fei75766_ch04_107-148.indd 132  02/19/20 09:00 AM
Part II    Psychodynamic Theories132
ofelderly people areoften filled withsymbols ofrebirth, suchaslongjourneys or
changes inlocation. Jungusedthese andother symbols todetermine patients’ uncon -
scious attitudes toward death andtohelpthem discover ameaningful philosophy of
life(Jung, 1934/1960).
Self-Realization
Psychological rebirth, alsocalled self-realization orindividuation, istheprocess of
becoming anindividual orawhole person (Jung, 1939/1959, 1945/1953). Analytical 
psychology isessentially apsychology ofopposites, andself-realization istheprocess 
ofintegrating theopposite poles intoasingle homogeneous individual. Thisprocess 
of“coming toselfhood” means thataperson hasallpsychological components func-
tioning inunity, withnopsychic process atrophying. People whohavegone through 
thisprocess haveachieved realization oftheself,minimized theirpersona, recog -
nized theiranima oranimus, andacquired aworkable balance between introversion 
andextraversion. Inaddition, these self-realized individuals haveelevated allfourof
thefunctions toasuperior position, anextremely difficult accomplishment.
Self-realization isextremely rareandisachieved onlybypeople whoareable
toassimilate theirunconscious intotheirtotalpersonality. Tocome toterms with
theunconscious isadifficult process thatdemands courage tofacetheevilnature of
one’s shadow andevengreater fortitude toaccept one’s feminine ormasculine side.
Thisprocess isalmost never achieved before middle lifeandthenonlybymenand
women whoareabletoremove theegoasthedominant concern ofpersonality and
replace itwiththeself.Theself-realized person must allow theunconscious selfto
become thecoreofpersonality. Tomerely expand consciousness istoinflate theego
andtoproduce aone-sided person wholacks thesoulspark ofpersonality. Theself-
realized person isdominated neither byunconscious processes norbytheconscious 
egobutachieves abalance between allaspects ofpersonality.
Self-realized people areabletocontend withboththeirexternal andinternal 
worlds. Unlike psychologically disturbed individuals, theyliveintherealworld and
make necessary concessions toit.However, unlike average people, theyareaware 
oftheregressive process thatleads toself-discovery. Seeing unconscious images as
potential material fornewpsychic life,self-realized people welcome these images as
theyappear indreams andintrospective reflections (Jung, 1939/1959, 1945/1953).
Jung’s Methods of Investigation
Junglooked beyond psychology inhissearch fordatatobuild hisconception of
humanity. Hemade noapologies forhisventures intothefields ofsociology, history, 
anthropology, biology, physics, philology, religion, mythology, andphilosophy. He
strongly believed thatthestudy ofpersonality wasnottheprerogative ofanysingle 
discipline andthatthewhole person could beunderstood onlybypursuing knowl -
edgewherever itexisted. LikeFreud, Jungpersistently defended himself asascien -
tificinvestigator, eschewing thelabels ofmystic andphilosopher. Inaletter toCalvin 
Hall, dated October 6,1954, Jungargued: “Ifyoucallmeanoccultist because Iam
seriously investigating religious, mythological, folkloristic and philosophical fantasies in
modern individuals andancient texts, thenyouarebound todiagnose Freud as a Final PDF to printer