Jung on Active Imagination

Jung saw active engagement with the unconscious as the way to gradually transform and dissolve difficult psychological problems. The trauma of his break with Freud prompted Jung to find a method of self healing which later formed the basis of his analytic practice and is now regarded as the origin of non-directive psychotherapy and creative arts therapies. This book contains a selection of Jung’s key writings on active imagination, showing how he developed the method over many years and came to realise its importance for achieving both self-knowledge and individuation. In her introduction, Jungian analyst, Joan Chodorow explains clearly the complex ideas behind active imagination and the practical stages involved in the process: letting the unconscious come up and coming to terms with the unconscious. She looks at how the liberation of patients through their own efforts brings important benefits, but also raises questions about the role of the analyst.