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矿然你好 and hello, welcome to the Chewy Journal Podcast. I'm your host, Camille Liang. Following the advice of one of my online mentors, who encouraged people to dive deep into impactful books referred to as earthquake books, those that have the capacity to shake our perspectives and unlock new insights.
One of the books that has this power is Carl Jung's profound works. My friend Tom Morgan extensively covered Carl Jung in his newsletter, exploring diverse perspectives of the psychologist's works. In the Rachman Day's book, Catafalque by Peter Kinsley, Carl Jung is referred to as a prophet,
Tom's explanation of Jung's idea returns significant value.
particularly in addressing the delicate balance between reason and meaning. Incomplete reasoning becomes a barrier to our connection with higher wisdom, hindering our grasp of life's essence. The emergence of new prophets even confines two individuals. Rather, it looks like a group of visionaries coming together.
With a diverse background and a wealth of experience, those prophets share a common goal: the pursuit of wisdom and meaning, applying those insights to address the challenges of today's world. Their strength lies in embracing diversity, fostering an open-minded approach, and tapping into the specialized knowledge within their respective domains.
by learning together and cooperating, they create a comprehensive and holistic wisdom. As I explore Ko Yang's works, certain sections of his books have left a lasting mark on how I perceive things, resonating deeply with my own journey. I'd like to share a couple of takeaways from reading Ko Yang's work in this podcast. 1. In Yang's biography,
There are accounts of possible psychic phenomena and claims of the ability to predict the future. For instance, it was suggested that during arguments with Sigmund Freud, Jung had the power to cause Freud's bookcase to explode. Additionally, Jung reportedly predicted events such as the onsite of World War I and the deaths of people around him.
In my own experience, I've noticed an interesting correlation. Whenever I dream of losing all my teeth, someone in my circle tends to pass away. Furthermore, in October last year, I discovered a new ability similar to Pikachu's, which allows me to manipulate electricity and power connection.
During that week, I accidentally causing an elevator to malfunction by touching it and at the same time experienced the malfunction with my dishwasher, juice shaker and wifi. 2. Jung's concept of synchronicity suggests that there are no such a thing as a coincidence. Everything is a meaningful signal for you.
You should use your body as a medium to be attentive to signals from both inner and outside world. In my case, last year, a friend visited me in Lisbon after coming from Basel, Switzerland, sharing stories about Rudolf Steiner and experience at the Götterlund.
Shortly after, I had coffee with the young lady I met early last year in Singapore, now living nearby in Lisbon. Surprisingly, she knew my friend and they both had been to Basel at the same time. A couple of days later at my gym, I met a guy from Basel who recommended me to visit the Gothenham.
We later found out on Instagram that he and the girl from Singapore were classmates. While in Bologna traveling with my friend Monica, I played a song randomly on my phone. And within 5 seconds, Monica recognized this song. It happened to be the guitar piece her Italian boyfriend had played for her just 2 days earlier. At dinner,
Monica asked me about a specific book and coincidentally I had ordered it just a few hours ago. Last year, my psychic friend advised me to be mindful of red-haired Irish people. Before that, I had no Irish friends at all, let alone red-haired ones. Surprisingly, following her guidance, four red-haired Irish people entered in my life. Mighty coincidence happened and the list could keep going.
3. Jung's fascination with Nietzsche persisted from his early exposure to Nietzsche's idea as a student from Basel to his influential role in the psychoanalytic movement. Through this journey, Jung not only extensively read Nietzsche, but also engaged in a continuous dialogue, gradually shaping and involving his own thoughts in response to Nietzsche's work.
In his biography, Memories, Dreams, Reflections, Jung highlights his deep connection to Nietzsche, going so far as to link Nietzsche to the fundamental task he perceived as the center to his life's work. I would recommend waiting until the age of 25 once your prefrontal cortex has matured before diving into Nietzsche's works.
Reflecting on my intriguing connection with Nietzsche during my visit to Leipzig, I've noted a pattern where individuals associated with him so deeply tend to either lose their mind or go mad or to a tragic ending. Therefore, it is advisable to approach his work with caution. As Nietzsche mentioned, be aware that
When fighting monsters, you yourself do not become monster. For when you gaze long into the abyss, the abyss gazes also into you. 4. Since my trip to Germany last year, I've noticed that my approach to handling visions and dreams oddly mirrors Jung's methods. Starting from an initial sense of fear and resistance,
I now confront them with courage. What message do these seemingly random visions and dreams aim to convey? Perhaps later in my life, I can peacefully coexist with them or even gain a complete understanding about inspiring me to write my own version of the Red Book. 5. Ko Yang mentioned that all of his works are tasks imposed by his inner self.
steaming from a compelling sense of destiny. The inner landscapes he explores in his writing emerge from questions posed by his own psyche. This spiritual force moves him and he allows it to express itself freely. Jung never expected his works to invoke such strong reactions or passionate responses.
They act as a response to the current age, urging him to convince truth that others are reluctant to acknowledge. Consequently, he often experiences loneliness. He recognizes that his world could be unsettling, indicating a necessity for a counterbalance in the conscious world that modern individuals struggle to embrace. I completely agree.
Writing has never been a tough or challenging task for me. It simply flows naturally as I express my emotions and review my inner world. Just like all the newsletters you are reading, it unfolds smoothly and effortlessly. I don't expect every reader to fully understand my thoughts.
but I feel compelled to write because it helps me to release and cope with my inner struggles. 6. In his later years, Ko Yang explored Buddhism to some thrust and the renowned ancient Chinese classic "Yi Jing" , acknowledging the divine power of the mandala
This brought back memories of my school days when I went by the name Mandala. At that time, I mistakenly thought it meant "Heian gavala flower" due to the misinformation on an old online forum. Later, under the guidance of my English teacher, I discovered Mandala is a term used in Buddhism and not commonly used as a personal name.
Therefore, I changed my name to Chameleon. Interestingly, during my first Ayahuasca experience in Portugal, I actually saw the Hinangbana flower at the retreat center for the first time in my life. In that moment, it feels like many things are mysteriously coming together in a harmonious way.
Jung frequently mentions in his biography the powerful meaning of the mandala, representing the wholeness of the individual psyche and the process of self-realization. This intricate and symbolically rich pattern typically appears at the combination of geometric shapes and symbols.
reflecting the latent psychological structures and others we see in an individual. Each mandala drawn by a people is unique, showcasing individual experience, values, and state of mind. Drawing and analyzing mandalas have become a tool for self-awareness and personal growth. 8. According to I Ching,
The Tao's path involves the interplay of opposites symbolized by yin and yang, reflecting the constant changes in the world, shifts between assertiveness and receptivity . Yang skillfully depicts the dual aspects of personality using archetypes like anima , shadow and persona.
The anima represents the feminine side within males, while the animus embodies the masculine side within females. This corresponds to the persona, adaptation to societal norms, and the shadow, unconscious desires.
Based on the previous notions, Jung creates a personality framework aligned with Yin and Yang, stressing the importance of exploring the unconscious. Integrating the unconscious into one's consciousness is essential for achieving an authentic and whole sense of self, a process Jung named individuation. 9. In Jung's biography,
He remembered a case where a patient declared, "I'm identical with evil. I'm evil itself." Yong observed the patient's dangerous behavior and instructed not to leave her alone. One day, the patient asked a nurse to bring a hot water bottle, and the moment the nurse stepped out, she jumped out of the window, leading to her suicide. When Yong saw her lifeless body,
He couldn't forget the triumphant look on her face. After she jumped out of the window, that evil expression stayed on her face. Life meant nothing to her. She was okay with sacrificing herself as a son of evil. This story makes me think of how many people connect to who they are with labels put on them by others.
to fit those labels. They do things that don't match who they really are, giving in to society's expectations. For example, someone might go after a job that pays well but later find out it doesn't make them happy. Even though they are unhappy, they might keep going because they are attached to those labels.
On social media, people might show a perfect life, but deep down they feel alone and lost. By hiding their true selves, they find it hard to connect with others. Without enough life experience, a gift presented to you as a profound truth can't be fully embraced. Many concepts and truths require a deep understanding that comes only with a certain level of awareness
This doesn't mean older individuals are inherently more advantaged than the young. Time and growth are connected. But not Corseli. During my younger years, I brushed off my grandparents' teaching as dull and didn't give them the attention they deserved. It wasn't until moments several years after their passing
that I deeply regretted not taking their lessons more seriously. However, the insights prompted by this realization can no longer be shared with them. Transmitting wisdom to further generations proves to be a challenging task. Therefore, it is crucial to record and preserve something for future generations.
creating an avenue for communication with both the future and those who have passed away. A decade ago, I saw Yang as a Wu-Wu fraud. Now, I am eager to transcribe every word he wrote, gratefully for the abundant gift of fate Yang has once again brought into my life. Here are a few quotes from him I'd like to share with you.
There is a mystical fall in me that proved to be stronger than all my signs. Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate. Your vision will become clear only when you can look into your own heart. Who looks outside dreams, who looks inside awakes.
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