Some words on jung, self, and mandala

Abstract

Trying to reconcile the continuity of being with the discreteness of consciousness, modern seekers for the truth appeal to the Eastern mystical traditions based on the idea of the unity of all things and singularity of the world. In terms of analytical psychology, to overcome the human alienation from the world and from themselves is to return to his/her Self. C.G. Jung considered the reintegration of a personality to be a prerequisite for solving the spiritual, social, ethical, and political problems humanity is facing now. This process is the basis for the integrity of the psyche. Successful reintegration requires centering, that is, unification with everything that exists into one organic whole. Observing his patients, the psychoanalyst concluded that the idea of centering was archetypal to the spiritual pole of the unconscious. His therapy was aimed at achieving the Self in the process of individuation, i.e., the reintegration of the instinctive and spiritual poles of the psyche. The process of individuation is similar to the reintegration process in Yoga philosophy, which is symbolized by a mandala that reintegrates the perception of the world and helps us to reconcile with the total cosmic reality. According to C.G. Jung, a mandala is the universal psychic image, the symbol of the Oneness, the deep essence of the human soul. C.G. Jung believed that the achievement of the Self was a natural process embedded in the individuals. The questions posed by a great psychoanalyst push us into searching for ourselves, the golden mean in ourselves, our actions, and our views. The salvation of a modern human in the contemporary world full of conflicts is to find the way to the spiritual unity with humankind, which is the highest manifestation of the spiritual unity with the universe. This becomes possible due to a return to our Self. The paper aims at analyzing the Jungian concept of the Self in the context of oriental religious and philosophical teachings.