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Archetypal Psychology: Uniform Edition of the Writings of James Hillman, Vol. 1
Originally written for the Italian Enciclopedia del Novecento, this indispensable book is a concise, instructive introduction to polytheism, Greek mythology, the soul-spirit distinction, anima mundi, psychopathology, soul-making, imagination, therapeutic practice, and the writings of C.?G. Jung, Henry Corbin, and Adolf Portmann in the formulation of the field of Archetypal Psychology.
This new edition includes three additional texts, which Hillman long felt belong into this introductory account of Archetypal Psychology: “Why ‘Archetypal Psychology’?”; “Psychology: Monotheistic or Polytheistic?”; and “Psychology: Monotheistic or Polytheistic? – Twenty Years Later.”
This new edition includes three additional texts, which Hillman long felt belong into this introductory account of Archetypal Psychology: “Why ‘Archetypal Psychology’?”; “Psychology: Monotheistic or Polytheistic?”; and “Psychology: Monotheistic or Polytheistic? – Twenty Years Later.”
- GenresPsychologyNonfiction
160 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1983
42 people are currently reading
661 people want to read
About the author
James Hillman
175 books573 followersJames Hillman (1926-2011) was an American psychologist. He served in the US Navy Hospital Corps from 1944 to 1946, after which he attended the Sorbonne in Paris, studying English Literature, and Trinity College, Dublin, graduating with a degree in mental and moral science in 1950.
In 1959, he received his PhD from the University of Zurich, as well as his analyst's diploma from the C.G. Jung Institute and founded a movement toward archetypal psychology, was then appointed as Director of Studies at the institute, a position he held until 1969.
In 1970, Hillman became editor of Spring Publications, a publishing company devoted to advancing Archetypal Psychology as well as publishing books on mythology, philosophy and art. His magnum opus, Re-visioning Psychology, was written in 1975 and nominated for the Pulitzer Prize. Hillman then helped co-found the Dallas Institute for Humanities and Culture in 1978.
Retired into private practice, writing and traveling to lecture, until his death at his home in Connecticut on October 27, 2011 from bone cancer.
In 1959, he received his PhD from the University of Zurich, as well as his analyst's diploma from the C.G. Jung Institute and founded a movement toward archetypal psychology, was then appointed as Director of Studies at the institute, a position he held until 1969.
In 1970, Hillman became editor of Spring Publications, a publishing company devoted to advancing Archetypal Psychology as well as publishing books on mythology, philosophy and art. His magnum opus, Re-visioning Psychology, was written in 1975 and nominated for the Pulitzer Prize. Hillman then helped co-found the Dallas Institute for Humanities and Culture in 1978.
Retired into private practice, writing and traveling to lecture, until his death at his home in Connecticut on October 27, 2011 from bone cancer.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
March 23, 2024
I’m on a James Hillman BENDER lately.
My plan is to read EVERYTHING he has.
And it’s just a TON of material.
Could take the rest of the year.
But IM OBSESSED!
Bearing all that in mind.
I am a total newbie here.
I’m a therapist.
But I was trained in a WAY different literary.
This is all new to me.
I barely understand what I’m about to attempt to comment on.
So please bear with me if I (a) sound like an idiot, (b) butcher Hillmans ideas, or (c) all of the above.
You got to start somewhere.
One book at a time right?
Anyway.
Hillman was trained as a Jungian, but he (being him) disagreed with much of the Jungian orthodoxy.
So he went rogue.
And…
Archetypal Psychology (for lack of a better way of saying it) is James Hillman's post-Jungian, post-modern way of thinking about and doing psychology and psychotherapy.
Given that.
Hillman was VEHEMENTLY opposed to systematizing psychology/psychotherapy.
He was the quintessential CONTRARIAN.
So.
Archetypal Psychology is also an ANTI-SYSTEM, ANTI-PSYCHOLOGY too. As such Archetypal Psychology is a FIERCE REVOLUTIONARY CRITIQUE of the very impulse to DEFINE/CONFINE powerful archetypal IMAGES/ENERGIES into wrote SYMBOL/SYSTEMS.
This book introduces some of the BIG themes in Hillman’s work. In brief, those themes are (as I currently understand them):
SOUL MAKING
Hillman was INTENSELY concerned with the SOUL as opposed to the SPIRIT or EGO. By soul Hillman seems to mean the DEEPLY FELT/PERSONAL experience of being. More like SOUL TRAIN than SOUL SALVATION. Hillman felt strongly that the REAL goal of therapy should be SOUL MAKING not EGO STRENGTHENING or SYMPTOM REDUCTION.
POLYTHEISTIC PSYCHOLOGY
Hillman was also very committed to validating/cultivating the sense of self as a BOTH/AND multiplicity, whereby us humans experience a diversity of thoughts, feelings, instincts and perspectives, all at once, within and without, and which do not necessarily conform to logic, and which do frequently CONTRADICT/CONFLICT. Hillman contrasted this with monotheistic psychology which tends to want to flatten, compress and reduce our inner world to binaries like EITHER/OR, or TRUE/FALSE, or GOOD/BAD, or RIGHT/WRONG.
UNCERTAINTY
Hillman is ALL about UNCERTAINTY. Put another way, Hillman takes a VERY OPPOSITIONAL stance regarding LITERALISM and INTERPRETATION. He don’t like it! Hillman wants to make room for NOT KNOWING. He resists the impulse to DEFINE, and INTERPRET, particularly when the function of definition and interpretation is to avoid the discomfort of not knowing.
ARCHETYPAL DUALITY/POLARITY
Hillman loves identifying aspects of the human psyche that are OPPOSITIONAL. For instance - the PUER (the playful, spontaneous, creative energy) and the SENEX (stolid, careful, conservative energy) that wrestles within us ALL THE TIME, particularly when we’re doing something risky like GETTING MARRIED, or BUYING A HOUSE, or GETTING A TATTOO.
REVOLUTION
Hillman was skeptical of the agenda of THERAPY, where in we explore and express or difficultiesy WITHIN, and as such, fail to take action in the WORLD. Hillman thought psychology WAS/IS too focused on MOM/DAD and I/ME/MINE, and failed to acknowledge that MUCH of how we feel is based on WHAT WE DO and HOW WE OPERATE AS POLITICAL BEINGS IN COMMUNITY. As such, Hillman conceived theory as a REVOLUTIONARY and LIBERATING space.
MYTH. As revolutionary and radical as Hillman is, he is also MAD ABOUT RHE CLASSICS. He’s HIGHLY fluent and HEAVILY influenced by Classical Greek and World mythology, Renaissance and Romantic art and literature, and philosophers, poets, and psychologists like Nietzsche, Keats, and Shelley, particularly in their focus on soul.
NO DIAGNOSIS NO CURE
Hillman was a staunch critic of the MEDICAL MODEL and MANAGED CARE. Hillman criticized traditional psychology, which often seeks to cure or integrate various aspects of the SHADOW or strengthen the EGO. Archetypal Psychology invites a more pluralistic and imaginative engagement with the psyche. It views psychological symptoms not as issues to be fixed but as opportunities to deepen one's understanding of the soul.
GROWING DOWN
Hillman frequently refers to the process of GROWING DOWN which entails DESCENDING into the EMOTIONAL and INSTINCTUAL and MYTHICAL and ARCHETYPAL aspects of our self. As opposed to GROWING UP which is (of course) important, but CERTAINLY nowhere near as interesting or fun.
Anyhow.
As should be obvious.
I love HILLMAN.
I’m DOWN AF.
And he CERTAINLY ABSOLUTELY not go everyone. In fact I have only recently been open to his work, or others of his ilk.
Giving that.
It’s hitting the BULLSEYE for me HERE/NOW 🎯
If any of this sounds interesting.
This book is CERTAINLY worth reading.
But I would start with it.
It’s a little less engaging than some of his popular work.
Start with the Souls Code.
It’s a much more user friendly introduction.
GREAT BOOK
5/5 ⭐️
My plan is to read EVERYTHING he has.
And it’s just a TON of material.
Could take the rest of the year.
But IM OBSESSED!
Bearing all that in mind.
I am a total newbie here.
I’m a therapist.
But I was trained in a WAY different literary.
This is all new to me.
I barely understand what I’m about to attempt to comment on.
So please bear with me if I (a) sound like an idiot, (b) butcher Hillmans ideas, or (c) all of the above.
You got to start somewhere.
One book at a time right?
Anyway.
Hillman was trained as a Jungian, but he (being him) disagreed with much of the Jungian orthodoxy.
So he went rogue.
And…
Archetypal Psychology (for lack of a better way of saying it) is James Hillman's post-Jungian, post-modern way of thinking about and doing psychology and psychotherapy.
Given that.
Hillman was VEHEMENTLY opposed to systematizing psychology/psychotherapy.
He was the quintessential CONTRARIAN.
So.
Archetypal Psychology is also an ANTI-SYSTEM, ANTI-PSYCHOLOGY too. As such Archetypal Psychology is a FIERCE REVOLUTIONARY CRITIQUE of the very impulse to DEFINE/CONFINE powerful archetypal IMAGES/ENERGIES into wrote SYMBOL/SYSTEMS.
This book introduces some of the BIG themes in Hillman’s work. In brief, those themes are (as I currently understand them):
SOUL MAKING
Hillman was INTENSELY concerned with the SOUL as opposed to the SPIRIT or EGO. By soul Hillman seems to mean the DEEPLY FELT/PERSONAL experience of being. More like SOUL TRAIN than SOUL SALVATION. Hillman felt strongly that the REAL goal of therapy should be SOUL MAKING not EGO STRENGTHENING or SYMPTOM REDUCTION.
POLYTHEISTIC PSYCHOLOGY
Hillman was also very committed to validating/cultivating the sense of self as a BOTH/AND multiplicity, whereby us humans experience a diversity of thoughts, feelings, instincts and perspectives, all at once, within and without, and which do not necessarily conform to logic, and which do frequently CONTRADICT/CONFLICT. Hillman contrasted this with monotheistic psychology which tends to want to flatten, compress and reduce our inner world to binaries like EITHER/OR, or TRUE/FALSE, or GOOD/BAD, or RIGHT/WRONG.
UNCERTAINTY
Hillman is ALL about UNCERTAINTY. Put another way, Hillman takes a VERY OPPOSITIONAL stance regarding LITERALISM and INTERPRETATION. He don’t like it! Hillman wants to make room for NOT KNOWING. He resists the impulse to DEFINE, and INTERPRET, particularly when the function of definition and interpretation is to avoid the discomfort of not knowing.
ARCHETYPAL DUALITY/POLARITY
Hillman loves identifying aspects of the human psyche that are OPPOSITIONAL. For instance - the PUER (the playful, spontaneous, creative energy) and the SENEX (stolid, careful, conservative energy) that wrestles within us ALL THE TIME, particularly when we’re doing something risky like GETTING MARRIED, or BUYING A HOUSE, or GETTING A TATTOO.
REVOLUTION
Hillman was skeptical of the agenda of THERAPY, where in we explore and express or difficultiesy WITHIN, and as such, fail to take action in the WORLD. Hillman thought psychology WAS/IS too focused on MOM/DAD and I/ME/MINE, and failed to acknowledge that MUCH of how we feel is based on WHAT WE DO and HOW WE OPERATE AS POLITICAL BEINGS IN COMMUNITY. As such, Hillman conceived theory as a REVOLUTIONARY and LIBERATING space.
MYTH. As revolutionary and radical as Hillman is, he is also MAD ABOUT RHE CLASSICS. He’s HIGHLY fluent and HEAVILY influenced by Classical Greek and World mythology, Renaissance and Romantic art and literature, and philosophers, poets, and psychologists like Nietzsche, Keats, and Shelley, particularly in their focus on soul.
NO DIAGNOSIS NO CURE
Hillman was a staunch critic of the MEDICAL MODEL and MANAGED CARE. Hillman criticized traditional psychology, which often seeks to cure or integrate various aspects of the SHADOW or strengthen the EGO. Archetypal Psychology invites a more pluralistic and imaginative engagement with the psyche. It views psychological symptoms not as issues to be fixed but as opportunities to deepen one's understanding of the soul.
GROWING DOWN
Hillman frequently refers to the process of GROWING DOWN which entails DESCENDING into the EMOTIONAL and INSTINCTUAL and MYTHICAL and ARCHETYPAL aspects of our self. As opposed to GROWING UP which is (of course) important, but CERTAINLY nowhere near as interesting or fun.
Anyhow.
As should be obvious.
I love HILLMAN.
I’m DOWN AF.
And he CERTAINLY ABSOLUTELY not go everyone. In fact I have only recently been open to his work, or others of his ilk.
Giving that.
It’s hitting the BULLSEYE for me HERE/NOW 🎯
If any of this sounds interesting.
This book is CERTAINLY worth reading.
But I would start with it.
It’s a little less engaging than some of his popular work.
Start with the Souls Code.
It’s a much more user friendly introduction.
GREAT BOOK
5/5 ⭐️
May 28, 2025
A coleção Biblioteca Cultrix de Psicologia Junguiana tem muitos títulos relacionados com as teorias arquetípicas e do inconsciente coletivo de Jung. Já li uns quatro: Sísifo, o Herói, Anima e Animus este aqui, sobre a Psicologia Arquetípica. Alguns deles são bons, outros são viajantes demais. Este aqui fica num meio termo. É bastante difícil pensar como aplicar essas psicologias na prática sem parecer estar apelando para a charlatanice. Na parte que me interessa, que é uma análise crítica à Jornada do Herói, o autor, James Hillman (que gosta muito de citar a si mesmo), traz uma boa definição e sumariza bem a parte da descida ao submundo da Jornada do Herói. Ainda assim, não me mobilizou muito este livro. O legal mesmo é o formato da coleção, o seu design e tal, para quem é bibliófilo, às vezes é mais interessante que o próprio conteúdo. Algo para ficar de olho.
August 28, 2025
hillman eu te amo
September 6, 2014
Loved the book, learned so much. Finished up disliking him more. Never liked him, always awed by his genius, and impacted. His attitude to his affair and his relationship with women is not just of its time - it is callous and a-psychological, out of touch and this is so disappointing. It shows a flaw in his professional as well as personal life, not one that I can forgive. I sort of knew this but here it is laid out - blatant. Even though the author seems to be sympathetic, colludes.
So I rate the book 5 for illumination and remove stars for an ultimate disdain for the character.
So I rate the book 5 for illumination and remove stars for an ultimate disdain for the character.
January 26, 2018
Philosophically opaque much like the French philosophy of the 1970s. There is some value in understanding how we create/imagine our world, as proven by research on the neuroscience of perception. I also find commonalities between active imagination and Ericksonian hypnosis and the imaginal work involved in EMDR and Somatic Experiencing. In the end, I prefer authors who can write about such esoteric subjects without the obscuring use of language.
March 6, 2017
Better than the popular press book, but still more religion than psychology. Interesting, but hard to grasp.
November 28, 2025
Written as an encyclopedic entry to capture an overview of Archetypal Psychology for which Hillman was a pioneer. It’s a great place of synthesis if you’ve read and been pulled in by some of Hillman’s more evocative works, though one could readily argue Archetypal Psychology resists any attempts at real synthesis.
Read if you want to organize some of what Hillman presents elsewhere in its most systemized form, but don’t expect his usual level of mercurial polemics.
Read if you want to organize some of what Hillman presents elsewhere in its most systemized form, but don’t expect his usual level of mercurial polemics.
November 14, 2023
The first 25 pages of this book is definitely a 5/5. But the rest of the book is very dry and ultimately has nothing at all to do with archetypes. Instead, Hillman goes on and on about how he’s to intelligent to be either a Jungian nor a Christian.
November 13, 2024
A nice overview with great references for further study.
November 21, 2024
“Per la psicologia archetipica, la direzione verticale si riferisce alla capacità di cogliere l’interiorità di tutte le cose. Tutto ha un significato archetipico e tutto è aperto alla penetrazione psicologica, e l’interiorità si manifesta nel carattere fisiognomico delle cose del mondo orizzontale. Il profondo quindi non è, in senso letterale, nascosto, giù in fondo, all’interno; piuttosto, la fantasia del profondo incoraggia a guardare il mondo con altri occhi.”
——
“La personalità sana, quindi, non è immaginata tanto sulla base di un modello di uomo naturale, primitivo o arcaico (con la sua nostalgia), o di uomo politico-sociale (con la sua missione), o di uomo razionale-borghese (col suo moralismo), ma piuttosto sul modello dell'uomo artistico, per il quale l'immaginare è uno stile di vita e le cui reazioni sono nel contempo riflessive, animali, immediate. Inutile dire che questo modello non va inteso letteralmente né considerato esclusivo. Esso serve a sottolineare certi valori della personalità ai quali la psicologia archetipica dà importanza: la finezza, la complessità e la profondità impersonale, la fluidità animale, vitale, che non tiene conto dei concetti di scelta e decisione, la moralità come dedizione alla plasmazione dell'anima (il "fare anima"), la sensibilità alle continuità tradizionali, l'importanza della patologizzazione e del vivere "al limite", la sensibilità estetica.”
——
“La personalità sana, quindi, non è immaginata tanto sulla base di un modello di uomo naturale, primitivo o arcaico (con la sua nostalgia), o di uomo politico-sociale (con la sua missione), o di uomo razionale-borghese (col suo moralismo), ma piuttosto sul modello dell'uomo artistico, per il quale l'immaginare è uno stile di vita e le cui reazioni sono nel contempo riflessive, animali, immediate. Inutile dire che questo modello non va inteso letteralmente né considerato esclusivo. Esso serve a sottolineare certi valori della personalità ai quali la psicologia archetipica dà importanza: la finezza, la complessità e la profondità impersonale, la fluidità animale, vitale, che non tiene conto dei concetti di scelta e decisione, la moralità come dedizione alla plasmazione dell'anima (il "fare anima"), la sensibilità alle continuità tradizionali, l'importanza della patologizzazione e del vivere "al limite", la sensibilità estetica.”
September 21, 2019
One of my favorite books by James Hillman. I enjoyed this book so much that I have written an 8 part series of posts on my blog.
The book is a fascinating tour of the alchemical process and its correlative psychological journey as told to us by the Alchemists of old. Yes, they weren’t only interested in literally transforming substances, but about experiencing the transformation of the psyche and finding the Philosopher’s Stone.
Read more at Ptero9.com or click on this short link to go directly to the first post in the series:
www.http://wp.me/pZ0y1-T7
The book is a fascinating tour of the alchemical process and its correlative psychological journey as told to us by the Alchemists of old. Yes, they weren’t only interested in literally transforming substances, but about experiencing the transformation of the psyche and finding the Philosopher’s Stone.
Read more at Ptero9.com or click on this short link to go directly to the first post in the series:
www.http://wp.me/pZ0y1-T7
December 23, 2010
It is, as it claims to be, a brief account, with all the benefits and deficiencies that such a format provides. As usual, Hillman has the merits of being provocative and (over?) confident. The concomitant lack of humility and caution, as usual, make him seem a bit strident. Interesting but not mind-blowing.
March 20, 2009
This is a re-read for me. I devour Hillman. He is an extremely wise and perceptive man who makes me think a lot...
July 2, 2012
Replace "brief" with vague and an accurate description becomes manifest.
March 4, 2014
Wonderful. You must read it and you will live better.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews