Papers by Vladislav Šolc
Tri Citrony Predhovor, 2024
Čo majú spoločné citrón, mandľa, slnko, mandala, lev, živá voda, alebo spása? Sú to len náhodné a... more Čo majú spoločné citrón, mandľa, slnko, mandala, lev, živá voda, alebo spása? Sú to len náhodné asociácie, nezmyselné obrazy, alebo majú v sebe obsiahnutý hlbší význam? Carl Gustav Jung, otec analytickej psychológie, sa raz vyjadril, že pokiaľ pozeráme iba do vonkajšieho sveta, tak sníme, ale v momente, keď nazrieme dovnútra, tak sa začneme prebúdzať. Veril, že život nie je
Global Journal of Cultural Studies, 2024
Examining the QAnon movement through a Jungian lens, this analysis draws parallels between archet... more Examining the QAnon movement through a Jungian lens, this analysis draws parallels between archetypal defense mechanisms and the Homeric myth of Odysseus, specifically his stay on Ogygia Island. The paper introduces terms like "Dark Religion" and "theocalypse," exploring the phenomenon of mind possession in religious fundamentalism and conspiracy theories. Symbolically, Calypso, as "the concealer," functions as an archetypal protective system, diverting ego-consciousness from reality and constructing a false belief system. "Theocalypse" describes religious inflation by unconscious contents, resulting in specific mytho-poetic ideologies and archetypal images whose function is to protect ego from experiencing painful emotions. The manifestation of Dark Religion is evident in QAnon Conspiracy Theory followers who believe in a secret war led by Donald Trump against a satanic child-trafficking cabal. This dark belief system is characterized by traits such as seeking secret signs and clues, absolutism, rejection of modernity, reactivity, aggression, a paranoid worldview, and the assertion of a special ability to see with their hearts-reading between the lines, to name a few. Commonalities between conspiratorial and fundamentalist thinking emerge from the dynamics of inferior consciousness and subsequent ego inflation, explaining both the archetypal nature of conspiracism and its resistance to rational correction. Conspiratorialists assert additional qualities, such as being chosen to perceive the truth, promoting a superior truth without relative values or "gray" areas (superiority). Their knowledge is held unwaveringly and treated as infallible faith, often invoking sources like idols and refusing to question their authority. Vehement rejection of opposing theories (defensive selectivity) characterizes their mindset, along with a surrender of will to their leaders (submission to authority). Conspiracists actively pursue the goal of converting others (reactivity) and accept responsibility for the state of affairs only in a fantasy world, avoiding self-reflection (projection). Conscious thinking remains free from unconscious influence only when recognizing numinous contents and withdrawing projections from objects. A symbolic perspective, treating conspiracy theories as symbols rather than rational constructs, provides a non-dismissive understanding of strong adherence to such beliefs. Examining QAnon symbolically through the lens of Jungian psychology, while understanding how adherents enact unconscious complexes and cultural complexes, offers more effective ways of understanding their beliefs than what traditional schools provide. Breaking away from restrictive beliefs requires embracing living symbols tethered to reality, facilitating genuine feelinginsight, authentic suffering, and thereby fostering a connection with one's psyche.
Life Science Global, 2024
Examining the QAnon movement through a Jungian lens, this analysis draws parallels between archet... more Examining the QAnon movement through a Jungian lens, this analysis draws parallels between archetypal defense mechanisms and the Homeric myth of Odysseus, specifically his stay on Ogygia Island. The paper introduces terms like "Dark Religion" and "theocalypse," exploring the phenomenon of mind possession in religious fundamentalism and conspiracy theories. Symbolically, Calypso, as "the concealer," functions as an archetypal protective system, diverting ego-consciousness from reality and constructing a false belief system. "Theocalypse" describes religious inflation by unconscious contents, resulting in specific mytho-poetic ideologies and archetypal images whose function is to protect ego from experiencing painful emotions.
The manifestation of Dark Religion is evident in QAnon Conspiracy Theory followers who believe in a secret war led by Donald Trump against a satanic child-trafficking cabal. This dark belief system is characterized by traits such as seeking secret signs and clues, absolutism, rejection of modernity, reactivity, aggression, a paranoid worldview, and the assertion of a special ability to see with their hearts—reading between the lines, to name a few.
Commonalities between conspiratorial and fundamentalist thinking emerge from the dynamics of inferior consciousness and subsequent ego inflation, explaining both the archetypal nature of conspiracism and its resistance to rational correction. Conspiratorialists assert additional qualities, such as being chosen to perceive the truth, promoting a superior truth without relative values or "gray" areas (superiority). Their knowledge is held unwaveringly and treated as infallible faith, often invoking sources like idols and refusing to question their authority. Vehement rejection of opposing theories (defensive selectivity) characterizes their mindset, along with a surrender of will to their leaders (submission to authority). Conspiracists actively pursue the goal of converting others (reactivity) and accept responsibility for the state of affairs only in a fantasy world, avoiding self-reflection (projection).
Conscious thinking remains free from unconscious influence only when recognizing numinous contents and withdrawing projections from objects. A symbolic perspective, treating conspiracy theories as symbols rather than rational constructs, provides a non-dismissive understanding of strong adherence to such beliefs. Examining QAnon symbolically through the lens of Jungian psychology, while understanding how adherents enact unconscious complexes and cultural complexes, offers more effective ways of understanding their beliefs than what traditional schools provide.
Breaking away from restrictive beliefs requires embracing living symbols tethered to reality, facilitating genuine feeling-insight, authentic suffering, and thereby fostering a connection with one's psyche.
Psychological Perspectives, 2020
Jung Journal, 2021
Jason Smith’s book Religious but Not Religious: Living a Symbolic Life is a concise and thoughtfu... more Jason Smith’s book Religious but Not Religious: Living a Symbolic Life is a concise and thoughtful exploration of the question of religion, its value, and meaning. Smith explores religion from two perspectives, as an organizing container provided by collective traditions and as an individual quest for meaning necessitating attention to the unconscious. He shows that belonging can be very important for one’s psychological health, but it must be accompanied by a sustained uncovering of the religious dimensions of life. Remaining unconscious can produce a state of god-like inflation. Throughout the book Smith examines the dangers of scientific rationalism that, as a rule, result in a naïve relationship with religion, religious symbols, and religious institutions. Wonder and the emptying of one’s mind to the experience of the transcendent (kenosis) are the essential attitudes for pursuing the symbolic life.
Three Ways of Why - Posing Questions in Psychoanalysis, 2021
It is essential for successful psychotherapy to correctly understand client's verbal and nonverba... more It is essential for successful psychotherapy to correctly understand client's verbal and nonverbal responses. Answers to various questions are contingent upon accurate understanding of what is being asked. But what do therapists actually mean when posing their question "why?" Freud's psychoanalysis revealed the importance of seeking the origin of the symptom in the past. Approaches based on causa efficiens explore history and seek the "first mover" as source of neurosis. Another mode of questioning looks into the future when asking 'why' he or she suffers. Already Aristotle believed that there is an inner property of all things and it tends to to seek a fulfillment in aim. Adler has taught that there is always a psychic 'goal' that is pulling all humans towards its fulfilment. Its conscious and unconscious image manifests as causa finalis that seeks the telos, a 'final design.' But there is another 'why' used in therapy. It is 'why' that is in the quest to reveal the here and now. The moment where the past and present come together, the archetypal unus mundus can be called causa praesenti. We do act, think and feel because of it and despite the origin and the purpose. The numinous can be experienced only in 'here and now' yet it has its root in the past and possesses the ability to change the future.
Conspiracy theories have infiltrated increasingly larger areas of cultural and political life. Co... more Conspiracy theories have infiltrated increasingly larger areas of cultural and political life. Conspiracism seems to replace or supplement fundamentalist religious beliefs while also supplying material that is, in turn, used for endorsing political and ideological agendas. Similarities between conspiratorial thinking and fundamentalist creed can be explained by examining the dynamics of inferiority of consciousness and the subsequent inflation of the ego by the “contents” of the unconscious. Inadequate and noncredible representations of numinous energies in consciousness unwittingly contribute to the creation of structures with notable mythological parallels. Jung referred to this phenomenon as an “axiom of psychology,” which can explain both the archetypal nature of conspiracism and its resistance to rational correction. Thinking is free from the unconscious influence of the Self only to the extent that it is able to recognize and to relate to numinous contents, on one hand, and to...
Francis & Taylor, 2019
Conspiracy theories have infiltrated increasingly larger areas of cultural and political life. Co... more Conspiracy theories have infiltrated increasingly larger areas of cultural and political life. Conspiracism seems to replace or supplement fundamentalist religious beliefs while also supplying material that is, in turn, used for endorsing political and ideological agendas. Similarities between conspiratorial thinking and fundamentalist creed can be explained by examining the dynamics of inferiority of consciousness and the subsequent inflation of the ego by the “contents” of the unconscious. Inadequate and noncredible representations of numinous energies in consciousness unwittingly contribute to the creation of structures with notable mythological parallels. Jung referred to this phenomenon as an “axiom of psychology,” which can explain both the archetypal nature of conspiracism and its resistance to rational correction. Thinking is free from the unconscious influence of the Self only to the extent that it is able to recognize and to relate to numinous contents, on one hand, and to withdraw projections from the object, on the other. A symbolic perspective offers a nondismissive understanding of the reasons for strong adherence to conspiracy theories. Exploring conspiracy theories as symbols rather than rational constructs offers more fruitful solutions to our current social problems.
KEY WORDS: axiom of psychology, conspiracism, conspiracy theories, dark religion, fundamentalism, inflation, manipulation, propaganda
Books by Vladislav Šolc
Dark Religion Fundamentalism from Perspective of Jungian Psychology, 2018
There has never been a greater urgency in our world today to expand and deepen, from a depth psyc... more There has never been a greater urgency in our world today to expand and deepen, from a depth psychological perspective, our understanding of fanatical religion and fundamentalism. The phenomenon of extreme religion threatens our culture and, at times, our very existence. We have termed this phenomenon: Dark Religion. Almost everyone in one-way or another is affected by this development in our world: from the consulting room, to our families, to our churches, mosques and temples, not to mention the public arenas and political platforms. What is it that makes religion so potentially dangerous and dark?
Our argument is that religion is not only a connection to the numinous as a source of life and renewal, but also a source of extreme power that can lead to radically perverted states of mind and nefarious creeds that kill the soul’s relationship to the Transpersonal. The so called radicalized religions and movements masquerade as if they are enlightening and religious but, in their fundamentalism and one-sidedness they have a flawed core and, in the end, are the opposite of religion that in its healthy essence identical with spirituality. This book offers an in-depth-psychological analysis of what happens when a person becomes possessed by the unconscious energies of the Self. We coin the term “dark religion” to describe all forms of fanatical, radical and unhealthy religions.
Analytical psychology offers one of the most extraordinary and penetrating analyses of the dynamics of religion and the religious function of the human psyche. As a relatively newcomer to the conversation on fundamentalism, analytical psychology’s telescopic view of the interior life of one’s religious beliefs and creeds, offers a unique vision that provides unparalleled insight and understanding of what is happening in the psyche of fundamentalists. Dark Religion offers new insights and a fresh perspective on how religion is used in the mind of the individual to hide behind their image of God. In Dark Religion, we explore and explicate these dynamics of religion, whether embodied by the radical extremist or by the fundamentalist next door, by submitting them to a critical analysis and review using the tools and knowledge of depth psychology. Supported by numerous examples in the world today and in our own clinical practices, our study reveals how dark religion leads to profound conflicts on both the personal, interpersonal and cultural level; including terrorism and war.
On the other side, our study reveals that spirituality, besides being an inherent dimension of our human nature, is one of our most essential needs. Religion only becomes “dark,” we argue, when we ignore, deny or separate it from its own living roots in the unconscious. In the attempt to deepen and understand radical creed and fundamentalism, Dark Religion surveys the contemporary religious and spiritual landscape, while discovering the emergent forms of spiritual praxis in light of postmodernism and the rise of fundamentalism.
How does one recognize dark religion? What are its psychological and religious signs? Who are most vulnerable to its seduction and alluring energy? What can one do about it? Is it as close as your local church or synagogue or mosque? This book begins to answer these and other compelling questions on the nature of dark religion.
Demokracie a individuace ve věku konspiračních teorií Články a rozhovory, 2020
Príhovor
„ Svet visí na tenkej niti a tou niťou je ľudská psychika, preto je nad všetko ostatné ... more Príhovor
„ Svet visí na tenkej niti a tou niťou je ľudská psychika, preto je nad všetko ostatné nutné sa ňou neustále zaoberať.“ C.G. Jung
Svet dnešných čias mení svoju tvár rýchlym tempom, a pokiaľ sa človek nechce uspokojiť s polohou pasívne prežívajúceho a snaží sa porozumieť súčasnému dianiu, potom stojí pred náročnou úlohou. Tejto úlohy so vo svojom výbere esejí zhostil jungovský analytik Vlado Šolc. Vlado Šolc pôvodom zo Slovenska si našiel svoj nový domov v USA. Detstvo prežil na východnom Slovensku a slovanská vrelosť, otvorenosť a nepredpojatosť sú neoddeliteľnou súčasťou jeho naturelu. Cítiť to aj v otvorenosti voči rôznorodosti tém, nad ktorými sa zamýšľa. Vyštudoval psychológiu na Karlovej univerzite v Prahe a akreditované vzdelanie v analytickej psychológii zavŕšil v USA. V súčasnosti pôsobí ako diplomovaný jungovský analytik vo Wisconsine. Odborne pôsobí aj ako supervízor, konzultant, lektor a je autorom viacerých hĺbinne psychologicky orientovaných kníh, väčšina z nich vyšla aj na Slovensku. V jednom zo svojich rozhovorov tvrdí, že si ho „Jung našiel“, a tak spolu s ním optikou jungovskej psychológie nám vo svojej knihe odkrýva tajomstvá nevedomých hybných síl vzpínajúcich sa v duši človeka. Rozkročený medzi dvoma kontinentmi – vybavený jedinečným spôsobom k reflektovaniu znepokojivých udalostí, ktoré hýbu svetom, pobáda čitateľa k hlbšiemu zamysleniu sa nad zákonitosťami nevedomých procesov v psyché. Síl, ktoré si nachádzajú svoje vyjadrenie aj na úrovni celospoločenských hnutí, akými sú napríklad konšpiračné teórie a fenomén fundamentalizmu. Šolc prichádza s optimistickým východiskom z bludného labyrintu – prijatie a integrovanie vlastného „tieňa“ poskytuje jedinečnú šancu. „Šancu ubrániť sa mase má výhradne ten, kto je vnútorne organizovaný aspoň do takej miery, nakoľko je organizovaná masa samotná.“ Zaujímavé je jeho ponímanie paralely medzi vývojovými krokmi na osobnej úrovni a autokratickým a demokratickým režimom na kolektívnej úrovni.
Premýšľavého čitateľa zbierka Šolcových esejí iste uspokojí.
C.G. Jung – jeden z najzaujímavejších a najvplyvnejších mysliteľov 20 storočia – švajčiarsky lekár, psychiater, zakladateľ hlbinnej psychológie. Svojim obrovským záberom vzdelania v oblasti histórie, filozofie, svetových náboženstiev, mytológie, ľudového folklóru sa zaradil k renesančným vzdelancom. Základnou platformou jeho odborných téz bola klasická psychoanalýza, ktorú však po tom, ako formuloval koncept kolektívneho nevedomia, opustil a rozšíril koncept osobného nevedomia o kolektívny a duchovný rozmer. Komplexnosť Jungovho diela je zarážajúca a disponuje interdisciplinárnym presahom. Jungove myšlienky svojim inovatívnym potenciálom boli a sú lákavou alternatívou voči redukcionistickým konceptom. Až do neskorého veku bol Jung neúnavným pozorovateľom zákonitostí ľudskej psychiky. Jeho dielo nás udivuje svojou komplexnosťou, integritou, rozsahom a hĺbkou.
Jana Bryová, jungovská analyčtika, 16ho júna, 2020, Poprad
Book Reviews by Vladislav Šolc
Review of: Jason E. Smith, Religious but not Religious, Living a Symbolic Life, Asheville, NC: Chiron Publications, 2020. , 2021
What is religion? Most of us encounter this question at some point during our lives. Sooner or la... more What is religion? Most of us encounter this question at some point during our lives. Sooner or later, we are exposed to influence from institutions and the people around us, nudging us to worship and to belong. Or perhaps we have an experience of the extraordinary—an experience of “being,” of something so profound that it does not fit to the paradigm we have acquired thus far. The mundane is transcended by a confrontation with the supernatural. Such experiences can change our minds and open our consciousness to a quest for meaning, for the right way to live, so our lives are not wasted any longer in the face of “it.”
Since the first spark of consciousness shone in the darkness hundreds of thousands of years ago humans began to teach each other and practice rituals designed to get closer to, to reconnect with the mystery of the transcendent. We call this endeavor religion. Only in the past few hundred years has the very idea of religion become a subject of exploration. Psychologists dared to shine a light on the question of religion, perhaps to keep it alive after they reckoned that mystery is not to be reached, but paths to it could be explored.
Can we understand religion without understanding the object of religion? Can we practice religion and receive its vital message without adhering to dogma? Can religion be a source of freedom rather than becoming a trap like the tower of Babel where religion, like language, divides us and ultimately leads us away from the common goals of humanity? Is there a way of being “religious” without becoming “religious?”
C. G. Jung devoted his whole life to showing us that it is possible to analyze the question of religion in a nontheological way by using the lens of psychology instead. Jung surveyed a broad landscape of religious traditions, especially the teachings of alchemy, Gnosticism, and others that were not concerned with creed but sought to mediate deeper knowledge of the psyche. Jung’s work is a well of knowledge that yields unique insights and tools when it comes to religious seeking. However, his work is elaborate, complex, and not so intellectually accessible to everyone. There have been innumerable books written by Jung’s followers attempting to “translate” his teachings into a language that not only better suits the needs of modern society but also aspires to bring new elements to bridge the gaps and connect the dots between his ideas.
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Papers by Vladislav Šolc
The manifestation of Dark Religion is evident in QAnon Conspiracy Theory followers who believe in a secret war led by Donald Trump against a satanic child-trafficking cabal. This dark belief system is characterized by traits such as seeking secret signs and clues, absolutism, rejection of modernity, reactivity, aggression, a paranoid worldview, and the assertion of a special ability to see with their hearts—reading between the lines, to name a few.
Commonalities between conspiratorial and fundamentalist thinking emerge from the dynamics of inferior consciousness and subsequent ego inflation, explaining both the archetypal nature of conspiracism and its resistance to rational correction. Conspiratorialists assert additional qualities, such as being chosen to perceive the truth, promoting a superior truth without relative values or "gray" areas (superiority). Their knowledge is held unwaveringly and treated as infallible faith, often invoking sources like idols and refusing to question their authority. Vehement rejection of opposing theories (defensive selectivity) characterizes their mindset, along with a surrender of will to their leaders (submission to authority). Conspiracists actively pursue the goal of converting others (reactivity) and accept responsibility for the state of affairs only in a fantasy world, avoiding self-reflection (projection).
Conscious thinking remains free from unconscious influence only when recognizing numinous contents and withdrawing projections from objects. A symbolic perspective, treating conspiracy theories as symbols rather than rational constructs, provides a non-dismissive understanding of strong adherence to such beliefs. Examining QAnon symbolically through the lens of Jungian psychology, while understanding how adherents enact unconscious complexes and cultural complexes, offers more effective ways of understanding their beliefs than what traditional schools provide.
Breaking away from restrictive beliefs requires embracing living symbols tethered to reality, facilitating genuine feeling-insight, authentic suffering, and thereby fostering a connection with one's psyche.
KEY WORDS: axiom of psychology, conspiracism, conspiracy theories, dark religion, fundamentalism, inflation, manipulation, propaganda
Books by Vladislav Šolc
Our argument is that religion is not only a connection to the numinous as a source of life and renewal, but also a source of extreme power that can lead to radically perverted states of mind and nefarious creeds that kill the soul’s relationship to the Transpersonal. The so called radicalized religions and movements masquerade as if they are enlightening and religious but, in their fundamentalism and one-sidedness they have a flawed core and, in the end, are the opposite of religion that in its healthy essence identical with spirituality. This book offers an in-depth-psychological analysis of what happens when a person becomes possessed by the unconscious energies of the Self. We coin the term “dark religion” to describe all forms of fanatical, radical and unhealthy religions.
Analytical psychology offers one of the most extraordinary and penetrating analyses of the dynamics of religion and the religious function of the human psyche. As a relatively newcomer to the conversation on fundamentalism, analytical psychology’s telescopic view of the interior life of one’s religious beliefs and creeds, offers a unique vision that provides unparalleled insight and understanding of what is happening in the psyche of fundamentalists. Dark Religion offers new insights and a fresh perspective on how religion is used in the mind of the individual to hide behind their image of God. In Dark Religion, we explore and explicate these dynamics of religion, whether embodied by the radical extremist or by the fundamentalist next door, by submitting them to a critical analysis and review using the tools and knowledge of depth psychology. Supported by numerous examples in the world today and in our own clinical practices, our study reveals how dark religion leads to profound conflicts on both the personal, interpersonal and cultural level; including terrorism and war.
On the other side, our study reveals that spirituality, besides being an inherent dimension of our human nature, is one of our most essential needs. Religion only becomes “dark,” we argue, when we ignore, deny or separate it from its own living roots in the unconscious. In the attempt to deepen and understand radical creed and fundamentalism, Dark Religion surveys the contemporary religious and spiritual landscape, while discovering the emergent forms of spiritual praxis in light of postmodernism and the rise of fundamentalism.
How does one recognize dark religion? What are its psychological and religious signs? Who are most vulnerable to its seduction and alluring energy? What can one do about it? Is it as close as your local church or synagogue or mosque? This book begins to answer these and other compelling questions on the nature of dark religion.
„ Svet visí na tenkej niti a tou niťou je ľudská psychika, preto je nad všetko ostatné nutné sa ňou neustále zaoberať.“ C.G. Jung
Svet dnešných čias mení svoju tvár rýchlym tempom, a pokiaľ sa človek nechce uspokojiť s polohou pasívne prežívajúceho a snaží sa porozumieť súčasnému dianiu, potom stojí pred náročnou úlohou. Tejto úlohy so vo svojom výbere esejí zhostil jungovský analytik Vlado Šolc. Vlado Šolc pôvodom zo Slovenska si našiel svoj nový domov v USA. Detstvo prežil na východnom Slovensku a slovanská vrelosť, otvorenosť a nepredpojatosť sú neoddeliteľnou súčasťou jeho naturelu. Cítiť to aj v otvorenosti voči rôznorodosti tém, nad ktorými sa zamýšľa. Vyštudoval psychológiu na Karlovej univerzite v Prahe a akreditované vzdelanie v analytickej psychológii zavŕšil v USA. V súčasnosti pôsobí ako diplomovaný jungovský analytik vo Wisconsine. Odborne pôsobí aj ako supervízor, konzultant, lektor a je autorom viacerých hĺbinne psychologicky orientovaných kníh, väčšina z nich vyšla aj na Slovensku. V jednom zo svojich rozhovorov tvrdí, že si ho „Jung našiel“, a tak spolu s ním optikou jungovskej psychológie nám vo svojej knihe odkrýva tajomstvá nevedomých hybných síl vzpínajúcich sa v duši človeka. Rozkročený medzi dvoma kontinentmi – vybavený jedinečným spôsobom k reflektovaniu znepokojivých udalostí, ktoré hýbu svetom, pobáda čitateľa k hlbšiemu zamysleniu sa nad zákonitosťami nevedomých procesov v psyché. Síl, ktoré si nachádzajú svoje vyjadrenie aj na úrovni celospoločenských hnutí, akými sú napríklad konšpiračné teórie a fenomén fundamentalizmu. Šolc prichádza s optimistickým východiskom z bludného labyrintu – prijatie a integrovanie vlastného „tieňa“ poskytuje jedinečnú šancu. „Šancu ubrániť sa mase má výhradne ten, kto je vnútorne organizovaný aspoň do takej miery, nakoľko je organizovaná masa samotná.“ Zaujímavé je jeho ponímanie paralely medzi vývojovými krokmi na osobnej úrovni a autokratickým a demokratickým režimom na kolektívnej úrovni.
Premýšľavého čitateľa zbierka Šolcových esejí iste uspokojí.
C.G. Jung – jeden z najzaujímavejších a najvplyvnejších mysliteľov 20 storočia – švajčiarsky lekár, psychiater, zakladateľ hlbinnej psychológie. Svojim obrovským záberom vzdelania v oblasti histórie, filozofie, svetových náboženstiev, mytológie, ľudového folklóru sa zaradil k renesančným vzdelancom. Základnou platformou jeho odborných téz bola klasická psychoanalýza, ktorú však po tom, ako formuloval koncept kolektívneho nevedomia, opustil a rozšíril koncept osobného nevedomia o kolektívny a duchovný rozmer. Komplexnosť Jungovho diela je zarážajúca a disponuje interdisciplinárnym presahom. Jungove myšlienky svojim inovatívnym potenciálom boli a sú lákavou alternatívou voči redukcionistickým konceptom. Až do neskorého veku bol Jung neúnavným pozorovateľom zákonitostí ľudskej psychiky. Jeho dielo nás udivuje svojou komplexnosťou, integritou, rozsahom a hĺbkou.
Jana Bryová, jungovská analyčtika, 16ho júna, 2020, Poprad
Book Reviews by Vladislav Šolc
Since the first spark of consciousness shone in the darkness hundreds of thousands of years ago humans began to teach each other and practice rituals designed to get closer to, to reconnect with the mystery of the transcendent. We call this endeavor religion. Only in the past few hundred years has the very idea of religion become a subject of exploration. Psychologists dared to shine a light on the question of religion, perhaps to keep it alive after they reckoned that mystery is not to be reached, but paths to it could be explored.
Can we understand religion without understanding the object of religion? Can we practice religion and receive its vital message without adhering to dogma? Can religion be a source of freedom rather than becoming a trap like the tower of Babel where religion, like language, divides us and ultimately leads us away from the common goals of humanity? Is there a way of being “religious” without becoming “religious?”
C. G. Jung devoted his whole life to showing us that it is possible to analyze the question of religion in a nontheological way by using the lens of psychology instead. Jung surveyed a broad landscape of religious traditions, especially the teachings of alchemy, Gnosticism, and others that were not concerned with creed but sought to mediate deeper knowledge of the psyche. Jung’s work is a well of knowledge that yields unique insights and tools when it comes to religious seeking. However, his work is elaborate, complex, and not so intellectually accessible to everyone. There have been innumerable books written by Jung’s followers attempting to “translate” his teachings into a language that not only better suits the needs of modern society but also aspires to bring new elements to bridge the gaps and connect the dots between his ideas.
The manifestation of Dark Religion is evident in QAnon Conspiracy Theory followers who believe in a secret war led by Donald Trump against a satanic child-trafficking cabal. This dark belief system is characterized by traits such as seeking secret signs and clues, absolutism, rejection of modernity, reactivity, aggression, a paranoid worldview, and the assertion of a special ability to see with their hearts—reading between the lines, to name a few.
Commonalities between conspiratorial and fundamentalist thinking emerge from the dynamics of inferior consciousness and subsequent ego inflation, explaining both the archetypal nature of conspiracism and its resistance to rational correction. Conspiratorialists assert additional qualities, such as being chosen to perceive the truth, promoting a superior truth without relative values or "gray" areas (superiority). Their knowledge is held unwaveringly and treated as infallible faith, often invoking sources like idols and refusing to question their authority. Vehement rejection of opposing theories (defensive selectivity) characterizes their mindset, along with a surrender of will to their leaders (submission to authority). Conspiracists actively pursue the goal of converting others (reactivity) and accept responsibility for the state of affairs only in a fantasy world, avoiding self-reflection (projection).
Conscious thinking remains free from unconscious influence only when recognizing numinous contents and withdrawing projections from objects. A symbolic perspective, treating conspiracy theories as symbols rather than rational constructs, provides a non-dismissive understanding of strong adherence to such beliefs. Examining QAnon symbolically through the lens of Jungian psychology, while understanding how adherents enact unconscious complexes and cultural complexes, offers more effective ways of understanding their beliefs than what traditional schools provide.
Breaking away from restrictive beliefs requires embracing living symbols tethered to reality, facilitating genuine feeling-insight, authentic suffering, and thereby fostering a connection with one's psyche.
KEY WORDS: axiom of psychology, conspiracism, conspiracy theories, dark religion, fundamentalism, inflation, manipulation, propaganda
Our argument is that religion is not only a connection to the numinous as a source of life and renewal, but also a source of extreme power that can lead to radically perverted states of mind and nefarious creeds that kill the soul’s relationship to the Transpersonal. The so called radicalized religions and movements masquerade as if they are enlightening and religious but, in their fundamentalism and one-sidedness they have a flawed core and, in the end, are the opposite of religion that in its healthy essence identical with spirituality. This book offers an in-depth-psychological analysis of what happens when a person becomes possessed by the unconscious energies of the Self. We coin the term “dark religion” to describe all forms of fanatical, radical and unhealthy religions.
Analytical psychology offers one of the most extraordinary and penetrating analyses of the dynamics of religion and the religious function of the human psyche. As a relatively newcomer to the conversation on fundamentalism, analytical psychology’s telescopic view of the interior life of one’s religious beliefs and creeds, offers a unique vision that provides unparalleled insight and understanding of what is happening in the psyche of fundamentalists. Dark Religion offers new insights and a fresh perspective on how religion is used in the mind of the individual to hide behind their image of God. In Dark Religion, we explore and explicate these dynamics of religion, whether embodied by the radical extremist or by the fundamentalist next door, by submitting them to a critical analysis and review using the tools and knowledge of depth psychology. Supported by numerous examples in the world today and in our own clinical practices, our study reveals how dark religion leads to profound conflicts on both the personal, interpersonal and cultural level; including terrorism and war.
On the other side, our study reveals that spirituality, besides being an inherent dimension of our human nature, is one of our most essential needs. Religion only becomes “dark,” we argue, when we ignore, deny or separate it from its own living roots in the unconscious. In the attempt to deepen and understand radical creed and fundamentalism, Dark Religion surveys the contemporary religious and spiritual landscape, while discovering the emergent forms of spiritual praxis in light of postmodernism and the rise of fundamentalism.
How does one recognize dark religion? What are its psychological and religious signs? Who are most vulnerable to its seduction and alluring energy? What can one do about it? Is it as close as your local church or synagogue or mosque? This book begins to answer these and other compelling questions on the nature of dark religion.
„ Svet visí na tenkej niti a tou niťou je ľudská psychika, preto je nad všetko ostatné nutné sa ňou neustále zaoberať.“ C.G. Jung
Svet dnešných čias mení svoju tvár rýchlym tempom, a pokiaľ sa človek nechce uspokojiť s polohou pasívne prežívajúceho a snaží sa porozumieť súčasnému dianiu, potom stojí pred náročnou úlohou. Tejto úlohy so vo svojom výbere esejí zhostil jungovský analytik Vlado Šolc. Vlado Šolc pôvodom zo Slovenska si našiel svoj nový domov v USA. Detstvo prežil na východnom Slovensku a slovanská vrelosť, otvorenosť a nepredpojatosť sú neoddeliteľnou súčasťou jeho naturelu. Cítiť to aj v otvorenosti voči rôznorodosti tém, nad ktorými sa zamýšľa. Vyštudoval psychológiu na Karlovej univerzite v Prahe a akreditované vzdelanie v analytickej psychológii zavŕšil v USA. V súčasnosti pôsobí ako diplomovaný jungovský analytik vo Wisconsine. Odborne pôsobí aj ako supervízor, konzultant, lektor a je autorom viacerých hĺbinne psychologicky orientovaných kníh, väčšina z nich vyšla aj na Slovensku. V jednom zo svojich rozhovorov tvrdí, že si ho „Jung našiel“, a tak spolu s ním optikou jungovskej psychológie nám vo svojej knihe odkrýva tajomstvá nevedomých hybných síl vzpínajúcich sa v duši človeka. Rozkročený medzi dvoma kontinentmi – vybavený jedinečným spôsobom k reflektovaniu znepokojivých udalostí, ktoré hýbu svetom, pobáda čitateľa k hlbšiemu zamysleniu sa nad zákonitosťami nevedomých procesov v psyché. Síl, ktoré si nachádzajú svoje vyjadrenie aj na úrovni celospoločenských hnutí, akými sú napríklad konšpiračné teórie a fenomén fundamentalizmu. Šolc prichádza s optimistickým východiskom z bludného labyrintu – prijatie a integrovanie vlastného „tieňa“ poskytuje jedinečnú šancu. „Šancu ubrániť sa mase má výhradne ten, kto je vnútorne organizovaný aspoň do takej miery, nakoľko je organizovaná masa samotná.“ Zaujímavé je jeho ponímanie paralely medzi vývojovými krokmi na osobnej úrovni a autokratickým a demokratickým režimom na kolektívnej úrovni.
Premýšľavého čitateľa zbierka Šolcových esejí iste uspokojí.
C.G. Jung – jeden z najzaujímavejších a najvplyvnejších mysliteľov 20 storočia – švajčiarsky lekár, psychiater, zakladateľ hlbinnej psychológie. Svojim obrovským záberom vzdelania v oblasti histórie, filozofie, svetových náboženstiev, mytológie, ľudového folklóru sa zaradil k renesančným vzdelancom. Základnou platformou jeho odborných téz bola klasická psychoanalýza, ktorú však po tom, ako formuloval koncept kolektívneho nevedomia, opustil a rozšíril koncept osobného nevedomia o kolektívny a duchovný rozmer. Komplexnosť Jungovho diela je zarážajúca a disponuje interdisciplinárnym presahom. Jungove myšlienky svojim inovatívnym potenciálom boli a sú lákavou alternatívou voči redukcionistickým konceptom. Až do neskorého veku bol Jung neúnavným pozorovateľom zákonitostí ľudskej psychiky. Jeho dielo nás udivuje svojou komplexnosťou, integritou, rozsahom a hĺbkou.
Jana Bryová, jungovská analyčtika, 16ho júna, 2020, Poprad
Since the first spark of consciousness shone in the darkness hundreds of thousands of years ago humans began to teach each other and practice rituals designed to get closer to, to reconnect with the mystery of the transcendent. We call this endeavor religion. Only in the past few hundred years has the very idea of religion become a subject of exploration. Psychologists dared to shine a light on the question of religion, perhaps to keep it alive after they reckoned that mystery is not to be reached, but paths to it could be explored.
Can we understand religion without understanding the object of religion? Can we practice religion and receive its vital message without adhering to dogma? Can religion be a source of freedom rather than becoming a trap like the tower of Babel where religion, like language, divides us and ultimately leads us away from the common goals of humanity? Is there a way of being “religious” without becoming “religious?”
C. G. Jung devoted his whole life to showing us that it is possible to analyze the question of religion in a nontheological way by using the lens of psychology instead. Jung surveyed a broad landscape of religious traditions, especially the teachings of alchemy, Gnosticism, and others that were not concerned with creed but sought to mediate deeper knowledge of the psyche. Jung’s work is a well of knowledge that yields unique insights and tools when it comes to religious seeking. However, his work is elaborate, complex, and not so intellectually accessible to everyone. There have been innumerable books written by Jung’s followers attempting to “translate” his teachings into a language that not only better suits the needs of modern society but also aspires to bring new elements to bridge the gaps and connect the dots between his ideas.