Regarding philosophy and psychology, Carl Jung is arguably one of the world's most influential. He is best known for his work on the conscious (what is known, our sense of awareness) and the unconscious (what is unknown, and hidden) as well as the collective unconscious, and his theories on dream analysis, archetypes and the shadow. This provides us with a framework for understanding who we are and what drives us. Carl Jung called this Individuation, the integration of the parts of our psyche to form wholeness and transform from what’s expected of us, to become our true Self.
“Individuation is a heroic and often tragic task, the most difficult of all, it involves suffering, a passion of the ego: the ordinary empirical man we once were is burdened with the fate of losing himself in a greater dimension and being robbed of his fancied freedom of will. He suffers, so to speak, from the violence done to him by the self.” Carl Jung
Individuation could therefore be understood as the Self acting as the driving force to reaching consciousness. An existential crisis is often the catalyst for seeking self-awareness and raising our consciousness.
So, how do we create our best Self? There are the obvious practical tips, healthy eating, exercising, meditating and finding a balance between rest and play. But self-development is more complex if we truly want to create a better life for ourselves. It takes investigation and introspection of our character, especially the parts we are afraid to confront or even admit to. When we explore the unconscious mind, it enables us to work on healing our mental health.
The Individuation Process
The Persona
This is the social mask we wear, and how we portray ourselves to the world around us. Our persona is the identity we create to influence how we want others to perceive us. So we may laugh at jokes that we don’t find funny, show respect to rude people, or compliment a less than enjoyable meal because we want to appear ‘nice’ or ‘good’ people. While there is nothing wrong with being a good person, we must also bring the unconscious into our awareness to create wholeness.
We may crack jokes and have banter that hides depression, or we could flaunt our rebellious streak to prove strength of character. For most of us, when we go home, we drop the mask and fall into our truth.
If we over-identify with our persona it can be detrimental to the psyche and our progress, and we must realise this is only a small percentage of our personality, you could say the tip of the iceberg. Take a look at famous icons like Elvis Presley and Marilyn Monroe. They identified intensely with their persona, yet struggled deeply with their private self.
“All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players: they have their exits and entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts, his acts being seven ages.” William Shakespeare
The Shadow
This is the dark side of our personality. The stuff that fuels shame and guilt. The shadow reveals itself through projections of the unconscious mind. We may secretly feel jealousy or anger. There may be a selfish side to us, that we keep hidden. The Shadow is also where we hide our insecurities, addictions, bad habits and unhealthy choices.
Jung emphasized the importance of accepting and integrating those parts of us. Once we do, we highlight our good traits and may uncover hidden talents or skills. Jung believed that bringing together the light and dark sides is essential for a healthy, harmonious existence.
If we overcompensate for our shadow we avoid and suppress our truth and it can create people-pleasing traits and generate resentment. Having awareness means we can take control of our mindset and not allow it to dictate our decisions.
“Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate” Carl Jung.
Anima is the feminine part of the male.
Animus is the masculine part of the female.
Both the Anima and Animus are the opposing forces of masculine and feminine energy that all beings possess, and need to integrate to find true equilibrium.
The Self
The Self is the core of our character. It’s our true nature. This is where we accept ourselves fully, not seeking perfection, but wholeness. Through Individuation, we blend and refine ourselves, advocating for profound awareness of an authentic Self.
The Archetypes
Jung believed that 12 basic archetypes influence our subconscious mind. These archetypes, themes and symbols are hidden deep within our subconscious, and the collective unconscious, and are what we project out in the world. These play out through our persona. For example, The Hero sets off on a journey, motivated by a goal, where he encounters obstacles, dangers and conflicts until he reaches a climax then finds a resolution and returns home changed from his experience.
The Archetypes can be found in the Major Arcana of the Tarot deck, told through the story of the Fool’s journey. The Fool, being the Hero.
What are the benefits of Individuation?
To acknowledge traits and patterns.
To accept ourselves, and our reality.
To lead a more fulfilling life, with better mental health.
To find hidden talents and strengths, and discover our weaknesses.
To heal from trauma and addictions.
To find stability and emotional resilience.
To grow into a conscious being.
To find purpose.
When walking the path of Individuation, we still encounter mistakes and obstacles along the way, much like the Hero Archetype. Pain and suffering are inevitable, and we must experience it to the fullest extent to get closer to the Self. We must explore all the parts of our personality without judgment. While on the path to transformation, just when you thought you’d figured everything out, it changes again, leading to new truths and wisdom. It’s a process that never ends. Rather, it deepens. Will you walk the path to expanded consciousness?
“Who looks outside dreams, who looks inside awakes” Carl Jung
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