Seeing Through the Visible World: Jung, Gnosis, and Chaos

I was particularly impressed by the part of the book which talked about fragmentation. I'm 60 years old now and the concept of self-help is only quaint in my own case, after seeing what THE POLITICS OF IRONY: ESSAYS IN SELF-BETRAYAL by Conrad and Seery could teach me about comedians of the ascetic ideal, who loom larger in the comic world of American alter egos than a Jungian view of discovering ancient powers will ever be. Applying the solidly scientific insights contained in this book to individual feelings about the powers which want to break through into our lives is such piffle after realizing how much the entire political system depends on the belief that we are about to have a cakewalk, and the big winner will soon be occupying a white house in Washington, D.C. and torturing those who don't agree that America is good, better, and bestest. If the United States of America is the name of a super power in the visible world, fragmentation into parties that would like to cut and run, keep others out, and continue having a cakewalk all at the same time reminds me of Richard Nixon talking about peace with honor in 1968, only to turn around and sign an agreement in Paris in January, 1973, that said prisoners should not be tortured. How could the U.S. ever sign such a sham statement?

Jungian analyst June Singer gives us in this book a perspective of the spiritual paths open for us in the times we live. She links these spiritual paths, through the point of view of Jung's analytic psychology, to some of the most original religious practices in christianity, namely the gnostics, but also to scientific knowledge and rational values. The aim of the book is ambitious, since the author wants to present study and knowledge, but also self-study and self-knowledge, as a whole, as doorways which can lead us, if we are not blind to the possibilities open before us, to connect spirit and reason, unconscious and intellect. Although the book is addressed to "modern women", the author does not really write about women, but her advice can be used by any person, man or woman, which is alright for me. In the realm of the spirit we won't find the superficial gender distinction. And this realm the author urges us to enter through our ordinary daily activities and routines, through or usual studies and pursues, commiting ourselves to look at them from different points of view so that we see further than what only our senses tell us. She urges us to make this commitment in order to learn about the world, about ourselves, about the spirit... and thus change the world. Study, spirit, self-knowledge as a militancy. According to the gnostics, the greatest sin is ignorance.