Carl Jung's The Red Book

~ reflections on a reading of Jung's The Red Book ~

with Mike Wilson

After his separation from Freud, in 1913, Jung entered an intense period of self-enquiry which he referred to as the “confrontation with the unconscious.” An important aspect of this process was that he engaged in emotionally charged fantasies while in a waking state, then attempted to understand their signifance in relation to his life. He later called this inner exploration the method and process of "active imagination". Some years later he wrote:

“The years … when I pursued the inner images, were the most important time of my life. Everything else is to be derived from this. It began at that time, and the later details hardly matter anymore. My entire life consisted in elaborating what had burst forth from the unconscious and flooded me like an enigmatic stream and threatened to break me. That was the stuff and material for more than only one life. Everything later was merely the outer classification, the scientific elaboration, and the integration into life. But the numinous beginning, which contained everything, was then.” (from Memories, Dreams, Reflections)

Jung's Red Book, or Liber Novus (New Book) was created between 1914 and 1930 and contains the core of his later works, though remained unpublished until October 2009. Its publication, nearly 50 years after Jung's death, opens a new and important era in the understanding of Jung's life and work.

This meeting is an opportunity to discuss and explore some of the many themes of The Red Book including the individuation process, the importance of the numinous, and the method of active imagination. Preparation for the day is Chapter 6 of Carl Jung's Memories, Dreams, Reflections  (Flamingo: 1995)

Also, an in-depth article from the New York Times can be read by visiting this link

EDINBURGH DATE: Saturday 13th March 2010
TIMES: 10am to 1.00pm, 2.00pm to 4.00pm
VENUE: The Theosophical Society, 28 Great King Street, Edinburgh, EH3 6QH [Map]
BOOKING: Donation of £6 towards hire of space and cost of refreshments. Booking address is on the homepage.

This day of reflection is now full. Please register your wish to be notified of future events by emailing Mike Wilson.