Individuation (Definition)
The lifelong journey of integrating conscious and unconscious psyche elements to become a whole, unique individual.
Wholeness vs. Perfection
Jung’s idea that the goal is to be ‘whole’ (incorporating all parts of self) rather than ‘perfect’ (only the good parts).
First Half of Life Task
Developing the Ego, building a career, and establishing a social identity (external focus).
Second Half of Life Task
Turning inward to integrate the unconscious and align the Ego with the Self (internal focus).
Phase 1: The Persona
The process of realizing that your public mask is not your true self and differentiating from it.
Phase 2: The Shadow
Encountering and integrating the repressed, unrecognized, or dark parts of your personality.
Phase 3: Anima/Animus
Integrating the inner gender-opposite: feminine energy in men (Anima) and masculine energy in women (Animus).
Phase 4: Mana Personality
Facing the archetypes of the Wise Old Man or Great Mother without becoming ego-inflated by their power.
Phase 5: The Self
The point where the Self replaces the Ego as the center of the psyche, achieving a state of wholeness.
Circumambulation
The movement of psychological growth in a spiral pattern around a central point (The Self).
Transcendent Function
A bridge between conscious and unconscious that emerges from the tension of opposites to create a new way of being.
Ego-Self Axis
The healthy, conscious connection and communication between the Ego and the Archetypal Self.
Inflation
A psychological pitfall where the Ego identifies with an archetype, leading to grandiosity or ‘mana-possession’.
