The Fact of Fantasy

In this episode:
We discuss fantasy and explore the important role that it plays in our psychological life.

Let's make this a conversation:
Do you have a comment or  question about this episode, or about something you would like me to address in a future episode? Please contact me on Facebook (facebook.com/jungiananalyst) or Twitter (@Jason_E_Smith).

For more on living a symbolic life:
Please check out my book, Religious but Not Religious: Living a Symbolic Life, available from Chiron Publications.

Sources for quotes and more:

1. “When you observe the world you see people, you see houses, you see the sky, you see tangible objects..." ~ C.G. Jung, from The Houston Films in 'C.G. Jung Speaking.'
2. S2E1: The Struggle of the Creative Life
3. Taoist parable from the Lieh-Tzu.
4. “Where Id was, there Ego shall be." ~ Sigmund Freud in 'New introductory lectures on psycho-analysis.'
5.  “From the psychoanalytic point of view it would seem that were reality more adequate, imagination might cease to dream.” ~ Mary Watkins in 'Invisible Guests.'
6. “It is true that there are unprofitable, futile, morbid, and unsatisfying fantasies..." ~ Jung from The Aims of Psychotherapy in 'Collected Works, vol. 16.'
7. “In sleep, fantasy takes the form of dreams..." ~ Jung from The Practice of Psychotherapy in 'Collected Works, vol. 16.'
8. “Wakefulness may be described as a dreamlike state modulated by sensory experience.” ~ Llinas and Pare, quoted in 'The Neurobiology of the Gods' by Erik Goodwyn.
9.  The Dhammapada, translation by Gil Fronsdal
10. “I try to funnel the fantasies of the unconscious into the conscious mind...” ~ Jung in Three Versions of a Press Conference in Vienna from 'C.G. Jung Speaking.'
11. “As a ship aground is battered by the waves, so we, imprisoned in mortal life, lie open to the mercy of coming events..." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson in Intellect from 'Essays: First Series.'
12. “We are immersed in beauty, but our eyes have no clear vision.” ~ Emerson in Art from 'Essays: First Series.'
13. S2E2: Encountering the Archetype
14. On Angels, poem by Czeslaw Milosz
15. “Developing fantasy means perfecting our