Martialworks

Carl Jung was quite the guy, his ‘psychology of the unconscious’ is most palatable; the recognition of the infancy of psychological science could be the single greatest event, in his considerable contribution to this field. With some understanding of the differences in the two main branches at the root of the psychological sciences: Freud’s psychoanalysis and Jung’s analytical psychology – one comes up against a timely anomaly.

Jung’s great contribution to the science of the workings of the human mind are attributed to his emphasis upon the importance of the unconscious; Jung’s approach was counter poised to the Freudian focus on the physical being and ego. One might say: “Jung gave psychology its’ independence and Freud prioritized judgment”.

Through no small circumstance did this occur, born of inanimate science – the Western medical model was that which Freud pandered too; through Jung’s explorations within the depths of the human psyche he sought – the unifying human experience, and this in an era of spiritual upheaval – in this quest Jung ran out of words, his psychology was closer to the spirit of life.

To quote Carl Jung:

“The living spirit grows and even outgrows its’ earlier forms of expression; it freely chooses the men in whom it lives and who proclaim it. This living spirit is eternally renewed and pursues its goal in manifold and inconceivable ways throughout the history of mankind. Measured against it, the names and forms which men have given it mean little enough; they are only the changing leaves and blossoms on the stem of the eternal tree.”

from MODERN MAN IN SEARCH OF A SOUL

Surely, it is the energetic understanding cultivated in the practice of martial arts – this Chi Kung, that brings us to a place where we can recognize the constant movement between and contrasting demands of the anima (soul) & animus (spirit) of the human psyche; and that these aspects of our being require balancing in the physical realm. If we but stop to consider man’s current impact on his surroundings – the missing piece must be our practice – the stem on the eternal tree.

Our conscious and unconscious physical exertions within the practice of Kung Fu purge us of this division – the continual vacillation in our minds, the waves of expansion and contraction of our being.

This simple and outwardly primitive fact must be very important, and of ever increasing importance. In a world that places such great precedence on the conscious realm; the best counter, or surest source of respite from the external vagaries of life are held in your practice.

A rootedness, opposed to the cleverness that surrounds – rather the placement of a common and practical standard to all human intelligence – one which includes bodily intelligence; here language disappears and we enter what for many is a long neglected and most necessary aspect of being:

“find a good teacher & get on with the Kung Fu”.