Through a Jungian Lens

James Hillman -- author of the "Soul's Code"

James Hillman died yestday at the age of 85. I have quite a few of his books on my shelves back in Canada and have found them to be interesting and challenging and worthy of remaining in my collection of books that curiously is smaller than it was a decade ago. As most of my readers likely already know, Hillman is a Jungian, or should I say a post-Jungian who has added his own touch to the world of psychology. I took this photo from another website, from “Soul’s Code” which is named after one of Hillman’s more famous books.

This morning, moments before heading to teach my university classes for the day, a funeral procession passed in front of my apartment building, a procession that dated to a time centuries before Christianity, a religious practice that most in the western world would call pagan because of its roots in ancient folk customs. I found this quite synchronistic and appropriate as Hillman advocated a return to paganism, a return to the gods and goddesses of our archetypal past. In Hillman’s opinion, the gods never left, they are still here on the earth ready to be taken back into our awareness.  As he stated in one of his presentations, they are even to be found standing on the corner of the street waiting to cross.

I am attempting to bring you James Hillman here via YouTube, one of a number of such videos that were produced as Hillman spoke about the Mythic Journey. I am glad that I was able to have had Hillman’s words and ideas become part of my process on my own journey.

Thank you, Dr. Hillman.