The need for self discipline and a patient attitude

When an impulse from the unconscious comes up, it is always accompanied by a drive to realize it in a concrete manner. This is a general truth. We see this most often, for example, when transference phenomena occur during psychological treatment. When one is a patient and falls in love with one’s doctor and dreams of making love, it is a sign that one needs to experience greater human closeness, a better human contact. But most often a patient gives it a more concrete interpretation and would like to realize it immediately. This is not because of stupidity, but rather we know that “it” within us is driving us. It is a certain demoniacal force, but if it were to be realized in such a concrete manner, the patient would be the first to be disappointed. But one is unable to restrain oneself and does not notice that it is meant to be understood symbolically. This is how it is with most contents from the unconscious. They are always accompanied by this hasty drive to carry the thing out immediately. This is the demon. This means that one must always first of all think about it and say, “Just a moment. Let’s wait and see what wants to be realized.”

In a letter, Jung even went so far as to say “Demonic powers are archetypes in an initial stage of moving toward consciousness.” This means that all archetypes, as they begin to move toward consciousness, have demoniacal aspects. It is only after the threshold into consciousness has been broken through and the content has been integrated that its positive meaning becomes apparent. This also means that that which is demoniacal is not something absolute. Rather, it is a stage to be passed through for those unconscious contents which are moving up toward consciousness. And this explains why it is that creative people are very closely exposed to demonic, devilish forces, for in them, archetypal contents are breaking through the threshold into consciousness. This is also why one very often sees that before there is a creative concretization, there is a creative disturbance and certain demoniacal impulses appear.

... [O]ne has to know that there is a charge inside oneself, but one should not let it take a wrong path, but must contain it until it comes out in the right way. But, of course, this requires strong self-discipline.

Marie Louse von Franz, Creation Myths, p. 151