C.G. Jung — The Truly Real Life Begins

As you know, the angel of death has struck me down too,

and almost succeeded in wiping me off the slate.

I have been practically an invalid ever since,

recovering very very slowly

from all the arrows that have pierced me on all sides.

Fortunately enough my head has not suffered

and I could forget myself in my scientific work.

On the whole my illness proved to be a most valuable experience,

which gave me the inestimable opportunity

of a glimpse behind the veil.

The only difficulty is to get rid of the body,

to get quite naked and void of the world and the ego-will.

When you can give up the crazy will to live

and when you seemingly fall into a bottomless mist,

then the truly real life begins

with everything which you were meant to be

and never reached.

It is something ineffably grand.

I was free,

completely free and whole,

as I never felt before.

C.G. Jung

Letter to Kristine Mann

From Letters, Vol. 1, pp. 357–59