Carl Jung’s Most Unsettling Path to Self-enlightenment

The most terrifying truth from an influential psychologist.

Thomas Oppong

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Photo by JoelValve on Unsplash

Facing your soul is terrifying. Looking into the parts of ourselves we’d rather not see takes courage. The truth is difficult to handle, so most people distract themselves. Influential psychiatrist, psychotherapist, and psychologist Carl Jung notes people do anything to avoid looking into their fears, guilt, pain, weaknesses and dark behaviours.

“There is no coming to consciousness without pain. People will do anything, no matter how absurd, in order to avoid facing their own souls. One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light, but by making the darkness conscious,” he said.

Everything you’ve tried to bury is a clue to self-awareness, self-enlightenment, and integrating all of yourself. But facing our real truth is hard, so we avoid it. We find distractions, even absurd ones, to avoid that quiet time when we might have to look inward. It’s easier to stay busy than to confront our past pain or question our choices.

But the unsettling truth is that the longer we avoid it, the more power our unconscious self gains to control the direction of our lives.

“The most terrifying thing is to accept oneself completely.”― Carl Jung

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Thomas Oppong

Making the wisdom of great thinkers instantly accessible. As seen on Forbes, Inc. and Business Insider. For my popular essays, go here: https://thomasoppong.com