Carl Jung on the Black Sun Sol Niger.
To Wellmann W. Schmied
Dear Sir, 5 November 1942
With regard to your question about the black sun, Baudelaire’s “soleil noir”is by no means an exception.
The idea of a counter earth occurs, for instance, in the Pythagorean system, and we find the sol niger in alchemy, also the ignis niger.
The corresponding idea of a black moon does not exist, because this would coincide with the new moon and so is already anticipated.
The moon plays a considerable role with women, while the sun vision occurs both with women and men.
The question of women’s initiation pictures is obscure in so far as the archetypal material in this respect is not nearly so extensive as men’s.
This for the simple reason that the initiations were evolved and handed down chiefly by men.
Nevertheless there are all sorts of clues in Greek mythology (also in primitive psychology).
I would particularly draw your attention to the figures of Hecate, Demeter, and Kore, and the Magna Mater.
It is this last figure that plays the most important and most repellent role in female initiations.
The “terrible” refers to her.
You will find something about it in Kerenyi and Jung: Einfiihrung in das Wesen der Mythologie (Pantheon Akademische Verlagsanstalt, Amsterdam and Leipzig, 1941).
Much of interest also in H. Thurnwald: Menschen der Siidsee (Enke Verlag, Stuttgart, 1937).
Yours sincerely,
C.G. Jung ~Carl Jung, Letters Vol. 1, Pages 322-323.
Carl Jung: I am watching the setting sun
To T. Yagisawa
Dear Sir, 24 December 1957
Thank you ever so much for your kind letter.
You are the first representative of the Japanese nation from whom I hear that he has read my books.
So your letter is a memorable fact in my life.
It shows how slow mental travelling is: it took me more than 30 years to reach Japan but I have not even arrived yet at the University of my own town.
It is indeed most gratifying and encouraging to me to know that I have readers in Japan, since I know how specifically European most of my works are.
It is true, however, that I have tried to demonstrate the universal character of the psyche as well as I could.
But it is an almost superhuman task: “Art is long, and our life is short.”
I am now in my 83rd year and my creative work has come to an end.
I am watching the setting sun.
Many thanks and my best wishes for a happy New Year,
Yours sincerely,
C.G. Jung ~Carl Jung, Letters Vol. II, Page 405
You will not reach the sun
You gain everything from the God whom you bear, but not his weapon, since he crushed it. He who conquers needs weapons. But what else do you want to conquer? You cannot conquer more than the earth. And what is the earth? It is round allover and hangs like a drop in the cosmos.
You will not reach the sun, and your power will not even extend to the barren moon; you will conquer neither the sea, nor the snow on the poles, nor the sands of the desert, but only a few spots on the green earth. You will not conquer anything for any length of time. Your power will turn into dust tomorrow, for above all-at the very least-you must conquer death. So do not be a fool, throw down your weapon. God himself smashed his weapon. Armor is enough to protect you from fools who still suffer from the need to conquer. God’s armor will make you invulnerable and invisible to the worst fools. ~Carl Jung; Red Book
