Religion and The Collective Unconscious

Psychoanalyst Carl Jung, who lived from 1875 until 1961, was one of the most influential theorists in the psychology of religion. Jung believed that humans were essentially religious in nature and that all human emotional problems were essentially religious and spiritual problems. Our minds, according to Jung, are based upon the "collective unconscious" which is the memory of the history of our species. Thus I remember not only my family (personal unconscious) but also all the generations of families and events my ancestors experienced (collective unconscious). These ancestral memories come into my mind during dreams and may be interpreted and consciously experienced through an understanding of dream symbols. According to Jung, emotional problems develop when we do not appreciate and embrace this collective unconscious.

This may sound a little crazy to us, but it should be understood that many people have accepted Jung's ideas. His writings have been influential in psychology and psychiatry. They have also been important to art, anthropology, theology, and philosophy. There used to be a study center on Jungian theory in Grosse Pointe. I do not know if it is still there; it has been years since I visited it. If it is still there, it is worth a visit. I, personally. do not buy into Jung's theory, but it is certainly worth taking a look at.