Jungian Coaching
Both Freud and Jung are creators of the school of analytical psychology, often known as depth psychology. The underlying philosophy is not based on ego consciousness but instead seeks to explore the unconscious aspects of the human psyche and a deeper understanding of our shadow self, symbolism, and archetypes that affect our lives, and our ego development is limited. Jung believed that the psyche contains everything required for wholeness, but the ego cuts us off from the healing power of the imagination.
One of my favorite quotes by Jung is, “Everything that irritates us about others can lead to an understanding of ourselves.” To fully understand who we are, it is important to live an examined life and investigate the expression of the self, looking at a wider view of the personality, including positive and negative aspects.
What astounds me about Jung’s works is how the philosophy touches on many disciplines: philosophy, creativity, spirituality, and all sciences from cosmology to ecology, etc. In my extensive and never-ending reading and studying of Jung, I found Jung’s concepts erudite and abstract. I believe his ideas are best understood experientially. The journey toward wholeness is accomplished by paying attention to the archetypal images that come to us through dreams, active imagination, and making time for imagining. later. Another way to bring unconscious images into awareness is to use daydreaming and active imagination, which can also bring unconscious images into our everyday awareness. The power of symbolic imagery is a dynamic energy and another way to complement the rational way of knowing.
“Working with Jana has been incredibly valuable in helping me move through a time when I felt very stuck. I was somewhat familiar with Jungian concepts, but Jana’s coaching moved the ideas out of the theoretical and allowed them to land in a useful way. Jana is a gentle and steady guide who helped me become better at identifying the clues offered by my unconscious. Better still she facilitates an engagement with these images that takes them seriously and allows for a creative relationship with them.”
Jung defines active imagination as a powerful technique for evoking images from the unconscious and then actively engaging those images. During the course, we will have the opportunity to witness the transformative process by creating a series of dreams, visions, and spontaneous images. The alchemy of imagination can liberate us from harsh limitations, opening up new horizons of understanding and self-discovery. Like creativity, imagination is the agency that connects us with movement and change. It enables us to see our superficial persona through the literal appearance of our waking life and create endless possibilities in the world.
More About the Innovation Process
Innovation starts with asking better questions. This process is not just about external changes but also about your inner self. It's what James Hillman called the "Rich Articulation of Experience." Let's embark on this journey of self-exploration together. I will guide you to uncover what is not immediately obvious. This process of seeking and exploring will unearth what is deeply rooted in your soul, a task that spans a lifetime. Along the way, we will harness the power of your creative imagination. This tool can be used for creative problem-solving in all areas of your life, empowering you to find unique and effective solutions.
The journey of exploration can suspend logic and find treasures after the first session, but I recommend five sessions to feel this part of the journey is complete. To start, we will take a deep dive in the following areas:
Begin to explore patterns of ego and unconscious dialogue
How are you resistant?
Look for meaningful coincidences
Find images concealed in emotions experienced today; the images might be concealed just beyond our awareness
I offer an initial free 20-minute consultation to discover your primary area of concern and if we are compatible
Further Exploration on C.G. Jung and the Art of Jungian Psychology
If you are new to Jung, research the CG Jung Foundation for Analytical Psychology to start your exploration. For a deeper understanding of the influence of unconscious dynamics, I suggest exploring https://www.cgjungny.org/links/ and the Jung platform. To practically apply this knowledge, I recommend Machiel Klerk's course, which uses dream incubation as a powerful guide. We will use dream incubation in our dream work. I highly recommend how Jungian psychology fits into a history of Western thought by Richard Tarnas in "The Passion of the Western Mind." (An incredible book if it is new to you).
Additional Reading
Jung and the Making of Modern Psychology: The Dream of a Science by Sonu Shamdasani
Memories, Dreams, Reflections by C.G. Jung
Anatomy of the Psyche by Edward Eidigner
Archetypal Symbols in Fairytales by Marie Von Franz
The Soul’s Code, in Search of Calling and Character by James Hillman (and all works by Hillman)
A Life of Meaning by James Hollis
In addition to Jung’s Red Book, The Art of C.G. Jung is one of my favorites because it captures the beauty and essence of our inner imagery and how the union of opposites of art and science come together in Jung’s work
“The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek. Nothing brilliant ever lies at the mouth of the cave. All the greatest work ever created or that ever will be created has come from the depths of our fear, our eggshell-thin egos, our hunger for magic and our brazen willingness to risk everything.” – Joseph Campbell
