Living Jung vs Being Jungian

In “Living Jung vs Being Jungian,” I confront a subtle paradox: to adopt the label of ‘Jungian’ is often to abdicate the lived, visceral plunge into psyche that Jung himself modeled. The essay traces a moment at the gym—an ex’s therapist diagnosing me as her shadow—and moves outward into a sweeping reflection on the history of Jung-inspired psychology: of analysts safe behind desks, of theorists enthralled with metaphor while ignoring the concrete labor of inner transformation. Quoting Jung’s own gratitude, “Thank God I am Carl Jung and not a Jungian,” (Jung, 1977) I argue that his radical invitation was to be the map, not merely read it. To live Jung is to risk the psychological wilds; to be Jungian is to settle for familiar terrain. I’ll use his cartography—but blaze my own trail.