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The third installment of Man and His Symbols is written by Marie-Louise von Franz, another Jungian psychologist who specializes in the interpretation of alchemical manuscripts and fairy tales. Von Franz begins this portion of the work by explaining that on top of the interpretation of dreams within the context of the individual’s current circumstances, there is also a lifelong dream pattern that emerges upon careful observation. Images and sequences may repeat throughout a person’s life, appearing and reappearing in slightly different forms. Jung referred to this pattern as “the process of individuation” (129). These unconscious messages or tendencies seem to guide the individual in a particular direction of psychic growth, or individuation. It is a process of maturing and growing into oneself. This process is often symbolized by an image of a tree in a dream because trees represent a process of gradual and involuntary growth.
The process of individuation is regulated by the Self, the center, or the whole psyche. It may also be referred to as the soul, or as von Franz points out, as the Mista-peo or “Great Man” in the Naskapi tribe of the Canadian province Newfoundland and Labrador. This inner companion guides the belief system and choices of the individual. The Great Man communicates with the Naskapi through dreams, and those seek out their meaning receive more meaningful dreams in turn. Von Franz writes, “Dreams give the Naskapi complete ability to find his way in life, not only in the inner world but also in the outer world of nature” (129).
Von Franz asserts that the lifestyle of the Naskapi, which centers around individual families rather a collective, allows them to maintain a closer connection to the Self or the Mista-peo. She asserts that the Self can only act as a guide if a person acknowledges and understands their dreams, and that the ego must be open to these messages to bring them forward to the conscious mind. Von Franz explains that the process of individuation requires a person to connect directly with it. The ego must give in fully to the urges and directions of the Self and desist the conscious drive to plan.
She describes a Chinese fable in which an oak tree justifies its existence to a carpenter by explaining that it is exactly as it should be because it followed the path nature laid out for it. The lesson of the fable is that individual growth is unique, and one cannot judge another’s growth against their own because “the fact is that each person has to do something different, something that is uniquely his own” (133). It is the process of individuation which also leads to the realization of the creative self. Von Franz concludes the section by acknowledging the difficulty in defining individuation and the unconscious, transitioning into a deeper explanation in the following sections.
Von Franz explains that the unconscious first emerges in early childhood, and many of a person’s earliest dreams provide insight into how their lives will unfold or into an underlying problem yet to be defined. During the school years, a child begins to develop an ego and learns how to adapt to the world around them. They must learn how to balance inner and outer demands. Von Franz insists it is essential for this unfolding to happen naturally and unencumbered. At some point, the child experiences a shock or injury to the psyche which brings on the process of individuation. It is a conflicting period, and the individual must face all impending darkness (undesirable truths about themselves) head on to discover its purpose.
Von Franz begins the section by explaining that “through dreams one becomes acquainted with aspects of one’s own personality that for various reasons one has preferred not to look at too closely. This is what Jung called “the realization of the shadow” (137), noting that this aspect of the unconscious, the criticisms it produces, often personifies itself in dreams. She states that the shadow makes up only one portion of the unconscious, where unknown attributes pertaining to the ego exist. These qualities are easy to recognize in others and difficult to acknowledge in oneself—yet the unconscious has a way of surfacing these qualities in our dreams whether we like it or not. The shadow may also emerge in the form of impulses or wrongful deeds. Von Franz points out that the shadow is the portion of the unconscious which is most vulnerable to falling prey to evil via the collective.
Von Franz insists that it is through interactions with people of the same sex that the shadow is most likely to emerge, which is why it will manifest as someone of the same sex as the person dreaming. She refers to a patient who dreamed of a house with endless doors and pathways. The dreamer then becomes distracted from his task of discovering what is behind each door. This distraction represents the vulnerability of the unconscious to unsightly influences. He meets an old friend who grounds him in a time of confusion; this is his shadow urging him to explore the world more. Von Franz describes another dream in which a man’s shadow manifests as two different men which seem to represent the drives of sex and power. She explains that the shadow also manifests in politics, where it results in people projecting their defects onto the world instead of conquering or accepting them in themselves.
Von Franz clarifies that the shadow is not necessarily an enemy or friend but that its relationship with the individual depends upon whether the individual acknowledges and understands what it is trying to say. It embodies the opposite of the ego, whether that may be positive or negative. She concludes the section by insisting that everyone contend with their own shadow based on what is right for them. She notes that this calls into question the ethics of a person’s actions and how it may one day be necessary to judge evil acts in a more individual way.
The anima, as von Franz explains, refers to the feminine part of the unconscious mind of a male. By contrast, the animus refers to the male counterpart in a female’s unconscious. The anima seems to present itself in a similar manner as the shadow but is a separate aspect of the unconscious which results in a different set of problems. It appears in dreams as a personified female and represents the feminine aspects of a man’s psyche “such as vague feelings and moods, prophetic hunches, receptiveness to the irrational, capacity for personal love, feeling for nature, and his relation to the unconscious” (146). Von Franz brings forth the example of the Inuit tribes of the north, where men openly acknowledge their feminine side and insist that it allows them to connect to the unconscious. She describes a dream of a man who was buried in a hole of snow as part of an initiation process; during this experience he envisioned a light-filled woman who provided him the wisdom and knowledge he needed to proceed with his future life as a shaman.
Von Franz explains that the form and traits of the anima are brought about by the nature of his relationship with his mother. A mother who provides negative influence will manifest a depressing, doubtful, and sensitive anima. When taken to an extreme, this phenomenon is often referred to as a “femme fatale,” (146) a figure who may lead the man to suicide or destruction in some other form. It may also represent an unattainable need for acceptance and warmth. Alternatively, a man who has a positive relationship with his mother may embrace either his femininity more or become vulnerable and overly trusting. The anima may also play games with the man or appear as the fulfillment of sexual desire.
Von Franz notes that the anima does not always play a negative role; it is useful in helping a man find a partner and connects the man to his roots in the unconscious, thereby acting as a guide as well as a mediator of his behavior. She describes an occasion in which a psychotherapist who had left his religion but longed for the sense of community it brought him dreamed he was in a church holding a book filled with ancient texts he could not decipher. A nun appears who helps him to follow the text. Von Franz interprets the dream to imply that the man needed to find his “inner Mass” (151) and learn to connect to the divine from within. Von Franz concludes the section by asserting that it is through a man’s acceptance and harnessing of his anima and the fantasies it delivers him that allows him to engage in the process of individuation. She notes that this only occurs when a man understands these fantasies to be as real as anything and to utilize and then examine them.
Von Franz next describes the counterpart to the anima, the animus. Like the anima, it manifests in both good and bad ways for the individual. The animus often appears in females as a type of conviction which is deeply rooted in a woman, and which may present outwardly as loud and brash and is “apt to be an opinion that seems reasonable but beside the point” (153). It is shaped mainly by a woman’s father figure and the relationship she has with him. Von Franz argues that the father instills the convictions contained within the animus and these are his convictions, not the daughter’s.
The animus may also manifest in the form of a “demon of death” (153) who often shows up as an attractive or kind stranger. This figure is usually male and acts to pull the woman away from social relationships with decent men. By feeding the woman’s mind with notions about the wrongs of the world and a strict vision of the way things should be, he prevents her from seeing reality as it is. Another form that the animus takes is that of a murderer or thief. Von Franz notes the example of Bluebeard, the pirate who kills his many wives. She explains that the animus in this form represents the cold and calculating aspect of a woman. Destructive inner thoughts lead the woman to destruction in her waking life. Von Franz asserts that all humans experience the type of possession caused by the animus or anima, and it is only when it leaves that people realize they were in a foreign psychic state.
However, the animus does have positive qualities. In particular, he “can build a bridge to the Self through his creative activity” (154). Von Franz illustrates this point by describing a dream of a middle-aged woman who envisioned her and her sister being tormented by brutal men who were later revealed to be artists. The dream serves to urge the woman to pursue her own innate talent. Von Franz concludes the section by explaining through suffering a woman can learn to accept and be led by her animus to a place of “initiative, courage, objectivity, and spiritual wisdom” (156). She describes the four phases of the animus’s development: the stage of physical power, the stage of initiative and capability, the stage of the words of wisdom, and finally the manifestation of meaning. In this final state, the animus is a source of spiritual connection.
After a long inner battle with the anima or animus, a person’s unconscious can finally present itself as its true innermost Self. For women, von Franz explains, this figure is symbolized in dreams by an overall powerful and wise female figure, such as a goddess or priestess. Men will dream of their Self in the form of a guru or nature spirit. Von Franz illustrates this idea by relating it to an Austrian folk tale in which a cursed princess rises from the dead to kill the soldiers who guard her every night. One soldier flees and finds a human form of the “Lord himself” who guides him in how to avoid the lethal fate. Von Franz insists that the figure the soldier encounters is a representation of the Self personified.
A similar folk tale exists in the Inuit culture wherein a woman is captured by a “Moon Ghost.” On the moon she meets a woman who warns her of her impending death and helps her escape. In other instances, von Franz asserts, the Self appears in the form of a younger person, representing new life and rebirth. It is at this stage of a person’s development that their “vital psychic center is activated” and “the whole being condensed into oneness” (160) which better allows them to address and overcome problems in their unconscious and in their lives. Von Franz notes that the figure of the “Cosmic Man” (160) or wise old spirit also appears in mythology, including the story of the biblical Adam which appears in different forms cross the world. Adam represents a total unity or oneness, not just within the mind but for humanity. Similarly, in the Hindu religion the “Purusha” (162) lives both within each individual and within the cosmos. The Self in this form may also manifest as a bisexual figure or as a male and female couple.
Von Franz explains that the Cosmic Man is often described to be the goal of creation and the meaning of existence. In this way, peoples’ purpose cannot be defined by drives or instincts. Instead, the purpose of being human is just that—to be human. This is achieved by learning how to merge ego and Self to allow the Cosmic Man to be present. In other words, physical reality must come second to the messages and insights of the unconscious. The Self also reminds a person of their connection to nature, often appearing in animal form. Von Franz explains that the messages from the Self can be utilized to guide a person towards a more fulfilling life, though this is not the primary purpose of dreams. She notes that the Self may also be represented by a stone or crystal, as these objects are nothing more or less than they are:
[F]or while the human being is as different as possible from a stone, yet man’s innermost center is in a strange and special way akin to it (perhaps because the stone symbolizes mere existence at the farthest remove from the emotions, fantasies, and discursive thinking of ego-consciousness (168).
Stones are also a recurring symbol in real life; people collect stones, create tombstones for the dead, and erect statues and pillars made of stone.
Lastly, von Franz explores the mysterious connection between the unconscious mind and physical matter. She notes that coincidences often appear meaningful, usually due to an activated archetype in the unconscious of the individual. Jung refers to the linking of seemingly unrelated events as “synchronicities” and they seem to occur during vital stages of individuation. When a synchronicity happens, an archetype appears to be manifesting both in the unconscious and in the physical world. Von Franz suggests that the stone may be a symbol of this connection.
Von Franz describes the modern limitations of having a full relationship with the Self: outer demands, lack of insight, and a lack of creativity and individuality. A person may also lose touch with their center due to a loss of balance in their emotional lives or due to over-daydreaming. Von Franz warns that, furthermore, a need for civilization and discipline, while it has its benefits, can also act as a barrier between the messages of the unconscious center and the conscious mind. This is known as “over-consolidation of ego-consciousness” (172).
In mythology, symbols of the Self often carry the connotation of the “four corners of the world” (172). For example, the mandala is a Hindu symbol which represents the center of the psyche and is often divided into four. Mandalas are drawn in Eastern traditions to produce a state of meditation, inner peace, order, and balance with the Self. Mandalas may also appear in dreams to produce a similar feeling in the dreamer. Von Franz recalls an account of a dream wherein the person envisioned a disk divided into four that seemed to be in place of the sun on the horizon. It moves from below the horizon to the center of view, indicating that the dreamer’s Self is fully emerging. It then moves to the right, which von Franz asserts represents the right side of consciousness (adaptation and rightness), before finally resting itself permanently on a stone table.
Occasionally, the Self can uphold a dark power which causes a person to become consumed by their own ego and self-perceived greatness. In this way, the Self consists of a duality. Von Franz concludes the section by recounting a myth in which a man gives up blind trust to God (and thus his unconscious) to survive an impending doom. She asserts that a person must learn to balance the ego-consciousness and the physical world with the unconscious and its messages; achieving this balance is no easy feat.
Von Franz introduces her final section by exploring the problem of the Self in an overly populated modern society where individual lives appear to be meaningless. She insists that this is an inaccurate perspective, however, stating that dreams allow people to see that they do in fact have purpose and are deeply linked to everything around them. Dreams also provide people with the motivation and courage to go against the tide when it seems most difficult. A person must learn how to balance the demands of real life with the messages of the unconscious. This often creates a conflict or depression. Although people may appear “antisocial and egocentric” (177) amid the journey to the Self, Von Franz insists that this is not so. The piece of the Self which belongs to the collective manifests in the way people dream of others. Von Franz explains that the unconscious is deeply in tune with the subtleties of the world and communicates them to the conscious mind through dreams. People who are in tune with the collective Self often find each other in life.
Von Franz questions whether the unconscious mind can be influenced by the outer world. She notes that attempts to influence dreams usually fail or are illusory, but also that people do occasionally dream about motifs from the modern world, such as the Berlin Wall or a famous movie. Von Franz goes on to reiterate the importance of the mandala in both dream symbolism and in waking life, stating that it represents both a maintenance of order as well as the flow of creativity and revival. Just as the Self is sacrificed and reborn in the individuation process, “in the new order the older pattern returns on a higher level” (182). This revival often takes place in the form of religious or spiritual revival, both within the individual and for the collective.
Von Franz describes a type of person who is caught between the rationality of the conscious mind and the spirituality of the unconscious. She states that accepting the messages of the unconscious takes courage and humility. She notes that repression of the religious symbols of the unconscious can have real world consequences for the individual and those around them. Von Franz concludes her section by discussing the doors which close because of the discovery of the unconscious. She asserts people can no longer claim to know spiritual reality in its truest form, nor can we claim to fully understand the unique experiences of another individual. She states that the Self and the discovery of the unconscious compensate for these losses by providing new questions worth asking.
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