a body-mind approach to chronic illness
active imagination
Active imagination is a mental practice developed by the Swiss psychologist Carl Jung. It involves opening oneself to the unconscious and giving free rein to fantasy, while at the same time maintaining an active, attentive, conscious point of view. Here are the 5 best books on the practice of active imagination.
Inner Work
Robert A. Johnson
If you decide to buy only one book on active imagination then this is the book. Robert A. Johnson brings his considerable skills as a therapist and teacher to this clear and descriptive guide. Through a practical four-step approach, he shows how we can transform our dreams and imagination into an active, creative part of our lives. Johnson calls his techniques "inner work" because "they are direct, powerful ways of approaching the inner world of the unconscious." By using dreams drawn from real case studies, he guides us through a simple program for analyzing our own dreams.
First he points out the symbols present in the dream, and then the particular images that may relate to our inner consciousness. In the third step, he shows how to bring these two elements together in a personally meaningful way. Finally, he explains how to use ceremony to translate the dream into a memorable, physical experience.
Encounters with the Soul
Barbara Hannah
Barbara Hannah, Jungian analyst and author, explores Jung’s method of “active imagination,” often considered the most powerful tool in analytical psychology for achieving direct contact with the unconscious and attaining greater inner awareness. Using historical and contemporary case studies, Hannah traces the human journey toward personal wholeness. This approach to confronting the unconscious is a healing process that applies to both men and women and deals in depth with the injured feminine as well as many powerful archetypal forces. This book is not for the casual reader, but if you have any experience with depth psychology it is not to be missed
Barbara Hannah (1891–1986) was born in England. She went to Zürich in 1929 to study with Carl Jung and lived in Switzerland the rest of her life. A close associate of Jung until his death, she was a practicing psychotherapist and lecturer at the C.G. Jung Institute.
Jung on Active Imagination
Joan Chodorow
Joan Chodorow gathered together a collection of Jung's writings on active imagination.
Following his break with Freud fell into a period of deep depression and inner turmoil so he decided to go on a journey of self-healing. In a 1925 seminar and again in his memoirs, he tells the remarkable story of his experiments during this time that led to his self-healing. Jung learned to develop an ongoing relationship with his lively creative spirit through the power of imagination and fantasies. He termed this therapeutic method "active imagination."
This method is based on the natural healing function of the imagination, and its many expressions. Chodorow clearly presents the texts, and sets them in the proper context. She also interweaves her discussion of Jung's writings and ideas with contributions from Jungian authors and artists.
Healing Back Pain
John Sarno
Joan Chodorow gathered together a collection of Jung's writings on active imagination.
Following his break with Freud fell into a period of deep depression and inner turmoil so he decided to go on a journey of self-healing. In a 1925 seminar and again in his memoirs, he tells the remarkable story of his experiments during this time that led to his self-healing. Jung learned to develop an ongoing relationship with his lively creative spirit through the power of imagination and fantasies. He termed this therapeutic method "active imagination."
This method is based on the natural healing function of the imagination, and its many expressions. Chodorow clearly presents the texts, and sets them in the proper context. She also interweaves her discussion of Jung's writings and ideas with contributions from Jungian authors and artists.
