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Maggie's avatar

Wonderful! Thank you for the reminder.

I have been reading Jung The Four Archetypes, which you suggested and it’s great. As always I tend to think in terms of historical context. Jung wrote on these archetypes well before DNA was discovered as you mention in your article, so I wondered if he attributes anything of the human psyche to “genetics” and he does but interestingly he refers to the “pre conscious psychic predisposition” of a child to “hereditary and is already present in the germ-plasm”. (P. 11) I imagine what he called “germ-plasm” we now know as DNA. But interestingly, along the lines of epigenetics, Jung proposed that the psychic predisposition is truly determined when it becomes conscious and “therefore filled out with the material of conscious experience”. (p. 12) Genetics does not necessarily determine our consciousness nor our conscious experience. I believe if Jung were alive today he would have definitely done more research using epigenetics for his psychologicical theories and methods. After all, Jung argues that “everything depends on the development of consciousness”, which is “liberation from imprisonment in ‘unconsciousness’ and therefore a bringer of light as well as of healing”. (p. 179) And that is the goal; light & healing. Which begs the question; can any human ever be totally “healed” and in the light? If not, why not? Are there outside forces who want humans to be “unconscious”? If healed then are they then totally free & in bliss? I think it’s absolutely possible to be healed, in the light and free. Thank you for suggesting such a great book!

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