Individuation

Individuation (German Individuation) is the central concept of Carl Gustav Jung's analytical psychology ("Die Beziehungen zwischen dem Ich und dem Unbewussten", 1928): the process of becoming a whole personality through the integration of the conscious and the unconscious.

Stages of Individuation

1. Meeting the Shadow (Schatten) — acknowledging the rejected aspects of the personality
2. Meeting Anima / Animus — integration of the contrasexual archetype
3. Meeting the Wise Old Man / the Great Mother — archetypes of spiritual guidance
4. Meeting the Self (Selbst) — integration of all aspects into a single whole

What Individuation Is NOT

Not self-improvement. Individuation is not "self-improvement" and not "self-development": it is the acceptance of the fullness of one's nature, including the dark sides.

Jung's words. Jung emphasized: "Individuation does not exclude the world, but includes it."

Symbols of Individuation

• Mandala (Sanskrit maṇḍala — "circle") — the archetypal symbol of wholeness
• The Philosopher's Stone (Latin Lapis Philosophorum) — in alchemy
• The Hero's Journey — in mythology (#45)