The Two Million-Year-Old Self (Carolyn and Ernest Fay Series in Analytical Psychology) Hardcover – November, 1993

Carolyn and Ernest Fay Series in Analytical Psychology

by Anthony Stevens

With the evolution of human consciousness, nature has finally become conscious of itself. It has taken eons of time, this lumbering progress through the minds of reptiles, mammals, and primates, and it is still working out its purpose in the archetypes of the collective unconscious encoded in the most ancient parts of the human brain. The recent evolutionary history of our species, which Jung personified as "the two million-year-old human being in us all," is still active in our dreams, myths, psychiatric symptoms, traditional healing practices, and typical patterns of behavior. Through a wide-ranging review of developments in anthropology, ethology, sociobiology, neuroscience, psycholinguistics, and Jungian psychology, Anthony Stevens explores the nature of the two million-year-old self and examines ways in which the contemporary world both fulfills and frustrates its basic needs and intentions. Drawing on his experience as an analyst, Stevens evokes dreams and psychiatry to reveal a compelling and challenging view of the two million-year-old Self as embodying no less than the will of nature. By granting close attention to nature's mind, Stevens argues, we not only further personal wholeness but also help redress the gross imbalances of our culture, which are threatening the destruction of the earth. For the ecologically concerned, this book offers a dramatic new perspective on our future relations with our planet.

Genres: Psychology, Nonfiction, Psychoanalysis, History, Mythology, Anthropology

Unknown Binding

First published January 1, 1993

About the author

Anthony Stevens is a well known Jungian analyst and psychiatrist who has written extensively on psychotherapy and psychology.

Stevens has two degrees in psychology and a doctorate in medicine from Oxford University. He studied for a time under John Bowlby. He is a member of the Royal College of Psychiatrists and the Independent Group of Analytical Psychologists. He lectures regularly in the United Kingdom, the United States, Switzerland and elsewhere.

Stevens is the author or co-author of many books and articles on psychology, evolutionary psychiatry, Jungian analysis and the significance of archetypal imagery.

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

Reviews

[Aaron Schuschu · Rating 3 out of 5]

Everything annoying about the pet topics of educated liberals in the 90’s, but I can’t say it wasn’t an influence.

[Birl Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

The purpose of life is the fullest possible realization of the archetypal program, revealed to us in dreams. Individuation is the realization of this program as consciously as possible.

[Nuey Thepyasuwan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting book that I’ll have to reread to better understand its ideas. This book interprets psychopathology and its chaotic expression as the stunting and blocking of archetypal human development.

What is archetype? And what is its development? I’m not definitely sure but from my understanding archetype is the biological expression and development of mind. No doubt we are each unique human individuals, but also we are each only unique instantiations of a generic process that has occurred and refined itself over tens of thousands and millions of years. That is, psychological evolution is dependent on and an expression of biological evolution.

I need ruminate and think this over. I’ll add more later. This is a worthwhile read though that fills in a bit more of the puzzle of what it means to be a human.

[Alexandru Butunoi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think it's a good introduction for Jung in general. The downside, in my opinion is that it makes big claims like the solution for depression is just the reestablish the connection between the conscious and collective unconscious or that alternate medicine is as good as modern medicine without explicitly showing evidence. To be clear, I liked the book and I recommend it to anyone, I just thing that the author is a bit arrogant, thinking that his discipline is the best and others are complementary.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

A clear and concise description of how Jungian use of Archetypes can assist us in finding and achieving our goal in life by better understanding the needs of the two million-year-old self.

[ReConnect · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must Read .. It’s healing to read like this !

[Nicholas · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is quite a short book that mainly deals with the concept of the archetypes.The author traces what he believes to be the origins of the system of archetypes,and then builds up to an exposition of their use in Jungian psychoanalysis.The two million-year old self in question is the paleolithic stratum of the triune brain system ,which he reckons houses our own internal healer,which the analyst helps activate during therapy.A particularly severe case of a patient is used as an example,by which the author attempts to espouse his own theories on specific causes of disturbance and the methods he took to rectify them.
Overall the writing is clear and concise,and remains of sufficient interest from start to finish and to me the only disappointment was the length.

[Aaron Michaux · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting little book, but I only partly agree with the premise. For example, amazes me that someone could believe that the aetiology of some psychopathology could lie in the Electra complex. The book is not without merit, and worth reading for anyone interested in therapy or the human condition. Most interesting idea: dreams that harken from the ancient self may have a function in preparing us for life events. For example, do chickens dream of laying eggs long before their first one -- an ancient memory of life's expected templates?

[Geta T · Rating 5 out of 5]

Autorul abordeaza sile atat din punct de vedere jungian, cat si din alte puncte de vedere (medical, antropologic). Prin aceasta carte reusim sa ne conectam cu seminta noastra interioara, care dainuieste de milioane de ani in interiorul nostru. Pentru bine o alta abordare a interactiunii dintre Eu si Sine. Asa cum zicea si Anthony sa ne reintoarcem inapoi in natura, inapoi la Sinele nostru arhaic.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nicely written from the perspective of a modern analyst examining the plight of the modern dreamer and his or her illnesses that result from a loss of touch with that two-million-year-old dreamer that lies within our collective Selfs.

[Florin Pitea · Rating 3 out of 5]

A concise, clear book written by someone who is both a psychiatrist and a Jungian psychoanalyst. Recommended. For a detailed review, please visit my blog: http://tesatorul.blogspot.ro/2013/11/....

[Marius · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good and interesting introduction to Jung's archetypes and collective unconscious, enough actually to entrap me in the jungian approach over psychology, philosophy and spirituality overall.
Well worth it!

[Ben Vogel · Rating 5 out of 5]

An outstanding work that explains what it is to be an animal, a human animal, and how we came to possess a human mind.