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James Hillman quotes

American Psychologist April 12, 1926 – October 27, 2011

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Quotes

Why do we focus so intensely on our problems? What draws us to them? Why are they so attractive? They have the magnet power of love: somehow we desire our problems; we are in love with them much as we want to get rid of them . . . Problems sustain us -- maybe that's why they don't go away. What would a life be without them? Completely tranquilized and loveless . . . There is a secret love hiding in each problem James Hillman
...you find your genius by looking in the mirror of your life. Your visible image shows your inner truth, so when you're estimating others, what you see is what you get. It therefore becomes critically important to see generously, or you will get only what you see; to see sharply, so that you discern the mix of traits rather than a generalized lump; and to see deeply into dark shadows, or else you will be deceived. James Hillman
The elder who is eliminating what time has done to the face, what life has done to the face, is making a statement for others to see: This is the way to be a good old person - it is to defeat this body that is doing things to you. Because you haven't changed. Your body's changing. James Hillman
James Hillman quote: "Character forms a life regardless of how obscurely that life..."
Character forms a life regardless of how obscurely that life is lived and how little light falls on it from the stars. James Hillman
The older people that one admires seem to be fearless. They go right out into the world. It's astounding. Maybe they can't see or they can't hear, but they walk out into the street and take life as it comes. They're models of courage, in a strange way. James Hillman
James Hillman quote: "The moment the angel enters a life it enters an environment...."
The moment the angel enters a life it enters an environment. We are ecological from day one. James Hillman
I see happiness as a by-product. I don't think you can pursue happiness. I think that phrase is one of the very few mistakes the Founding Fathers made. James Hillman
James Hillman quote: "Depression opens the door to beauty of some kind."
Depression opens the door to beauty of some kind. James Hillman
Just stop for a minute and you'll realize you're happy just being. I think it's the pursuit that screws up happiness. If we drop the pursuit, it's right here. James Hillman
When they talk about family values, it's in a repressive way, as if our American tradition were only the Puritan tradition or the 19th century oppressive tradition. The Christian tradition. James Hillman
The culture is going into a psychological depression. We are concerned about our place in the world, about being competitive: Will my children have as much as I have? Will I ever own my own home? How can I pay for a new car? Are immigrants taking away my white world? James Hillman
James Hillman quote: "Loss means losing what was We want to change but we don't want..."
Loss means losing what was We want to change but we don't want to lose. Without time for loss, we don't have time for soul. James Hillman
In the history of the treatment of depression, there was the dunking stool, purging of the bowels of black bile, hoses, attempts to shock the patient. All of these represent hatred or aggression towards what depression represents in the patient. James Hillman
Instead of seeing depression as a dysfunction, it is a functioning phenomenon. It stops you cold, sets you down, makes you damn miserable. James Hillman
I don't think anything changes until ideas change. The usual American viewpoint is to believe that something is wrong with the person. James Hillman

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