Chicken Little: The Inside Story (A Jungian ... - Inner City Books

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22 Chicken Little: The Inside Story he had established a practice in Boise, Idaho (the first and last Jungian, I believe, to do so). By the time I arrived in Zürich, in the fall of 1974, his reputation as a conservative was well established. 29 No one I knew had seen him at conferences, but I had read his articles in various journals, both Jungian and those devoted to Chickle Schtick. To my knowledge, nothing written by him in either field had been published since his landmark “Non-Euclidean Perspective” on the estimable Ms. Little in 1968. That was now twenty-four years ago, and since I left Zürich in 1978 his name had not appeared in the International Directory of Jungian Analysts. Where had Brillig been? Was he still practicing? How old could he be? These questions whirled in my head. As well, and to be perfectly honest, I had almost forgotten the paper of mine to which Brillig alluded. It was already two years since I wrote it and over a year since it had been published. It was my very first contribution to the world of Chicken Little scholarship. I believe it sprang from a feeling that someone should try to bridge the lamentable gap between Chickle Schtick and Jungian psychology—and the grandiose idea that I was just the one to do it. I was full of it at the time and had eagerly looked forward to whatever response might come. None did. Now, although flattered by this belated but dramatic show of interest by someone whose work I had the highest regard for, I was more than a little uneasy that my, yes, let me admit it, somewhat whimsical piece, which had already faded in my memory, should be taken so seriously. I dug my paper out and read it through, nodding to myself. I had to smile at the bits attributed to “Janet Marble” and “A.G. Grandize.” As I recall, they were Rachel’s doing. “It has something,” she’d mused, reading my initial draft, “but it 29 There are different interpretations of what a “conservative” Jungian is. Personally, I understand it to mean someone who adheres closely to Jung’s expressed views. I have no reason to doubt that Brillig felt the same. When he was criticized by Kleinians, Kohutians and so-called post-Jungians for being “too doctrinaire” (i.e., not open to new ideas), he replied: “I see no need to reinvent the wheel. It isn’t that Jung was never wrong, rather he was always right.” [American Journal of Analytical Psychology, vol. 13, no. 4 (Fall 1965), p. 145]
The Letter 23 could use some spice.” And she made a few suggestions. I was reluctant at first. Whimsy is one thing, but playing with the truth is something else. On the other hand, Rachel is, to some extent, “She-who-must-be-obeyed.” 30 In the end I met her half way, which is to say I took her advice. Now I focused on the passage that had apparently prompted Brillig to write me: . . . stone tablets discovered in Lower Kraznac. . . . Some tablets are whole, others are merely fragments. There are huge gaps. The first seems to start in mid-story, and the seventh ends so abruptly that one cannot help but think that others are still to be found. God, I thought, where did that come from—“others are still to be found”? I wracked my brain and came up empty. It was a throwaway line, surely, just to show I knew my Chickle Schtick. Now here was the expert, calling my bluff. I was not happy. I got Sunny’s leash, stuffed a plastic bag in my pocket—being a conscientious stoop and scooper—and took her out to the park. Arnold came at my call. He kicked off his galoshes and threw his coat on a chair. I showed him Brillig’s letter. He borrowed my glasses and read it through without comment, then gave me a great clap on the arm. “Don’t panic,” he said. “Let’s have a drink.” Arnold’s a bear of a man. We’re more than close. We shared a house in Zürich when we were training. Now we practice together as colleagues. He sees things in ways I don’t, and vice versa. He designed my garden and taught me to appreciate free verse. I showed him how to sew and make cookies, read maps, fix lamps. He taught me that being late, or not showing up at all, wasn’t a 30 This is a phrase Jung lifted from the writer Rider Haggard to describe the authority of a man’s anima, his inner woman. (See, for instance, Two Essays on Analytical Psychology, par. 189.) I was amused to see it echoed recently in the popular PBS television series, “Rumpole of the Bailey,” where Rumpole’s wife, entirely innocuous to the viewer, is routinely referred to by him as “She-who-must-beobeyed.” I use it here, of course, somewhat tongue in cheek. Rachel is flesh and blood, my anima isn’t. I know the difference, only at times, like Rumpole, I’m liable to forget.
Page 2 and 3: Chicken Little
Page 4 and 5: CHICKEN LITTLE The Inside Story A J
Page 6: Contents Chicken Little: Messiah, M
Page 9 and 10: Chicken Little: Messiah, Meshuggene
Page 21: The Letter 21 had a joint. The feel
Page 25 and 26: The Letter 25 chel about Brillig’
Page 27 and 28: The Letter 27 the difference. She h
Page 29 and 30: The Letter 29 since the morning in
Page 31 and 32: The Letter 31 her, was written at a
Page 33 and 34: The Meeting 33 Well, strictly speak
Page 35 and 36: The Meeting 35 “Rachel,” I said
Page 37 and 38: The Meeting 37 “May I?” he aske
Page 39 and 40: The Meeting 39 tain-climbing goods
Page 41 and 42: The Meeting 41 Arnold furtively sli
Page 43 and 44: The Meeting 43 things, ‘of shoes
Page 45 and 46: 3 An Unveiling I awoke at 5:30. Tha
Page 47 and 48: An Unveiling 47 had been through th
Page 49 and 50: An Unveiling 49 six hours there and
Page 51 and 52: An Unveiling 51 sensuous mate befor
Page 53 and 54: An Unveiling 53 still devout, and a
Page 55 and 56: An Unveiling 55 I felt a twinge of
Page 57 and 58: 4 Search for the Self After we’d
Page 59 and 60: Search for the Self 59 “Jung spok
Page 61 and 62: Search for the Self 61 concerned to
Page 63 and 64: Search for the Self 63 “I also sa
Page 65 and 66: Search for the Self 65 I looked at
Page 67 and 68: Search for the Self 67 Rachel looke
Page 69 and 70: Search for the Self 69 “You could
Page 71 and 72: Intermezzo 71 town and sent to the
Page 73 and 74:
Search for the Self 73 Alchemical l
Page 75 and 76:
Philosophers’ Stone 75 next door.
Page 77 and 78:
Philosophers’ Stone 77 zine these
Page 79 and 80:
Philosophers’ Stone 79
Page 81 and 82:
Philosophers’ Stone 81 only in hi
Page 83 and 84:
Philosophers’ Stone 83 circled hi
Page 85 and 86:
Philosophers’ Stone 85 fours and
Page 87 and 88:
Philosophers’ Stone 87 how does i
Page 89 and 90:
A Stitch in Time 89 as I can say wh
Page 91 and 92:
A Stitch in Time 91 “Good, bad, w
Page 93 and 94:
A Stitch in Time 93 The prodigal so
Page 95 and 96:
A Stitch in Time 95 “Well,” I s
Page 97 and 98:
A Stitch in Time 97 as I dare say t
Page 99 and 100:
New Dimensions 99 had a session wit
Page 101 and 102:
New Dimensions 101 I was afraid I
Page 103 and 104:
New Dimensions 103 Night after nigh
Page 105 and 106:
New Dimensions 105 culine God-image
Page 107 and 108:
New Dimensions 107 Adam smiled at m
Page 109 and 110:
New Dimensions 109 Adam had said ea
Page 111 and 112:
The Experiment 111 No team of mount
Page 113 and 114:
The Experiment 113 “The major por
Page 115 and 116:
The Experiment 115 While Rachel and
Page 117 and 118:
The Experiment 117 It took some tri
Page 119 and 120:
The Experiment 119 From the Great A
Page 121 and 122:
The Experiment 121 “Hear, hear,
Page 123 and 124:
The Experiment 123 While I scooped
Page 125 and 126:
Bibliography Birkhäuser-Oeri, Siby
Page 127:
Bibliography 127 _______. The Pregn
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