Jung and Eastern Thought is an assessment of the impact of the East on
Jung's life and teaching. Along with the strong and continuing interest
in the psychology of Carl Jung is a growing awareness of the extent to
which Eastern thought, especially Indian ideas, influenced his thinking.
This book identifies those influences that he found useful and those he
rejected.
In Hindu, Buddhist, and Taoist cultures, yoga is a central conception
and practice. Jung was at once fascinated and critical of yoga. Part I
of the book examines Jung's encounter with yoga and his strong warning
against the uncritical adoption of yoga by the modern West. In Part II
Jung's love/hate relationship with Eastern thought is examined in light
of his attitude toward karma and rebirth, Kundalini yoga, mysticism, and
Patanjali's Yoga Sutras.
Coward's observations are rounded out by contributions from J. Borelli
and J. Jordens. Dr. Borelli's Annotated Bibliography is an invaluable
contribution to bibliographic material on Jung, yoga, and Eastern
religion. A special feature is the Introduction by Joseph Henderson,
Jung's most senior North American student and one of the few Jungians to
have recognized the important influence of the East on Jung's thinking.