FIRST and above all, an explanation must do justice to the thing that is to be explained, must not devaluate it, interpret it away, belittle it, or garble it, in order to make it easier to understand. The question is not "At what view of the phenomenon must we arrive in order to explain it in accordance with one or another philosophy?" but precisely the reverse: "What philosophy is requisite if we are to live up to the subject, be on a level with it?" The question is not how the phenomenon must be turned, twisted, narrowed, crippled so as to be explicable, at all costs, upon principles that we have once and for all resolved not to go beyond. The question is: "To what point must we enlarge our thought so that it shall be in proportion to the phenomenon..."

Schelling, Philosophie der Mythologie. qtd. in V. Zuckerkandl, Sound and Symbol.

"Heartache" is a poeticism, but here it becomes an actual fact because his pride would not let him suffer the pain in his soul. The "lump in the throat," the so-called globus hystericus, comes, as everyone knows, from swallowed tears. His consciousness had simply withdrawn from contents that were too painful to him, and these, left to themselves, could reach consciousness only indirectly, as symptoms. All this was a rationally understandable and perfectly intelligible process, which could just as well have passed off consciously, had it not been for his masculine pride.

The Portable Jung, p.31

The conviction of ignorance is a necessary first step to the aquisition of knowledge, for no one is going to seek knowledge on any subject if he is under the delusion that he already possesses it.

W.K.C. Guthrie. The Greek Philosophers from Thales to Aristotle.

... practically all the religions we know might be defined as state-specific technologies, operated in the service of a priori belief systems.

Charles T. Tart

What's your name?
You must have a name.
Of course.
I'm not just anybody.
Right.
What's so hard?
Just a name!
If you want,
spell it backwards.
What's your name?
Raven.
You must feel better already.
Spelled like the bird?
Yes, Raven.
- First name?
- Ralph.
What did you say?
Nothing.
Keep writing.
Refugee... victim
of robbers and horse thieves...
beginner... sensitive... destitute...
specialist and layman
all in one, you might say.
One thing at a time, Mr. Raven.
Where do you live?
Where do you sleep?
Around.
Around? Here and there?
The pizzeria, "Casa dell'Angelo."
You sleep in the oven, I suppose?
- You don't believe me?
- No!

Film: Faraway, So Close! (In Weiter Ferne So Nah)