Dynamics of the Self

A volume of papers stretching over almost 30 years require some explanation of its purpose and general theme. It lies in the fact that a common subject underlies all of them: the creative powers of the psyche and the workings of the self, and of the process of individuation. The first paper on "Basic concepts of analytical psychology" appears as a kind of introductory essay, giving the basis for the following chapters (1974). The three following papers present practical examples of these basic concepts. "The dynamics of the self" illustrates the rôle of the self in the case of a child and of an adult, comparing the two (1950). The second, "The Logos of the unconscious" shows the "intellectual activity of the unconscious", manifestating itself in an intelligent and purposive process directed by the self (1955). A related subject is illustrated by the case of a middle-aged woman: "Ego integration and patterns of coniunctio" (1958).The next essay, "On the question of meaning in psychoterapy" concerns itself with one of the most basic problems, that of the meaning of man's existence. Its point of departure is the question of the meaning of individual life, but it widens out into an examination of the cultural scene and the rôle analysis might play in the crisis of our civilization (1962)."Personal encounters with Jung" is a personal account of my work and acquaintance with Jung over thirty years (1975). The next essay, "Analytical psychology and the principle of complementarity", starting from the vexed problem of frequent splits within every camp of depth psychology, examines and tries to define the reasons for this (1971).The last paper stands out both in length and in scope of its approach. In "Remembering and forgetting" psychological, philosophical, mythological, and religious sources from various cultures and times are discussed from the angle of their relevance for the contrapuntal motif of remembering and forgetting. This leads also to the examination of such phenomena as déjà vu, the role of the neurotic symptom, the problem of egoless consciousness and other related subjects (1976). (From the preface by Gerhard Adler). 177pp.