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James Hillman

James Hillman Quotes

Psychologist

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Famous James Hillman Quotes

“The character truest to itself becomes eccentric rather than immovably centered, as Emerson defined the noble character of the hero. At the edge, the certainty of borders gives way. We are more subject to invasions, less able to mobilize defenses, less sure of who we really are, even as we may be perceived by others as a person of character. The dislocation of self from center to indefinite edge merges us more with the world, so that we can feel blest by everything.”

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Book:The Force of Character: And the Lasting Life
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“It helps to regard soul as an active intelligence, forming and plotting each person's fate. Translators use "plot" to render the ancient Greek word mythos in English. The plots that entangle our souls and draw forth our characters are the great myths. That is why we need a sense of myth and knowledge of different myths to gain insight into our epic struggles, our misalliances, and our tragedies. Myths show the imaginative structures inside our messes, and our human characters can locate themselves against the background of the characters of myth.”

NeedsHumansPersonsDifferentSoulCharacterHelpingUseShowsStruggleFateDrawsGainsTragedyRegardStructureAncientInsightActiveMythBackgroundsMessGreekPlotEpicImaginativeTranslatorsAncient Greek
Book:The Force of Character: And the Lasting Life
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“Aging is no accident. It is necessary to the human condition, intended by the soul. We become more characteristic of who we are simply by lasting into later years; the older we become, the more our true natures emerge. Thus the final years have a very important purpose: the fulfillment and confirmation of one’s character.”

YearsHumansImportantSoulCharacterPurposeConditionsAgingFinalsAccidentsFulfillmentCharacteristicsWho We AreLastingHuman ConditionTrue NatureConfirmation
Author:James Hillman
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“I like to imagine a person's psyche to be like a boardinghouse full of characters. The ones who show up regularly and who habitually follow the house rules may not have met other long-term residents who stay behind closed doors, or who only appear at night. An adequate theory of character must make room for character actors, for the stuntmen and animal handlers, for all the figures who play bit parts and produce unexpected acts. They often make the show fateful, or tragic, or farcically absurd.”

MayPersonsLongPlayCharacterShowsNightActorsHouseBitsTermAnimalRoomsBehindsImagineDoorsFiguresProduceTheoryMetsAbsurdLong TermUnexpectedTragicAdequateResidentsClosed DoorsCharacter ActorsBehind Closed DoorsStuntmanHouse Rules
Author:James Hillman
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