The mid-19th century brought a profound shit: science challenged traditional religion, leading
many prominent figures like Sigmund Freud and even some clergy to embrace atheism and
discard mythological beliefs. Within this “mythless” modern era, Carl Jung’s psychology arose
not merely as a therapeutic approach but as a radical attempt to restore human meaning. Jung’s
profound concepts like the “individuation process,” archetypes, and the “Self” pointed to a
radical re-envisioning of our inner universe. He offered a new mythological vision born from
religious deconstruction and the disintegration of traditional myths.
Sonu Shamdasani, principal editor of The Red Book and a leading Jungian scholar, will
illuminate the contexts that shaped Jung’s groundbreaking work. He will trace the historical and
philosophical origins of Jung’s cosmology, demonstrating how Jung formulated a psychological
practice and worldview centered on “personal myth” as a vital answer to modernity’s “mythless”
predicament.