think with your heart

For my PhD, I am studying CG Jung’s autobiography. It is a very interesting book that is worth reading. For example, in the chapter in which he describes his travels around the world, Jung meets an American Indian pueblo.

From this contact that Jung feels to be a real contact (which he almost never had with a European), he is able to see what our industrial, colonialist, capitalist society represents to an outsider:

The indian says:

“See how cruel the white man is… His eyes have a fixed expression. What are they looking for? The white man always wants something; they are always bothered and restless. We don’t know what they want. We don’t understand it. We think they are crazy.”

Jung then asks him why he thought the white man was crazy.

– They say they think with their heads, replies the Indian.

– Why? With what do you think? Jung asks.

We think here – says the Indian, pointing to his heart.

From this experience of Jung, we can reflect:

– Why are we always restless? Always looking for something?

– What are we looking for?
– Are we looking for the essential? What really matters?

And on the other hand, it is interesting to know that there are people, even today, who manage to accomplish what Professor Henrique José de Souza indicated: “Think with your heart and feel with your mind”.

References: CG Jung. Memories, Dreams and Reflections.

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