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Module1:TransferenceandCounterTransferencePart1

QUOTE

“Even the most experienced psychotherapist will discover again and again that he is caught up in a bond, a combination resting on mutual unconsciousness. And though he may believe himself to be in possession of all the necessary knowledge concerning the constellated archetypes, he will in the end come to realize that there are very many things indeed of which his academic knowledge never dreamed.”

“The practice of psychotherapy” C.G. Jung p. 178

TransferenceandCountertransferencePart1CompiledbyTheCentreforAppliedJungianStudies

Magnum Opus Citrinitas

TransferenceandCountertransferencePart1

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TableofContents

Transcript..........................................................................................................................2

Theclinicalperspective.....................................................................................................3

TheTheoryofTransferenceandCountertransference......................................................7

Thefourdifferentcategories.............................................................................................9

Interpersonalencounters................................................................................................11

Thethreedifferentlevelsoftransference........................................................................15

Practicalapplication........................................................................................................19

TheMundusImaginalis...................................................................................................21

Applications:...................................................................................................................31




Transcript

Thetopicoftransferenceandcounter-transferenceisaninterestingtopicfrom

ourperspective;inotherwordsfromtheperspectiveofAppliedJungian

Psychology,becausetypicallythetopicreallyisaveryclinicaltopic;unlikealot

ofJungianideas,literatureontransferenceandcounter-transferencefocuses

ontheclinicaldynamics,specificallytherelationshipbetweentheanalystand

theanalysandorpatient.

Soitmightseemlikeastrangetopicfromourperspective,buttwothings;I

thinkthat–Jung’sworkonthetopic–whichreallywasusingthealchemical

metaphoroftheconiunctiothattakesthetopicoutsideoftheclinical

frameworkintoamuchbroaderframework.Andtheotherthingisthatthe

amountofresearchthathasbeendoneontransferenceandcounter-

transferenceandthefactthatit’ssuchabigfocuspointinpsychoanalysishas

meantthere’salotofveryinterestingdata,it’sgotsomereallyinteresting

applications,andthere’ssomevaluablestuffthatwecantakefromitandlearn

fromit.




Theclinicalperspective

Whenwetalkabouttransferencecounter-transference–I’mgoingtotalka

littlebitaboutthehistory,butverybriefly,sothere’sapassagehere,from

AndrewSamuels’ChapterinTheHandbookofJungianPsychology,fromFreud,

thatgivesanearlyinsightintothephenomenonoftransference.Thisiswhat

Freudwrites–thiswaswrittenin1925;hesays,

“OnedayIhadanexperiencewhichshowedmeinthecrudestlightwhatI’d

longsuspected.Itrelatedtooneofmymostacquiescentpatientswithwhom

hypnosishadenabledmetobringaboutthemostmarvellousresults,andwho

Iwasengagedinrelievingofhersufferingbytracingbackherattacksofpainto

theirorigins.”

Freudalwaysgot“marvellous”results;hemusthavebeenamiraculous

therapist,andsecondly,whenheusedhypnosisthiswasintheveryearlydays

ofpsychoanalysis,sohe’sgoingbacktoaveryearlytimeinhiscareer.He

abandonedhypnosiswhenhedevelopedhispsychoanalytictheories.

“Asshewokeupononeoccasion,shethrewherarmsaroundmyneck.”

(Thatwas,whenshewokeupfromthehypnosis.)

“Theunexpectedentranceofaservantrelievedusofapainfuldiscussion,but

fromthattimeonwardstherewasatacitunderstandingbetweenusthatthe




hypnotictreatmentshouldbediscontinued.Iwasmodestenoughnotto

attributetheeventtomyownirresistible,personalattraction.”

(UnlikeJung,who,Isuspect,wouldhaveattributedittohisattraction).

“AndIfeltthatIhadnowgraspedthenatureofthemysteriouselementthat

wasatworkbehindhypnotism.Inordertoexcludeit,oratalleventstoisolate

it,itwasnecessarytoabandonhypnotism.”

Andsohedid;heabandonedhypnotism,butpatientsthrowingtheirarms

aroundhisneck,Isuspect,didnotstop,becausethephenomenonofthe

patientfallinginlovewithheranalystwasnotpurelyasaconsequenceofthe

hypnotictechnique,itwasjustaconsequenceofwhathascometobecalled

transference;oftherecognitionthatwhatwouldhappeninananalytical

settingwasthatthepatientwouldtransfersomesortofprimalrelationship

ontothetherapist,orontotheanalyst;mosttypically,arelationshipthatwas

initiallydevelopedinrelationtotheirparents,toeitherthemotherorthe

father.Andtheunresolvedrelationshipissuesthatwereexperiencedwiththe

parentthenhadtheopportunityofbeingworkedthroughinananalytical

setting,butitinvolvedthefactthatthepatientwouldunconsciouslyrelateto

theanalystasheorshehadrelatedtotheparent,andalotoffeelingsthat

wereunexpressedinrelationtotheparentwouldthenpotentiallybe

expressedinrelationshiptotheanalyst.

Forexample,ifwefollowFreud’sidea,andweaccepttheideathatthere’sa

verystrong,eroticelementintherelationshipofachildtotheirparent–of

course,themoststringenttaboosprohibittheexpressionofthiseroticism;I




meantheeroticismisexpressedintheinfant-parentrelationship–butit’s

expressedinaverycontainedandaveryconstrainedway.Sosomeofthose

eroticfeelingsthatthepersonwasunabletoexpressinrelationtotheparent

maynowbeexpressedinrelationtotheanalyst.

So,theoldideathatyouendupmarryingyourmotherorfatherissuggestive

ofthefactthatthereisanunfulfilled,eroticrelationshipwithyour–typically

withyour–contra-genderparent.Andsothisphenomenonwouldoften

inform,unconsciously,thedynamicsthatwerepresentintherelationship

betweenthepatientandtheanalyst.

Nowjusttomakethispointthatit’snotonly–sonottomakeitsoundtoo,

sortof,singularincharacter,ortooUtopian;Idon’tknowifyou’dcallthat

UtopianorromanticbutthepointthatIwanttomakeisthis,thatobviously

it’snotthatIneedonlyparentallove,butitalsocouldbeparentalanger,

frustration,hatred–unexpressedhatred-,feelingsofinadequacy,feelingsof

castration,etc.thatwouldalsoconstellateinthetransference.So,for

example,ifIexperiencedmymotheras,abandoningme,theninrelationship

tomyanalyst–Imeanallthemoresoifmyanalystisawoman,buttheanalyst

doesn’tnecessarilyhavetobeawomaninorderformetoprojectthemother

ontoher;Icouldprojectthemotherontomymaleanalystaswell–,thepoint

isifIperceivemyanalystinasortofamothering,nurturing,parentalrole,and

myprimalrelationshipdynamicwithmymotherwasasenseofbeing

abandonedbyher,andofhernotlovingme,andnotbeingthereformeetc.,

thenI’mgoingtotransferthatdynamicontotheanalystaswell.So,it’snot




onlyeroticism;it’snotonlylove,butit’salsothingslikeabandonment,anxiety,

castrations,hatred,frustrationsetc.ThewayIwantedtomurdermyfather,

similarlyImaycometothepointthatIwouldliketomurdermyanalyst.

Anotherwayofthinkingaboutitis,thefollowingoccurs;that–Ibringcertain

contentintotheanalyticalsetting.So,I’mtalkingtomyanalystaboutmy

motherthatIfeeldidn’tlovemeasmuchasshelovedmybrother;Ifeelthat

she–atsomepointinmyrelationshipwithher,she–withdrewherlovefrom

meandIfeltabandoned,andmyrelationshipwiththefemininethereafterwas

oneofexperiencingthefeminineassomehowambivalentinrelationtome.So

thisisthecontentofmyanalyticalsession;thisiswhatI’mbringingintothe

analysis.

Theideaisthatthedynamicoftheanalysissomehowmirrorsthecontentthat

isbeingbroughtin.SoI’mconsciouslyspeakingaboutthisfeelingof

abandonmentandoftheambivalentmother.AndasI’mconsciouslyspeaking

aboutit,unconsciouslyI’mtransferringthatverythingthatI’mtalkingabout

ontotheanalyst.Andiftheanalystisnotvery,verywelltrainedorveryin

touchwithhisorherowninnerlife–andeveniftheyare–there’savery

strongpossibilitythattheanalyststartstofeelambivalenttowardsme.SoI

transferthisambivalenceontotheanalyst,andthetransferencenowactually

livesintheanalyst.Sotheambivalentmotherthatwasinmyinnerlifeis

somehowpresentintheanalyst’spsychology,andtheanalyststartsto

experiencehimorherselfasfeelingsomewhatambivalent;like,




“Forgoodnesssake!Ishegoingtocarryonmoaningforanotherthirty

minutes!I’veheardthisthingabouthismotherforthelastthreeyears.Imean

forGod’ssake!Canyoujustgetoverit!”

Andthenpresumably,iftheanalystiswelltrained,theybecomeawareofthis

feelingofambivalencethattheyareexperiencing.

Buttheideais,andthat’sthepoint,–thatwhat’sreallyintriguingaboutthisis

thatitgoesbeyondprojection.Sowhenwetalkabouttransference–of

coursetransferenceinvolvesprojection;I’mprojectingontomyanalystmy

ambivalentmother–theanalyststartstoexperiencehimorherselfas

ambivalent;startstofeelwithinthemselvesthisembodiedorsyntonic

transference;theyactuallystarttofeeltheambivalence.

Howdoesthathappen?

TheTheoryofTransferenceandCountertransference

Okay,sothatiswhatwe’regoingtotalkabout,thetruthis,ofcourse,nobody

knowsbutthey’vegotafewtheories.I’lltellyouwhatthetheoriesareand

thenyoucanmakeupyourownmind,well,I’mgoingtotellyouaboutone

particulartheorythatIreallylike.Ithinkthat’swhatmakesthisfascinating

becauseit’sreallystrangehowthathappens.WecanunderstandthatI

project,butwhyyoushouldstartfeelingtheunconsciouscontentinyou,is

reallykindofafascinating,intriguingidea.Butletmejusttakeastepback

becausethere’reafewthingsIwanttosaybeforewegetthere.




There’saninterestingprecursortothisideainthePlatonicdialogues,

particularlyintheSocraticdialogue–youknow-,Plato’smaincharacteris

Socrates,andtypicallySocratesinteractswithhisinterlocutorbyaskingthem

thequestion,“Whatdoesitmeantohaveagoodtemper?”,or“Whatis

justice?”,or“Whatisknowledge?”.Sohesortofplaystheignoramusandhe

askstheinterlocutorthequestion,“Canyoupleaseexplaintomewhatit

meanstobejustandfair?”andthentheinterlocutorgivessomesortof

superficialanswerandthenSocratessays,“WellIdon’tquiteunderstand,can

youjustexplainitmore?”andhestartstopresstheinterlocutorfurtherand

furtheralongthetopic.AndveryoftenwhatyoufindintheSocraticdialogues

isthattheverythingthattheinterlocutorismeanttobeexplainingisabsent

fromtheirbehaviour(anddialogue).

Sointhecasethatsomeone’stryingtoexplainknowledge,ultimatelythe

interlocutorsays,“WellIdon’tknow”,or,“SomebodysaidsomethingbutI

can’tquiteremember…”orifthey’retryingtoexplainwhatitmeanstobe

eventempered.EventuallytheybecomeenragedwithSocratesandtheystart

toshout,sothecontentthatisbeinginterrogatedintheSocraticdiscussion

startstobecomeenactedbytheparticipantsofthediscussion,usuallyby

Socrates’interlocutorswhostartto–throughtheirverybehaviour,to–

demonstratetheirinadequate‘genuineunderstanding’ofthetopic.Sothey

talkaboutjusticeorknowledgebuttheythemselvesareunjust,andlacking

knowledge,orlackingeventemperament,orwhateverthecasemaybe.So




that,Ithinkisaninterestingprecursortothisideaofhowthecontentofthe

discussionispresent,notonlyinthewordsthatarebeingexchanged–the

dialogue-,butintheemotionsandthebehaviouroftheparticipantsofthe

discussion.

Imadethepointthatourinterestisnotprincipallytheclinicalsetting;we’re

interestedintheseideasoutsideoftheclinicalsetting.Thephenomenonof

transferenceandcounter-transferenceisdefinitelyahuman,universal

phenomenon;notsomethingthatislimitedtoclinicalwork.It’sjustthatit’s

beenstudiedinthelaboratoryofpsychoanalysis,ifyouwill.Andthatjust

givesusagoodinsightintoit.

Thefourdifferentcategories

Jung–wellsorry,I’mactuallyfollowingAndrewSamuelsonthis,andIgiveyou

thereferencesbecausehe’sworthreadingonthis,butI’mfollowingthework

ofAndrewSamuelswho’sbroadlyfollowingJung.AndAndrewSamuels–talks

aboutthepresenceofthetransferencecounter-transferencephenomenonin,

fourdifferentways;fourdifferentcategories.




1. Theoneisinterpersonalencounters.Sothatisthekindofencounter

thatwe’retalkingabout,betweenanalystandanalysand,orbetween

twolovers,ortwofriends,orfatheranddaughter,orwhoeveritmay

be.

2. Andthenalso,intrapersonalorintra-psychicencounters,sothatis

theideaoftherelationshipbetweencomplexesinthepsychology.

Somaybegoingbacktoourtopicofdesireandshame,andwemight

saythatthesearetwo–there’sarelationship,butarelationshipof

somesortoftensionbetweenthesetwo–opposingcomplexes;one

isthedesireandoneistheshame,andthisphenomenonof

transferencecounter-transferencehappensaswell,intheinner

dynamicsofthesubject’spsychology.Soit’snotonlysomethingthat

happensintheworld.

3. Andthenalsotherelationshipbetweentheinnerandtheouter

world,sobetweentheanimaandthepersona;sotheidea,that,the

worldbringsmecertaininformation;I’mprocessingcertain

informationthat’scomingtomefromtheworld,andI’mprocessing

certaininformationthatcomestome,frommyinnerworld;from

whatI’mfeelingandthinkingetc.So,onceagainthere–this,sortof

–thisrelationshipoftheconiunctio,ortransferencecounter-

transference,cantakeplace.




4. Andthenalso,justtheclassical,psychoanalyticrelationshipbetween

theconsciousandunconsciouspsyches.

Interpersonalencounters

Allofthesethen,arewaysinwhichthephenomenonoftransferenceand

counter-transferencecanbestudiedandispresent.Forourpurposesandfor

thepurposesofthismodule,wearegoingtopickoneofthembecauseto

focusonallofthemwouldbetoomuch.WhatIwantustofocusoninthis

moduleistheinterpersonalencounters.SoI’minterestedinthephenomenon

asitappliestoourrelationshipswithotherpeople,anditiswithinthat

frameworkthatitisclassicallyconsidered,ofcourse,inananalyticalsetting,

anditisalsowithinthatframeworkthatwearegoingtoconsiderit;so,in

otherwords,ourengagementwithreasonablyintenseandintimate

relationshipsinourlife.InotherwordsI’mtalkingaboutrelationshipsofa

romanticorintimatenature;I’mtalkingaboutrelationshipswhereonehasa

friendshipwithsomebody;orwhenoneworkswithsomebodybutwhere

thereisareasonabledegreeofrelatednessandintimacy,sothatthe

phenomenonoftransferenceandcounter-transferencetakesplace.Maybeit

doesn’talwaystakeplacebutthat’sthekindoffertilesoilinwhichitordinarily

wouldtakeroot.




Wecantalkaboutthreethingshere;sowetalkabouttransferencethatIthink

I’veexplainedtosomeextent,andthenwecantalkaboutcounter-

transference.Nowcounter-transferenceistheideathatwhenyoutransfer

somethingontome,okay,Iunconsciouslybecomeawareofwhatyou’ve

transferredontomeandIstarttofeelacertainway,butIdon’trealisethatI’m

feelingthatwaybecauseofwhatyoutransferredontome;Ijuststartto

experienceinyourcompany,Ifeelaparticularway.MaybeIfeelelevated,orI

feeldepressed,orIfeeluneasy,orIfeelambivalent,orIfeelhappy,but

there’ssomesortofanemotionalreactionthatIexperiencewhenIamwith

youandinyourcompany.

Counter-transferenceisthat,asaconsequenceofthatexperience(your

transference),Ithentransfersomethingontoyou.So,forexample,ifIfeel–

let’sassumethatinyourcompanyIfeel–elevated;Ifeelhappy.ThenIstart

tothink,

“Jeez!Alan’sagoodguy,youknow,Idon’tknowwhatitisabouthimbutyou

know,he…Ijustreallylikehim;he’ssuchawonderfulguy.Anddoesn’the

alwaysseemhappytoyou?”

Nowhemaynotbehappyatall;hemaybecompletelyneutral,butbecauseI

feelhappyinhiscompany,Istarttotransfer;Istarttoprojectontohim,andI




starttoseehimintheseterms.Irespondtohistransference(whateveritmay

be)withcounter-transference.

Oralternatively,ifIfeel,inyourcompany–I’msureyou’veallhadthis

experience,thatincertainpeople’scompanyyoufeeldepleted;youstartto

feellikeyou’vegotnoenergy;theyjustsortofdrainyou.Then,Imightstartto

countertransferlike,

“Thisissomebodywhoneedshelp;Ijustgetthefeelingwiththisperson,they

seemhurt;theyseemwounded.Idon’tknowwhatitisbutitsortofprovokes

likeanempathetic,relationship;response,inme.”

Sothefactthatakindofamelancholy–yourunconsciousmelancholy–is

transferredontome,Istarttoperceiveyousomehowasinneedofbeing

saved,orinneedofbeingcheeredup,orIsaytoyou,“Comeon,what’swrong

withyou?Comeon,why’reyoulookingsodepressed?”Butsomehow,Ithen

respondtowhatitisthatyouaretransferringontome,throughmyown

subjectivefilter.Itmighthaveabsolutelynothingtodowithwhereyou’reat,

orwhatisappropriatetoyou.




Solet’ssay,forargument’ssake,thatwhatyoutransferontomeismaybe

melancholy,andlet’ssaythatmymotherwasverymelancholic.Soitprovokes

inme,thatresponsethatIhadtowardsmymother,like,“Ineedtocheeryou

up.CanIgetyouanything?”ortheinverse,“OhmyGod,stayawayfromme.”

Itwouldtypicallytriggermyprimalresponsetothatdynamic,sowhatevermy

developmentalresponsewas,tothatkindofanemotionorthatkindof

experience,itwouldtypicallytriggerinmesointermsofamemory,asit

would.But,theideahere;theimportantidea;thesignificantpointtogethere,

isthatallofthisishappeningonanunconsciouslevel,soit’snotthatI’m

consciouslyawareof,“Look,inyourcompanyInoticethatIfeelmelancholic.”

It’sjustthat,Istarttofeelmelancholicandunconsciouslyrespondtoit,for

example.

Andthentheotheroneistheideaofembodiedtransference.Andtheideaof

embodiedtransferenceistheideathatIreallystarttoexperiencethat

transferenceinme.So,forexample,analystswouldreportthatafterthe

patienthasleftandgonehome,andevenhourslater,theymayfeelvery

depressed;theymayfeelangry;theymayfeelfrustrated,withoutany

understandingofwherethatdepression,oranger,oranxiety,comesfrom,but

it’stheideathat,it’sasifthroughthetransferenceprocessitactuallystartsto

–Istarttoembodyit;itstartsto–liveinmealmostinakindofasomaticlevel.

Whenwetalkaboutthetransferencecounter-transferencephenomenon,

we’retalkingabout–unconsciousdynamicsinrelationshiptootherpeopleor




simply,‘theother’inLacanianterms.Soyou’lloftenhearmespeakabout‘the

other’;thattermcomesfromLacanandit’sjusttheoftheotherperson;we

justshortenitbysaying,‘theother’.

We’retalkingaboutthetransferenceofaprimalrelationshippattern;that’sa

keythingtogethere.Inotherwords,theideaisthatwedevelopatavery

earlyage–onemightsay,ifonefollowsJunghere,thatit’snotonly

developmentalbutthatwecomeintotheworldwithit;wedevelop–,certain

fundamental,primalwaysofrelatingtotheotherperson,andtheseare

evidentinourrelationshipwithourparents,andourrelationshipwithour

siblings,andourrelationshipswithteachers,andourrelationshipswithour

peers,atayoungage.Andalthoughwegrowup,andwebecometerribly

sophisticated,andwelearnthelexiconofpoliteness,andwehavetheidea

thatwearenowverymatureandwe’renolongerschoolyardbrats,butthat

primalwayofrelatingthatwaspresentinusasinfantsandaschildren,

remainspresentanditsbasicformdoesn’treallychange.Andsowhenwetalk

abouttransference,whatwearesayingisthatI’munconsciouslyrelatingto

youthroughthisprimalrelationshippattern;I’mrelatingtoyouinthewayI’ve

beenrelatingtopeoplesinceIcameintotheworld.

Thethreedifferentlevelsoftransference




Theoneisfeeling.Inotherwords,youmakemefeelaparticularway;when

I’mwithyouI–let’sgobacktotheideaoftheambivalentmother,sowhen

I’mwithyouandI-transfer,ontoyou,theambivalentmother,Ifeelasenseof

ambivalencefromyou.Whetheryouareinfactambivalentornotisanother

question,butIexperienceyouasambivalent;Ifeelunloved;Ifeelabandoned;

Ifeelthatyoudon’treallycareaboutme;IfeelthatI’mnotgettingyour

attention;Ifeelthatyoudon’tvalueme.AndifItransferontoyouandyou

starttoeithercountertransferoryouembodymytransference,theideais

thatyoumaywellfeelambivalenttowardsme,evenif,yournaturalstate;your

defaultposition,isnotoneofambivalence.Youstarttofeelambivalent

becausemytransferenceofambivalenceissopowerful;itlivesinmy

unconsciousinsuchasignificantway,thatyoufeelambivalent.

Andthisisaphenomenonthatweexperienceallthetime;thatyoumeet

somebodyandyoufeelaparticularwaytowardsthatpersonwithouthaving

anyrationalexplanationorrecourseastowhyyoushouldfeelthatway.Some

people,youjustautomaticallyvalue.Nowsometimesit’sobvious;they’resexy

andthey’rerich,soofcourseyou’regoingtovaluethem.Butsometimesit’s

notobvious;there’ssomethingaboutthepersonyoujustthink“Thisis

somebodyI’dliketospendtimewith;thisissomebodythat…whydon’twego

forcoffee?Givemeyournumber“.There’sanautomaticattraction.Orwith

otherpeopleyou’don’treallywanttogivethemthetimeofday.It’snot




anythingobvious;theymaynotbeunpleasant;theymaynothavesaid

anythinguntoward,butyoujustdon’tfeelasenseofconnection;it’snoteven

thatthere’snoconnection;thereisaconnection;theconnectionisthat,“I

don’tvalueyou;Idon’tthinkyouareworthmytime;yeah,itwasniceseeing

you,okay…”youknow.Soithappensontheleveloffeeling;sothat’sthefirst

obviouslevelthatweexperiencethetransferencecounter-transference

phenomenon.

Thenveryimportant,andalsointheexplanatorymodelthatI’lluse,isthelevel

offantasyandimagination.Sointhetransferencephenomenonthere’s

fantasy.Now,Imean,obviouslythemostperfectexamplehereiserotic

transference.So,ItransferontoyouthatyouaretheloverthatI’vebeen

lookingfor,andobviously,itinvolvesfantasy.Istarttoimagine;Iimagine

whatyoulooklikenaked–Imeanobviously,that’sthenaturalstartingpoint.

SothenIstarttoimaginethispassionaterelationshipthatwecouldhave,andI

imaginehowyou’regoingtoholdmeinyourarms,andIimaginewhatI’m

goingtofeellike,andIimaginewherewe’regoingtobe,andIimaginethe

thingsthatI’mgoingtosaytoyou,and…and…and…okay.

Andequally,ifyoucountertransfer,thenyoudothesame.So,forexample,I

aminaweofyou;soI’mlike,“Hello(!),howareyou?It’ssowonderfultosee

youandhow’veyoubeen?”etc.Nowyoustarttofeelelevated,youknow;

youstarttofeellike,“I’mgood;I’mgood,youknowandhow’reyou?”You




starttotakeontherolebecauseyes,Iamsomebodywhoshouldbetreated

likethis.SoIparticipateinyourfantasyandIstarttohavemyownfantasies.

Oralternatively,ifIcometoyouandI’msortofoff-handedwithyou,andI’m

abruptwithyou,andmaybeyoustarttofeellike,“Yeah,Idon’tblamehimfor

beingabrupt,youknow;I’dalsobeabruptwithmebecause,youknow,look

whatIlooklike”andyoustarttoparticipateinmyfantasylifewhetherit’sa

positive,oranegative,orwhateverthetransferenceis.Youstarttoenterinto

thatfantasyandtheideaisthat,soweexperienceitonthelevelofemotion

andweexperienceitonthelevel,offantasy;ofimagery.Andofcourse,this

imaginarylevelandthisfantasylevelareverysignificantfromtheperspective

ofJungianpsychology.

Andthenlastlyitisexperiencedonthelevelofbehaviouraswell.SoifI

transfermyambivalentmotherorItransfermycastratingfather,ontoyou,I

starttobehavetowardsyouthewayIbehavedtomymother–myambivalent

motherormyabsentmother–ormycastratingfather.Okay,soItransferthe

castratingfatherontoyouandthenIstarttofeelcastratedbyyou,andI’ma

littlebitobsequious,andIdon’tfeelfullypresent;Ifeelalittlebitintimidated,

soIstarttobehavetowardsyouinlinewithmytransferenceandonceagain,

notuntypically,youwillstarttobehavetowardsmeinlinewithwhatitisthat

I’vetransferred.




SoI’vetransferredthecastratingfatherontoyou,youtoowillcastrateme.

Sotheideaisthen,thatwhenwetalkaboutthephenomenon,we’retalking

aboutitonthosethreelevels:-feeling,fantasyandbehaviour.

We’retalkingaboutaclear,unconsciouscommunicationtotheotherabout

howtheyshouldfeel,fantasiseandbehave,towardsyou.So,thetransference

isanunconsciouscommunicationthatsaystotheother,“Listen,irrespective

ofwhatIconsciouslyputoutthereandthewayI’mconsciouslybehaving,this

iswhoIreallyam.Andsoyoujustkindofhaveanintuitivefeeling,“Thisis

somebodyIcantrust”or,“ThisisnotsomeonethatIcantrust”or,“Thisis

someonethatI’dliketodobusinesswith”or,“I’dliketobefriendswith”or

not.NotbecauseofanythingthatIhavesaidordone–sosometimesyou

mightsay,“Well,Ididn’tlikethewayhebehaved”or,“Idon’tlikehiswayof

doingbusiness”butothertimesyoumaynotbeabletosaythat;youjustsay,

“Idon’tknowwhy;Ijust…he’snotsomeoneIwanttodobusinesswith”,

becauseI’vetoldyousomethingaboutmyselfunconsciously,and

unconsciously,you’veregisteredit.

Practicalapplication




Sothephenomenonisaveryclear,unconsciouscommunicationonwhoIam

andhowyoushouldbehavetowardsme;how,unconsciously,Ibelieveyou

shouldbehavetowardsme.Inotherwords,thisishowI’musedtobeing

treated.SoI’mtalking,talking,talkingbutyou’renotonlylisteningtowhatI’m

saying,you’refeelingsomething;you’refeelingsomethingaboutwhatI’m

saying;you’regettingthisunconsciouscommunication,“Butwhatishereally

saying?”

Nowthisphenomenon,thatintheearlydaysofpsychoanalysiswas

problematicandcontroversialetc.,hasbecomeatoolthatiswidelyusedin

psychoanalysisandinrelationalpsychology.Andtheideaisthatit’susedin

twointerestingways:-theonewayisthatyoucometothesessionandyou

say,“I’msoincrediblyfrustratedwithmywife”or,“I’msoincrediblyfrustrated

withmyboss”,andthenthepsychologistsays,“Areyousayingthatyouare

frustratedwithme?Doyoufeelfrustratedwithme?”Soinotherwords,you

see,itdoesn’tmatterwhatyou’retalkingabout;itdoesn’tmatterwhat

situation,it’salwayssomehowlivedinthatmomentanditcanbeworked

through.Soit’stheidea,itcanbebroughtintothepresentmoment.

Andtheotherwaythatit’sworkedwithisthatit’susedasatooltotryand

understandwhatthepatientiscommunicating,thatisnotbeingsaid.SoifI

hadareasonableknowledgeofmyinnerworldand,inmysessionwithyou;in

myencounterwithyou,IfeelthingsthatIknowarenottypicallythewayIfeel,

Iinterrogatemyresponse;Idon’tjustacceptmyresponseasbeingmy




material;Iinterrogatemyresponse,andIrecognisethatpartofmyresponseis

somethingthatyouhavetransferredontomeorthatyouareprovokinginme.

Soyou’vegivenmesomeinsightintowhatitisthatyouarebringing,

irrespectiveofwhatyouaresayingyouarebringingunconsciously,irrespective

ofwhatyousay.

TheMundusImaginalis

Okay,sonowwecometothequestionofhowthisactuallytakesplace.So

nowobviously,theanswerisunknown.That’stheanswer;howdoesit

happen?–Idon’tknow,andIdon’tthinkthatanyoneknows;Iwillsuggesta

persuasivetheory.

Researchhasbeendone,wherewhattheyfindisthatthefantasylifeofthe

analyststartstoresemblethefantasylifeoftheanalysand,orthepatient,

withoutanythinghavingbeencommunicated.Soinotherwords,fantasy,

imaginationandimageryseemtobetransmitted.Andobviouslythat’snot

transmittedthroughbehaviour.It’sonanimaginarylevelandonafantasy

levelwestarttoparticipateinsimilarsortofimageswithoutusnecessarily

havingcommunicatedthemtooneanother.Andthereisalotofempirical

dataaroundthat.Howisitthattheanalyststartstoseeimagerythatbelongs




tothepatient’sunconscious,priortothepatienthavingcommunicateditin

thesession?

I’mgoingtoshareatheorywithyouthatcomesfromAndrewSamuels.Now,

oneofAndrewSamuels’mentorswasamanbythenameofFordhamwhowas

averyimportantfigureinthedevelopmentofanalyticalpsychologyin

England.AndFordhamspokeaboutsomethingcalledsyntonictransference,

soinotherwords,hesaidthatthereisasortofasympathybetweenthetwo

ofuslike,Ipickuponyourneeds;youpickuponmyneeds,andsowestartto

bringup,inasense,whateachotherneeds,youknow.It’skindofa

sympathetictypeofatransference.

AsSamuelspointsout,there’ssomethinginadequateaboutthatbecauseit’s

notalwayssyntonic;oftenitisdystonic.Inotherwordsoftentheimageisnot

oneofsympathyorit’snotonethatispickinguponaneed;itcouldbe

somethingthatyouareupsetabout,oritcouldbetodowithatrauma,or

somethingthatyouhaven’tnecessarilyspokenabout.AndsomehowI

participateinthatimage.

So,themetaphorthatSamuelsusesisthemundusimaginalis.Nowtheideaof

themundusimaginaliscomesfromaFrenchtheologian,philosopher,and

IslamicscholarbythenameofHenriCorbin,andhemadeanextensivestudy




ofIslamicmysticismandhecoinedthisphrase,themundusimaginalis,based

onanArabicequivalent;IthinkinArabicit’s‘Alamal-Mithal.

AndthisideaofthemundusimaginalisbecamewidelyusedinJungian

psychology,particularlybytheAmericanJungians-specificallyJamesHillman.

SotheAmericanschoolissometimesreferredtoastheImaginalSchool

becauseJamesHillmansaidthatifwecombineJung’sideaofthearchetypal

andtheideaofthemundusimaginalisfromCorbin,thenwehavealocationfor

thearchetypal;sothearchetypalislocatedinthemundusimaginalis.

I’mgoingtoreadyousomedirectquotationsfromCorbinthat,Ithink,explain

itmaybebetterthanIcan.SoI’mgoingtoquotehimandI’lltrytoexplain

whatitishe’stalkingabout.Sohesays,

Thusthename,Na-koja-Abad:aplaceoutsideofplace,…

Sohe’stalkingaboutthemundusimaginalis–aplaceoutsideaplace.

…a“place”thatisnotcontainedinaplace,inatopos,…

Inotherwordsitdoesn’thaveatopography.

…thatpermitsaresponse,withagestureofthehand,tothequestion,

“where?”




Soinotherwords,themundusimaginalishasnotopography;itcannotbe–

youcannotsayit’s-hereorthere,orit’shere;it’sinmybrain.It’saplace,but

it’saplacethatdoesn’thaveanylocationinspaceandtime.

ClearlyCorbinreferstoaplacethathasnotopographicallocation,andaswe’ll

seeashecontinues,noextensioninthespace-timecontinuumwithinwhich

theobservableuniverseiscontained.Sorightawaywe’reconfrontedwitha

profoundmystery,analogoustothemysteryofthemind,andhasthesame

questionsaskedofthoughts.Inotherwords,wheredowelocatemind?

Whereandwhenmightathoughtbesaidtoexist?Thisposesasimilar

dilemmafortheresearcherseekingtolocateathoughteventinthespace-time

continuum.Sowhenyou’redreaming,forexample,whereareyou?Where

doesthedreamtakeplace–inyourbrain?Areyouinyourbrain?Sowhen

you’rewalkingaroundonthebeach,whereisthatbeach?Isitonaneuron

maybe?Sothequestionof,“Whereisitlocated?”whenwetalkabout

thoughtsordreams;it’sthesamesortofmysterythatweaskwhenweask,

“Whereisthemundusimaginalis?”

Thewaythatnaturalsciencesolves–orattemptstosolve-thesedifficultiesis

thatthoughtsareproducedbyand,inasense,arecontainedinthebrain.

However,aswe’llseeaswegofurther,themundusimaginalisisnotabletobe

definedinthismodel.




Heissayingisthatwestartoutsearchingfor,aninternalreality;aninterior

truth,butwhenthisinteriortruthisdiscovered,itthenenvelopstheexternal

reality.Andthat’saverynicedescription,Ithink,forwhatistakingplacein

thetransferencecounter-transferencephenomenon.Aninnertruth;atruth

thatisfeltonapsychologicalunconsciouslevel,startstoenvelopethe

relationship;therelationshipstartstobecomeanexpressionofthisinner

truth.

Letmegoonalittlebitfurther.SothisisfromCorbinagain,

Weobserveimmediatelythatwearenolongerreducedtothedilemma

ofthoughtandextension,(thatisnot)limitedtotheempiricalworldand

theworldofabstractunderstanding.

Soinotherwords,we’retalkingaboutaplacethatisnottodowiththe

physicalworldandit’salsonottodowithabstractthought.

Betweenthetwoisplacedanintermediateworld,whichourauthorsdesignate

as'alamal-mithal,theworldoftheImage,(the)mundusimaginalis:aworldas

ontologicallyrealastheworldofthesensesandtheworldoftheintellect,a

worldthatrequiresafacultyofperceptionbelongingtoit,afacultythatisa




cognitivefunction,anoeticvalue,asfullyrealasthefacultiesofsensory

perceptionorintellectualintuition.Thisfacultyistheimaginativepower.

Sothemedialpositionhere,ofthemundusimaginalisisemphasised;neither

abstractthoughtnortheempiricalworld.AndIthinkby‘empirical’,Corbin

meansthematerialworld.Henceamediatingfunctionbetweenthoughtand

matter;isbytheworldofimage,aworldaccessiblethroughtheimaginative

capacitybutnotaproductoffantasy;itisrather,asCorbinputit,‘imaginal’.

Sothat’sthekeyidea,inotherwords,thatthemundisimaginalisisaworldof

imagery,ofimagination,offantasythatisnotaboutabstractthought;it’snot

aboutrational,intellectualthoughtandit’salsonotthisphysicalworld.It’sthe

worldthatyougotowhenyoudream;it’stheworldthatyougotowhenyou

fantasise;itistheworldwhereyouunconsciouslyparticipatewhenyou

transfer–orcometotransfer.Sotransference:-whenItransferontoyou,I’m

imaginingyouinaparticularrole.You’renotreally,physicallymycastrating

fatherormyabsentmother,butonsomesortofimaginary,fantasylevelI

perceiveyouinthatrole.

NowSamuelsisusingthatasametaphortotryandunderstandthe

transferencecounter-transferencephenomenon.Whathe’ssayingisthatwe

allexistinthisimaginativerealm,andthroughthephenomenonofculture,of




society,ofthemedia,wehaveaccesstoasimilar,imaginativesortofdatabase,

ifyouwant.Andthatsomehowwhenweareinanintenserelationshipwe’re

notonlyinarelationshipphysically;it’snotonlybehavioural;it’snotonly

physical;it’snotonlydialectical,butalsoitsimaginative;weareunconsciously

connectedtoeachotherthroughbothbeingembeddedinthemundus

imaginalis,orthisimaginativerealm.

Now,there’ssomethingfromJungthatIwanttoreadyouaswellonthis.Jung

saysthis,

Everylogical,intellectualformulation,howeverperfectitmaybe,strips

theobjectiveimpressionofitsvitalityandimmediacy.Itmustdothisin

ordertoarriveatanyformulationwhatsoever,butthenjustthatislost

whichseemstotheextravertthemostimportantofall–therelationship

totheobject.Thesplitisnotamerematterofphilosophy,butadaily,

repeatedproblemofthisrelationtohimselfandtheworld.Andbecause

thisisbasicallytheproblematissue,thedivisioncannotberesolvedby

discussionofthenominalist,realistarguments.

Inotherwords–whathemeansbythatis–,youknowPlatohasthisideathat

everythingintheworldhasanidealform.Andthenthere’sajuxtaposing

philosophy[nominalism]thatsaysno;there’snoidealform,there’sonly

physicalreality.AndJungsays,




Itssolutionliesinthethirdmediatingstandpoint.Esseinintellectu(the

intellect)lackstangiblereality;esseinrelacksmind;ideaandthing

cometogetherhowever,inthehumanpsychewhichholdsthebalance

betweenthem.Whatindeedisreality,ifnotarealityinourselves?An

esseinanima.

Sothisisnice;Ithinkthatthisisreallyimportant.Whathe’ssayingisthatwe

abstractintellectually;abstractmind-wehaveideas-andwehavethe

physicalworld.Andweseethesetwothingsasseparate.

Rationally,wehavetheideathatwehavemind;wehaveideas;wehave

intellect,andthosethingsareindependentfromphysicalworld.Butobviously

there’ssomesortofarelationshipbetweentheideasthatwehave,andthe

world;webelievethattheideassomehowdescribetheworldorsomehow,are

representativeoftheworld,andthisrealityisanimaginativereality;itlivesin

theimagination.It’stheimaginationthatconnectstheabstracttothe

concrete.

Onemorequote;this,fromJungaswell,

Thepsychecreatesrealityeveryday.TheonlyexpressionIcanusefor

thisactivityisfantasy.Fantasyisasmuchfeelingasthinking;asmuch




intuitionassensation.Fantasythereforeseemstobetheclearest

expressionofthespecificactivityofthepsyche.Itispre-eminentlythe

creativeactivityfromwhichanswerstoallunanswerablequestions

come.Itisthemotherofallpossibilitieswhere,likeallpsychological

opposites,theinnerandouterworldsarejoinedtogetherinlivingunion.

Fantasyitwas,andeveris,whichfashionsabridgebetweenthe

irreconcilableclaimsofsubjectandobject,introversionand

extraversion.Itisfantasyaloneinwhichtheworldsareunited.

Which,Iguess,isafancywayofsayingthatitisinthiscapacityforimagination

andfantasy,thatthephenomenonoftransferencecounter-transferencetakes

place,andwhichIsomehowamabletounconsciouslyintuit,imagesthatarein

yourunconscious.

So,ifCorbinisn’t‘farout’enoughforyou,letmementionsomebodyelse:-

therewasaveryfamousSwedishmysticbythenameofEmanuelSwedenborg

who-formedaspiritualmovementcalledtheSwedenborgianMovement.He

referstohimselfasaChristianmystic;whetherornothe’sconsidereda

Christianmystic,I’mnotsure,butheconsideredhimselftobeaChristian

mystic,andhewasascientist,andaphilosopher.AndSwedenborgwasa

greatmysticandheheldittobetruethat-although,wecandeceiveeach

otherintheworld;Icouldlietoyou;Icouldtellyousomesortofuntruth,that




-inthespiritualworldtherewerenolies;thatthetruthwasimmediately

evident.

AndIthinkthat’sasimilaridea,whenwetalkabouttransferencecounter-

transference,andIthinkit’sasimilarideatothemundusimaginalis.SoImight

saysomething;Imightpresentmyselfinacertainway,andallofthatmightbe

designedtoputforwardaparticularagenda.I’mtryingtopresentaparticular

persona,particulartruth,aparticularwayofbeing,soIwearasuitandatie,

andIdriveafancycar,andIspeakthe‘Queen’sEnglish’orwhatever.So

obviouslyI’mtryingtoputforwardaparticularwayofbeingintheworld;I’m

tryingtocommunicatesomethingconsciouslytoyou,buttheunconscious

communicatessomethingelse;theunconsciouscommunicatesaninnertruth.

AndthatinnertruthiscommunicatedirrespectiveofwhatIconsciouslytryto

putforward.

SoifwhatI’mconsciouslyputtingforwardisauthentic;isanauthentic

expressionofmeandofwhoIam,thenIthinkyoufeelthatthere’s

congruenceinmymessage;youfeelthat;whatI’msaying,andwhoIamare

congruent.Becausesometimesyoufeel,withpeople,thatthere’sa

tremendousincongruence;they’retellingyouthisstoryaboutthemselvesand

whotheyare,butyou’refeelingsomethingcompletelydifferent.Andthisidea

ofSwedenborg,Ithink,isausefulidea:-thathoweverwemeetphysically,that




spirituallythere’snodeceptionandthatwecommunicateourinnertruth.And

Ithinkthatisalsowhatisgoingoninthetransferencecounter-transference

situation;theclearcommunicationofanunconscious(spiritual)truthtothe

other.

Applications:

Intermsofyourrelationshipsingeneral:

• Whatisthemostsignificantneed(value)thatismetin(andthrough)

yourrelationships?

• Whatisthemostsignificantneedthatisnotmetin(andthrough)your

relationships?

Selectanddescribebetween1to3significantrelationshipdynamics.Weall

presumablydisplaymultipledynamicsinourrelationshipandrelatednessto

others.ForthepurposesofthisapplicationIwantyoutoselectjustthemost

typicalandsignificantdynamicsyouhabitablydisplay,actout,orencounter.

Theseareideallyrelationshipdynamicsthatarechallengingandonesthatyou

wouldliketogainsomeinsightintoandifpossibleevolvetomoresatisfying

andlesschallengingrelatedness.

Iwantyoutodescribeinasmuchdetailaspossible:




• Howthisrelationshiptypicallygetsunderwaye.g.Iaminvolvedinthe

datingsceneandwhenIencounterawomaninasuitablecontext,thatI

amattractedto,IwillmakemyinterestknowntoherbydoingX

(approachingandchattingtoher,starringatherlecherously,ignoring

here,teasingheretc.)

• Whatresponseisthistypicallymetwithe.g.initiallythewomanIhave

approachedandchattedtorespondsamicablyandseeminglywith

interest,orY(whateverthevariableYishere).

• Howdoesthisrelationshiptypicallydevelope.g.itturnsintoa

meaningfullongtermrelationship,itisusuallyaonenightstand,aftera

shorttimeeitheroneofuslosesinterest,initialattractionturnsinto

rejectionetc.

• Iftheconsequenceoftheinitialencounterisameaningfulandmutually

satisfactoryencounterthenthisisnotthedynamicyoushouldselect.

Thedynamicweareinterestedinhereiswheresomeobstacleor

challengeisencounteredthatobstructsmeaningfulrelatednessandor

yourintentionsinrelatingtotheother.NB.Theexampleofromanceis

justanexample;thequestionisnotmeanttobelimitedtoromantic

encounters.

Usingthedynamicyouhavedescribedabove,considerthefollowing:whatis

your




• Consciouscommunication,e.g.goingbacktomypreviousexampleof

dating,myconsciouscommunicationmaybesomethinglike:Iam

attractedtoyou;orIaminterestedinyou;orIwouldliketogettoknow

youbetter;ormaybejustIwanttohavesexwithyou,andsoon.

• Unconsciouscommunication,e.g.Iamneedyandinsecureplease,

pleaselikemeoratleastfeelsympathyforme;orIamsupremely

confidantandirresistibleyouareveryfortunateIhaveselectedyou;or

youremindmeofmymotherandshealwaysrejectedme;orIam

sincereandopenandwanttogettoknowwithouttryingtoownyouor

imposemyselfuponyouetc.

• Nowveryclearlywhenitcomestodescribingwhatyourunconscious

dynamicisyouarecalledontospeculateotherwisebydefinitionit

wouldnotbeunconscious.Soadmittedlyacertainamountofinferential

speculationandimaginationiscalledforandyouveryclearlymaygetit

wrong.NeverthelessIwantyoutoendeavortoanswerashonestlyand

asinsightfullyasyoucan.Thebiggestcluehastodowiththeresponse

toyoubytheother,whataretheyseeing,inferring,feelingthatisin

contrastwithyourconsciouscommunication?

magnum opus: citrinitas - appliedjung.com · think that – jung’s work on the topic – which...

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