Philosophies for Life 80: Carl Jung - How To Know Your True Self Using Archetypes (Jungian Philosophy)
Apr 24, 2025
25:46
In this podcast we will be talking about how to know your true self using Jungian Archetypes according to the philosophy of Carl Jung. Carl Jung's psychology is called analytical psychology and his philosophy is dubbed as “Jungian philosophy”. Jung’s most famous theory is ‘the individuation process.’
Carl Jung introduced the world to the idea of archetypes - common personality patterns that exist in everyone’s mind. These archetypes affect how we think, act, and interact with the world. Imagine waking up with no memory of who you are—no name, no past, no identity. Yet, even with this blank slate, something inside you pulls in a certain direction. Maybe you feel an instinct to protect others, an unshakable drive to explore the unknown, or a knack for bending situations to your advantage. As you observe the world, patterns emerge. Some people step forward with confidence, while others linger in the background. Some deceive, some nurture, some fight for justice, and others thrive in chaos. At first, it seems random, but then a realization hits—you’re not alone in this. People everywhere are shaped by unseen forces, playing out roles they may not even be aware of. You can think of Jung’s archetypes as universal patterns that shape how we think, feel, and act. They appear across cultures and time periods, persisting in myths, stories, and even our daily lives. And these roles aren’t confined to fiction. They shape us in the real world. A young entrepreneur fighting for a vision is living the Hero’s journey. A mentor guiding others embodies the Wise Old Man. A disruptor challenging the status quo channels the Trickster. These patterns influence how we see ourselves, the choices we make, and the way we navigate life - often without us even realising it. So, which archetypes are shaping you?
So here are the steps you need to take to truly know yourself using Jungian Archetypes according to the philosophy of Carl Jung.
01. Understanding the Structure of Your Psyche
02. Understanding different Archetypes
03. Analyse your dreams
04. Pay attention to your archetypes in your waking life
05. Integrate Archetypes for Personal Growth
I hope you enjoyed listening to this podcast and hope that this wisdom on how to truly know yourself using Jungian Archetypes according to the philosophy of Carl Jung, will be helpful in your life.
Carl Jung, together with Sigmund Freud and Alfred Adler, is one of the 3 founders of psychoanalysis which is a set of psychological theories and methods aiming to release repressed emotions and experiences - in other words, to make the unconscious conscious. Jung was born in Switzerland in 1875 and died in 1961, leaving behind great works in the fields of psychiatry, anthropology, archaeology, literature, philosophy, psychology and religious studies. Jung had Freud as a mentor for a good part of his career but later he departed from him. This division was painful for Jung and it led him to found his own school of psychology, called analytical psychology as a comprehensive system separate from psychoanalysis. If classical psychoanalysis focuses on the patient’s past, as early experiences are very important in personality development, analytical psychology primarily focuses on the present, on mythology, folklore, and cultural experiences, to try to understand human consciousness. One of the most important ideas of analytical psychology which Jung founded is the process of individuation, which is the process of finding the self - something Jung considered an important task in human development. While he did not formulate a systematic philosophy, he is nonetheless considered a sophisticated philosopher - his school of thought dubbed “Jungian philosophy”. Its concepts can apply to many topics covered in the humanities and the social sciences. A good part of his work was published after his death and indeed there are still some articles written by him that to this day have yet to be published. Some of his most important books are: “Psychology of the Unconscious”, “Man and His Symbols”, “The Archetypes and The Collective Unconscious”, “Modern Man In Search of a Soul”, “The Psychology of the Transference”, “Memories, Dreams, Thoughts”, and “The Relations Between the Ego and the Unconscious”. Besides being a great writer and a researcher, he was also an artist, a craftsman and even a builder. His contribution is enormous and there is a great deal we can learn from his works.
Carl Jung introduced the world to the idea of archetypes - common personality patterns that exist in everyone’s mind. These archetypes affect how we think, act, and interact with the world. Imagine waking up with no memory of who you are—no name, no past, no identity. Yet, even with this blank slate, something inside you pulls in a certain direction. Maybe you feel an instinct to protect others, an unshakable drive to explore the unknown, or a knack for bending situations to your advantage. As you observe the world, patterns emerge. Some people step forward with confidence, while others linger in the background. Some deceive, some nurture, some fight for justice, and others thrive in chaos. At first, it seems random, but then a realization hits—you’re not alone in this. People everywhere are shaped by unseen forces, playing out roles they may not even be aware of. You can think of Jung’s archetypes as universal patterns that shape how we think, feel, and act. They appear across cultures and time periods, persisting in myths, stories, and even our daily lives. And these roles aren’t confined to fiction. They shape us in the real world. A young entrepreneur fighting for a vision is living the Hero’s journey. A mentor guiding others embodies the Wise Old Man. A disruptor challenging the status quo channels the Trickster. These patterns influence how we see ourselves, the choices we make, and the way we navigate life - often without us even realising it. So, which archetypes are shaping you?
So here are the steps you need to take to truly know yourself using Jungian Archetypes according to the philosophy of Carl Jung.
01. Understanding the Structure of Your Psyche
02. Understanding different Archetypes
03. Analyse your dreams
04. Pay attention to your archetypes in your waking life
05. Integrate Archetypes for Personal Growth
I hope you enjoyed listening to this podcast and hope that this wisdom on how to truly know yourself using Jungian Archetypes according to the philosophy of Carl Jung, will be helpful in your life.
Carl Jung, together with Sigmund Freud and Alfred Adler, is one of the 3 founders of psychoanalysis which is a set of psychological theories and methods aiming to release repressed emotions and experiences - in other words, to make the unconscious conscious. Jung was born in Switzerland in 1875 and died in 1961, leaving behind great works in the fields of psychiatry, anthropology, archaeology, literature, philosophy, psychology and religious studies. Jung had Freud as a mentor for a good part of his career but later he departed from him. This division was painful for Jung and it led him to found his own school of psychology, called analytical psychology as a comprehensive system separate from psychoanalysis. If classical psychoanalysis focuses on the patient’s past, as early experiences are very important in personality development, analytical psychology primarily focuses on the present, on mythology, folklore, and cultural experiences, to try to understand human consciousness. One of the most important ideas of analytical psychology which Jung founded is the process of individuation, which is the process of finding the self - something Jung considered an important task in human development. While he did not formulate a systematic philosophy, he is nonetheless considered a sophisticated philosopher - his school of thought dubbed “Jungian philosophy”. Its concepts can apply to many topics covered in the humanities and the social sciences. A good part of his work was published after his death and indeed there are still some articles written by him that to this day have yet to be published. Some of his most important books are: “Psychology of the Unconscious”, “Man and His Symbols”, “The Archetypes and The Collective Unconscious”, “Modern Man In Search of a Soul”, “The Psychology of the Transference”, “Memories, Dreams, Thoughts”, and “The Relations Between the Ego and the Unconscious”. Besides being a great writer and a researcher, he was also an artist, a craftsman and even a builder. His contribution is enormous and there is a great deal we can learn from his works.