Analytical Psychology
Journey to the Deep Unconscious
Analytical psychology approaches psychotherapy and depth analysis in the tradition established by the Swiss psychiatrist, Carl Gustav Jung. As originally defined, it is distinguished by a focus on the roll of symbolic and spiritual experiences in human life, and rests on Jung’s theory of archetypes and the existence of a deep psychic space or collective unconscious. Following Jung’s original work ongoing research in his tradition incorporated findings from other
Puer Aeternus: Archetype Anatomy
Puer aeternus. Latin for “eternal child,” used in mythology to designate a child-god who is forever young; psychologically it refers to an older man whose emotional life has remained at an adolescent level, usually coupled with too great a dependence on the mother.
The shadow of the puer is the senex (Latin for old man), associated with the god Cronus—disciplined, controlled, responsible, rational, ordered. Conversely, the shadow of the senex is the puer, related to Hermes or Dionysus—unbounded instinct, disorder, intoxication, whimsy. Like all archetypes, the puer is bipolar, exhibiting both a “positive” and a “negative” aspect.
Active Imagination Technique: Quick Guide
Active imagination is a meditation technique in analytical psychology used to bridge the gap between the conscious and unconscious minds: opening oneself to the unconscious and giving free rein to fantasy, while at the same time maintaining an active, attentive, conscious point of view. This strategy leads to a synthesis that contains both perspectives, but in a new and surprising way. Active imagination is considered an important aiding technique in the process of individuation and you can learn how to practice it alone by exploring the most obvious expressions of your unconscious mind – your dreams.
Individuation process: Bring to light your True Self
In Jungian psychology, also called analytical psychology, individuation is the process where the individual self develops out of an undifferentiated unconscious – seen as a developmental psychic process during which innate elements of personality, the components of the immature psyche, and the experiences of the person’s life become, if the process is more or less successful, integrated over time into a well-functioning whole. Other psychoanalytic theorists describe it as the stage where an individual transcends group attachment and narcissistic self-absorption.
Analytical psychology book recommendations
Amazon Bookshelf
Personality is built up largely by acts of introjection: contents that were before experienced outside are taken inside.
The Persona: Archetype Anatomy
The persona, for Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung, was the social face the individual presented to the world—”a kind of mask, designed on the one hand to make a definite impression upon others, and on the other to conceal the true nature of the individual”.
Jung’s individuation process starts from this level, of the persona, of the social mask, trying to break the artificial convention through awareness of its presence and function, and the attenuation of its often oppressive-imperative character.
The Wise Old Man: Archetype Anatomy
The wise old man (also called senex, sage or sophos) is an archetype as described by Carl Jung, as well as a classic literary figure, and may be seen as a stock character. The wise old man can be a profound philosopher distinguished for wisdom and sound judgment.
In literature, the sage often takes the form of a mentor or a teacher to the hero, playing a crucial role in the hero’s journey. The sage archetype may be portrayed by a God or a Godess, a magician or wizard, a philosopher or an advisor.
Active Imagination Technique: Essential Steps
Active imagination is intended to bring about a state of hypnagogia. This is the state in between sleep and wakefulness, where people may be partially aware that they are dreaming.
Always remember that the principle is always the same: to allow the unconscious to manifest into consciousness and then trying to integrate its lessons, thus making important progress towards achieving what Jung called individuation.
People will do anything, no matter how absurd, in order to avoid facing their own souls. One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light, but by making the darkness conscious.
Anima & Animus: Archetype Anatomy
Anima and animus are gender specific archetypal structures in the collective unconscious that are compensatory to conscious gender identity.
One of the most complex and least understood features of his theory, the idea of a contrasexual archetype, developed out of Jung’s desire to conceptualize the important complementary poles in human psychological functioning. From his experiences of the emotional power of projection in his patients and in himself, he conceived first of the anima as a numinous figure in a man’s unconscious.
Mandala Symbolism in Analytical Psychology
Mandala is a graphical representation of the center (the Self at Jung). It can appear in dreams and visions or it can be spontaneously created as a work of art. It is present in the cultural and religious representations.
Examples of mandala can be found in all the ancient cultures. We find it in Christianity under the form of frescos with animal images representing apostles and under the form of the zodiac. The astrologic zodiac and its versions are an excellent example of mandala. Also, in the Indian spiritual practices we find fascinating representative cases of mandala, with symbols of the local pantheon.
Create your own Mandala
In the analytical psychotherapy, which includes the recognition and the conscious integration of the contents of the collective unconscious, the spontaneous drawing of mandala is required. While a finished mandala bears importance as a focus for meditative practice, the creation process remains equally important. You can analyze your finished mandala using a map that shows the areas corresponding to important symbols of the psyche and Jungian Archetypes, such as the Persona, Animus & Anima and the Shadow.
