Mystical explorers of the unconscious?

September 6, 2014 1:20 PM

Which writers and artists self-consciously regard their work as a deliberate, mystical diving into and charting of the depths of the unconscious mind? Cites/links to evidence of these views, either within their work or outside it in interviews, etc., would be much appreciated.
posted by shivohum to Media & Arts (12 answers total)

Franz Kafka was a very tortured person psychologically. Most of his works are like that, but they were never intended for anyone else to read. When he died, his will stated that all his works should be burned. Max Brod, executor, ignored that and published it all instead.
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 1:33 PM on September 6, 2014

Franz Kafka, Philip Roth, sometimes Barbara Kingsolver.
posted by DarlingBri at 1:57 PM on September 6, 2014

Carl Jung's Red Book
posted by ottereroticist at 2:58 PM on September 6, 2014 [1 favorite]

A little out of date, but Richard Bach's novels are all like that.
posted by kythuen at 3:36 PM on September 6, 2014

William S. Burroughs developed a whole theory around cut ups and the use of randomness and synchronicity to break through conscious predispositions.

In painting, you might be interested in Action Painting, such as De Kooning, Miro or Pollock.
posted by chbrooks at 3:51 PM on September 6, 2014

Antonin Artaud
St. John of the Cross
Dr. John Lilly
posted by decathexis at 9:18 PM on September 6, 2014

I don't know of any documentation about his intentionally meaning it to be a deep dive, but Robert Holdstock's Mythago Wood makes very intentional use of Jungian imagery and evokes kind of that idea.

Philip K Dick's The Man in the High Castle might count too, since he used the I Ching to plot the book.
posted by WidgetAlley at 11:14 PM on September 6, 2014

Xanadu, by Samuel Taylor Coleridge is widely thought to be about just that: the process of inspiration as consisting of images and ideas escaping from the unconscious and forming the basis of the creative process.
posted by wjm at 1:47 AM on September 7, 2014

Adding in Dreamtigers by Borges. According to University of Texas press, "This collection of poems, parables, and stories explores the mysterious territory that lies between the dreams of the creative artist and the "real" world." In his epilogue to the 1960 publication, he described it as his most personal work.
posted by fancydancing at 8:18 AM on September 7, 2014

I think many artists see their work as charting the unconscious, though some might disagree with your term "mystical".
Surrealism was inspired by psychoanalysis.
posted by nixt at 3:32 PM on September 7, 2014

Carl Jung's Red Book
posted by ottereroticistv at 4:58 PM on September 6

Seconding The Red Book, and even if you think Jung was nuts when reading about it and/or reading it, that book is absolutely beautiful, Jung was truly talented, the paintings in that book are outstanding, his calligraphy outstanding, the mandalas gorgeous. Jung poured his heart into that book --he poured his life into that book -- and it informed everything that followed.

I love the guy, or maybe appreciate is more accurate, I appreciate what I can follow, which is limited, to be sure -- his writing is so goddamn Swiss, his writing is so goddamn dense, you could build long-distance spans with it, from his words could be built strong bridges that would cover huge chasms. Etc and etc.

Jung had guts, he kept on chasing it down, he kept on digging into his experience of the unconscious, he refused to hose himself down with drugs and/or wine/women/song and/or whatever else -- when it would get so intense as to blow his personality apart he would meditate, bring himself down just to where he could stand it, yet not so far as to blot the whole experience to insignificance; you can read about it in his autobiography.

You decide whether he was brilliant or just a raving ratbag with a big mouth and a beautiful hand. Myself, I lean toward brilliant. In any case, the book is gorgeous, and it's goddamn sure interesting. I'm very lucky, in that I own a copy of it, a beautiful gift from a friend I owe more than I can ever repay, a fine man whom I'd introduced Jung to, lo those long years gone by.

Reading Jung's autobiography Memories, Dreams, Reflections prior to reading The Red Book will give you some background, in fact M,D,R also fits the criteria of what you are looking for; if for whatever reason(s) you decide to look into both, start with this book. Look to the chapter Encounter With The Unconscious (I *think* that's the chapter name; it's been years) to read where everything inside Jung turned left and ran deep.....
posted by dancestoblue at 7:32 PM on September 7, 2014 [1 favorite]

Memories, Dreams, Reflections -- Chapter 6: "Confrontation With The Unconscious"

~ NOT ~ "Encounter With The Unconscious"

It really is an amazing read, can't recommend it highly enough.
posted by dancestoblue at 3:38 AM on September 8, 2014