Abstracts of the Collected Works of C.G. Jung
The abstracts were printed by the U.S. Government Printing Office and are made available here for public use.
Volume 9.1: The Archetypes of the Collective Unconscious
000226 Archetypes of the collective unconscious. In: Jung, C., Collected
Works of C. G. Jung, Vol. 9, Part 1. 2nd ed., Princeton University Press,
1968. 451 p. (p. 3-41).
The concept of archetypes as the mode of expression of the collective
unconscious is discussed. In addition to the purely personal unconscious
hypothesized by Freud, a deeper unconscious level is felt to exist. This
deeper level manifests itself in universal archaic images expressed in
dreams, religious beliefs, myths, and fairytales. The archetypes, as unfiltered
psychic experience, appear sometimes in their most primitive and naive
forms (in dreams), sometimes in a considerably more complex form due to
the operation of conscious elaboration (in myths). Archetypal images expressed
in religious dogma in particular are thoroughly elaborated into formalized
structures which, while by expressing the unconscious in a circuitous manner,
prevent direct confrontation with it. Since the Protestant Reformation
rejected nearly all of the carefully constructed symbol structures, man
has felt increasingly isolated and alone without his gods; at a loss to
replenish his externalized symbols, he must turn to their source in the
unconscious. The search into the unconscious involves confronting the shadow,
man's hidden nature; the anima/animus, a hidden opposite gender in each
individual; and beyond, the archetype of meaning. These are archetypes
susceptible to personification; the archetypes of transformation, which
express the process of individuation itself, are manifested in situations.
As archetypes penetrate consciousness, they influence the perceived experience
of normal and neurotic people; a too powerful archetype may totally possess
the individual and cause psychosis. The therapeutic process takes the unconscious
archetypes into account in two ways: they are made as fully conscious as
possible, then synthesized with the conscious by recognition and acceptance.
It is observed that since modern man has a highly developed ability to
dissociate, simple recognition may not be followed by appropriate action;
it is thus felt that moral judgment and counsel is often required in the
course of treatment.
000227 The concept of the collective unconscious. In: Jung,
C., Collected Works of C. G. Jung, Vol. 9, Part 1. 2nd ed., Princeton University
Press, 1968. 451 p. (p. 42-53).
The definition, modes of manifestation and function of the collective
unconscious are discussed. In addition to the personal unconscious generally
accepted by medical psychology, the existence of a second psychic system
of a universal and impersonal nature is postulated. This collective unconscious
is considered to consist of preexistent thought forms, called archetypes,
which give form to certain psychic material which then enters the conscious.
Archetypes are likened to instinctual behavior patterns. Examples of ideas
such as the concept of rebirth, which occur independently in various cultures
and ages, are advanced as evidence for the collective unconscious. It is
felt that there are as many archetypes as there are recurring situations
in life, that when a situation occurs that corresponds to a particular
archetype, the archetype presses for completion like an instinctual drive;
resistance to its expression may result in neurosis. The existence of archetypes
is demonstrated in the analysis of adult and childhood dreams, active imagination,
psychotic delusions, and fantasies produced in the trance state. A case
history of a paranoid schizophrenic is examined in terms of the manifestation
of archetypes in the patient's delusional system.
000228 Concerning the archetypes, with special reference to
the anima concept. In: Jung, C., Collected Works of C. G. Jung, Vol.
9, Part 1. 2nd ed., Princeton University Press, 1968. 451 p. (p. 54-72).
The formulation of the archetypes is described as an empirically derived
concept, like that of the atom; it is a concept based not only on medical
evidence but on observations of mythical, religious and literary phenomena,
these archetypes are considered to be primordial images, spontaneous products
of the psyche which do not reflect any physical process, but are reflected
in them. It is noted that while the theories of materialism would explain
the psyche as an epiphenomenon of chemical states in the brain, no proof
has yet been found for this hypothesis; it is considered more reasonable
to view psychic production as a generating rather than a generated factor.
The anima is the feminine aspect of the archetypal male/female duality
whose projections in the external world can be traced through myth, philosophy
and religious doctrine. This duality is often represented in mythical syzygy
symbols, which are expressions of parental imagos; the singular power of
this particular archetype is considered due to an unusually intense repression
of unconscious material concerning the parental imagos. Archetypal images
are described as preexistent, available and active from the moment of birth
as possibilities of ideas which are subsequently elaborated by the individual.
The anima image in particular is seen to be active in childhood, projecting
superhuman qualities on the mother before sinking back into the unconscious
under the influence of external reality. In a therapeutic sense, the concept
of the amma is considered critical to the understanding of male psychology.
16 references.
000229 Psychological aspects of the mother archetype. 1. On
the concept of the archetype. In: Jung, C., Collected Works of C. G.
Jung, Vol. 9, Part 1. 2nd ed., Princeton University Press, 1968. 451 p.
(p. 75-80).
In a discussion of the concept of archetypes, Plato's concept
of the Idea, a primordial disposition that preforms and influences thoughts,
is found to be an early formulation of the archetype hypothesis. Other
investigators such as Hermann Usener are also noted to have recognized
the existence of universal forms of thought. Jung's contribution is considered
to be the demonstration that archetypes are disseminated not only through
tradition, language, or migration, but that they can anse spontaneously
without outside influence. It is emphasized that an archetype is not predetermined
in content; rather it is a possibility of representation which may be actualized
in various ways. In this aspect the archetype is likened to the instincts;
both are predetermined in form only, and both are only demonstrable through
their manifestations.
000230 Psychological aspects of the mother archetype. 2. The
mother archetype. In: Jung, C., Collected Works of C. G. Jung, Vol.
9, Part 1. 2nd ed., Princeton University Press, 1968. 451 p. (p. 81-84).
Some characteristic aspects of the mother archetype are delineated
including the personal mother, grandmother, stepmother and mother-in-law
figures; secondly, any woman with whom such a mother like relationship
exists, such as nurse; and finally, figurative aspects of mother, such
as a goddess. Symbols of the mother are seen in abstractions such as the
goal of redemption, objects arousing devotion or awe, such as sea, moon,
woods; and items representing fertility, such as a garden. The magical
protection this archetype implies is similar to that of the mandala figure.
The mother archetype has two aspects: she is both loving and terrible.
Positively, the mother archetype has been associated with solicitude, wisdom,
sympathy, spiritual exaltation, helpful instincts, growth and fertility;
the negative or evil side of the mother archetype is associated with secrets,
darkness, the world of the dead, seduction and poison. Because of the power
of the mother archetype, it is suggested that the traumatic effects produced
by a mother upon her children are of two kinds: first, those corresponding
to traits actually present in the mother, and second, those due to traits
which are archetypal projections on the part of the child. It is noted
that even Freud admits of the importance of infantile fantasy in the development
of neurosis. Automatically explaining a child's neorosis by means of unconscious
archetypes leads to errors; instead, a thorough investigation of the parents
is indicated. It is felt that the task of the therapist is not to deny
the archetypes, but to dissolve their projections in order to restore their
contents to the individual.
000231 Psychological aspects of the mother archetype. 3. The
mother-complex. 1. The mother-complex of the son. In: Jung C., Collected
Works of C. G. Jung, Vol. 9, Part 1. 2nd ed.: Princeton University Press,
1968. 451 p. (p. 85-87).
The mother archetype is described as forming the foundation of
the mother complex in sons; through the early influence of the actual mother,
archetypal structure develops around the mother figure, producing fantasies
which disturb the mother-child relationship. Typical effects of the mother
complex include homosexuality, Don Juanism and sometimes impotence. An
equal role is played by the anima and mother archetype in the formation
of the mother complex, since for the male child the perception of the mother
is complicated by sexual forces. In addition to its pathogenic properties,
the mother complex is considered to have possible benefits for the male
child in developing and refining in him certain essentially feminine qualities.
000232 Psychological aspects of the mother archetype. 3. The
mother-complex. 11. The mother-complex of the daughter. a. Hypertrophy
of the maternal element. b. Overdevelopment of the Eros. In: Jung,
C., Collected Works of C. G. Jung, Vol * 9 ' Part 1. 2nd ed., Princeton
University Press, 1968. 451 p. (p. 87-89).
The possible effects of the mother complex in the daughter are
described as the hyper-trophy of the daughter's feminine instincts or its
opposite, the atrophy of the feminine instincts. The exaggeration of the
feminine aspect is manifested in the intensification of all female instincts,
especially the maternal instinct; the negative aspect of this hypertrophy
is seen in women to whom the husband is merely an object to be looked after,
aside from his procreative function. Even her own life is of secondary
importance, since the woman's children are the objects of her complex identification.
The conscious development of the Eros in this type of woman is described
as exclusively a maternal relationship. The personal Eros remains unconscious
and is expressed in a will to power; this ruthlessness may result in the
annihilation of her own personality and the lives of her children. When
the maternal instinct is atrophied, an overdeveloped Eros forms and generally
leads to an unconscious incestuous relationship with the father; the intensified
Eros causes an abnormal emphasis on the personality of others. The woman
of this type is often seen to engage in sensational behavior for its own
sake.
000233 Psychological aspects of the mother archetype. 3. The
mother-complex. 11. The mother-complex of the daughter. c. Identity with
the mother. d. Resistance to the mother. In: Jung, C., Collected Works
of C. G. Jung, Vol. 9, Part 1. 2nd ed., Princeton University Press, 1968.
431 p. (p. 89-91).
Two alternatives to the overdevelopment of the Eros in the mother
complex of a woman are described as identity with the mother and resistance
to the mother. In the former case, the daughter projects her personality
completely on the mother, loses her own feminine instincts due to feelings
of inferiority, and remains devoted to the mother in an unconscious desire
to control her. It is noted that the submissive vacuousness these daughters
display is often very attractive to men. The resistance to the mother is
described as an example of the negative mother complex, in which behavior
patterns of the daughter are formed exclusively in opposition to those
of the mother' This complex is seen to result in marital difficulties,
indifference to family based societal organizations, and sometimes an extreme
intellectual development.
000234 Psychological aspects of the mother archetype. 4. Positive
aspects of the mother-complex. 1. The mother. In: Jung, C., Collected
Works of C. G. Jung, Vol. 9, Part 1. 2nd ed., Princeton University Press,
1968. 451 p. (p. 92-94).
The importance of the archetypes in man's relationship to the
world is emphasized; they are seen to express man's highest values, which
would be lost in the unconscious if not for their projection onto the external
environment. An example is the mother archetype, which expresses the ideal
mother love. Although the projection of this archetpye on the actual mother
-- an imperfect human being -- may lead to psychological complications,
the alternative of rejecting the ideal is seen as even more dangerous;
the destruction of this ideal and all other irrational expression is seen
as a serious impoverishment of human experience. Further, archetypes relegated
exclusively to the unconscious may intensify to the point of distorting
perceptive and reasoning powers. The equilibrium of rational and irrational
psychic forces is thus considered essential.
000235 Psychological aspects of the mother archetype. 4. Positive
aspects of the mother-complex. 11. The overdeveloped Eros. In Jung,
C., Collected Works of C. G. Jung, Vol. 9, Part 1. 2nd ed., Princeton University
Press, 1968. 451 p. (p. 94-97).
The positive functions an overdeveloped Eros type of mother complex
may fulfill are considered. This type of woman, whose behavior often develops
in reaction to her own mother's instinctive and all devouring nature, tends
to attract men in need of liberation from similar mothers or wives. Seen
in this light, the wrecking of marriages which commonly results from such
attraction has a positive aspect. Moreover, the moral conflict aroused
in men who are the objects of the attraction is seen as conducive to increased
self-knowledge and a higher degree of consciousness. It is suggested that
even the woman with this type of mother complex may benefit from the same
conflict, becoming more aware of her role of deliverer and possibly even
consciously fulfilling it. I reference.
000236 Psychological aspects of the mother archetype. 4. Positive
aspects of the mother-complex. 111. The "nothing-but" daughter. In:
Jung, C., Collected Works of C. G. Jung, Vol. 9, Part I , 2nd ed., Princeton
University Press, 1968. 451 p. (p. 97-98).
The possibility for positive development on the part of a woman
who is so identified with her mother that her own instincts are paralyzed
is seen to depend upon her emptiness being filled by a male anima projection.
Once stolen from her mother, this woman may eventually come to self-awareness
through utlimate resentment of her submissive role as a wife. If she remains
unconscious of her own personality, however, she is considered capable
of endowing her husband with her own undeveloped talents through projection.
This type of woman is described as embodying the essential feminine attribute:
emptiness (the yin).
000237 Psychological aspects of the mother archetype. 4. Positive
aspects of the mother-complex. IV. The negative mothercomplex. In:
Jung, C., Collected Works of C. G. Jung, Vol. 9, Part 1. 2nd ed., Princeton
University Press, 1968. 451 p. (p. 98-100).
The possibility for positive development of the woman with a negative
mother complex is discussed. Although as a pathological phenomenon this
type of woman is an unpleasant and exacting partner in marriage, it is
felt that with experience this woman may actually have the best chance
to make her marriage a success during the second half of her life. First
she must give up fighting her mother in the personal sense; but she will
always remain hostile to the feminine qualities of darkness and ambiguity,
and will choose clarity and reason. Her cool judgment and objectivity can
give this type of woman understanding of the individuality of her husband
that goes beyond the erotic; she may become the friend, sister and competent
advisor of her husband. All this can only be achieved if the complex is
faced and lived out to its fullest. The Biblical character of Lot's wife
is described as an example of this type of woman, who has an unconscious
reactive view of reality, dominated by the exclusively feminine aspect.
When this type of woman attains greater consciousness of herself, her rare
combination of womanliness and masculine understanding is beneficial in
the work environment as well as in intimate personal relationships. A man
may project a positive mother complex on a woman with masculine qualities
because she is easier to understand than one with another type of mother
complex. Understanding this type of woman, moreover, is not seen as frightening
to a man, rather it is conducive to confidence, a quality often absent
in the relationship between men and women.
000238 Psychological aspects of the mother archetype. 5. Conclusion.
In: Jung, C., Collected Works of C. G. Jung, Vol. 9 Part 1. 2nd ed., Princeton
University Press, 1968. 451 p. (p. 101-110).
General observations on the mother complex and examples taken
from mythology and history are used to support the concept of an unconscious
origin for the mother archetype. The experience of the mother archetype
is described as beginning in the state of unconscious identity in which
the child first encounters the actual mother. Gradually, as the ego is
differentiated from the mother, mysterious qualities originally attached
to her are transferred to a female figure close to her, such as a grandmother;
finally, as consciousness becomes clearer, the archetype recedes into the
unconscious, assuming mythological proportions. Once the mother archetype
is projected upon myth or fairytale, its opposite aspects may split apart,
creating a good and an evil goddess, for example. The essential diffemece
between the operation of the mother image in a man's psychology and in
a woman's is stressed: the mother typifies a woman's own conscious life,
but is an alien figure to a man, and is surrounded with imagery from the
unconscious. It is noted that the mythological projection of the mother
archetype, the Great Mother, often appears with her male counterpart, creating
the archetype of paired opposites which is the symbol of psychic individuation.
The dogma of the Assumption is proposed as a modern effort to compensate
the dominance of rational and material science with its archetypal opposite,
creating thereby a balanced world. It is suggested that this type of symbolic
compensation and unity constitutes the only way man is able to organize
and understand his role in the world. 2 references.
000239 Concerning rebirth. 1. Forms of rebirth. In: Jung,
C., Collected Works of C. G. Jung, Vol. 9, Part 1. 2nd ed., Princeton University
Press, 1968. 451 p. (p. 113-115).
Five different forms of rebirth are defined and described. Metempsychosis,
or transmigration of souls, is described as life extended in time by passing
through different bodily existences, an eternal life interrupted by different
reincarnations. This concept does not require a continuity of personality,
even in Buddhism where it is of particular importance, but only continuity
of karma. In reincarnation, human personality is regarded as continuous;
previous existences are at least potentially available to awareness, since
the same ego is presumed to exist throughout the various lives. These lives
are generally thought to be exclusively human. The third form of rebirth,
resurrection, is defined as a reestablishment of human existence after
death, with the implication of some change or transformation of the being.
A different place or body may be involved in transformation; the change
of body can be either in the carnal or the nonmaterial sense. Rebirth in
its fourth form (renovatio) is described as rebirth within the span of
individual life; this rebirth may either consist of some healing or strengthening
of a part of the physical or psychological being without essential change
of the whole, or of a profound basic change in the essential nature of
the individual, called transmutation. Examples are offered such as the
assumption of the body of the Mother of God into heaven after her death.
The fifth form of rebirth is seen as an indirect one in which the individual
witnesses or takes part in some rite of transformation and thereby shares
a divine grace. It is exemplified by the witnessing of transubstantiation
in the Mass, or the confession of the initiate in the Eleusinian mysteries.
1 reference.
000240 Concerning rebirth. 2. The psychology of rebirth. 1.
Experience of the transcedence of life. a. Experiences induced by ritual.
In: Jung, C., Collected Works of C. G. Jung, Vol. 9, Part 1. 2nd ed., Princeton
University Press, 1968. 451 p. (p. 116-118).
The psychic importance of the concept of rebirth and two main
types of transformation experiences are discussed. It is felt that the
rebirth concept can only be understood by examining history, since rebirth
itself is a purely psychic reality transmitted only indirectly through
personal statements. The affirmation of the concept of rebirth among many
different peoples is taken as support for its archetypal quality. It is
contended that psychology must deal with psychic events underlying the
affirmations of rebirth, especially regarding the two main groups of transformation
experiences: that of the transcendence of life, and that of individual
transformation. The experience of the transcendence of life can be induced
by ritual, in which the initiate takes part in some sacred rite revealing
to him the continuity of life. The transformation does not take place within
the initiate, but outside him, although he may become involved in the transformation.
The experience of the Christian Mass is described as an example of this
type of experience in which life, is transcended in a moment of eternity.
1 reference.
000241 Concerning rebirth. 2. The psychology of rebirth. I.
Experience of the transcedence of life. b. Immediate experiences. In:
Jung, C., Collected Works of C. G. Jung, Vol. 9, Part 1. 2nd ed., Princeton
University Press, 1968. 451 p. (p. 118).
In addition to transcendence experienced through ritual, a second
transcendence of life is described as a spontaneous, ectastic or visionary
experience of mystery without the aid of ritual. Nietzsche's Noontide Vision
is discussed as a classic example of this type of transformation: in the
myth of Dionysus-Zagreus, who was dismembered and returned to life, the
Deity appears in the noon hour, sacred to Pan; Nietzche's reaction is as
though he had been present at a ritual. It is cautioned that these are
more esthetic forms of experience, like dreams which have no lasting effect
on the dreamer, and that they must be distinguished from those visions
which involve permanent change in the individual. 2 references.
000242 Concerning rebirth. 2. The psychology of rebirth. 11.
Subjective transformation. a. Diminution of personality. In: Jung,
C., Collected Works of C. G. Jung, Vol. 9, Part 1. 2nd ed., Princeton University
Press, 1968. 451 p. (p. 119-120).
The diminution of personality as the result of a personality transformation
is described as different from the changes produced by a mystical experience.
It is noted that transformations of personality are already familiar to
psychology, and appear in psychopathology. The primitive psychology refers
to this diminution of personality as "loss of soul"; the impression that
the soul has been suddenly lost is in accordance with the nature of primitive
consciousness, which lacks the coherence of that of civilized man. The
experience of civilized man is seen as similar to that of primitive man,
but felt more as a lessening of conscious tonus; the consequent listlessness
and loss of will advance to the point of distintegration, in which individual
parts of personality escape from conscious control, as in the case of hysterical
phenomena. This diminution of personality (abaissement du niveau mental)
is described as resulting from physical or mental fatigue, physical illness,
violent emotions, or shock, and leading to a narrowing of mental horizons
and possibly to the development of a negative cast which falsifies the
original personality.
000243 Concerning rebirth. 2. The psychology of rebirth. 11.
Subjective transformation. b. Enlargement of personality. In: Jung,
C., Collected Works of C. G. Jung, Vol. 9, Part 1. 2nd ed., Princeton University
Press, 1968. 451 p. (p. 120-122).
The transformation resulting in an enlargement of personality
is described as the accretion of new experiences from without coupled with
the response of some inner element to these experiences. New experiences
cannot be assimilated unless the inner amplitude is equal to the incoming
material; therefore, without psychic depth, an individual lacks the capacity
to relate to the magnitude of experience, and a difficult task may destroy
rather than benefit him. A literary example of such an enlargement is seen
in Nietzsche's description of Zarathustra; religious and cultural illustrations
of the process are found in the Christ figure, in Indian culture, and in
the Islamic legend of Moses and Khidr. It is noted that the enlargement
of personality can occur in smaller ways, as may be illustrated by the
case histories of neurotic patients. 2 references.
000244 Concerning rebirth. 2. The psychology of rebirth. If.
Subjective transformation. c. Change of internal structure. In: Jung,
C., Collected Works of C. G. Jung, Vol. 9, Part 1. 2nd ed., Princeton University
Press, 1968. 451 p. (p. 122-125).
Changes of personality are detailed that involve structural alterations
in personality rather than enlargement or diminution. The phenomenon of
possession, in which some idea, content or part of personality gains mastery
of the individual, is characterized as one of the most important forms
of change in structure. Possession is described as identity of the ego
personality with a complex, with no strict differentiation made between
possession and paranoia. A common instance of possession and concomitant
structural change in the personality is seen in an individual's identity
with the persona, the manner the individual assumes in dealing with the
world; life is then lived only as a public biography. Other examples of
possession of parts of the personality are described as the possession
by an "inferior function" which results in the individual's living below
his own level, and possession by the anima or animus, which gives prominence
in the personality characteristics of the opposite sex. In unusual cases
states of possession may be observed to involve the soul of some forbear;
evidence for this type of transformation is found in Leon Daudet's book
"L'Heredo" and in the common importance of ancestral roles in society.
5 references.
000245 Concerning rebirth. 2. The psychology of rebirth. II.
Subjective transformation. d. Identification with a group. In: Jung,
C., Collected Works of C. G. Jung, Vol. 9, Part 1. 2nd ed., Princeton University
Press, 1968. 451 p. (p. 125-128).
A form of transformation experience is described which occurs
when an individual identifies with a group of people who have a collective
experience of transformation. This type of experience is distinguished
from participation in a transformation rite, which does not necessarily
depend upon, or give rise to, a group identity. Transformation as a group
experience is described as taking place on a lower level of consciousness
than transformation as an individual, because the total psyche emerging
from a group is more like the animal psyche than the human. Although the
group experience is easier to achieve, it does not cause a permanent change
once the individual is removed from the group. Events in prewar Germany
are cited as typifying the results of inevitable psychological regression
which takes place in a group when ritual is not introduced to counteract
unconscious instinctuality. Although this evaluation of mass psychology
is conceded to be essentialiv negative, it is pointed out that the mass
can also have positive effects by fostering courage and dignity; however,
these gifts are considered to become dangerous if they are taken for granted
and stifle personal efforts to achieve them. 4 references.
000246 Concerning rebirth. 2. The psychology of rebirth. 11.
Subjective transformation. e. Identification with a cult-hero. In:
Jung, C., Collected Works of C. G. Jung, Vol. 9, Part 1. 2nd ed., Princeton
University Press, 1968. 451 p. (p. 128).
Identification with some god or hero who is transformed in a sacred
ritual is discussed as an important form of personality transformation.
The Metamorphosis of Apuleius, the Osiris cult of Egypt, and the Christian
tradition are detailed as examples of this phenomenon. The latter is considered
to represent a culmination of this transformation in the idea that everyone
has an immortal soul and shares in the godhead; further development of
this idea is seen to lead to the concept of Christ in each individual.
Two forms of this indirect transformation process are described as dromenon,
characteristics of the ritual of the Catholic Church, and the gospel, the
Protestant preaching of the Word.
000247 Concerning rebirth. 2. The psychology of rebirth. 11.
Subjective transformation. I. Magical procedures. g. Technical transformation.
In: Jung, C., Collected Works of C. G. Jung, Vol. 9, Part 1. 2nd ed., Princeton
University Press, 1968. 451 p. (p. 128-130).
Two further forms of personality transformation beyond identification
with a cult hero are suggested. Instead of the transformation occuring
through an individual's participation in a sacred rite, the rite may be
expressly utilized to effect the transformation, which takes place from
the outside as an individual submits to a technique. Magical transformation
techniques of primitive societies usually involve some physical procedure
such as pulling a sick person through hole in the wall or through a leather
cow, or a renaming, to give the individual another soul. Nonmagical techniques
designed to produce psychic changes are exemplified by the practice of
yoga. A fairy tale illustrates how spontaneous transformations are replaced
by formalized techniques designed to reproduce the original transformation
by imitating the procedure.
000248 Concerning rebirth. 2. The psychology of rebirth. IL
Subjective transformation. h. Natural transformation (individuation).
In: Jung, C., Collected Works of C. G. Jung, Vol. 9, Part 1. 2nd ed., Princeton
University Press, 1968. 451 p. (p. 130-134).
In addition to technical processes of personality transformation,
a natural individuation process is described as involving a spontaneous
maturing of the personality. Natural transformation is evidenced in dreams
symbolizing rebirth and in the intercourse between consciousness and some
inner voice; this latter phenomenon, commonly described as talking to oneself,
is seen as meditation in the alchemical sense. The inner voice is generally
regarded as nonsense or as the voice of God; its real nature considered
to be an unconscious counterpart to the ego. It is felt that if this psychic
partner is recognized by the ego consciousness, the conflict between the
two can have a positive effect. In alchemy, in ancient cults and in religion
this inner presence is found personified as an external being such as Mercurius
or Christ. 3 references.
000249 Concerning rebirth. 3. A typical set of symbols illustrating
the process of transformation. In: Jung, C., Collected Works of C.
G. Jung, Vol. 9, Part 1. 2nd ed., Princeton University Press, 1968. 451
p. (p. 135-147).
An example of the symbolism of transformation is found in the
Khidr myth of Islamic mysticism which appears in the Eighteenth Sura of
the Koran. The cave which appears in this text is seen as a symbol of the
unconscious; the entry into the cave is the beginning of a process of psychic
transformation which may result in a substantial personality change. Moral
observations which follow the legend are considered as counsel to those
who will not achieve transformation and who must substitute adherence to
the law for true rebirth. The enusing story of Moses and his servant amplifies
and explains the first tale; the catch and subsequent loss of the fish
by Moses symbolizes an incomplete contact with the nourishing influenc
I the unconscious. The appearance of Khidr in the legend is elt to represent
the greater self which can guide the ego nsciousness (Moses) toward increased
wisdom. An ab t transition follows, and a story is told by Moses concerning
Khidr and his friend Dhulguarnein, although it is in fact Moses who is
interacting with Khidr; this substitution is interpreted in terms of a
retreat from the psychic danger of a direct confrontation of the ego consciousness
with the self. An allusion to the rebuilding of walls is seen as a symbol
of the protection of the self and of the individuation process. It is concluded
that the Khidr figure's significance in Islamic mysticism is due to this
legend's complete expression of the archetype of individuation. 12 references.
000250 The psychology of the child archetype. I. Introduction.
In: Jung, C., Collected Works of C. G. Jung, Vol. 9, Part 1. 2nd ed., Princeton
University Press, 1968. 451 p. (p. 151-160).
A brief history of psychological philosophy is given to explain
the long obscurity in regard to the unconscious as the essential nature
of the psyche. In dream analysis, the existence of typical mythologems
among individuals leads to the conclusion that myth forming structural
elements must be present in the unconscious psyche. The child archetype
is cited as an example of such a primordial image, called archetype, which
may be found in myths, fairytales and psychotic fantasies as well as in
dreams. Due to the undeveloped nature of primitive man, the unconscious
and its archetypes are seen to intrude spontaneously into his conscious
mind; thus primitive man does not invent myth but only experience it. In
modem man, products of the unconscious may be divided into two categories:
fantasies of a personal nature which can be traced to repression by the
individual; and fantasies of an impersonal nature, not individually acquired,
which correspond to inherited collective elements of the human psyche.
This second category is given the name collective unconscious. It is explained
that unconscious material can enter the consciousness during a state of
reduced conscious intensity such as in dream, when the control of the unconscious
by the conscious mind ceases. Archetypes are described as living psychic
forces which can promote human growth and which, when neglected, may cause
neurotic or even psychotic disorders. The archetype of the child god appears
to be widespread: examples from myth and legend, such the Christ child,
the alchemical child motif, and the figure of the dwarf or elf are cited.
The most significant manifestation of the child motif in psychotherapy
is described as ocurring in the maturation process of personality induced
by analysis of the unconscious or the individuation process. Here preconscious
processes gradually pass into the conscious mind through dreams or through
the active imagination. 17 references.
000251 The psychology of the child archetype. 11. 1. The archetype
as a link with the past. In: Jung, C., Collected Works of C. G. Jung,
Vol. 9, Part 1. 2nd ed., Princeton University Press, 1968. 451 p. (p. 160-162).
The difficulty of completely explaining the meaning of an archetype,
a psychic organ within every man, is acknowledged, with the warning that
a poor explanation of it may result in injury to that psychic organ. It
is felt that the explanation of the archetype should be such that an adequate
and meaningful connection between the conscious mind and the archetypes
is assured, and that the functional significance of the archetype remains
unimpaired. The archetype's role in the psychic structure is described
as representing or personsifying certain instinctive data from the unconscious.
The preoccupation of the primitive mentality with magic, cited as evidence
for the importance of the connection to primitive psychic contents, is
seen as the basis of modern religion. The child archetype is defined as
a representation of the preconscious childhood aspect of the collective
psyche.
000252 The psychology of the child archetype. 11. 2. The function
of the archetype. In: Jung, C., Collected Works of C. G. Jung, Vol.
9, Part 1. 2nd ed., Princeton University Press, 1968. 451 p. (p. 162-164).
The function of the child archetype in regard to modern man is
outlined. The purpose of the child archetype is seen as the compensation
or correction of the inevitable onesidedness and extravagance of the conscious
mind, the natural result of conscious concentration on a few contents to
the exclusion of all others. Modem man's developed will is described as
affording human freedom, but also the greater possibility of transgression
against the instincts. Compensation through the still exist- ing state
of childhood is considered necessary to prevent the uprooting of modem
man's differentiated consciousness. Symptoms of compensation, such as backwardness
and regressive behavior, are evaluated negatively by modem man, whereas
primitive man sees them as natural, in keeping with law and tradition.
Dissociation of consciousness is seen to facilitate a separation of one
part of the psyche from the rest, resulting in the falsification of the
personality through the force of the separated part. Thus if the childhood
state of the collective psyche is suppressed, the unconscious may inhibit
or even overwhelm the conscious function.
000253 The psychology of the child archetype. H. 3. The futurity
of the archetype. In: Jung, C., Collected Works of C. G. Jung, Vol.
9, Part 1. 2nd ed., Princeton University Press, 1968. 451 p. (p. 164-165).
Since the child is essentially a potential being, the child motif
in the psychology of the individual signifies generally the anticipation
of future, even though the motif appears to operate in a retrospective
manner. In the same manner, the child in the individual is seen to pave
the way for a future change of personality. The child motif is explained
as a symbol that unites the opposites in one's personality, in that it
anticipates the figure that comes from a synthesis of conscious and unconscious
elements. The child as mediator of transformation is represented in numerous
symbols, such as the circle or the quaternity; these symbols of wholeness
are also identified with the self. The individuation process is concluded
to exist in the child in a preconscious state, to be actualized in the
adult psyche.
000254 The psychology of the child archetype. H. 4. Unity and
plurality of the child motif. 5. Child god and child hero. In: Jung,
C., Collected Works of C. G. Jung, Vol. 9, Part 1. 2nd ed., Princeton University
Press, 1968. 451 p. (p. 165-167).
The child motif as an archetypal image is noted to manifest itself
as unity or plurality. When a number of children appear with no individual
characteristics, a dissociation of the personality such as is found in
schizophrenia is indicated; while the appearance of the child as a unity
is felt to represent a potential synthesis of the personality. The appearance
of the child may be in the form of a god or hero, with the miraculous birth
and early adversities common to both. The child god is seen as a symbol
of the unintegrated unconscious; the child hero, combining human and supernatural
qualities, is considered a symbol of the potential for individuation. The
typical fates of the child figures are interpreted as symbols of psychic
events which occur during the entelechy (genesis) of the self as the psyche
struggles toward wholeness.
000255 The psychology of the child archetype. 111. The special
phenomenology of the child archetype. 1. The abandonment of the child.
In: Jung, C., Collected Works of C. G. Jung, Vol. 9, Part 1. 2nd ed., Princeton
University Press, 1968. 451 p. (p. 167-170).
Danger to and abandonment of the archetypal child figure are interpreted
in psychological terms. The universal themes of the child's insignificant
beginnings and miraculous birth are interpreted as psychic experiences
whose object is the emergence of a new and as yet unknown content. Moments
of psychic conflict from which there is no conscious means of escape are
described as causing the unconscious to create a third presence of an irrational
nature, which the conscious mind neither expects nor understands. One example
of this unknown content is the symbolic emergence of the child figure.
Since the child figure represents a moving towards psychic independence,
the symbol of abandonment is a necessary precondition for the detachment
of the child motif from its origins. The symbol of the child anticipates
a new higher state of consciousness which may remain only a mythological
projection if it is not actually integrated in the being of the individual.
It is noted that the moral conflict unique to modem man, like the physical
conflict of primitive times, is still a life threatening situation affording
no escape, as evidenced by the numerous child figures appearing as modem
culture heroes.
000256 The psychology of the child archetype. 111. The special
phenomenology of the child archetype. 2. The invincibility of the child.
In: Jung, C., Collected Works of C. G. Jung, Vol. 9, Part 1. 2nd ed., Princeton
University Press, 1968. 451 p. (p. 170-173).
The psychological significance of the seemingly paradoxical invincibility
of the child in myth is examined; although the child is often delivered
into dangerous situations and is in continual danger of extinction, he
possesses supernatural powers far beyond the human. Similarly, in situations
of conflict within the conscious mind, the combatant forces are described
as so overwhelming that the child as an isolated content bears no relation
to the conscious elements present, and may easily return to unconsciousness;
yet the child personifies the most vital urge to realize the self, and
as such has great power. The development of the power of the child is traced
through ancient myth and alchemical symbolism; Hindu thought is noted to
recognize the psychological necessity of detachment and confrontation with
the unconscious to make the progress of consciousness possible. It is considered
necessary for modem medicine to realize that the archetypes underlying
these fantasies cannot be dismissed as unreal. They arise from the depths
of the psyche, having their ultimate source in the collective unconscious,
identified by Kerenyi as the world itself. 1 reference.
000257 The psychology of the child archetype. 111. The special
phenomenology of the child archetype. 3. The hermaphroditism of the child.
In: Jung, C., Collected Works of C. G. Jung, Vol. 9, Part 1. 2nd ed., Princeton
University Press, 1968. 451 p. (p. 173-177).
The hermaphroditic nature of the child archetype and the majority
of cosmogonic gods is interpreted as a symbol of the creative union of
opposites, a dynamic symbol directed toward a future goal. The continuous
renewal of this symbol from pagan mythology through Christian tradition
is considered to support its identity as a universal primordial figure.
In light of the recent development of psychology, the projection of the
hermaphrodite figure is seen to symbolize the ideal psychic goal of self-realization
through the unification of the psyche, which is in itself bisexual, consisting
of a conscious, dominant gender and its unconscious opposite. 6 references.
000258 The psychology of the child archetype. 111. The special
phenomenology of the child archetype. 4. The child as beginning and end.
In: Jung, C., Collected Works of C. G. Jung, Vol. 9, Part 1. 2nd ed., Princeton
University Press, 1968. 451 p. (p. 177-179).
The association of the child archetype with both the beginning
and end of life is interpreted psychologically in terms of the preconscious
and postconscious essence of man; the preconscious state of early childhood
is seen as repeated in the return to psychic wholeness after death. The
evidence for this hypothesized psychic wholeness existing beyond the life
of man is found in the analogous existence and activity of the unconscious
beyond the conscious mind. This preexistent psychic whole is expressed
in the symbol of the child, who is helpless but powerful, initially insignificant
but ultimately triumphant.
000259 The psychology of the child archetype. IV. Conclusion.
In: Jung, C., Collected Works of C. G. Jung, Vol. 9, Part 1. 2nd ed., Princeton
University Press, 1968. 451 p. (p. 179-181).
The study of the nature and function of the archetype is described
as inexact, in that archetypal symbols form such an interpenetrating network
that it is difficult to separate one from the rest; the value of considering
them is seen to lie more in their presentation as a whole than in the examination
of a single one. Psychology itself is seen as a mythology, a system which
can provide its believers with a means of counteracting dissociation from
psychic origins. The therapeutic function of archetypes is described in
terms of the patient's gradual confrontation with the self through the
understanding and demystification of fantasy. The differentiation of conscious
and unconscious processes through objective observation leads ideally to
the synthesis of the two and to a shift in the center of the personality
from the ego to the self.
000260 The psychological aspects of the Kore. In: Jung,
C. Collected Works of C. G. Jung, Vol. 9, Part 1. 2nd ed., Princeton University
Press, 1968. 451 p. (p. 182-203).
The result of a phenomenological study of psychic structure, consisting
of the observance and description of the products of the unconscious, is
described as the development of a psychological typology of situations
and figures, called motifs, in the psychic processes of man. The principal
types of motifs of the human figure include the shadow, the wise old man,
the child, the mother as a supraordinate personality or a maiden, the anima
in man and the animus in woman. One such motif is the Kore figure, belonging
in man to the anima type and in woman to the supraordinate personality,
or the self; like the other psychic figures, the Kore is observed to have
both positive and negative manifestations. Images such as the Kore are
considered to rise from an area of the personality which has an impersonal,
collective nature, and to express this psychic material in the conscious.
The experience of these archetypal expressions has the effect of widening
the scope of consciousness. Several dream visions described by men and
women are analyzed in their manifestations of the Kore symbol as supraordinate
personality and anima. I reference.
000261 The phenomenology of the spirit in fairytales. 1. Concerning
the word "spirit." In: Jung, C., Collected Works of C. G. Jung, Vol.
9, Part 1. 2nd ed., Princeton University Press, 1968. 451 p. (p. 207-214).
A definition of the word "spirit" is proposed and a descniption
of the historical and mythical characteristics of the spirit is presented.
The great number of different definitions of the term in use today is considered
to make it difficult to delimit any one concept; however, these definitions
in combination are considered to provide a vivid and concrete view of the
phenomenon. In the psychological sense, spirit is defined as a fundamental
complex which was originally felt as an invisible but dynamic living presence;
this concept is seen to precede the Christian view of the spirit as superior
to nature. The contrasting materialistic view, developed under antiChristian
influence, is based on the premise that the spirit is in fact determined
by nature, just as the psychic functions are considered to depend on neurochernical
phenomena. It is contended that while spirit and matter may eventually
be revealed as identical, at present the reality of psychic contents and
processes in themselves cannot be denied. The spirit is conceived as originally
external to man; now, although it has been internalized in the consciousness,
it is still creative rather than created, binding man and influencing him
just as the external physical world does. It is seen as autonomous and
therefore capable of manifesting itself spontaneously in the conscious.
1 reference.
000262 The phenomenology of the spirit in fairytales. 11. Selfrepresentation
of the spirit in dreams. In: Jung, C., Collected Works of C. G. Jung,
Vol. 9, Part 1. 2nd ed., Princeton University Press, 1968. 451 p. (p. 214-217).
Interpretations and implications of the psychic manifestations
of the spirit in dreams are discussed. The spirit is considered to depend
on the existence of an autonomous, primordial, archetypal image in the
preconscious makeup of mankind. The moral character of spirits in dreams
is considered impossible to establish, since the unconscious process which
produces the spirit is capable of expressing both good and evil. The figure
of the wise old man is observed to appear where insight is needed that
the conscious is unable to supply; thus the archetype compensates for conscious
spiritual deficiency. Again, this insight is considered impossible to judge
morally, as it often represents an interplay of good and evil. 1 reference.
000263 The phenomenology of the spirit in fairytales. Ill.
The spirit in fairytales. In: Jung, C., Collected Works of C. G. Jung,
Vol. 9, Part 1. 2nd ed., Princeton University Press, 1968. 451 p. (p. 217-230).
The positive and negative manifestations of the archetypal figure
of the wise old man are demonstrated in various myths and fairytales. The
old man in fairytales, like the old man of dreams, typically appears when
the hero is in a hopeless or desparate situation from which he cannot extricate
himself alone. The knowledge needed to overcome the hero's difficulties
appears in the shape of a wise old man. The old men in fairytales often
ask questions of the hero or heroine for the purpose of mobilizing their
moral forces; another common function is to dispense some magic talisman.
The old man figure is described as representing knowledge, reflection,
insight, wisdom, cleverness, and intuition, as well as moral qualities
such as goodwill and readiness to help, which make his spiritual character
clear. Even in fairytales the old man has a clear link with the psychic
unconscious, as in the case of a forest king connected with water and wood
symbols, which are themselves symbols for the unconscious. The spirit archetype,
like all other archetypes, is seen to have a negative as well as a positive
aspect, expressed in the actions or appearance of the the wise old man
figure. The manifestation of the good and evil aspects are often found
combined in one fairytale, indirectly alluding to an inner relationship
between the two. 14 references.
000264 The phenomenology of the spirit in fairytales. IV. Theriomorphic
spirit symbolism in fairytales. In: Jung, C., Collected Works of C.
G. Jung, Vol. 9, Part 1. 2nd ed., Princeton University Press, 1968. 451
p. (p. 230-242).
Descriptions, interpretations and examples of the manifestation
of the spirit archetype in the form of an animal are presented. The assumption
of animal form is seen as significant in that it shows the psychic contents
in question to be beyond human consciousness, in the sense of the superhuman/demoniac
or the subhuman/bestial. Thus in many fairytales helpful animals appear
with a knowledge superior to man's, or wicked ones with superior power.
A detailed analysis of one fairytale demonstrates the functioning of the
animal figure in terms of its relationships with other archetypal symbols
such as wholeness and polarity, and the priviledged number of the quaternity.
The implication for psychology of triad and quaternity symbolism is discussed
in terms of the four functions of consciousness, three of which are susceptible
to differentiation, while one remains connected to the unconscious and
inaccessible to the will. The complex relationships among these functions
and their striving toward wholeness are seen to correspond admirably to
the structure of the fairytale in question; this correspondence is seen
as natural, given that fairytales as a whole are unusually naive and uncontrived
products of the psyche. 2 references.
000265 The phenomenology of the spirit in fairytales. V. Supplement.
In: Jung, C., Collected Works of C. G. Jung, Vol. 9, Part 1. 2nd ed., Princeton
University Press, 1968. 451 p. (p. 243-252).
The methodology and results of a psychological investigation of
the symbolism in a particular fairytale are discussed. Rational connections
among the irrational data of the fairytale are first assumed to exist;
the truth of the assumption is subsequently demonstrated by the results
of study based upon it. For example, in a fairytale featuring threelegged
and fourlegged horses, the threeleggedness is assumed to be a significant
quality in itself; it is studied as a separate concept, and relationships
to the archetypal triad and tetrad structures are revealed. The interpretation
of symbols in the fairytale in question is discovered to be extremely complex,
involving the animas and shadows of certain characters being personified
in others; the representation of the instinctual unconscious, the animas
and animal figures; and most important, the tension of opposites and their
eventual resolution. A final interpretation of the fairytale portrays it
as a representation of the unconscious processes that compensates the conscious
Christian perspective; specifically, the fairytale demonstrates the attainment
of wholeness or individuation through the union of negative and positive
forces. 4 references.
000266 The phenomenology of the spirit in fairytales. VI. Conclusion.
In: Jung, C., Collected Works of C. G. Jung, Vol. 9, Part 1. 2nd ed., Princeton
University Press, 1968. 451 p. (p. 252-254).
The picture of the spirit that appears in dreams and fairytales
is distinguished from the conscious idea of spirit. Originally the spirit
was conceived as a demon which came upon man from the outside; those demon
have been partially transformed into voluntary acts by the expansion of
consciousness, which has begun to transform formerly unconscious areas
of the psyche. It is felt that superhuman positive and negative quafities
that the primitive man assigned to the demons are now being ascribed to
reason, but that the historical events of modern times, such as war, point
to a lack of reason. It is suggested that the human spirit is unaware of
the demonism that still clings to him. The advanced technology and science
of modern man is described as placing mankind in danger of possession.
It is felt that mankind must escape from possession by the unconscious
through a better understanding of it. Although Christianity is credited
with the understanding that man's inner nature is of prime importance,
this understanding is not considered to have penetrated deeply enough.
2 references.
000267 On the psychology of the trickster-figure. In: Jung,
C., Collected Works of C. G. Jung, Vol. 9, Part 1. 2nd ed., Princeton University
Press, 1968. 451 p. (p. 255-272).
A definition and history of the trickster figure as he appears
in myth and in emotional disturbance are illustrated by examples of it
in American Indian myth, alchemy, the Bible, and parapsychology. In his
clearest manifestations the trickster figure is described as a faithful
representation of the absolutely undifferentiated human psyche which has
hardly left the animal level. In psychopathology the trickster figure is
manifested in the split personality, in which a collective personification
of traits which may be better or worse than the ego becomes active in the
psyche. The trickster figure is represented in normal man by countertendencies
in the unconscious that appear whenever a man feels himself at the mercy
of apparently malicious accidents; this character component is the shadow.
The myth of the trickster is explained to have been preserved and developed
for its therapeutic effect: the earlier low intellectual and moral level
is held before the consciousness of the more highly developed individual
to remind him of the past. The trickster is defined as a parallel to the
individual shadow, and the same trend toward meaning seen in the trickster
figure is felt to exist for the shadow. Although the shadow appears negative,
sometimes traits and associations arising from it can suggest a positive
resolution to conflict. 5 references.
000268 Conscious, unconscious, and individuation. In: Jung,
C., Collected Works of C. G. Jung, Vol. 9, Part 1. 2nd ed., Princeton University
Press, 1968. 451 p. (p. 275-289).
Descriptions of the workings of the conscious, the unconscious
and the individuation process, and their relationships to one another are
discussed. Individuation denotes the process by which a person becomes
a psychological unity or whole through conflict between the two fundamental
psychic aspects, the conscious and the unconscious. This process is described
as corresponding to alchemical symbols, especially the unity symbol. It
is explained that many persons regard consciousness as the whole psychological
individual, but that investigation of multiple personality has proved the
existence of an unconscious area of personality in addition to the conscious
area, There does not appear to be a ruling principle analogous to the ego
in the unconscious, as unconscious phenomena are manifested in unsystematic
ways. The conscious and unconcious may appear separate in that the conscious
is unaware of the contents of the unconscious; yet cases are presented
to demonstate that it is possible for the unconscious to swamp the ego,
or that under the influence of strong emotion, the ego and the unconscious
may change places as the unconscious becomes autonomous. The unconscious
contains not only elements of a primitive world of the past, but is directed
toward the future as well. The conscious mind is easily influenced by the
unconscious, as in the case of intuition which is defined as perception
via the unconscious. Elements which exist in the unconscious are described
as the anima, that feminine personality hidden in a man, and the animus,
the masculine personality hidden in a woman; the shadow, which pesonifies
everything the subject does not wish to face in himself; the hero; and
the wise old man. These elements are seen to exist in deep levels of the
unconscious and bring into mankind's personality a strange psychic life
from the remote past. The desired goal of harmony between conscious and
unconscious comes about through the process of individuation, an irrational
life experience also commonly expressed in symbols. The task of the analyst
is defined as aiding in the interpretation of the symbols, in order to
achieve a transcendent union of the opposites. The goal of psychotherapy
is described as the development of the personality into a whole. 2 references.
000269 A study in the process of individuation. Introductory.
In: Jung, C., Collected Works of C. G. Jung, Vol. 9, Part 1. 2nd ed., Princeton
University Press, 1968. 451 p. (p. 290-292).
Biographical data are presented on a patient who achieved individuation
through art therapy. In 1928 at the age of fiftyfive, the woman referred
to as Miss X came to Europe to continue her studies under the guidance
of Jung. She is described as the daughter of an exceptional father, cultured,
and with a lively turn of mind. She is umarried, but living with an active
animus, considered typical of women with an academic education. This development
of the animus was based on a positive father complex, which did not a allow
a good relationship with her mother. Finding herself at an impasse, she
felt she might travel to Europe as a way out of her difficulties; her decision
to go to Europe was also based on a desire to expose herself to her mother's
Scandinavian heritage. Before coming to Zurich to see Jung, Miss X had
visited Denmark, her mother's country. Surprisingly, the landscape filled
her with the desire to paint, and she enjoyed her attempts at water color.
On the day before she visited for the first time, Miss X was beginning
a landscape from memory when a fantasy image intruded: she saw herself
buried to the waist in dirt in a region by the sea filled with boulders.
Jung appeared in the fantasy in the guise of a medieval sorcerer, touched
the rock with a magic wand and she escaped unharmed. This painting was
subsequentl'; shown to Jung. 1 reference.
000270 A study in the process of individuation. Picture 1.
In: Jung, C., Collected Works of C. G. Jung, Vol. 9, Part 1. 2nd ed., Princeton
University Press, 1968. 451 p. (p. 292-294).
The first painting of a series, submitted by a female patient
during the initial stage of individuation in an art therapy program, is
discussed. It is noted that drawing the picture was extremely difficult
for the patient, and as it often happens with beginners at art, it was
easy for her to allow the unconscious to intrude into awareness. Psychologically,
the picture is seen to show the patient caught in the unconscious; it is
suggested that her inadequate relationship with her mother left her with
psyche elements in need of development. It is emphasized that the way of
liberation is an individual one and that, since the patient had discovered
the method of the active imagination independently, it remained for the
therapist only to advise her to continue on this path. The significance
of various aspects of the picture is interpreted in terms of the process
of individuation. The only advice given the patient was to use her imagination
to circumvent technical difficulties, in order to introduce as much fantasy
as possible into the pictures, and not to fear bright colors, for the unconscious
is felt to be attracted to them.
000271 A study in the process of individuation. Picture 2.
In: Jung, C., Collected Works of C. G. Jung, Vol. 9, Part 1. 2nd ed., Princeton
University Press, 1968. 451 p. (p. 294-305).
A description and interpretation of the second of a series of
paintings submitted by a female patient in the psychic individuation process
of an art therapy program is given. In contrast to the first picture, the
boulders are still present, but they have become abstracted into round
circles; one of the forms has been blasted by a flash of lightning, and
the magician who was Jung no longer enters into the picture. The picture
is showing an impersonal natural process: the circles are seen as a rediscovery
of the philosophical egg. Considerable historical and mythological associations
are noted for the flash of lightning, which is interpreted to signify a
sudden, unexpected and overpowering change of psychic condition. The work
of Bohme in particular is examined for its psychic and alchemical connections
with lightning. Although a Freudian explanation of the picture would involve
the concept of repression, it is suggested that a coming wholeness is marked
by the function of intuition, which seems to be the inferior, redeeming
function of the patients, whereas sensation is the superior function. The
circle is interpreted as a mandala, the psychological expression of the
totality of the self; other eggs appear as other selves with whom the patient
feels intimate. The pryamids found in the first picture as rocks are seen
again, but with their tops gilded with light; these boulders are interpreted
as contents of the unconscious pushing upward for release in a positive
sense. 16 references.
000272 A study in the process of individuation. Picture 3.
In: Jung, C., Collected Works of C. G. Jung, Vol. 9, Part 1. 2nd ed., Princeton
University Press, 1968. 451 p. (p. 305-313).
The third picture in a series, painted by a female patient in
the process of psychic individuation as part of an art therapy program,
is analyzed. The primary distinguishing characteristic of the third picture
is its use of light colors. A dark blue sphere is seen floating in space
among clouds; around the middle of the sphere runs a wavy silver band which,
the patient explains, is keeping the sphere balanced by equal and opposite
forces. To the right above the sphere floats a snake with golden rings,
its head pointed at the sphere. In the middle of the band around the planet
is the number twelve. Two dreams felt by the patient to be influencing
the painting are detailed and interpreted as being of archetypal significance.
The increase of light in the picture symbolizes conscious realization;
it is explained that the liberation concept has become integrated into
consciousness. The floating sphere represents the total personality, but
at this time it is felt that Miss X does not know of the relation of the
ego to the total personality. The number contained in the picture is discussed
in terms of its connections to the concept of male and female in astrology
and myth. An analysis of the symbol of Mercury in the picture is also made
various symbolic significances of the colors used together in the picture
are proposed. 8 references.
000273 A study in the process of individuation. Picture 4.
In: Jung, C., Collected Works of C. G. Jung, Vol. 9, Part 1. 2nd ed., Princeton
University Press, 1968. 451 p. (p. 313-319).
The fourth picture of a series, painted by a female patient in
the process of psychic individuation as part of an art therapy program,
is described as showing a significant change. The sphere has divided into
an outer membrane and an inner nucleus, the outer membrane is flesh colored,
and a differentiated inner structure of a ternary character is seen. Lines
of force run through the whole nuclear body, indicating that excitation
has reached the inner-most psychic core. The picture is interpreted sexually
to show the female organ in the act of fecundation, with the sperm penetrating
the nuclear membrane. The position of the snake on top of the picture is
interpreted as representing the typical danger emanating from the spiritual
sphere, personified by the animus; for a man, the danger is described as
coming from the amma projected in to the world. Picture four is described
by the patient as the most difficult of the series to execute, and that
it seemed to denote a turning point of the whole process. It is at this
stage that the ego is temporarily set aside, giving the unconscious the
opportunity to manifest its oppositions clearly. It is noted that later
the will must protect itself in the midst of these opposites, so that they
be reconciled. 4 references.
000274 A study in the process of individuation. Picture 5.
In: Jung, C., Collected Works of C. G. Jung, Vol. 9, Part 1. 2nd ed., Princeton
University Press, 1968. 451 p. (319-323).
The fifth picture of a series, painted by a female patient during
the process of psychic individuation as part of an art therapy program,
is described by the patient as progressing naturally from picture four.
The snake is sinking downward and seems to have lost its threatening power;
the sphere has increased in size and blossoms in color. The division of
the nucleus of the sphere falls into four parts; this dividion is interpreted
by the patient as the division of consciousness into the four functions:
thinking, feeling, sensation and intuition. A vortex is formed by the four
divisions, apparently turning to the left, a phenomenon interpreted as
a movement towards the unconscious. The colors of the picture are discussed
in their mythological and alchemical significance. The snake is felt to
represent the shadow, which can be compared with the principle of evil;
the position of the snake is said to reflect the common view of evil as
an external force. It is contended, however, that evil is the necessary
counterpart of good within the psyche's dynamic structure. 3 references.
000275 A study in the process of individuation. picture 6.
In: Jung, C., Collected Works of C. G. Jung, Vol. 9, Part 1. 2nd ed., Princeton
University Press, 1968. 451 p. (p. 323-326).
An analysis is made of the sixth picture in a series of paintings
done by a female patient during the process of psychic individuation as
part of an art therapy program. This picture shows a mandala in bright
colors against a grey background. Wings of Mercury reappear along with
a striking swastika which is wheeling to the right. The mandala is interpreted
as an attempt to unite the opposites red and blue, outside and inside;
the rightward movement is explained as an attempt to bring material into
consciousness. The black snake has disappeared, but the darkness of the
background may have been caused by it. The picture is associated with a
dream the patient had several days before, in which a tree was found in
the middle of the room where she worked. Maternal significance is attributed
to the tree; the painted mandala is given significance not only as a symbol
of the self, but also as a God image. A brief discussion is offered of
the mandala as it is manifested in religious practices from ancient Egypt
onward. 11 references.
000276 A study in the process of individuation. Picture 7.
In: Jung, C., Collected Works of C.G. Jung, Vol. 9, Part 1. 2nd ed., Princeton
University Press, 1968. 451 p. (p. 326-335).
In the seventh picture of a series, painted by a female patient
during the process of psychic individuation as part of an art therapy program,
the entire background against which the mandala is painted is black, with
all light in the picture concentrated within the sphere. The colors are
less bright but more intense, and the blackness of the exterior has penetrated
into the center of the mandala. This manifestation is interpreted as the
penetration of the black snake from previous paintings of the series into
the nucleus. The swastika of the previous picture has been replaced by
an equal armed cross formed by the golden rays; four hooks suggest a rightward
rotation, which appears to have come to an end with the attainment of absolute
blackness penetrating the center of the mandala. The wings of Mercury are
seen as having undergone extensive transformation, so that the sphere has
the power to remain afloat without sinking into total darkness. The golden
rays forming the cross produce an inner bond of consolidation as a defense
against destructive influences. The picture is interpreted as portraying
a mood of suffering and painful suspension over an abyss of inner loneliness.
Alchemical symbols and biblical quotations are discussed in relation to
the picture to demonstrate the universal nature of the ideas generated
by the patient. After painting this picture, the patient is reported as
feeling a disturbing association with the color red, associated with the
analyst, which leads to a feeling of selfpity over not having had any children.
Only when she had recovered from these feelings could the patient paint
again. It is explained that real liberation does not come from glossing
over or repressing painful states of feeling, but only by experiencing
them fully. 16 references.
000277 A study in the process of individuation. Picture 8.
In: Jung, C., Collected Works of C. G. Jung, Vol. 9, Part 1. 2nd ed., Princeton
University Press, 1968. 451 p. (p. 335-337).
The eighth picture of a series, painted by a female patient as
part of an art therapy program, is considered to represent an advance in
the psychic individuation process. Most of the interior of the picture
is filled with darkness; the blue-green of the water has condensed to a
dark blue quaternity, and the golden light in the center is turning counterclockwise.
The mandala is interpreted as moving towards the chthonic depths, coming
close to the darkness. An inner undifferentiated quaternity is seen to
be balanced by an outer, differentiated one, equated with the four functions
of consciousness. The colors assigned to each function are: yellow, intuition;
light blue, thinking; flesh pink, feeling; and brown, sensation. Each quarter
is again divided into three, producing the number twelve. The previous
rejection of the tree as a symbol of the mother is now accepted and placed
in the middle of the mandala. The cortices expand into the darkness as
golden rings, interpreted as a far reaching effect on the environment coming
from the self. A dream reported by the patient integrates her concepts
and progressive development regarding her animus, with which she no longer
identifies. The mandala is further described and interpreted as symbolizing
the eye of God and having the purifying effect of consciousness. It is
concluded from this painting that the patient has accepted her own psychic
darkness. 6 references.
000278 A study in the process of individuation. Picture 9.
In: Jung, C., Collected Works of C. G. Jung, Vol. 9, Part 1. 2nd ed., Princeton
University Press, 1968. 451 p. (p. 338-342).
In an analysis of the ninth picture of a series, painted by a
female patient during a final stage of the psychic individuation process
of an art therapy program, the appearance is noted of a blue soul flower
on a red background. In the center a golden light in the form of a lamp
is found. The cortices are pronounced, consisting of light in the upper
half of the mandala radiating outward. In the lower half of the mandala
are rings of brown earth. Above are three white birds, symbolizing the
Trinity; below the center a goat is rising, accompanied by two ravens and
twining snakes. The black sky behind the three birds and the goat against
the orange background are interpreted as indicating that there can be no
white without black, and no holiness without the devil. The patient is
deliberately stressing a connection with the East, painting into the mandala
four hexagrams from the I-Ching. The sign in the left top half, -Yu, Enthusiasm,"
is interpreted as indicating a movement coming from the unconscious, the
second hexagram at the top is "sun, decrease" which is taken to indicate
the patient's insight into the conditional quality of all relationships,
the relativity of all values, and the transcience of all things. The sign
in the bottom right is "Sheng, pushing upward"; this hexagram is interpreted
to mean there is no development unless the shadow is accepted. The final
hexagram is "ting, the cauldron," which is taken to mean that through constant
selfabnegation the personality becomes differentiated. The union of opposites
achieved by the patient is seen to be manifested in the use of firm and
yielding lines in the hexagrams. 2 references.
000279 A study in the process of individuation. Picture 10.
In: Jung, C., Collected Works of C. G. Jung, Vol. 9, Part 1. 2nd ed., Princeton
University Press, 1968. 451 p. (342-344).
The tenth picture of a series, painted by a female patient during
the process of psychic individuation in an art therapy program, is divided
into two parts, as is the ninth picture. The soul flower in the center
still exists but is surrounded on all sides by a dark blue night sky, in
which four phases of the moon appear. The three birds seen in picture nine
have become two, and their plumage is darkened; the goat has become two
semihuman creatures with horns and light faces, and only two of the four
snakes remain. Two crabs appear in the lower chthonic hemisphere which
represents the body. The symbol of the crab in myth and astrological functioning
is discussed; its particular relevance to the patient appears to be that
she was born in the first degrees of Cancer and wished to integrate her
individual sign into the painting of her psychic self. The dualities that
run through the picture are always seen to be inwardly balanced, so that
they lose their incompatibility. The duplication motif is noted and explained
as a phenomenon which occurs when unconscious contents are about to become
conscious and differentiated. They are then split into two halves, representing
the conscious and the still unconscious aspects of the material involved.
7 references.
000280 A study in the process of individuation. Picture 11.
Pictures 12-24. In: Jung, C., Collected Works of C. G. Jung, Vol. 9, Part
1. 2nd ed., Princeton University Press, 1968. 451 p. (p. 345-348).
An analysis of paintings 11 through 24, the last in a series submitted
by a female patient in art therapy, is presented, as the final phase in
a psychic individuation process. Many of these, done after therapy ended,
reveal the theme of psychic penetration by, and defence against, disrupting
external elements. This struggle is seen to be resolved in an enantiodromia
which restores equilibrium. Pictures 19 through 24 are not commented on
due to lack of knowledge of the time and circumstances of their production.
000281 A study in the process of individuation. Conclusion.
In: Jung, C., Collected Works of C. G. Jung, Vol. 9, Part 1. 2nd ed., Princeton
University Press, 1968. 451 p. (p. 348-354).
The individuation process evidenced by a series of paintings submitted
by a female patient in art therapy is discussed. The development of fantasy
through painting in her case viewed as the renewal of contact with the
unconscious and of a consciousness that has far outdistanced it. The whole
of civilization is felt to be faced with the same task, due to a too rapid
advance of technology and the inhibition of individual development. The
initial paintings in the series illustrate the psychic processes set in
motion when attention is given to a neglected area of the psyche. When
contact is established, symbols of the self appear, representing the whole
personality and exposing the individual to the archaic and alien situations
which underlie faith and knowledge. The therapist's task is described as
helping the patient to reach an adequate understanding of the new psychic
material and to avoid dangerous misinterpretations. Caution is advised
in the excessive consolidation of psychic forces, lest the patient identify
completely with them at the expense of his ego. The spontaneous production
of mandala symbols by individuals and cultures is stressed as evidence
that they are not created by man, but preexistent. 7 references.
000282 Concerning mandala symbolism. In: Jung, C., Collected
Works of C. G. Jung, Vol. 9, Part 1. 2nd ed., Princeton University Press,
1968. 451. p. (p. 355-384).
The symbol of the mandala is described and numerous examples of
mandalas from various parts of the world are offered. The Sanskrit word
mandala, meaning "circle," is identified as the Indian term for the circle
drawn in religious rituals. The function of the mandala is described as
a narrowing down of the psychic field of vision as an aid to intensification
of concentration. The goal of the Yogi in contemplating the processes depicted
in the mandala is to become inwardly aware of the deity; through contemplation,
the practitioner may realize himself as God, and return from the illusion
of individual existence into the universal totality of the divine. The
basic psychological motif of the mandala is of a center of personality
to which everything is related, by which everything is arranged, and which
itself is a source of energy. The energy of the central point is manifested
in the compulsion to become what one is, this desired presence may be called
the self. The self is surrounded in the mandala by an area containing the
paired opposites that make up personality; the totality of the mandala
contains consciousness, a personal unconscious, and an indefinitely large
area of collective unconscious whose archetypes are common to all mankind.
Some of these archetypes are within the scope of personality and may acquire
an individual stamp, such as the anima, the animus, and the shadow. Other
religious mandalas and mandalas spontaneously produced by patients during
the course of analysis are discussed. The production of mandalas in a therapeutic
context is felt to occur in states of chaos or panic as a rearranging of
the personality toward a new center. Patients are said to appreciate the
soothing effects of these pictures, which emphasize wholeness, order and
balance. It is noted that the reality of the collective unconscious is
often first impressed upon a patient by means of his mandala productions.
Numerous mandalas drawn by patients are reproduced and described. 11 references.
000283 Appendix: mandalas. In: Jung, C., Collected Works
of C. G. Jung, Vol. 9, Part 1. 2nd ed., Princeton University Press, 1968.
451 p. (p. 385-390).
The meaning and function of the mandala is briefly described.
The Sanskrit word mandala is defined as meaning "circle"; in religious
practice and psychology the word refers to circular images which are drawn,
painted, or danced. As psychological phenomena they appear spontaneously
in dreams, certain states of mental conflict, and in schizophrenia. Often
the mandala contains some figure in a multiple of four in the form of a
cross or square. The mandala in Tibetan Buddhism is called a Yantra and
aids in meditation and concentration; in alchemy, it represents the synthesis
of the four elements which tend to fall apart. In psychology, the severe
order imposed by a circular image of this kind compensates the disorder
and confusion of the psychic state of the individual; this process is described
as a natural and instinctive attempt at self-healing. Since the material
expressed in them is essentailly archetypal, there is fundamental similarity
of mandalas regardless of origin; the mandala commonly represents psychic
wholeness through the squaring of the circle. The object of individual
mandalas is described as locating the self, which can be distinguished
from the ego. Whereas the ego is described as the point of reference for
consciousness, the self is at the midpoint of personality, and for this
reason many mandalas show a dark and light half representing the conscious
and unconscious divisions of personality. The therapeutic effect of mandalas
is felt to consist in their spontaneous production; no therapeutic value
is thought possible for the imitation or repetition of such images.