2 The structure of the psyche

This chapter is concerned with the nuts and bolts of the psyche; how it is structured. We look at (1) Jung’s model of the psyche, (2) Edward Edinger’s Ego/Self axis and (3) the place of soul and spirit. Then more briefly by way of comparison we turn to (4) Freud’s models of the psyche, and finally (5) Post-Jungian models of the Self. The basic structure of the Jungian psyche is made up of: ego, self, personal unconscious and collective unconscious. The ego uses a persona (or mask) as an interface to the outside world. The interface between the ego and the inner world is seen as the anima or animus. The archetypes (which make up the collective unconscious) are represented by mythological motifs, personified images (such as Clown, Sorcerer, Angel), symbolic events or symbolic transitions in life we all encounter. The self (sometimes spelt with a capital ‘S’ to emphasise its central place in the schema) is the ordering principle of the entire personality.