The integration of the collective unconscious

[Mats Winther]

The collective unconscious is the unconscious we share, in terms of content. (We have many bodily features in common, too.) If an archetype accumulates psychic libido, it will then draw closer to consciousness of this particular individual. However, this often occurs unanimously with other people, as they are gripped with the same archetype.

The archetype in its pristine condition, before it has accumulated libido and taken shape as culturally determined content, is defined as a transcendental prototype. So it is essentially a Platonic concept. The difference is that the activated archetype becomes an autonomous complex in the unconscious of the individual and/or the masses.

Integration of personality implies that the personal unconscious is more or less depleted of libido (= neutral energy in Jungian psychology). Integration of the unconscious, generally speaking, may lead to a critical condition in that consciousness becomes overblown. The ancient Greek called it hubris; in Jungian terminology it is 'ego inflation'. The remedy is to allow libido to return to the unconscious where it is accumulated by the archetype of the Self.

M. Winther | http://two-paths.com