Jung and Steiner

A series of extraordinary questions begin to hover when we consider C.G. Jung and Rudolf Steiner together.  What is the relationship between their views of psychology?  How can we compare their views on evil, East and West, life after death, technology, clairvoyance, the Christ, alchemy, spiritual practice?  Is Jung’s individuation process the same as Steiner’s development of individuality?  How does the Jung’s Self relate to Steiner’s “I”?  To answer these questions, Gerhard Wehr—an anthroposophist and C.G. Jung biographer, as well as author of books on the Western spiritual tradition—visualizes Jung and Steiner and the essential elements of their thinking together. This opens us to new insights and forms a basis for a spiritual psychology that integrates both approaches.  Wehr’s skilled and articulate understanding of Jung and Steiner takes us into many themes. He clarifies the difference between soul consciousness and spiritual consciousness. He shows how meditation relates to the image work of the soul; and he compares the soul and spiritual views of sexuality.  The author also considers the Grail stream as a way of uniting Jung and Steiner. He discusses the significance of a therapeutic perspective large enough to address the cultural problems of our time. By approaching two such important worldviews with depth, they are enlarged, strengthened, and revitalized. If taken to heart, this work can free both spiritual science of Steiner and the analytic psychology of Jung from the dangers of dogmatism. This work marks a significant step toward genuine spiritual psychology.