Symbolic Life

In volume 18 of Jung's Collected Works, he clarifies what is meant by living a symbolic life.  I am very moved by what he says.  On page 273, "symbolic has to do with participation in the ritual of life."  page 274, he writes:  "only the symbolic life can express the need of the soul--the daily need of the soul mind you.!"  page 275, he says:  "Life the life that makes sense.   A career, producing of children, are all maya compared with that one thing, that your life is meaningful."  Page 276:  "Your soul has become lonely; it is ...in a state of no-salvation."  page 279: A symbolic life:  fulfill the secret will in yourself:  the unconscious produces the symbols that bring them back into the original symbolic life.

All of these quotes begin to energize my deep feelings of value and trust.  I feel very comforted by these quotes.  When Scott was dying, I believe I was deeply involved in the ritual of his life as it intersected with mine.  This is the symbolic life.  We were both living in a different reality from the ordinary life of others.  Although we did laundry, cooked, watched TV, we were both in tune with one another.  A true blessing under the worst conditions I have ever endured.  It also healed me, my parents, our relationship even in the midst of such horror.