Carl Gustav Jung

Dreamer, aspirant, brilliant psychologist and yet for all that he wasn't too sorted out that there's no hope for the rest of us... He took the dry, and let's face it, slightly perverse psychology of Freud, and added the sparkle of stardust to the dusty shell.

The trouble with Freud's approach was that, though he pioneered to concept of the subconscious his psychology was in many way pretty pessimistic. Most people know Freud for his theory that suppressed sexual desires and tensions are the cause of psychological problems. That may well be in many cases - but Jung added what was right about the psyche, how it could take wings and fly, what it needed to fulfil itself. For sure, he let some of his theories run away with him - but Jungian psychology is so much more about development than what's wrong...

"That is why I speak chiefly of inner experiences, amongst which I include my dreams and visions. These form the prima materia of my scientific work. They were the fiery magma out of which the stone that had to be worked was crystallised"

C.G.Jung, (1875-1961) Memories, Dreams, Reflections, Fontana Press

Another Carl Jung page with references