Imagination is Reality: Western Nirvana in Jung, Hillman, Barfield and Cassirer

by Roberts Avens

Long unavailable, Imagination is Reality is the first comprehensive work to place archetypal psychology within a major tradition of modern thought, that of mythical thinking, and to recognize imagination as the primal force and basic reality of human existence. By drawing upon the writings of four twentieth-century thinkers (Jung, Hillman, Barfield, and Cassirer), Roberts Avens clarifies the post-Jungian direction of psychology as it moves toward poetic and polytheistic imagination. He then compares the radical achievements of this direction in resolving the "ego-question" with the methods and ideas of the East: Buddhism, Tantrism, Zen, and Vedanta. The author's grasp of understanding, easy familiarity with this subject, and startling insights together make this book both an introductory text and an advance into new territory.

Genres: Psychology, Spirituality, Philosophy

103 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2003

Reviews

[Gerbik · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a very problematic book. First off, it neglects to establish a coherent terminology, and this is a classic difficulty of Jungian theory. Trying to distinguish between self, soul, psyche, and mind becomes difficult. Nonetheless, there IS a way to do it, and there are books by James Hillman that work out the terminology in a very insightful way. This book deals to a woeful degree in abstractions and entirely neglects the very practical aspect of Buddhist meditation. By generalizing about Western v. Eastern cultural baggage and tendencies, this book almost instantly negates its credibility: to assume that "a Westerner" is inherently unable to adapt to "an Eastern cultural practice" such as meditation due to the dominance of "modern society's neurotic tendencies," is to throw throw the baby out with the bath-water, as they say. This book could be a decent introduction to east/west cultural transmissions and to Jung in general, but it is often flawed to a serious degree due to a lack of pragmatic flair and a preponderance of generalizations.

[Jonatan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cuando leí los libros de Tom Cheetham sobre James Hillman intuí una gran semejanza entre el psicólogo americano post-junguiano y el budismo zen. Pues bien, este libro es básicamente un estudio comparativo entre Hillman y el zen, argumentando que el satori del zen o la vacuidad madhyamika coinciden con el mundo imaginal irreductible como base de la realidad de Hillman. Me he alegrado mucho mientras leía al ver que todas mis intuiciones eran correctas.

A pesar de que el libro menciona a Cassirer o a Jung o el budismo tibetano, en su mayor parte es sobre Hillman y el zen. También funciona como introducción tanto a uno como a otro.

Gran trabajo por parte de Avens. 5 estrellas.

[Elan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting yet dense and difficult read. Great quotes and illuminating passages scattered do help it along.

[wayne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am still looking to find a way to read this book on my iPad mini!

[wayne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Imagination is reality