportion.” And, “non-stupid individuals underestimate the potential for damage by stupid people and fail to recognise the cost of dealing with them.”
~Carlo M. Cipolla

“The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits”!! ~Albert Einstein

I must admit that I am at least pleased to be here, among such wonderful friends, who give me hope for a better future for humanity! Take care and stay vigilant.🙏✌️