Gail Grynbaum, Ph.D.: “The 1961 Bill Wilson-Carl Jung Letters”

Gail Grunbaum, RN, Ph.D., Jungian Analyst speaking at Alta Mira Recovery Program (www.altamirarecovery.com).

Dr. Grunbaum starts off her speech with comparing Bill Wilson to Carl Jung. With a picture of a plaque that was hung over Jung's front door and inscribed in his tombstone that reads "The presence of God everywhere and in everything", Gail goes on to say that both Bill Wilson (alcoholics anonymous) and Carl Jung (analytical psychology) were incredible spiritual visionaries that birthed incredible movements that influenced and changed the lives of millions of people around the world.

Gail tells a story of correspondence that occurred back in 1921 between Carl Jung and Bill Wilson. Both men suffered from despair, alienation and disorientation. Because of this, Bill developed the 12-Steps and the 12-Traditions, to not only help himself and others with their challenges, but to start on a spiritual journey.

The essence of this message is this: "Jung and Wilson survived their ordeals by relying on a power greater than themselves. Their strength lies in their human flaws and in their imperfections. They asked for help that allowed them to accomplish great things. Both came to find a balanced and interactive relationship between human and divine."

Jung's psychology is the only analytic theory accounting for the spiritual motive in any other way than defensive.

"The thirst for wholeness is the essence of the spiritual quest." - Jung

Individuation is a person becoming themselves. But what happens when a person can't find this? What if they get stuck? Dr. Grunbaum goes on to say that the Buddhist have a Realm of Hungry Ghosts. These ghosts are said to have scrawny necks, small mouths, bloated empty bellies and insatiable hunger.

The Realm of Hungry Ghosts is the domain of addiction; that insatiable hunger, insatiable thirst, where we are constantly seeking something outside of ourselves and where we try to curb an unquenchable desire for relief or fulfillment.

Addiction itself is thirst without the wholeness.

"One has, for better or worse, to choose his own life."

Depression stayed with Bill while he was developing AA. Many people who surrounded him thought that his depression was because of spiritual exhaustion. After Bill developed AA and was ready for it to be put into real progress, he handed his reins over. When Bill left AA his depression left as well.

Gail Grunbaum, RN, Ph.D., finishes her speech with a letter written from Bill Wilson to Carl Jung, thanking him for the words that he said to one of his patients that started the Alcoholics Anonymous movement.