(2) Jungian Prelude

I have to admit that this idea of a priest for the psyche--or the
soul--really sparked a gut reaction in me. The idea excited me;
and I had to admit that after nearly four years working into
Clinical Psychology, I needed some excitement. Plain and
simple I did *not* like the whole underlying method or
meaning, when it came to this academic psychology. But at
the time that was what universities were offering, when it came
to the study of psychology. Anyway, I'm not going to waste any
more time in this journal about my dissatisfaction with Clinical
Psychology. I would go ahead and secure my Phd, and then
I was going to look into becoming a Jungian Analyst.

Need I say, this business of "looking into" was an education
all by itself. First, I decided to plow into the extensive work of
Carl Jung, himself. Following that, I gleaned more insight via
the Jungian scholars who were devotees of Jung's psychology.
This took some time, but I kept nodding my head in agreement
as I read through the passages of all these books by both
Jung and his successors. I easily could see the spiritual link
to this special Analytical Psychology, as Jung coined it.

My next step was to find the "right" Jungian Institute for me,
where I could train to become a Jungian analyst. This took
some time, since in my early days there was no such thing as
e-mail. Going the snail-mail route took an inordinate amount
of time, but I was persistent. I decided against those Jung
training facilities in New York, Boston, and Chicago. In the
end I submitted an application to train at the Jung Institute in
Los Angeles. Maybe not commendable, but I chose California
because of the climate. Being a Southerner, I really had no
desire facing snow and ice up North or in the Midwest.

Los Angeles came through. Though I was a Phd graduate in
Psychology, I would have to secure a license to practice in
California. That was okay, since I had to set-up shop some-
where in order to make a living. Luckily, I was able to find a job
at a clinic affiliated with the University of Southern California.
As it turned out--working more flexible university hours--I was
able to fit in the time required for my analytical training at the
Jung Institute.

Though it took a few years, I was very glad to undergo the
training to become a Jungian analyst. Besides analytic
sessions, where I underwent dream work, I attended courses
and seminars, did practice sessions (as a Jungian analyst)
under the watchful eye of a seasoned analyst, and carried
out research with a mentor