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Part II    Psychodynamic Theories112
withtheirfather, andasadults withsome vetopower overwhat appeared intheir
father’s autobiography, theywerenotinagenerous mood toperpetuate knowledge 
oftheaffair.
Inanyevent, littledoubt exists thatJungneeded women other thanhiswife.
Inaletter toFreud dated January 30,1910, Jungwrote: “The prerequisite foragood 
marriage, itseems tome,isthelicense tobeunfaithful” (McGuire, 1974, p.289).
Almost immediately afterJungandFreud returned from theirtriptothe
United States, personal aswellastheoretical differences became more intense as
theirfriendship cooled. In1913, theyterminated theirpersonal correspondence, and
thefollowing year, Jungresigned thepresidency andshortly afterward withdrew his
membership intheInternational Psychoanalytic Association.
Jung’s break withFreud mayhavebeen related toevents notdiscussed in
Memories, Dreams, Reflections (Jung, 1961). In1907, Jungwrote toFreud ofhis
“boundless admiration” forhimandconfessed thathisveneration “hassomething of
thecharacter ofa‘religious’ crush” andthatithadan“undeniable erotic undertone” 
(McGuire, 1974, p.95).Jungcontinued hisconfession, saying: “This abominable 
feeling comes from thefactthatasaboyIwasthevictim ofasexual assault bya
manIonce worshipped” (p.95).Jungwasactually 18years oldatthetimeofthe
sexual assault andsawtheolder manasafatherly friend inwhom hecould confide 
nearly everything. Alan Elms (1994) contended thatJung’s erotic feelings toward 
Freud—coupled withhisearly experience ofthesexual assault byanolder manhe
once worshipped—may havebeen oneofthemajor reasons whyJungeventually broke 
from Freud. Elms further suggested thatJung’s rejection ofFreud’s sexual theories 
mayhavestemmed from hisambivalent sexual feelings toward Freud.
Theyears immediately following thebreak withFreud werefilled withloneli -
nessandself-analysis forJung. From December 1913 until1917, heunderwent the
most profound anddangerous experience ofhislife—a tripthrough theunderground 
ofhisownunconscious psyche. Marvin Goldwert (1992) referred tothistimein
Jung’s lifeasaperiod of“creative illness,” atermHenri Ellenberger (1970) hadused
todescribe Freud intheyears immediately following hisfather’s death. Jung’s period 
of“creative illness” wassimilar toFreud’s self-analysis. Both menbegan theirsearch 
forselfwhile intheirlate30sorearly 40s:Freud, asareaction tothedeath ofhis
father; Jung, asaresult ofhissplitwithhisspiritual father, Freud. Both underwent a
period ofloneliness andisolation andbothweredeeply changed bytheirexperience.
Although Jung’s journey intotheunconscious wasdangerous andpainful, it
wasalsonecessary andfruitful. Byusing dream interpretation andactive imagination 
toforce himself through hisunderground journey, Jungeventually wasabletocreate 
hisunique theory ofpersonality.
During thisperiod hewrote down hisdreams, drew pictures ofthem, toldhimself 
stories, andthenfollowed these stories wherever theymoved. Through these procedures 
hebecame acquainted withhispersonal unconscious. (SeeJung, 1979; Dunne, 2000, 
foracollection ofmany ofhispaintings during thisperiod.) Prolonging themethod 
andgoing more deeply, hecame upon thecontents ofthecollective  unconscious—the 
archetypes. Heheard hisanima speak tohiminaclear feminine voice; hediscovered 
hisshadow, theevilsideofhispersonality; hespoke withthewiseoldmanandthe
great mother archetypes; andfinally, neartheendofhisjourney, heachieved akindof
psychological rebirth called individuation (Jung, 1961).Final PDF to printer