Ebook: The Essential James Hillman: A Blue Fire

We see here that Hillman makes a divergence from classical the classical Analytical Psychology from the outset. Hillman is building the basis of a psychology that views the inner world and outer world through the lens of myth and poetry. Hillman bases the entirely of his psychology not on science but on the aesthetic and poetic basis of the soul. He views consciousness as a thin layer of literalism that is depriving the soul of much needed meaning and experience. In essence, Hillman is seeking to harness the power of imagination and the image to bring a true and profound meaning to life. Therefore, psychology stands apart from science, moral philosophy, and religion in that is a disciple of the imaginative activity of the soul. Hillman wants us to be forced by the images. Rather than interpret a dream, Hillman prefers to let the dream interpret us. This approach gives imagination absolute priority over ego understandings and applications. The idea of a poetic basis of mind is a radical one, moving consciousness away from heroics toward a more receptive and malleable posture.