Work in progress

I am a work in progress and so are we all. At least, theoretically. According to Jung, searching for the Self is a life-long mission, up to the very end. In his view, the Self is not some entity, something you can eventually find and say “Gotcha!”. Rather it’s the whole process - “to become who I am, who I can be, and who I have never been”.

Jung's house on Lake Zurich

In Jungian theory, the first half of one’s life is devoted to developing the ego and finding your place in the world - build a career, raise a family, buy a house, etc. Once you’ve accomplished that, in your second half of life you are free and indeed you should concern yourself more with matters of the Self. This includes looking into and incorporating your dark side, finding your meaning in life, your place in the Universe, etc.

The pleasure of smoking a cigarette on the shore where Jung used to smoke his pipe

As one Jungian analyst put it, the second half of life is circular, it circles around the self. To be honest, my life seems to be circling around airports lately. As I was writing two months ago, my children offered me a trip to Zurich for my birthday to visit places like the C.G.Jung Museum in Kusnacht or the Institute that bears his name. Sort of a pilgrimage which also included a visit to Jung’s tomb. Everything went as planned so I’m happy to say my dream came true.

The odd thing is that one year ago I had no such dream. Frankly, I believed Jung to be too difficult to read, as I had tried reading him before. Also, I had no idea a place called Kusnacht (right outside Zurich) even existed. To my distressingly rational mind, it sounds silly to talk about a “dream”, but it is also proof that I am pursuing my journey. I am not the person I was one year ago. I have changed and what’s more important - all this reading and studying makes me happy. There’s this constant feeling of awe, which indicates I’m doing the right thing. At least, for me. As Jung puts it, you have to find your own path.

Before the trip I was curious how it would feel, to be there, in the house where Jung lived for some six decades or at the Institute where all important jungian analysts went to study. It felt Right. That’s the best word I can find to describe the experience. It felt right that I should be there. Also, it sort of made everything I’ve been doing lately Real. I’m not some crazy old lady pretending to study analytical psychology. I’m a crazy old lady who actually studies analytical psychology.

C.G.Jung Institute in Kusnacht, also on Lake Zurich

As part of the trip, I went to a seminar at the C.G. Jung Institute. I already knew the professor from the online course I’m taking and had heard some of the ideas in her class. That’s not important. What mattered was being physically there in that building and attending a seminar. I don’t know how many actual students were in attendance, as it was a public event and most participants were middle-aged people like me. It was good to be there as now I know how it feels.
It was an interesting experience as it did a lot to dispel the notion that I might be taking an intensive course there. I already had doubts about that as it costs a lot, but now I got a chance to get a realistic estimate of the (prohibitive) cost of living for a few weeks in a place like Zurich. In 2023, Zurich was rated as the most expensive city in the world, sharing first place with Singapore. (Quick mental note - don’t go to Singapore!)
Basically, it’s a lot of money to get a piece of paper that does not allow you to call yourself an analyst!
At the same time, it became quite clear that I can find the same knowledge in books and online. All senior professors at the Institute are indeed…seniors, with many books published and plenty of resources available. I will keep an eye on their online events though.

My overall impression of Zurich and its surroundings? Boring. I wish I could find another word, but it is a boring place. On the other hand, this may have been what prompted Jung to delve into the unconscious and try to decipher the mysteries of the human soul. You can easily imagine him sitting on the lake shore and thinking: “There must be more to life than… this!”

What’s next for me? Studying a bit more, I still have a few months left of the course. And, of course, finding a way to put it to good use.

I wish I had more photos to share, but there were no pictures allowed inside the Jung Museum. Part of the family still lives there. At least they allow visitors once a week, which is not the case with Jung’s tower at Bollingen on the other side of lake Zurich.

Thanks for reading