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Publisher's Summary

This audiobook, narrated by William Roberts, explores the evolution of consciousness through the archetypes and myths that are universal to all humanity.

The Origins and History of Consciousness draws on a full range of world mythology to show how individual consciousness undergoes the same archetypal stages of development as human consciousness as a whole. Erich Neumann was one of C. G. Jung's most creative students and a renowned practitioner of analytical psychology in his own right. In this influential book, Neumann shows how the stages begin and end with the symbol of the Uroboros, the tail-eating serpent. The intermediate stages are projected in the universal myths of the World Creation, Great Mother, Separation of the World Parents, Birth of the Hero, Slaying of the Dragon, Rescue of the Captive, and Transformation and Deification of the Hero. Throughout the sequence, the Hero is the evolving ego consciousness.

Featuring a foreword by Jung, this Princeton Classics edition introduces a new generation of listeners to this eloquent and enduring work.
©1949 Erich Neumann (P)2020 Princeton University Press
Philosophy Customs & Traditions Psychology
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What the critics say

"No better exposition has come to us of the two Jungian themes: the evolution of consciousness in the history of mankind and the development of personality in the individual." (The Personalist)

"A welcome source of information for all those who are touched by the relationship between man and his myths." (The New York Times)

"There can be no doubt that [Neumann] has brought to his task a remarkable...knowledge of classical mythology, some considerable acquaintance with the comparative study of religion, and a deep understanding of those psychological views and theories evolved by C. G. Jung." (The Times Literary Supplement)

What listeners say about The Origins and History of Consciousness

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    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Not an easy read

Came to this book after J. B. Peterson's recommendation in one of his talks. Not being a psychologist, I struggled through the beginning with the massive mythological references and arguments. You also need some basic understanding of Jungian concepts, otherwise I would have been completely lost. Maybe I will come back to this book in the future once I have a better grasp of the concepts. For a very technical book, the narrator did a great performance.

4 people found this helpful

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  • Anonymous User
  • 2020-12-27

My Boi JP was right

The fact that this isn’t more mainstream is a travesty of international proportions.
10/10 def gonna listen to it again.
Eric and Jung are pure genius.

6 people found this helpful

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  • K. Serda
  • 2021-02-13

Concepts worth the wrestle

Took two tries to finish but after some more research on Jung, and terms, was able to let material flow and put something togetherness retroactively that slip by upon first encounter.
Takeaways: 1.)we spend the first half of life waking up from the dream and the second half overcoming the fear of returning to it because we doubt our acquired ability to lucid dream. 2.) Man needs his myths, tribe, and responsibilities too ok mature into a dream walker or whole. 3.) In filth it shall be found.

3 people found this helpful

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  • raisa484
  • 2021-02-25

I can't say i understood what he was explaining

Maybe my level of psychological understanding is to low for this book...because as I heard it my brain felt groggy...but by the end of the chapter I sort of got the feeling that it made complete sense...

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  • Amazon Customer
  • 2021-03-05

Wow

That book was DENSE. I had to listen to many parts twice and I’m a veteran audio book listener. I enjoyed every minute of it though! Great stuff!

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  • Keri Rhian
  • 2021-01-09

Remarkable

Information that is timeless and valid, great performance of a classic and important work of cultural achievement.

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  • Brody Wallis
  • 2021-05-19

I will be listening to this again.

I need to spend more time in this field of study. This just makes me itch to learn more!

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  • Hugo Pestana
  • 2021-01-28

Great book with invaluable insights on Consciousne

A very powerful narrative about the history of miths that form a collective unconscious and their importance to support every man and woman in building a balanced ego, through the overcome of our individual challenges using the perenial tools of this Treasure of the unconscious dream Word.
Through balancing both Worlds we achieve a strong personality fully aware of the matemathical and physical logics of Nature but deeply supported on the Faith and Emotional support of the Ancient Wisdom inherited from our Cultural background and also soaked in pur genetical core.
A very inspiring book, decoupling Jungs teories of the Archetypes into a more consolidated and historical perspective of the Ego formation and warning us for the dangers of our Massified World of modern man, specially in Big cities, where the fundamental ties with the Collective unconscious and the Mithological stories we should all carry and integrate frequently are weakened in a dangerous way, leaving the modern Man arrested in its own admiration and focus on reason and himself. Stuck with his own ego, he will feel the sharp nife of Consciousness cutting him until he is victim of his own intelect dissection and no longer whole!😀😉❤👌🤙🙏🤝👏👏👏