Jungian and Post-Jungian Interpretations of the Esoteric Tree of Life

Jungian and Post-Jungian Interpretations of the
Esoteric Tree of Life presents a dialogue between
Jungian and Post-Jungian thought and the Western
Esoteric Tradition. Through that dialogue a brief
history of the Kabbalistic Tree of Life is reviewed,
Jung''s use of the sefirot of the Tree of Life is
analysed, and the Western Esoteric Tree of Life is
then viewed through the lens of Jungian and Post-
Jungian thought. What the practitioners of the
Western Esoteric Tradition call the process of
initiation Jung called the process of
individuation. The common link between these two
processes is the use of symbol and metaphor to
further develop the human potential. The
Esotericists tend to view their experiences as
extra-psychic while analytical psychology tends to
view the process of individuation as intra-psychic.
However, the dichotomy between these two approaches
to the development of the psyche is not rigid and
both processes can be seen as routes toward psychic
wholeness.

Autorentext

Lloyd Keane has a BA and an MA in Religion from Carleton University and a PhD in Psychoanalytic Studies from the University of Essex. He is currently employed with the Archives and Research Collections department within the Carleton University Library located in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

Klappentext

Jungian and Post-Jungian Interpretations of the Esoteric Tree of Life presents a dialogue between Jungian and Post-Jungian thought and the Western Esoteric Tradition. Through that dialogue a brief history of the Kabbalistic Tree of Life is reviewed, Jung's use of the sefirot of the Tree of Life is analysed, and the Western Esoteric Tree of Life is then viewed through the lens of Jungian and Post-Jungian thought. What the practitioners of the Western Esoteric Tradition call the process of initiation Jung called the process of individuation. The common link between these two processes is the use of symbol and metaphor to further develop the human potential. The Esotericists tend to view their experiences as extra-psychic while analytical psychology tends to view the process of individuation as intra-psychic. However, the dichotomy between these two approaches to the development of the psyche is not rigid and both processes can be seen as routes toward psychic wholeness.