Quote by Joseph Campbell, The Hero's Jour

Well, one of the problems about being psychoanalyzed is, as Nietzsche said, Be careful lest in casting out your devils that you cast out the best thing that's in you. So many people who are really in deep analysis look as though and act as though they have been filleted. There's no bone there, there's no stuff! How to get rid of ego as dictator and turn it into messenger and servant and scout, to be in your service, is the trick.


Well, one of the problems about being psychoanalyzed is, as

Summary

This quote suggests that psychoanalysis can be a problem if it leads people to reject their inner demons completely, as Friedrich Nietzsche cautioned. Those who undergo extensive analysis may appear and behave as though they have lost their essence. The key lies in transforming one's ego from a dominant force into a humble assistant and guide. This shift enables the ego to work in service to the individual rather than ruling over them, transcending its previous role as a tyrant.

Topics

Ego
By Joseph Campbell, The Hero's Jour
Liked the quote? Share it with your friends.

Random Quotations

Do you remember how slowly the days passed when you were a child? An 80-mile car trip seemed endless. It took forever for summer to come. When it finally did, by late-July, summer seemed interminable.Basic arithmetic reveals that for a two-year old, the next year will represent 33% of her life thus far, whereas for a 19-year old, the next year represents 5%, and for a 39 year-old, only 2.5%...More than anything else, the young child's perceptions influence how she experiences life. She has few markers that delineate the passage of time. On the first of each month, she pays no rent or mortgage. She has no job, and does not commute. She is likely to be regularly clothed, bathed, and cared for. The child arises each day with no agenda, no to do list. She experiences hunger, irritation, and sleepiness. She has some favorite activities -- her major activity is play. Each day brings new wonders... Meanwhile, she has no report to finish, no checkbook to balance, no across-town meetings. She does not even wear a watch.Your life is a bit more complicated, and is related increasingly to how society has become more complex. Independent of who you are or what you do for a living, chances are that you're busy, perhaps extremely busy, and are a part of our active, generally hard-working population.If you continually feel pressured, don't take it personally. You are experiencing the same dilemma as millions of other people, and you are part of the most time-pressed society of over-information and communication in historyhttp://www.breathingspace.com/

Jeff Davidson, edited passage fr