Salome’s Embrace

Book excerpt: C. G. Jung, a man who accomplished a revolution in analytical psychology and made an impact both directly and indirectly on a great number of people, also took women seriously. The release of The Red Book has greatly added to our knowledge of Jung’s relationship with the feminine: from his mother, his wife and his extramarital affairs to the effect these had on the formulation of his psychology and on the women who had the courage to explore the need for a spiritual link to Jung and who became known as the Valkyries. In this revised and expanded study of the many women in Jung’s close circle, Anthony explores the women who followed Jung during his lifetime, his need for their company, and their contributions to his work. The book includes studies of Emma Jung, Sabina Spielrein and Toni Wolff, as well as Jung’s mother Emilie, and many other collaborators and followers. It also includes chapters on The Red Book, the Zurich Psychological Club and Dadaism. Including never-before published primary material, including interviews with the women themselves, Salome’s Embrace assesses their work and its value for the generations of Jungian analysts that have followed, including women who practice depth psychology today. The book will be of great interest to analytical psychologists and Jungian psychotherapists in practice and in training, academics and students of Jungian and post-Jungian studies, gender, and women’s history.