Carl Jung's Red Book Being Published: New Blueprint to Enhance Creativity

One of the most obscure yet anticipated book releases of this year isn't a book by Dan Brown or Stefanie Meyer, soon to be made into a movie. It's actually an extremely deep-reaching diary by Carl Jung and one of his works he may not have wanted to be seen by all eyes let alone made into an adaptation for the big screen. Yet through his "Liber Novus" (or the Americanized title of Red Book), we see a disturbing exploration of Jung visiting his unconscious mind where not only all of his ideas in psychology were created, but also where the essence of creativity lies in every living human being. It's a shame then that the printings of this astounding book seen by only a couple dozen people in nearly 100 years will be limited to only thousands.

If the publishers would have it in their hearts, they'd make this book available to the masses to not only prove how the mentally ill can find the roots of their illness in their unconscious mind, but also to confirm to the world creativity hasn't died. With creativity in entertainment increasingly becoming as extinct as actual movie-making right in Hollywood, it's clear that a new road map needs to be designed to get it reignited before mediocrity becomes accepted by the current and future generations.

How then would someone use Jung's Red Book to inspire such a renaissance? As Jung did himself in making the Red Book even exist, someone has to make a conscious effort to tap into the collective unconscious, no matter how disturbing it might be once you process it in reality.

For those not familiar with Jung's Red Book, the first thing you should know is that it was thought to be rumor for the last eight decades. The reason why is because of the disturbing world Jung managed to explore in his unconscious mind that he and his later family thought would be misunderstood by his adherents. Reading about one of the founding fathers of modern psychology exploring his inner world where he enacted cannibalism on the heart of a child (as just one disturbing action out of a litany of others) isn't going to bring an instant thought of respect. Nevertheless, Jung believed the minute he exited this dark and fantastical realm that he'd been enlightened about his soul and be able to tame it from then on.

When those able to obtain a copy of the Red Book give it an absorbing read, they'll discover not only one of the most vivid journeys into the subconscious but also the wellspring of all creativity. The world Jung created in his own coined collective unconscious was filled with more fantasy and international symbolism than The Lord of the Rings books and movies ever dreamed of having. You can also create the logic in thinking Jung's inner mind could make an epic and literate fantasy movie.

No, don't count that out completely.

Irony would be too painful, however, to see it made into a movie when every head of a studio and screenwriter in mainstream Hollywood should explore the usefulness of this Communist-free Red Book.
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Every indication was there that Carl Jung was a truly mentally ill man before he went exploring in his mind. All historical record has him writing about hearing strange voices in his head and having the general feelings of a schizophrenic. Debates have raged for decades, though, due to the argument that a mentally ill person may not be consciously aware they have something wrong with them. Considering Jung worked with Freud prior to this, it's more than plausible he was able to have a psychosis problem and be consciously aware of it so repair could be done through his own volition.

Whether you agree or not with Jung's ideas in how our mind works, his exploration of his metaphorical jungle brought a proven way to temper some mental problems on one's own or assisted with the help of a professional mental therapist. It's the journey to the building blocks of creativity, however, that somehow became lost in the shuffle as the mental illness side prevailed into the modern day. In the meantime, a million other methods for enhancing creativity have been created in decades since--right on down to alternative medicine.

The reasons why creativity dried up in Hollywood and general entertainment might border close to mental illness on its own. Blame the overuse of drugs during the 70's and 80's for perhaps diluting cognitive functions over time. Or the alternate blame goes merely toward the evolutionary step of mediocrity becoming accepted by the masses and Hollywood making more of the same because it guarantees profits. More obviously, it's a combination of the two.

This isn't to say that screenwriters in America have suddenly lost their ability to tap into the deep creative wellspring. It has all to do with Hollywood tapping into an underwhelming screenwriting pool that can get the mediocre job done. The way they work will stay that way unless someone astute enough within this inner circle makes an effort to obtain a copy of Jung's Red Book and takes weeks off to study it voraciously. What they'll discover is a way to take a prolonged vacation into our disturbed unconscious where an infinite array of stories and characters can be extracted later onto the written page.

Documenting those visits would guarantee a stockpile of original stories to last for several careers. Of course, the only thing blocking such a thing from happening is the creative individual not taking the extra time to mentally explore. It took Jung years to document all of the symbolic characters and worlds he found residing deep in his mind. Also, the journey is about as strenuous as anything tantamount to being in the throes of battle in wartime. A lot of disturbing things will be found there by a creative person--perhaps even worse than what Jung experienced.

The fear of such an endeavor shouldn't preclude setting aside time to take it on. Jung recommended the concept to all and it could be considered an extensive creative conference right in one's own room.

And if there's an added fear that visiting such disturbing inner worlds would bring out more disturbing screenplays, then there's a lack of understanding about how much peaceful balance this mental journey can bring. If anything, writers in Hollywood would find more humanity in their screenplays rather than having dulled yet disturbing thoughts transferred to the big screen as a misguided therapy session...

You and Hollywood can pre-order Jung's Red Book here:

http://www.amazon.com/Red-Book-C-G-Jung/dp/0393065677/ref=pd_ts_b_49?ie=UTF8&s=books