Jung the Mystic

This seminal new biography fills a gap in our understanding of the pioneering psychologist by evaluating the occult and mystical aspects of Jung's thought and career. Although he is often called the 'founding father of the New Age,' Carl Jung, the legendary Swiss psychiatrist best known for his groundbreaking concepts such as the collective unconscious, archetype theory, and synchronicity, often took pains to avoid any explicit association with mysticism or the occult. Yet Jung lived a life rich in paranormal experiences - arguing for the existence of poltergeists in a debate with Sigmund Freud, participating in seances, incorporating astrology into his therapeutic work, reporting a near-death experience, and analyzing ESP research. It is these critical experiences - often fleetingly touched on in other biographies or studies, and just as frequently used to make a case against Jung and his philosophies - that form the core of this significant new biography.