The Red Book – Review of “Scrutinies,” Great Blue Heron Crane, and Belted Kingfisher

This concludes this week’s series of discussions of C. G. Jung’s The Red Book, and completes the birds of prey nature series I have observed here on Turk’s Mountain.

The Red Book – Review of “Scrutinies”
I have now completed my first review of The Red Book, concluding this series with the final section “Scrutinies”. I mention here for completeness that the editor utilizes many footnotes to help explain certain references and other events going on at the time in Jung’s life.

In “Scrutinies”, Jung confronts his new found soul, “his I, his nothingness”. An extensive conversation including biblical characters and his “shadow” is provided. Who is it that actually confronts his soul – this fast talking voice is Jung’s ego (in my opinion). Perhaps this is meant as a metaphorical prop; however there is no evidence of this. It would seem that his ego found the soul, but has no intention of turning any control over to this voiceless spirit.

I am surprised by the level of biblical references found in the book. I had always thought that Jung was more spiritually-focused outside of religion. But unless there is some hidden sarcastic methodology at work here (I see no evidence of this) Jung seems deeply rooted in biblical tradition. In fact it would appear he is trying to utilize it to his own purpose.

It is unclear to me why this work would be considered to be an awakening, or spiritual finding. It would seem that Jung has clearly found his egoic mind, and is quite captivated by it. Perhaps, to the psychology student, this may explain some new basis of Jung’s theories and methods. But to the spiritual seeker, it is more of a cautionary tale of someone in search of his soul choosing to stay in the false clothing of his egoic mind.

Although he speaks of peacefulness, Jung continues to speak in the tortured voice of someone still lost within himself. I see no evidence of what we might expect – joy, happiness, grace, or peace. He seems still rooted in his egoic mind world of words, words and more words.

While I still feel that this is a masterpiece of its time, this work is deeply disturbing to me and with no happy ending in the rear-view mirror, I feel exhausted or even used up by the effort of completing this book. I will now put it aside and decide whether to reread it in a few months to try to gain a better perspective.

Today’s Nature topic
And, now on to today’s nature topic - the birds of prey, a reminder to us that life lives off of life. Each of these creatures have informed me and made my life fuller. I salute each of them and show my deep respect with this small recognition.

Monday – American Kestrel (Sparrow Hawk)
Tuesday - Red-Tailed Hawk
Wednesday - Osprey (Fish Hawk)
Thursday - Eastern Screech Owl
Today - Great Blue Heron Crane and Belted Kingfisher

Great Blue Heron Crane
A symbol of peacefulness, patience and good fortune, this long legged, ungainly bird is actually regal in its flight. As it flies high in search of its next fishing area, it captivates the imagination as something prehistoric. In fact, the entire bird category is the closest surviving relative of the dinosaur.

There is nothing more stunning than to see a heron slowly wade through the water patiently looking for its next meal. As it catches a small fish and then tilts its head back on its long throat, we see a masterful hunter at work. At our pond herons would appear every day.

I have never seen a heron rook (communal nesting area), as the heron is particularly shy. I have heard stories of these secluded communal areas where the young herons are raised together at the same location for hundreds of years. These are very special places that deserve careful consideration for maintaining their privacy.

When I used to actively farm in southeast Pennsylvania, the common egret (the heron’s smaller, not-shy cousin) would appear in the dozens at hay cutting time. They would follow me grabbing large insects, mice and snakes. Typically, it was quite a feast to witness.

Belted Kingfisher
This blue-grey, expert fishing bird (11”) with the distinctive crested top, can be found up and down the larger streams around here. I tend to see them at the same places, as if they have favorite perches. They will hover over a stream and then dive straight down to catch their meal of small fish, frogs, salamanders and crawfish. Although I have never seen their nest, it consists of a long tunnel (up to 8 feet) dug in a sand or gravel stream bank.

The Red Book – Review of Liber Secundus and

Each day this week I will discuss topics from C. G. Jung’s The Red Book, along with my perspective and then continue the nature series with individual birds of prey that I have observed here on Turk’s Mountain.

The Red Book – Review of Liber Secundus including my perspective
In this second section of the English translation of The Red Book, there are 21 short chapters with a brief prologue. Jung continues his dream/vision interpretations starting with “The Red One” which revolves around his personal devil. This is a vivid and highly detailed description and conversation containing an abundance of adjectives, adverbs and other descriptors. It seems that he uses the opportunity to make a point, although I am not sure I understand what that might be.

As he continues, each dream/vision seems very personal and specific to something of great meaning to Jung. Although they carry broader themes, it is hard to detect a broader message to mankind. Due to their highly detailed nature, one must consider these:

1. Did he embellish the dreams upon waking in order to make some additional point?
2. Were these more daydreams than night dreams, involving his thinking mind?
3. Were these efforts a purposeful vision-quest involving something like fasting?
4. Did Jung suffer from some chemical imbalance?
5. Was Jung experimenting with hallucinogenic drugs?

It occurs to this reader that these are not entirely dreams, but are augmented in some way, perhaps involve his thinking mind. I am guessing that he is trying to intellectualize his own personal pain and suffering of generational angst through dream interpretation. In my opinion, he is searching for spiritual answers in the world of illusion and false reality. Instead of looking into his mind of emptiness, he is looking into his mind of learned religion and societal tradition.

If that is not the case, then I have to conclude that he was either fasting, suffering from a chemical imbalance or was experimenting with hallucinogenic drugs. His musings remind me of discussions that I have had with people who have experimented with LSD or peyote. I am not saying that is the case here.

For this reader, interest quickly wanes, as this is difficult reading. Jung seems to believe that rooting his musings on religious and societal traditions makes it all the more real. There is a section of “Incantations” using religious language as well as a set of “Prophecies”. You can only surmise this work somehow solved some underlying tension in Jung. How any of this may have helped him is a mystery. To this reader it is more like the party guest who repeatedly tells stories with no ending.

As someone who has found grace and serenity within the emptiness of original spirit, I do not see how Jung’s approach will lead anywhere. He is attempting to rationalize illusion to find truth. I am not sure that this will result in his goal of resurrecting his soul. Perhaps it could make him more capable of practicing psychiatry, or operate within his religious or societal circles. But it is hard for this reader to imagine how he could have achieved any level of spirituality from this work. I will read on and report tomorrow on his next section “Scrutinies”.


Some notable quotes:“My gaze wanders widely over solitary countryside, a combination of fields and forests. I am wearing a green garment. A brown horn hangs from my shoulder.”

“But I spoke to my serpent. “In truth, my serpent, I didn’t know that you are also a teller of fairy tales. So tell me, how should I interpret your fairy tales.”

An argument then ensues between Jung and the serpent:
“Let everything grow, let everything sprout, the sun grows out of himself.”

Tomorrow – Review of “Scrutinies”

Today’s Nature topic
And, now on to today’s nature topic - the birds of prey, a reminder to us that life lives off of life. Each of these creatures have informed me and made my life fuller. I salute each of them and show my deep respect with this small recognition.

Monday – American Kestrel (Sparrow Hawk)
Tuesday - Red-Tailed Hawk
Wednesday - Osprey (Fish Hawk)
Today - Eastern Screech Owl
Friday - Great Blue Heron Crane and Belted Kingfisher

Eastern Screech Owl
The notes of this little fellow (10”) are heard at great distance particularly because they occur at night in the late winter when things are otherwise quiet. This is their time of courting. It is a crisp whoooo. I absolutely love to call back and set off a whole chorus of answering sounds.

A few years ago, late on a warming March day, I was taking a rest from some work I was doing on the first ridge. I was looking into the distance and noticed some movement on a dead maple tree that had broken about half way up. I picked up my binoculars and saw this magnificent bird looking back at me. I will never forget this sight.

Here in Virginia we have an extraordinary number of field mice measured in numbers per 100 square feet by the state’s Natural Resource Department. The Screech Owl is an important part of the nocturnal balance of field mouse ecology.

According to Dancing Otters and Clever Coyotes by Gary Buffalo Horn Man and Sherry Firedancer, the Owl, also known as the Night Eagle serves as “messenger and guide from the shadowy realms of darkness.” With the Owl’s extraordinary sight and hearing it serves as a “harbinger of change”. This is from their intriguing and colorful book that has been reviewed with my own.

The Red Book – Review of Liber Primus, and Osprey (Fish Hawk)

Each day this week I will discuss topics from C. G. Jung’s The Red Book, along with my perspective and then continue the nature series with individual birds of prey that I have observed here on Turk’s Mountain.

The Red Book – Review of Liber Primus
In this first section of The Red Book, there are eleven short chapters with a brief prologue. Jung shares his internal conversations and struggle for his soul. He recognizes that the search is within. His places great importance on his dreams as he vision-quests in a dream of the desert to leave behind desire, descends into hell to slay his demons, and finally returns to resurrect his soul.

His words are of his contemporary world, religion and gestalt of the turn of the last century. He speaks in the language of the Bible, attempting to resolve mythology with biblical references. He seems to want to rebuild all of his prior misconceptions into a new understanding within the same framework of the Bible. He has conversations with Biblical characters in order to resolve continuing issues.

Some notable quotes:
“My path is not your path, therefore I cannot teach you.”

“The way is within us, but not in Gods, nor in teachings, nor in laws. Within us is the way, the truth, and the life.”

“But my soul answered, “You are pleasure-seeking. Have you forgotten why you went to the desert?”

“The soul said “How, tell me, do you then believe that your thoughts should help you?”

“The cleverer you are, the more foolish your single-mindedness.”

“Fear is your herald, doubt stands to your right, disappointment to your left.”

“Our eyes were blinded and our knowledge fell silent when we received your radiance.”

“But still he is a victim of his knowledge.”

“…mercy is given only to these who believe in the highest and fruitlessly betray themselves for thirty pieces of silver.”

My Perspective
With the deepest respect, I think that only Jung truly knows what has led him to these musings. They are based on a lifetime of experience, the defining moments and deeply-rooted meaning in his mind.

At times, Jung feels that he faces certain madness, particularly as he interprets his own paintings of the dreams. I detect real honesty and innocence in his manic reflections, albeit in a pitiful and self-deprecating manner. It is very tiring to read this as witness to his pain and suffering. It would seem to this observer that most of his struggle has been brought on by his religious and societal upbringing.

While his objective is to resurrect his soul, he attempts that within the context of his religious and biblical beliefs. In this way, he has not apparently transcended his world view, but has just reshuffled it. So it is unclear to me whether he sees his struggle metaphorically or from this more concrete perspective. Of course I am not yet finished, so we will see.

Tomorrow – Review of Liber Secondus

Today’s Nature topic
And, now on to today’s nature topic - the birds of prey, a reminder to us that life lives off of life. Each of these creatures have informed me and made my life fuller. I salute each of them and show my deep respect with this small recognition.

Monday – American Kestrel (Sparrow Hawk)
Tuesday - Red-Tailed Hawk
Today - Osprey (Fish Hawk)
Thursday - Eastern Screech Owl
Friday - Great Blue Heron Crane and Belted Kingfisher

Osprey (Fish Hawk)

The Osprey or Fish Hawk is a common sight in the area of the Chesapeake Bay. Several years ago, I lived about a mile from the Bay on a small horse farm with a 3 acre pond. The Osprey would visit and fish there. What a sight!

An Osprey would appear just above the tree tops flapping slowly, gradually circle the pond and then dive into the water head first. In the dive into the water this large bird (little smaller than the red-tailed hawk - 22”) disappears for a few moments. More often than not they’d exit the water with a small fish in their talons, only to slowly flap away back to their nest, dinner in hand. It all happens so quickly, you could easily miss the brief experience.

The Osprey competes with the Bald Eagle in the Chesapeake watershed, and like the Bald Eagle was threatened back in the 1960’s by the use of pesticides. In my experience, and anybody who sails or boats on the Chesapeake, this majestic bird has made a great comeback and their large nests can be seen at every port of call, on the marker buoys and posts.

The Red Book and The American Kestrel

Each day this week I will discuss topics from C. G. Jung’s The Red Book, along with my perspective and then continue the nature series with individual birds of prey that I have observed here on Turk’s Mountain.

The Red Book
The Red Book was written during a period of Jung’s “self-experiment” from 1913 to 1930 (from age 38 to 55). This was his “metanoia”; his new focus on mythology, folklore and religion, during a period where there was a cultural shift and broad interest in comparative religion. It is written in a formal, highly stylized, religious script and contains many paintings by Jung depicting his dreams and visions. There are many religious references and biblical quotations. While the meaning of the words is timeless, the style and tone is of an earlier time.

In the first part of the book is a color copy of the original in German. The second part contains commentary on Jung’s life and the English translation. Jung puts forward his personal spiritual journey to reclaim his soul by looking deeply within himself and developing a new view on both theology and psychology. In his words, he had been “living in an insane asylum of my own making”.

In viewing his paintings, we see at first, someone who is terribly troubled, maybe even tortured by his past. I would suggest he is bravely facing and interpreting his own personal demons in order to find inner truth and peace.


Here is an example from the book.

Jung had been walking down a street to see the sun shine off the new roof of a cathedral. At that moment he had a “terrible sinful thought” which he tried to ignore. He agonized for several days, until finally convincing himself that it was God himself who wanted him to think this thought much like the biblical example of Adam and Eve and the apple.

At that moment, he saw God “unleash an almighty turd” on the cathedral’s roof crushing the new roof and cathedral. Jung interpreted this as a “direct experience from the living God – standing omnipotent and free above the Bible and Church.”

My Perspective
Some of my friends have suggested I should peel back the curtain on my own experience. So here goes.

Everyday moment, I live in a peace that passes all understanding. It is a world without words. It is a world of beauty and joy, acceptance and surrender. It is not a passive world, but is without judgment or very much thinking at all. In order to write these words, I must step back into the skin of who I used to be.

I am only in the beginning of my review of the Red Book, so I don’t yet have a complete perspective. But this is what I see so far. I see an extraordinary man who had the courage to face his demons, because somewhere down deep, he knew that this was not who he really was. He knew that he was a victim of the socialization and indoctrination of his time.

Tomorrow – Jung’s “Intoxication with Myth”

Today’s Nature topic
And, now on to today’s nature topic - the birds of prey. These majestic birds are a constant reminder that life lives off of life. Each of them have informed me and made my life fuller. I salute each of them and show my deep respect with this small recognition.

Today – American Kestrel (Sparrow Hawk)
Tuesday - Red-Tailed Hawk
Wednesday - Osprey (Fish Hawk)
Thursday - Eastern Screech Owl
Friday - Great Blue Heron and Belted Kingfisher

American Kestrel (Sparrow Hawk)
I first heard about the Kestrel when I started building bird houses a few years ago. The plans for my screech owl box also accommodate the American Kestrel. I saw my first one several months later. It is a very colorful bird in a very compact package, 9-12”. As soon as I saw him, I knew what he was; it was only later that I looked him up in my Audubon book and confirmed the sighting. I now see them several times a summer. On my place they stay to the lower, wooded creek areas.

A hunter of small birds and mammals, these diminutive hawks fly low along the ground, unlike their soaring, larger cousin, the red-tailed hawk. The kestrel stands proudly erect on a point of observation waiting patiently for the scene to unfold. It will then fly low; darting left and right until it secures its prey in its talons, returning to its stand to devour its prey. It’s hard to believe that it took me 50 years to see my first one, while they have been near me all along.