fei75766_ch04_107-148.indd 122  02/19/20 09:00 AM
Part II    Psychodynamic Theories122
thuslackthe“soul spark” ofpersonality; thatis,theyfailtorealize therichness and
vitality oftheirpersonal unconscious andespecially oftheircollective unconscious. 
Ontheother hand, people whoareoverpowered bytheirunconscious areoften path-
ological, withone-sided personalities (Jung, 1951/1959a).
Although theselfisalmost never perfectly balanced, eachperson hasinthe
collective unconscious aconcept oftheperfect, unified self.Themandala represents 
theperfect self,thearchetype oforder, unity, andtotality. Because self-realization 
involves completeness andwholeness, itisrepresented bythesame symbol ofperfec -
tion(themandala) thatsometimes signifies divinity. Inthecollective unconscious, 
theselfappears asanideal personality, sometimes taking theform ofJesus Christ, 
Buddha, Krishna, orother deified figures.
Jungfound evidence fortheselfarchetype inthemandala symbols thatappear 
indreams andfantasies ofcontemporary people whohavenever beenconscious of
theirmeaning. Historically, people produced countless mandalas without appearing 
tohaveunderstood theirfullsignificance. Jung(1951/1959a) believed thatpsychotic 
patients experience anincreasing number ofmandala motifs intheirdreams atthe
exact timethattheyareundergoing aperiod ofserious psychic disorder andthatthis
experience isfurther evidence thatpeople strive fororder andbalance. Itisasifthe
unconscious symbol oforder counterbalances theconscious manifestation ofdisorder.
Insummary, theselfincludes boththeconscious andunconscious mind, and
itunites theopposing elements ofpsyche—male andfemale, good andevil,lightand
darkforces. These opposing elements areoften represented bytheyangandtheyin
(seeFigure 4.2),whereas theselfisusually symbolized bythemandala. Thislat-
termotif stands forunity, totality, andorder—that is,self-realization. Complete self-
realization isseldom ifeverachieved, butasanideal itexists within thecollective 
Introversion
Extraversion
FIGURE 4.2  The Yang and the Yin.Final PDF to printer