Blake seeks to provide the Golden String which can lead us through the labyrinth of our experience or his own poetry.

Thursday, January 12, 2023

DIVINE HUMANITY

In her book Carl Jung: Wounded Healer of the Soul, Claire Dunne wrote:

"Some people question the Christianity of Carl Jung.

He divided his religious life from his professional life,

but in later years he became more open about revealing

his inner relationship to God . Although he never

spoke of his religion in the conventional religious

terminology that had been used by his family for

generations, he said enough to show that he had a

faith that was deep and personal. 

 

When John Freeman asked Jung in a 1959 BBC interview

if he believed in God, he answered, 'I don't need to

believe....I know,' thereby landing himself in

controversy again. 

 

'The divine Presence is more than anything else. There

is more than one way to the rediscovery of the 'genus

divinum' in us. This is the only thing that matters....I

wanted the proof of a living Spirit and I got it....Don't

ask me at what price....I don't want to prescribe a way

to other people, because I know that my way has been

prescribed to me by a hand far above my reach. I know

it all sounds so damned grand. I am sorry that it does,

but I don't mean it. It is grand and I am only trying to

be a decent tool and don't feel grand at all.'

Letter to FR.Victor White

This sounds like a man who knew the Spirit within.

Jesus didn't ask for more than that."

Link to CARL JUNG: WOUNDED HEALER OF THE SOUL by Claire Dunne. 

The statements that Claire Dunne made about Jung are applicable to Blake as well. He was not a church goer, his faith was not orthodox, he was an artist and poet, not a theologian or a minister. But to say that Blake's faith was 'deep and personal' would be an understatement.

To Blake and Jung an internal experience of the presence of the divine was the only evidence that they needed that God exists, creates and relates to humankind.  


Milton, Plate 13 [14], (E 107)

"The Bard replied. I am Inspired! I know it is Truth! for I Sing
Plate 14 [15]
According to the inspiration of the Poetic Genius
Who is the eternal all-protecting Divine Humanity
To whom be Glory & Power & Dominion Evermore Amen
Jerusalem, Plate 61, (E 212)
"And I heard the voice among
The Reapers Saying, Am I Jerusalem the lost Adulteress? or am I
Babylon come up to Jerusalem? And another voice answerd Saying   

Does the voice of my Lord call me again? am I pure thro his Mercy
And Pity. Am I become lovely as a Virgin in his sight who am
Indeed a Harlot drunken with the Sacrifice of Idols does he
Call her pure as he did in the days of her Infancy when She
Was cast out to the loathing of her person. The Chaldean took
Me from my Cradle. The Amalekite stole me away upon his Camels
Before I had ever beheld with love the Face of Jehovah; or known
That there was a God of Mercy: O Mercy O Divine Humanity!
O Forgiveness & Pity & Compassion! If I were Pure I should never
Have known Thee; If I were Unpolluted I should never have        
Glorified thy Holiness, or rejoiced in thy great Salvation.
Vision of Last Judgment, (E 561) 
" Around the Throne Heaven is opend & the Nature of
Eternal Things Displayd All Springing from the Divine Humanity
All beams from him [<Because> as he himself has said All
dwells in him] He is the Bread & the Wine he is the Water of
Life accordingly on Each Side of the opening Heaven appears an
Apostle that on the Right  
Represents Baptism that on the Left Represents the Lords Supper
All Life consists of these Two Throwing off Error <& Knaves from
our company> continually & recieving Truth <or Wise Men into our
Company> Continually. he who is out of the Church & opposes it is
no less an Agent of Religion than he who is in it. to be an Error
& to be Cast out is a part of Gods Design    No man can Embrace
True Art till he has Explord & Cast out False Art <such is the
Nature of Mortal Things> or he will be himself Cast out by those
who have Already Embraced True Art    Thus My Picture is a
History of Art & Science [& its] <the Foundation of
Society> Which is Humanity itself.  What are all the Gifts of the
Spirit but Mental Gifts whenever any Individual Rejects Error &
Embraces Truth a Last Judgment passes upon that Individual" 
Vision of Last Judgment, (E 562)
"Jesus is surrounded by Beams of Glory in which are
seen all around him Infants emanating from him   these represent
the Eternal Births of Intellect from the divine Humanity   A
Rainbow surrounds the throne & the Glory in which youthful
Nuptials recieve the infants in their hands" 
 
Original in British Museum
Illustration to Young's Night Thoughts
  
Milton, Plate 38 [43], (E 184)  
"building Heavens Twenty-seven-fold.
Swelld & bloated General Forms, repugnant to the Divine-
Humanity, who is the Only General and Universal Form         
To which all Lineaments tend & seek with love & sympathy
All broad & general principles belong to benevolence
Who protects minute particulars, every one in their own identity."
 

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