Active Imagination: A Path to Personal Integrity and Growth

Active imagination unlocks the unconscious, fostering personal growth and deeper self-awareness through conscious dialogue with inner figures.

### Unlocking the Unconscious: The Power of Active Imagination
* 🧠 Active imagination serves as a **powerful tool for accessing the unconscious** and achieving **personal integrity**, allowing for a dialogue with different parts of oneself while remaining **fully conscious**.
* 💭 This technique resembles dreaming, yet it involves **engaging with one's imagination actively**, rather than passively observing.
* 📅 Carl Jung discovered this method in 1913 during a tumultuous period in his life, leading to **profound visions** that he documented in his **Black Books and the Red Book**, which were shared only with a few trusted friends until the Red Book's publication in **2009**.
* 👥 Engaging with the unconscious can be intense, and Robert Johnson emphasizes the **importance of approaching it with respect** and having a **supportive companion during initial explorations**.
* ✍ Johnson provides practical techniques for navigating this inner work, encouraging individuals to **record their dialogues with inner figures** to deepen self-understanding and personal growth.
* 🌊 Active imagination involves a conscious engagement with the unconscious, allowing individuals to **explore their inner worlds and uncover insights** that contribute to their overall well-being.
* 🔍 The process requires patience and presence, as individuals must **listen to their inner dialogues**, recognizing that these figures possess **wisdom that can lead to greater self-awareness and resolution of inner conflicts**.
* 🌿 Finally, rituals can elevate the experience of active imagination, helping individuals **integrate their insights into daily life** and fostering a **deeper connection with their physical existence**.

Active imagination is the most powerful tool for accessing the unconscious and achieving personal integrity. It is a dialogue with different parts of oneself that live in the unconscious. In a sense, it resembles a dream, except that during the experience, you are fully awake and conscious. This is precisely what distinguishes this technique: instead of sinking into sleep, you immerse yourself in your imagination while remaining awake, just as if you were dreaming. If we sincerely wish to attain our integrity and live our individual destiny as fully as possible, and if we truly want to eliminate the illusion and find the truth of our own existence, then there is nothing more effective than active imagination. Jung discovered this method in 1913 during a period of disorientation and inner turmoil, which he called the confrontation with the unconscious. He wrote, It was April 12, 1913, when I dared to take a decisive step; I was sitting at the table again.

Reflecting on my fears, I then allowed myself to fall. Suddenly, the ground literally gave way beneath my feet, and I plunged into the depths. After this vision, where he encountered the throng of his imagination, in a dark cave he was covered in imaginary blood. Its thick stream surged upward, and he felt nausea. He continued to see fantasies in which blood was a recurring theme, including thousands of corpses and an entire sea turning into blood. This was shortly before the beginning of the First World War. The culmination of his experience in active imagination is presented in his Black Books and the Red Book, where he included calligraphy in a medieval style and images of his visions from the unconscious. He showed this book to only a few of his trusted friends. The Red Book was published only in 2009, about 50 years after his death. Jung immersed himself in creativity.

The endeavor that he called his most difficult experiment and stated that it would seem madness to a superficial observer. However, this idea was not a disease but a conscious and purposeful experiment. Jung remained connected to the world of his family and his work as a psychologist, and therefore he did not succumb to the power of the unconscious. He began dialogues with forces that were not himself, but rather archetypes. He saw what he called mythopoetics between the conscious and the unconscious, or as the personal and collective unconscious. In active imagination, it is important to allow fantasies and dreams to unfold naturally. He explained this process in a letter: The thing is, you start with any image, for example, with that yellow mass from your dream. Contemplate it and carefully observe how the picture begins to unfold or change. Do not try to turn it into something; just do nothing, observe.

What are its spontaneous changes? Any mental image that you contemplate will, sooner or later, change due to spontaneous associations causing slight alterations in the picture. It is essential to avoid impatiently jumping from one subject to another. Hold firmly onto the image you have chosen and wait for it to change on its own. Note all these changes, and eventually, immerse yourself in the image. If it is indeed a speaking figure, tell this figure what you want to say and listen to what it responds. In this way, you can not only analyze your unconscious but also give it the opportunity to analyze itself. Thus, you gradually create unity between consciousness and the unconscious, without which individuation cannot occur. For most people, the most challenging part is initiating active imagination. However, there is one precaution to be aware of before starting this process: some individuals may be...

that you are dreaming. In this state, you can interact with the dream and manipulate it. However, in ordinary dreams, the conscious mind is not engaged, and the messages from the unconscious may be lost or misinterpreted.

In contrast, active imagination involves a conscious engagement with the images and symbols that arise from the unconscious. You actively participate in the process, allowing the unconscious to express itself while maintaining awareness. This method can lead to deeper insights and a more profound understanding of oneself.

Robert Johnson emphasizes the importance of approaching the unconscious with respect and caution, as it holds powerful energies that can be overwhelming. It is advisable to have someone with you during the initial explorations to provide support and guidance. Engaging with the unconscious is a solitary journey, but it is beneficial to have a companion for reassurance, especially if the experience becomes intense or disorienting.

In his book, Johnson offers practical advice on how to navigate this inner work, providing techniques to connect with the unconscious through dreams and active imagination. By doing so, individuals can explore the rich landscape of their inner world and uncover valuable insights that contribute to personal growth and self-awareness.

Active imagination, on the other hand, involves the conscious mind. The ego retreats into the inner world, socializing and struggling with the people it encounters there. You communicate, exchange viewpoints, embark on adventures together, and ultimately learn something from one another. It's a new world with limitless possibilities. Events unfold on a level of imagination that is neither conscious nor unconscious, but something like a meeting place, a common ground where you meet as equals. This generates a transcendent function of the self, which represents a synthesis of two opposites. Active imagination also differs from ordinary passive fantasy; in a dream, you sit and simply observe the flow of fantasies occurring deep within your consciousness, as if you are watching a movie. You do not participate consciously, and therefore, it is a waste of energy because problems are not resolved. I must engage in the imaginative act as intensely as...

If this were an external physical experience, Robert gives an example of a woman who decorates her house and cannot sleep due to her obsession with different colors and patterns. She even had an argument about this with her husband. One night, she engaged in a dialogue with her inner self, expressing her feelings. I am afraid. Afraid of what? I am afraid that I will be closed off again. I rarely have the opportunity to express myself. It seems to me that I will have to work very quickly and intensely while the door is open in front of me. Soon this will end, and I will find myself closed off again. I am starting to understand what you mean. In my life, I have had very few outlets, so few that I was not even aware of your existence. The culture I live in does not leave you space, and in this matter, I did not stand apart from my culture to affirm you. It is true, I feel that I am starving. Perhaps this is my last opportunity as a result of this active engagement.

This woman discovered that a new world opened up before her. She was so busy with mental work, thinking, analyzing, and productivity that there was no room in her life for the realm of physical beauty. She regularly conversed with this inner figure of a Japanese artist. She began to spend time working in her garden or in a ceramics workshop, as well as engaging in other physical and artistic activities that connected her with earthly values, honoring this part of herself. She found deep satisfaction, and her sense of who she is intensified. If you are watching my channel, you probably love to learn. The older we get, the clearer it becomes that education is not a luxury but an advantage in any society. Coaching is a field within helping professions that has its own standards and qualifications. In Russia, the coaching market, according to RBC, amounts to 100.

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He looked at him expressively, and the triumphant expression on the patient's face immediately changed to one of horror. Tears welled up in his eyes; he cursed and realized that everything he had done was, in fact, true. But he did not want to acknowledge this, trying to come up with a false story to deceive Rotan. He expelled the hidden contents of his inner being. How do I know that I am not just making all this up? How can I speak to a person who is merely a figment of my imagination? Robert tells us that it is almost impossible to create anything in our imagination that does not exist. The unconscious does not only speak to ourselves but also to our various selves. This is the essence of it; the inner figures are autonomous. This is what we do not want to hear, as realizing that we are not the masters of our own house is frightening. Active imagination is connected not only with the pressing issues of our personal lives but can also take the form of a mythical adventure, a journey into...

The archetypal world enters the realm of evil and the path of the hero to heal the sick and wounded and save the princess. Within each of us lie all these great archetypal themes. However, few of us can truly connect with this primal energy inside, unlike our primitive ancestors. This outlet of active imagination connects us with the eternal cosmic dance of archetypes that is perpetually generated in the unconscious. It is a way to discover how these universal energies flow through us as individuals and are expressed in a unique and special manner in our individuality. Robert encourages us to capture the emerging imagination; many give up, not even starting because they cannot understand it. Your inner dialogue should be written or typed; this is the main defense against it becoming yet another passive fantasy. Writing will help you remember and digest the experiences gained, as a woman in the provided example.

которая переписывалась с японской художницей. Если вы напечатаете это, вы можете использовать строчные буквы для ввода того, что вы говорите, и заглавные буквы для того, что другой человек в вашем воображении говорит вам в ответ. Таким образом, вы можете просто перенести диалоги на страницу так же быстро, как они происходят. Вы также можете использовать записывающие устройства и говорить, а затем расшифровывать позже, стараясь отличить себя от бессознательного внутреннего существа. Это помогает оставаться в визионерском состоянии и не прерывать его впечатлениями от внешнего мира. Используйте любой метод, который лучше всего подходит для вас. Не пытайтесь нарядить своё воображение и заставить его звучать впечатляюще на случай, если кто-то захочет прочесть это. Это очень личное, и это то, что вы делаете для себя. Цель состоит в том, чтобы честно пережить и записать всё, что вытекает из вашего бессознательного в его сырой спонтанной форме. Ещё один важный момент — это физическое окружение. Это должна быть комната, достаточно тихая и уединённая, чтобы вы...

You could disconnect from the outside world for a while, at least for yourself. It is also necessary to be alone if you live with other people. Tell everyone in the house that you cannot be disturbed except in the case of a nuclear explosion. You have the right to such freedom and safety; this is essential for making a journey into the inner world. You must have the ability to unleash your unrestrained feelings and emotions without worrying about someone watching you. The first step in active imagination is to invite the beings of the unconscious to come to the surface and engage with you. We often have something murky and invisible in the unconscious that troubles us. We may feel a conflict just beneath the surface but cannot see what is happening. We cannot connect it to something specific; sometimes it is an inexplicable, freely floating anger. We cannot say why we are angry or what we are angry at; we just feel anger towards it.

Categories relate to anxiety, depression, and obsessive thoughts. Robert Johnson writes that when this happens, you can turn to the unconscious in your imagination and ask the invisible content to personify itself. What does it feel like? What is its image? How does he or she look? If you do this, eventually an image will come to your mind. We invite inner people to dialogue, distracting ourselves from the external world and focusing on our imagination, and then we wait to see who will appear. To invite inner figures, we need to empty the ego mind. We clear our minds of all thoughts about the external world and simply wait with vigilance and attention to see who or what will manifest. If you see someone, you can start with the question, Who are you? What do you want? What do you want to tell me? The important dialogue begins. Surrender to this experience and do not try to control or push your imagination in any specific direction.

some fantastic material that spins in your head all day long, you can confidently assume that it expresses one of the main instincts where your psychic energy is concentrated. You can start by visiting this specific place as a starting point for active imagination. Instead of passively observing the same fantasy repeating over and over in your mind, you can advance; you can also begin active imagination by embodying the place in your mind. Johnson writes, For me, this is the shore of the sea, a magical place that often appears in my dreams. When I engage in active imagination, I often mentally step out onto the shore and start walking. Inevitably, something happens or something changes, and then the imagination is set in motion. There were several days when I walked and walked, and almost nothing happened. Sometimes, you can get tired of walking. But usually, if you go into the inner space and...

You will find that something is waiting for you. Jung also discovered that active imagination can be used to expand dreams. If you have a recent dream that you remember or a recurring dream, you can extend it by imagining how it ended. This way, you can effectively continue the dream and interact with it, expanding it. This is a natural process since dreams and imagination come from the same source in the unconscious. It allows you to continue the story and take the next step that the dream leads to, bringing the issue to resolution. Interestingly, the number of dreams sharply decreases when a person engages in active imagination. Problems presented in dreams are examined and resolved this way, making dreams more purposeful, focused, and less repetitive, as dreams do not waste your time. Jung described this method for people who are overly troubled by recurring dreams. So, you invite the unconscious.

Images have arisen in your imagination, and now you are ready to begin the second step of dialogue. This means surrendering to your imagination and allowing it to flow, letting the inner figures live their own lives in your mind. You begin to talk to your images and interact with them. They respond, and you are surprised to discover viewpoints from your conscious mind. They tell you things you never consciously knew and express thoughts you never consciously considered. To start the writing process, Jung said the following: changes must be carefully recorded, as they reflect mental processes in the unconscious background that manifest as images made up of material from conscious memory. In this way, the conscious and unconscious connect, much like a waterfall connects the upper and lower realms. Often, the inner self leads you down a path if you feel inclined to follow it.

You are wrong. You have the right to say this, which often leads to a heated discussion of the conflict between your inner self and you. The dialogue has begun, and different parts of the personality learn from each other. Most people engage in a lot of conversation in their active imagination, exchanging viewpoints with inner figures, trying to find a middle ground between opposing views, or even seeking advice from some wise figures residing in the unconscious. However, not all dialogue is verbal; it can also take the form of images speaking to you without words. It is important to stick to the image we start with and not allow ourselves to be distracted by other fantastic material. Resolving a specific fantasy may take days, weeks, or even years. You must be present with your feelings and sense that this is truly happening. You are not just an observer but an active participant, and yet...

Try to dominate or manipulate your interlocutor. Active imagination is primarily a process of listening, either to words or images. After so many years of ignoring these parts of ourselves, considering them as inferior characteristics of our personality, we discover that they can tell us very unpleasant things when we finally listen to them. They can also seem frightening and repulsive. This is your shadow, which can uncover hidden potential. We must approach the unconscious with a friendly face. Only when we humbly listen to them and give them time to express themselves can we receive new ideas that can be interpreted into conscious life. As Jung wrote, we know that the mask of the unconscious is not rigid; it reflects the face we turn towards it. Hostility gives it a threatening appearance, while love softens its features. The ego is a small island surrounded by a deep, invisible ocean of energy where actions take place.

Huge forces of active imagination are like underwater diving. Although our ego is small in comparison, we should not take everything that our inner figures say as the final authority. That would be as one-sided as our egocentric approach. Active imagination begins with the acknowledgment that the unconscious possesses its own wisdom. It should not be confused with the practice of guided meditation, which aims to program the unconscious to do what the ego wants. There is no script; nothing is predetermined. You will have to forge your own path, which is both frightening and inspiring. Ultimately, you will have to walk this path alone. The third step involves values and the ethical aspect that must support our ego. Ethics comes from the Greek word ethos, which means the essential spirit of a person or a people. It sets limits to protect the creative process from becoming inhumane or destructive.

The universe is amazing and beautiful, but its forces behave immorally. They are not concerned with our specific human values, such as justice, honesty, and serving our fellow beings. These primitive archetypes serve a realm close to instincts; they lack a super-ego and socially acceptable behavior. Since the beings that arise in our active imagination are embodiments of impersonal forces of nature, it is we who must bring ethics into our active imagination. Not all archetypes are like this; some may be concerned with human values, feelings of love, and moral responsibility. In every figure that comes to us in our active imagination, there is a share of truth and wisdom, and they help us compensate for the one-sidedness of our ego. Robert recalls a case where a woman spoke with a wise old man who gave her good ideas. However, one day he told her to give up her handbag and keys, symbolizing all her resources and completeness.

Control over her life. Robert immediately told her to return and respond to him, that she needed to collect her things, which she did. Unfortunately, a year later, she became a know-it-all, trying to dominate any situation. She became obsessed and fell into self-destructive behavior. The ego brings a sense of responsibility for the existence of the inner world, just as it is our duty to care for the well-being of our peers in the outer world. Jung wrote that the images of the unconscious impose great responsibility on a person; misunderstanding or evading this responsibility deprives him of wholeness and brings painful fragmentation into his life. The fourth and final step involves rituals to elevate active imagination to a new level. We need to give it a physical experience. The most important step is when the images of the unconscious find their place and purpose in external life. An important element here is not to project internal conflicts and impulses into the external world.

For example, if a man argues with his inner figure during active imagination, he may immediately afterward go and start the same argument with his wife. He tries to externalize his imagination and literally project the image of his spouse, friend, or colleague, rather than beginning an imaginative conversation with that person. This confuses inner reality with outer reality. If you ask, the inner figure can always cooperate and change its appearance. Then you can enter into a dialogue with a clear sense that you are talking to a part of yourself, not to another person. To embody this experience, we must perform a physical ritual or integrate what we have learned into our daily lives. This could be time spent alone to recognize our feelings, lighting a candle or incense, going for a walk, and directing our gaze at the colors of nature and the sky to reconnect with the physical world or

Turn this into something tangible through sand play, drawing, modeling clay, and so on. Jung's ritual was calligraphy and the design of the Red Book, which occupied him for many years. He took communication with the unconscious seriously and valued it greatly. Each ritual should be created based on the raw materials of your own inner world. Let your rituals be small and subtle, and they will be more effective. The best rituals are physical, secluded, and silent. It is these that register most deeply in the subconscious. A ritual, in its true form, is one of the most significant channels of our reverence and sense of worship. This is why rituals have spontaneously arisen among people in all parts of the earth. This is also why modern people, deprived of meaningful rituals, experience a chronic sense of emptiness; they are denied contact with the great archetypes that nourish our souls.

Life is important to understand that there is no mandatory set of rituals. There are no formulas or traditions according to which they must be performed. Each of us should turn to our imagination and invent a ritual in honor of a specific event. It should be individually crafted from the material of your own inner self. Robert Johnson describes such a case: once, we were working with a person who got stuck in the fourth stage and could not come up with a ritual. Then, from my unconscious, the answer emerged in honor of this event: you can go and examine the bark on the trees. This person, shocked, looked at it, mumbled something, and left the room. Three hours later, he excitedly knocked on my door and said, Robert, you have no idea how interesting the bark of trees is! Some have brown bark, others have gray, smooth, wrinkled, and different creatures live in them. The color of the bark in the northern regions...

You can find moss on the bark; in general, you cannot even imagine how interesting the bark of trees is. Over these three hours, a person has realized for the first time in their life their physical existence and the physical world. They saw that the spirit exists within the physical world and not detached from it. There arose a feeling that we invented a new koan. What is the bark of trees? A koan is a traditional riddle posed to monks, requiring them to find an answer. Any koan is constructed in such a way that the riddle cannot be solved through ordinary logic. Monks must break free from the confines of traditional categories and immerse themselves in rational wisdom. Here is one of the traditional koans: Show me how a clap sounds with one hand. Just like with any other koan, is it possible to find an ordinary answer to the question of what bark is on ten trees? My friend found his answer: the bark on ten trees is a whole universe. In the West, we tend to make everything abstract.

Wordy discussions instead of direct sensory experiences. We all have a huge need to engage our bodies and feelings in the process. In my Telegram, I will post Robert Johnson's book so you can study this material in more detail. Additionally, if you are interested in rituals, just like I am, please comment below. Perhaps I will create a separate video on this topic. Also, don't forget to like and subscribe; this is very important for YouTube's algorithms. See you in a happy future!

Мощнейшая техника Карла Юнга по работе с бессознательным - Активное воображение

Александр Некрасов

Active imagination is a technique for accessing the unconscious and achieving personal integrity, resembling a dream while remaining fully awake.

Jung discovered this method in 1913 during a period of inner turmoil, leading to his profound visions and the creation of the Black Books and the Red Book.

The process involves observing and allowing mental images to unfold naturally, ultimately creating unity between consciousness and the unconscious for individuation.

The Power of Active Imagination and Dreaming

Active imagination involves consciously engaging with the unconscious, allowing for deeper insights and personal growth.

Robert Johnson emphasizes the need for respect and caution when exploring the unconscious, suggesting the presence of a supportive companion.

The process of active imagination creates a meeting place for the ego and the unconscious, leading to a synthesis of opposites and transformative experiences.

The Power of Coaching and Active Imagination

Coaching is gaining popularity and aims to unlock a person's potential for self-improvement.

The Academy of Professional Coaching offers a free course on coaching principles and techniques, providing valuable knowledge for personal and professional growth.

Active imagination plays a crucial role in connecting with our inner selves and discovering universal archetypal themes, while writing down inner dialogues can help process and remember these experiences.

Active imagination involves using various methods, like writing dialogues or recording oneself, to engage with the unconscious.

Creating a quiet and private physical space is essential for this practice, allowing for an uninterrupted journey into the inner world.

The process includes inviting inner figures to manifest, engaging in dialogue with them, and surrendering to the experience without trying to control it.

Expanding Dreams through Active Imagination

Active imagination can be used to extend and interact with dreams, leading to resolution and purpose.

Engaging in this process can reduce the frequency of dreams and make them more focused.

The method involves surrendering to imagination, dialoguing with inner figures, and recording changes to connect the conscious and unconscious mind.

Active imagination involves listening to our inner words and images, revealing hidden potential and unpleasant truths.

Approaching the unconscious with kindness and humility allows for the emergence of new ideas and wisdom.

The process requires ethical values to guide the ego, as the forces of nature embodied in our inner figures may lack human values and moral responsibility.

The protagonist's struggle for control and self-destructive behavior highlights the ego's responsibility for both inner and outer well-being.

Jung emphasized the significance of addressing the images of the unconscious to achieve wholeness and avoid painful fragmentation.

The final step of integrating active imagination into daily life through physical rituals is crucial for embodying the experience and reconnecting with the inner self.

Life doesn't require mandatory rituals; they should be individually crafted from one's inner self.

A person's transformative experience with tree bark led to a realization of the spirit's existence within the physical world.

The need for direct sensory experiences and engaging the body and feelings is emphasized, contrasting with the abstract discussions common in the West.