Ego and Archetype: Individuation and the Religious Function of the Psyche

Examines an individual’s journey toward psychological wholeness, known in analytical psychology as the process of individuation. Regarded as a task of the second half of life, individuation brings the ego into a conscious and balanced relationship with the self, the organizing principle of the total psyche. Edward Edinger traces the stages of this process and relates them to the search for meaning through encounters with symbolism in religion, myths, dreams and art. In particular he explores the relationship between Jung’s concept of individuation and Christianity, revealing the relevance of Christian symbolism for the modern psyche. For contemporary men and women, Edinger believes, the encounter with the self is equivalent to the discovery of God. The resulting dialogue between the ego and the archetypal image of God is an experience that changes the individual’s worldview and makes possible a new and more meaningful way of life.