I start this post with a relevant question: Can one confidently say that with the increase of scientific and technological knowledge we are getting closer to wisdom?

As Bertrand Russell writes in his short essay Knowledge and Wisdom, purposeful knowledge without the prudence of wisdom can lead, inadvertently, toward a final, and perhaps not desired, outcome that one can call ‘evil’.

Russell further states that if we as a progressive world wish to avoid evil actions because of our thirst for knowledge, we would do well to also impart the teaching of wisdom, and to encourage everyone to embrace open-mindedness and impartiality in their use of this knowledge.

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The images of the unconscious place a great responsibility upon a man. Failure to understand them or a shrinking of ethical responsibility deprives him of his wholeness and imposes a painful fragmentariness on his life.) In The World Within, this idea is explored as we are given a glimpse inside Jung s Red Book, the diary in which he described his dreams and fantasies. In addition, he recorded these unconscious images with colorful paintings which appear throughout the film, along with his reflections upon their possible meaning. These are the creations, as Jung comments, which have carried me out of time into seclusion, out of the present into timelessness. Also included in The World Within is rarely seen footage of Jung himself interviewed in Switzerland. He talks at length about his work on dreams, memory, archetypal figures and the importance of ritual and fantasy.

 
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Listen, Little Man! is a great physician’s quiet talk to each one of us, the average human being, the Little Man. Written in 1946 in answer to the gossip and defamation that plagued his remarkable career, it tells how Reich watched, at first naively, then with amazement, and finally with horror, at what the Little Man does to himself; how he suffers and rebels; how he esteems his enemies and murders his friends; how, wherever he gains power as a “representative of the people,” he misuses this power and makes it crueler than the power it has supplanted.

Reich has us to look honestly at ourselves and to assume responsibility for our lives and for the great untapped potential that lies in the depth of human nature.

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The following describes the ancient art of ‘Alchemy’ (from which the word “chemistry” was derived):

Alchemy is an ancient tradition, the primary objective of which was the creation of the mythical “philosopher’s stone,” which was said to be capable of turning base metals into gold or silver, and also act as an elixir of life that would confer youth and immortality upon its user. As practiced historically, alchemy can be viewed as a protoscience, a precursor to modern chemistry, having provided procedures, equipment, and terminology that are still in use. However, alchemy also included various non-scientific mythological, religious, and spiritual concepts, theories and practices.

History

You may well ask yourself, “How does the practice of alchemy relate to oneself?”

Well, before I try to answer that question, many alchemists have attempted and failed to achieve this so-called “philosopher’s stone”, whilst some have claimed to have discovered this elusive magical solution.

But in most cases, these stories (or myths) have been mostly put down to con artists who dabbled in the occult and alchemy so to get rich off gullible Kings who in turn thought that they would become even wealthier than they already were.

However, whatever the truth may have been regarding the history (or legend) of the alchemist’s ambition of transmuting lead into gold, there lies a more than allegorical meaning that we can apply to ourselves in terms of developing our own spiritual, mental and physical lives.

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Why is silence so frowned upon, either at work or at home? “What could be the matter?” they all ask, whereas all I wish is to be left alone to my own peaceful thoughts.

My mind when disturbed responds by saying, “There is nothing wrong.”

“All we want is not to participate in idle gossip or mindless chatter.”

“Space and silence is all we need at this particular time.”

Strangely, people are quite happy spreading mischievous rumours about an innocent soul, but they seem rather perturbed by one being silent in their presence.

Why do people suffer from “uncomfortable silences”?

Why should silences be uncomfortable?

Silence is blissful to me, and most comfortable.

Don’t they realise by me entering their world of superfluous communication I am neglecting what is most important to me – and that is self-introspection.

Self-introspection is what makes me feel at ease with being in my own company.  I neither feel alone nor have an empty void to fill by talking. Read more…