C.G. Jung’s Dream: “I must keep my little light going through night and wind, regardless of all dangers…”

from the Red Book

It was night in some unknown place, and I was making slow and painful headway against a mighty wind. Dense fog was flying along everywhere.

I had my hands cupped around a tiny light which threatened to go out at any moment. Everything depended on my keeping this little light alive. Suddenly I had the feeling that something was coming up behind me.

I looked back, and saw a gigantic black figure following me. But at the same moment I was conscious, in spite of my terror, that I must keep my little light going through night and wind, regardless of all dangers.

Jung comments:

When I awoke I realized at once that the figure was a “specter of the Brocken,” my own shadow on the swirling mists, brought into being by the little light I was carrying. I knew, too, that this little light was my consciousness, the only light I have.

My own understanding is the sole treasure I possess, and the greatest. Though infinitely small and fragile in comparison with the powers of darkness, it is still a light, my only light.

This dream was a great illumination for me. Now I knew that No. 1 was the bearer of the light, and that No. 2 followed him like a shadow. My task was to shield the light and not look back at the vita peracta; this was evidently a forbidden realm of light of a different sort.

I must go forward against the storm, which sought to thrust me back into the immeasurable darkness of a world where one is aware of nothing except the surfaces of things in the background.

In the role of No. 1, I had to go forward–into study, moneymaking, responsibilities, entanglements, confusions, errors, submissions, defeats. The storm pushing against me was time, ceaselessly flowing into the past, which just as ceaselessly dogs our heels.

It exerts a mighty suction which greedily draws everything living into itself; we can only escape from it–for a while–by.pressing forward.

The past is terribly real and present, and it catches everyone who cannot save his skin with a satisfactory answer.;;

Though infinitely small and fragile in comparison with the powers of darkness, it is still a light, my only light. This dream was a great illumination for me. Now I knew that No. 1 was the bearer of the light, and that No. 2 followed him like a shadow. My task was to shield the light and not look back… this was evidently a forbidden realm of light of a different sort.

Memories, Dreams and Reflections
Pages 87-88

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