Encounters with the Soul: Active Imagination As Developed by C.G. Jung

by 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.

Genres: Psychology, Nonfiction, Philosophy

264 pages, Paperback

First published December 12, 1988

Reviews

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

This collection of texts first published 1981 comprises case studies, and the author's re-interpretation of religious/spiritual journeys from individuals in ancient revolutionary Egypt, and medieval France. For example, the latter presents the virtuosity in which the monk Hugues de Saint-Victor comes to terms with a possessive manifestation of his soul/anima, and his attempt through dialogue to direct her towards his god.

The last third of the book is an edited version of "The Healing Influence of Active Imagination in a Specific case of Neurosis". This is a first-hand account written over a 40 year period by Barbara Hannah's occasional analysand Anna Marjula (the pseudonym of an unnamed and renowned musician [d.1981]). Written in the form of a lecture, it shows Anna confronting her negative father complex (acquired from her abusive real father) and the subsequent encounters with her negative/dominating animus, and her discovery of the 'Great Mother'.

The book is not particularly instructive for the individual in the idiosyncratic pursuit of unconscious content (I found few hooks to my own unconscious content), although it is affective in revealing the general power of religious language, the manifestations of the high level archetypes, and elaborating an excellent female perspective on the syzygy relations.

The book's shadow is somewhat of a doppelgänger: the author does not give a critical view of the assumptions that support the method, she only warns of its potential dangers. She also scolds Christianity for repressing the western soul in its dogmatic pursuit of light over darkness, while the psychic path of the 20th century cases is heavily dependent on Christian symbolism. However, this raises interesting questions on invention, authenticity, and psychological freedom.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Active imagination is sometimes casually described as “dreaming the dream forward,” which makes it sound like a very simple and common practice. Jungian analyst Barbara Hannah disabuses the reader of that notion very quickly, stating quite clearly that active imagination involves making direct contact with the unconscious and, as a result, is exceptionally difficult and dangerous work that should only be undertaken when expert help is close at hand. She then proceeds to give example after fascinating example of individuals from several different centuries engaging in this work. I found the contemporary case of Anna Marjula particularly illuminating.

This book is not for the casual reader, but if you have any experience with depth psychology it is not to be missed.

[Rimas · Rating 5 out of 5]

B. Hannah outlays perhaps all what one needs to know about active imagination, the rest is just a matter of doing it.

[Bassmh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Few points about this book
1. It’s a very enlightening book in the sense that this was the first documented active imagination sessions.
2. Historical examples of active imagination are given in this book
3. You get a sort-of unfiltered script of how different people experienced their active imagination and/or dreams

4. The main bulk is about a neurotic patient and her sessions .. this for me was a bet of questionable segment. But I would assume a psychologist would find it very exciting to go through
5. Being unfiltered means it lacked editing, which I assume is the whole point of documenting these encounters ..

All in all, the book is valuable for the history and examination of active imagination that has un-edited examples then a prolonged input/reflection/examination from the author.

[Brian Fagan · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best explanation and intriduction to active imagination. A must.

[kissyeskeys · Rating 3 out of 5]

the passage, just a little, that God cursed Jung and his students is soooo funny. these people have given volts and tons generosity, it's like giving birth to a long marble castle between ordinary human legs, with all turrets. or swim across the weeping ocean, and find another symbol of labor, infinite to the first wave of a new infinity (for generosityyy). they went to unknown lands, blindfolded, with too open eyes, no one could say «yes», only the inner voice and soul - and they can say «no». and with the other hand they led a boat of non-mixing with unhandsome self-immuring, attuning with thin zen cut of wave, and wave in the love and hate with wind line, and boat in this water can become sharp, synchronous wave, or like the edge of a sucked lollipop. and that's okay, because it's always changing anyway, just be more, more sensitive.
and then, they need to float, and fight with kilograms of manuscripts, but in the eyes of God they are cursed, because, you see, they revealed his unsympathetic side, ahaha. it's a healing «ahaha», healing laugh, love-laugh, I can't

[Chloe Noland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating introduction to the practice of active imagination, using various case studies as examples. It was hard to understand at first how exactly the folks were achieving it - in some of the cases, it seemed like they were just having a very intense inner fantasy - but the further I got into it, and the more context Hannah gave, the results spoke for themselves. One case in particular involved a woman with a father complex who used active imagination to heal herself of her entire family’s generational trauma. Another was about a person who died young and did active imagination for many months up to the point of their death, in essence “preparing” themselves for their own end. Others it was a bit simpler, overcoming past obstacles and neuroses, such as impotence, anger, etc. It was fascinating to see the different forms these conversations and quests took. I really began to see it as one’s conscious mind having a dialogue with the unconscious mind, using different archetypes and strategies to pinpoint one’s darkest desires, despairs, and hidden truths. Happy to have a resource to try this on my own, although Hannah points out again and again that it is a very difficult commitment, and can take years to master.

[Ard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Active Imagination is a therapeutic technique originating from Jungian psychology. Essentially it aims at reaching a certain trance state where inner images appear spontaneously from the unconscious mind, allowing someone to interact with those images. Basically it's a way to set up a dialogue between the conscious and the unconscious mind. Nowadays this technique is also used outside of Jungian analysis, and many hypnotherapists use it too.

For this last group I wouldn't recommend this book. It covers the basics briefly, but for the most part it showcases a couple of rather extreme cases in which Active Imagination was used, one of which covers almost half of this book. Those cases are very interesting to read, but for someone like me who is just learning to use this technique, they are too far out to really help. For starters, I would rather recommend the book by Verena Kast, Imagination as Space of Freedom, which is excellent. Hannah's book I finished with some difficulty, enjoying it in parts and sometimes stunned by its wisdom, but also regularly struggling to understand the explanations.

This book is better suited for people more adept in Jungian analysis and depth psychology. The author is someone who studied under Jung and worked with him, she's well-versed in mythology and classic literature, so her credentials are all there. But her erudition doesn't serve the readability of this work, and for my purpose it just wasn't the right book.

[Will · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting discussion of Jungian active imagine and creative writing, and the ways that it is possible to explore the subconscious through the use of writing (or other art forms). The introductory part is fascinating, but most of the other chapters are case studies and are a bet less interesting to most who want to apply the lessons of active imagination to themselves (rather than diving into the research and analysis of other cases).

[Олена Осіпова · Rating 3 out of 5]

Цікаво, але хотілося б більше практичного матеріалу

[Derek · Rating 5 out of 5]

Made me 33% crazier

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not sure how to rate this. It reads like science fiction, but is, in fact, a very real aspect of Jungian analysis that has been used in the real world. The whole process of active imagination seems impossible, yet Jung devoted his life to its practise and transformed himself through its use. This book is written by one of his students who outlines case studies using the active imagination process. I was really interested, but found myself feeling rather incredulous. I suppose I can't completely discount the possibility that this happens and works though--it just goes to a level of mind and consciousness that is hard to comprehend or believe. Fascinating though and an interesting read.

[Paul Théberge · Rating 4 out of 5]

Élève de Jung, B.Hannah nous fait carrément entrer dans la têtes de ces patients et ceux qu'elle a eu en commun avec Jung. Cette technique d'imagination active est captivante de par ces résultats et l'aventure qu'elle procure aux lecteurs et j'imagine également aux patients! Assez ordinaire comme traduction et difficile à comprendre par moment vu ma faible connaissance en la matière, mais mettons que j'ai plongé quand même dans cette univers très intéressant et édifiant pour l'âme. Après cela on a envie de prendre notes de nos rêves et de les interpréter sous un autre angle.

[John Kulm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Used case studies to explain the possibilities and pitfalls of active imagination. Intriguing book.

[Tony · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful book with several accounts dealing with Jung's technique of active imagination. Active imagination is a technique by which an individual attempts contact/understanding with their unconscious via oral/visual or other means in order to become a more complete person. The accounts show the incredible range of experience the technique can bring while giving examples of the sort of psychological healing that can be attained with it. Highly recommended for those interested in Jungian psychology and active imagination.