Structural Aspects of Synchronistic Moments in Psychotherapy-Findings of an Empirical Study of Synchronicities in Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis1

Synchronicity describes a meaningful coincidence of events, which is familiar to us from treatments of our patients, but unfortunately has not yet been empirically substantiated. Adding to previous findings that point out beneficial aspects of synchronicity (Marlo, 2022; Lagutina, 2021; Connolly, 2015), in this paper I will show through a series of five synchronistic moments which happened in the context of therapy and analysis and which have been documented empirically, how synchronicities occur and can be used therapeutically. In my research I found several situational factors that can be considered structural aspects of synchronistic moments. Furthermore, I will show that synchronistic phenomena can have a positive influence if certain relational and transference-countertransference referential aspects are considered by the therapist and analyst. The concept of synchronicity brings the possibility of a further therapeutical instrument for the patient-analyst-dyad.

The Alchemical Oedipus: Re-Visioning the Myth

The Oedipus myth is foundational to depth psychology due to Freud's use of Sophocles' play Oedipus Rex in the creation of psychoanalysis. But analytical psychology's engagement with the myth has been limited despite the importance Jung also places upon it. The absence of a developed Jungian response to Oedipus means the myth's psychologically constructive elements have been overlooked in favour of reductive Freudian interpretations. I examine whether analytical psychology can fruitfully re-engage with Oedipus by reinterpreting his story as a paternal rebirth. This is achieved by reincorporating those parts of the myth that occur before and after the period portrayed in Oedipus Rex. Such a move reintegrates Oedipus' father, King Laius, into the story and unveils important parallels with the alchemical trope of the king's renewal by his son. Using Jung's method of amplification, Oedipus is recast as Laius' redeemer and identified with the archetype of psychological wholeness, the Self. The contention is that such an understanding of Oedipus supports a clearer recognition of the potentially generative quality of human suffering, restoring to the myth the quality of moral instruction it possessed in antiquity.

Thinking Childbirth from an Emancipatory Perspective? Phenomenology and Psychoanalysis

Feminist thought, despite the importance of its work, has not resolved the phenomenon of women's subordination in the care and education of children, and in society as a whole. Meanwhile, we are witnessing a gradual but continuous process of disconnection between women's bodies and subjectivity, and the conception, pregnancy and birth of children, due to developments in reproductive techniques. Considering this paradoxical tension, the author proposes to return to the very place where this subordination and anticipated rupture occur, to consider whether mothers could find there both the means to reclaim their childbirth experiences and potential levers for emancipation and rebirth, on both a personal and societal level. To this end, she describes, from the point of view of a singular woman, and from an emancipatory perspective, the phenomenological and psychoanalytical itinerary of childbirth by which this woman, in becoming a mother, is born to herself by giving birth to her child. By co-constituting the universal meaning of childbirth and becoming a philosophical mother, this singular woman operates a real paradigm shift in our representations of the mother and the metaphysical structure of the sexes.

Schreber: an approach to soul androgyny

Nowadays Jungian analysts are invited to understand what has been presenting as new emerging sexualities. Although we cannot find a theory of homosexuality in Jung's work, we will find references to this issue in clinical situations, interpretation of dreams, as well as his theory of anima and animus. Jung's theoretical perspective distinguishes sex and gender, anticipating contemporary gender issues and making the approach to the psyche even more complex. Jung was ahead of his time. Contemporary authors present critical reflection on the bases of innatism or culturalism as expressions of new sexualities. The paper present fragments of clinical situations and images, for a reflection on coniunctio of opposites, with their telos and psychic force, in the direction of soul androgyny. It presents a Jungian contribution to Memoirs of My Nervous Illness by Daniel Paul Schreber. Freud's Schreber Case, with his psychopathological interpretation related to paranoia and homosexuality, seems reductive and contrasts with the Jungian approach that introduces a synthetic-hermeneutic analysis.

Autism: an 'epidemic' of contemporary times?

The text discusses the growing incidence of autism in the world, presents an understanding of autism from the point of view of analytical psychology, and reflects on the treatment of autistic patients. Today, it is understood that autism is part of a continuum of characteristics on a spectrum with biological and congenital causes. It is a non-specific picture resulting from multiple causations of non-linear factors. Autism is a neuro-developmental disorder characterized by a triad of symptoms: persistent deficits in social communication and social interaction, and restricted and repetitive patterns of behaviours, interests, or activities. Autism spectrum disorder must be considered as a clinical entity, with current clearly defined characteristics. It is an extremely complex condition, which requires multidisciplinary approaches aiming at the possibility of prognosis and effective therapeutic approaches. This paper explores how a disturbance may occur from the intra-uterine phase, in which matriarchal experiences do not constellate. The structuring function of the patriarchal organization can then become dominant, and people with autism need understanding and help to organize their world and learn to live in it. As they don't have the capacity to structure consciousness through the matriarchal archetype, they rely entirely on the structuring and organizing capacity of the Father archetype.

Ethical issues, family systems and analytical training

This paper proposes a relationship between family problems and the issues of an analytical training group from the point of view of systems theory and analytical psychology. It also explores some ethical problems that are common to families and to training groups.

Observations on psychic vulnerability to media dissemination of false political-ideological messages (fake news)

The author seeks to understand the functioning of the dissemination of false messages (fake news) and its impact on the individual and collective psyche from the perspective of contemporary analytical psychology. The paper considers the current Zeitgeist along with the cultural factors that created the propitious ground for increasing media dissemination from the 1990s onwards. The growing influence of analytical psychology within the sociohistorical approach is valued. The author notes the vulnerability of the individual and collective consciousness to fake news and its insertion into competent and credible conspiracy theories. Despite, on the one hand, the formal efforts of websites, digital platforms and other digital distribution agents to verify and control this dysfunctional communication and, on the other hand, the search for psychological defence measures, there still seems to be no solution in sight.

Myth and origin of the Karitiana ethnicity

This paper presents the narrative of vice-chief Meireles Karitiana, with the participation of chief-shaman Cizino Karitiana, who discusses the Karitiana people's origin myth, particularly in relation to the tension between God and Orá, his brother - a tension between good and evil. The paper describes what can be understood of ancestral life, and the value of connecting life and earth today, especially the forest. It highlights some aspects of the myth related particularly to consumption, domination, anthropocentricity, and the transcendent emergence of a third energy from the tension between the 'good' God and his 'bad' brother; this is related to Jungian thinking.

Introduction to an epistemology for analytical psychology in a civilization in transition

This paper explores the epistemological sources of C.G. Jung's psychology over the course of its historical evolution. It considers whether his model should be seen as a scientific-philosophical, artistic, or an ethical-mystical model, or a combination of these; whether epistemological knowledge can come from getting a 'vision of the whole' or 'grasping the particulars thoroughly' (Jung 1939, para. 1012); as well as exploring the philosophers of science with whom Jung's epistemological model best coheres. The paper calls on the work of Joseph Henderson and his concept of the cultural unconscious, as well as exploring the contribution of Brazilian and Latin American civilization to the evolution of analytical psychology.

Addictions: current perspectives

This paper seeks to integrate the perspectives of analytical psychology and neurobiology in order to understand the phenomenon of addiction in contemporary society, taking into account the COVID-19 pandemic. Jung emphasizes the role of the psyche's self-regulation and the development of consciousness in the individuation process. The search for experiences of transcendence is archetypal and can be achieved by the use of some substances or behaviours and can contribute to individuation. However, in contemporary society, many individuals seek to restore internal balance through behaviours that merely soothe discomfort. The difficulty in discerning use, abuse, and dependence, particularly in the case of behavioural addictions, is discussed and neurobiological factors are presented. Empathic relationships play a key role in this process as they can promote the integration of the right and left hemispheres, integrating non-verbal experiences and language, contributing to self-regulation. Jung emphasizes the importance of real encounters in the transformation process. Currently, meetings have become a source of anguish. The author concludes that more than ever it is necessary to invest in the quality of the interactions to prevent and treat addictions.

The philosophy of the Yijing and Jungian analytical psychology: a comparative study

The Yijing (Book of Changes) occupied a very significant position in C.G. Jung's mind, which was closely related to Richard Wilhelm's active recommendation and introduction of the Yijing wisdom. Inspired by the Yijing, Jung set forth the 'principle of synchronicity', by which scholars tend to discuss the relationship between Yijing and Jungian psychology. In fact, Jungian analytical psychology conceives in-depth onto-cosmological connotations corresponding to the philosophy of the Yijing. The terms invented or employed by Jung such as 'archetype', 'Self', 'individuation', 'mandala,' 'anima and animus', 'persona and shadow' are interrelated with the connotations of Taiji (Supreme Ultimate) (○) and liang yi (two-mode) () in the Yijing philosophy. A comparative study of the two disciplines can help us gain a more comprehensive and deeper understanding of both, and further improve the exchanges of Eastern and Western cultures.

George Floyd's death and COVID-19: inflection points in the Anthropocene Era?

George Floyd’s death, the COVID‐19 pandemic and climate change are on a continuum from the immediate shock of viewing a video‐recorded murder, to millions dying worldwide from disease, to deaths related to climate change accumulating over a millennium. They participate in the powerful archetypes of death and inequality. ‘Increase’, Hexagram 42 in the I Ching, archetypically addresses inequalities at all levels – racial, economic, political and the profound imbalance between humans and the environment. Floyd’s death highlights the consequences of systemic racism and income inequalities. The pandemic as ‘nature’s revenge’ hits minority populations harder due to underlying health conditions resulting from poverty and greater exposure to the virus in the workplace. President Trump as Trickster showed Americans their shadow and his response to the pandemic amplified its severity. The pandemic has shocked our social, political and economic systems and paused our species rush into environmental disasters at many levels. The disruptions present opportunities for reflection, experimentation and developing new systems as old forms are challenged. The ecological dimensions of Jung’s concepts emphasize interconnectedness at all levels and the paradigm shift he called a ‘new age’ provides a framework for altering the course of the Anthropocene Era.

Psychosis, symbol, affectivity 2: another perspective on the treatment of psychotic disorder

This is the second of two papers concerning our study into an integrated approach to psychotic disorders conducted at the University Psychiatry Unit of Palermo's Polyclinic over approximately 15 years; this paper concentrates on the clinical phenomena. The study aimed to find the best possible treatment and to improve the prognosis of this patient group. We have explored the efficacy of a range of psycho-therapeutic (cognitive-behavioural, systemic-relational, psychodynamic, group and others), psycho-pharmaceutical, psychiatric rehabilitative and psycho-educational treatments, with a hermeneutic approach instead of a systematic one. The study's conclusions, described in the paper, are that all psychotic functions start with a nuclear psychic issue connected to emotional development. We describe how the most significant symptoms of acute psychotic manifestations (delusions and misperceptions) make use of an encrypted psychological meaning that can be decoded through the patient's symbolic language. This language is a key element in diagnosis and in the choice of treatment. The paper describes how we revised our understanding of psychosis from being a brain disease to being a process aimed at the rearrangement of psychic functioning. Our significant results are described.

Psychosis, symbol, affectivity 1: etiopathogenesis and treatment through analytical psychology

This is the first of two papers concerning our study into an integrated approach to psychotic disorders, conducted at the University of Palermo's Psychiatry Unit Polyclinic over approximately 15 years. Here we will explore and reflect upon the acute psychotic condition mainly from a theoretical and conceptual perspective, while in the second paper we will explore the clinical perspective. From the point of view of psychopathology, and in the light of C.G. Jung's conceptualization of analytical psychology, as well as calling on contributions from other authors from the systemic-relational and post-psychoanalytic field, we will clarify the ideas developed over these last few years by our team. From a more speculative perspective we will advance new interpretive hypotheses in an attempt to thoroughly understand the nature of the psychotic condition, both on a psychodynamic relational and a neuroscientific level. The paper describes how we revised our understanding of psychosis from a brain disease to a process aimed at the rearrangement of psychic functioning, as anticipated by John Weir Perry nearly 40 years ago.

Archetypes and the 'Impoverished Genome' argument: updates from evolutionary genetics

Throughout his career, Jung felt the psyche had 'ancestral layers' that contained elements of an individual's species history, and clinical experience has shown that this idea can be an aid to psychological healing and emotional well-being. Thus, some later thinkers have attempted to link such theoretical constructs to the genome, as Jung had little knowledge of genetics in his day. But in the early 2000s, genome studies suggested that the genome might contain too little content to be capable of encoding symbolic information. This opinion gave rise to an oft-repeated 'impoverished genome' argument, i.e. that the genome could not provide a significant contribution to the collective unconscious, prompting theorists to propose other sources for it, or to argue that it doesn't exist. Today, however, developments in evolutionary neurogenetics calls the impoverished genome argument into question for a number of independent reasons. These developments re-open the idea that the genome may be worth reconsidering as the biological substrate for the collective unconscious.

Beyond the logic of Lemma: the oneness of life and its environment, the oneness of within and without

In this paper the 'analyst as a citizen in the world' is understood as the analyst interconnecting and harmonising with his or her environment, including not only society, but also nature and the universe. In this sense, Buddhism teaches the Oneness of Life and its Environment, and links are made between Mahayana Buddhism and Jung's understanding of the Self and individuation. The Logic of Lemma in the Flower Ornament Sutra indicates that all phenomena in the world can merge with each other without losing individuality; ten stages are described from the Lotus Sutra and links are made with the development in respect to the ego; Kenji Miyazawa and his work are given as examples to illustrate this. Causality and synchronicity are explored in terms of the interaction between the individual and the environment, and three examples are given where sometimes individual, egoic, causality is more of a feature and sometimes synchronicity has a greater prominence. The paper ends with an examination of tree drawings, made over a period of 50 years by junior high school students, which indicates the way that these individuals have portrayed themselves and their relation to their environment.

An unhealable wound: left by suicide

This article is about the author's experience of being left by suicide and the effect the experience had on her work as an analyst in the consulting room and as a member of psychological organizations. The effects are generalized to others who have been left by suicide based on the writings of those left, and on writings of authors who have researched the subject. Shame and the effects the judgments of society now and in the past have on the person who suffers this experience are central, as well as the positive and negative ways groups are used by a person left by suicide to find solace and to emerge from the darkness of such abandonment. There is a constant longing (often unconscious) for replacement of the lost one. The article seeks to help analysts and those who have been left by suicide understand the suffering and the indelible mark that is experienced when there is a suicide of someone close. Understanding by the analyst is important in order to modulate the shame of this experience.

The ethical dimension of analytical psychology

The centrality of the ethical dimension in Carl Gustav Jung's analytical psychology is demonstrated through careful reference to fundamental moments in the Jungian text. Tracking Jung's statements about the primacy of the 'moral function' (or 'moral factor') in the cure of neurosis as well as in the process of individuation, the ethical nature of the psychotherapeutic praxis proposed by Jung is highlighted. This allows us to see the ethical aspect of psychological conflicts, and thus to understand better why individuation can be seen as a 'moral achievement'. Finally, the intelligible ethical structure of Jungian psychotherapeutic praxis is exposed.

Hiding in plain sight: Jung, astrology, and the psychology of the unconscious

Astrology was a lifelong interest for C.G. Jung and an important aid in his formulation of psyche and psychic process. Archetypally configured, astrology provided Jung an objective means to a fuller understanding of the analysand's true nature and unique individuation journey. Jung credits astrology with helping to unlock the mystery of alchemy and in so doing providing the symbol language necessary for deciphering the historically remote cosmology of Gnosticism. Astrology also aided Jung's work on synchronicity. Despite astrology's worth to Jung's development of analytical psychology, its fundamental role in guiding his discoveries is all but absent from historical notice. The astrological natal chart seems rarely used clinically, and many clinicians seem unaware of its value as a dynamic diagram of the personality and the potentialities within which nature and nurture foster and/or discourage for individual growth and development over the lifespan. This paper charts Jung's interest in astrology and suggests why his great regard for it and other paranormal or occult practices remains largely neglected and unknown.

The five functions of psychological type

From the mid-1930s to the end of his life, Jung complained that most readers misunderstood the main point of his book Psychological Types. He viewed being a type as one-sided and problematic for a variety of reasons. His symbol-based solution to the 'type problem' involved developing a transcendent function to become the new dominant function of consciousness. However, this function has not featured in the popular use of his typology and Isabel Briggs Myers believed that the one-sidedness of Jung's eight types could be balanced by the auxiliary function. This has led to the transcendent function being widely ignored, and to a developmental philosophy that encourages a degree of one-sidedness. This divergence of popular type theory and analytical psychology is the result of various factors, such as Jung describing typology as containing four functions, and a letter in 1950 where Jung apparently supported Myers' version of type theory. This hinders the application of analytical psychology to normal psychology, and particularly individual and cultural development. If we refer to Jung's typology as containing five functions not four, this more accurately represents both the content of the book Psychological Types and the primary value Jung saw in typology.

On integrating Jungian and other theories

This paper consists of reflections on some of the processes, subtleties, and 'eros' involved in attempting to integrate Jungian and other analytic perspectives. Assimilation of other theoretical viewpoints has a long history in analytical psychology, beginning when Jung met Freud. Since its inception, the Journal of Analytical Psychology has provided a forum for theoretical syntheses and comparative psychoanalysis. Such attempts at synthesizing other theories represent analytical psychology itself trying to individuate.