Does life really begin after 40? Let's explore the process of Individuation.

“Life really does begin at forty. Up until then, you are just doing research.” -Carl Jung

I'm not sure if Swiss Psychiatrist and founder of analytical psychology, Carl Jung actually said this quote, however, I kind of hope that he did. Regardless, it's been attributed to him many times and certainly aligns with his deep beliefs that we have much to contribute to life at and beyond middle age.

So, shall we go a little deep? I think we should!

The Process of Individuation

The process of individuation is considered one of the ultimate goals of Jungian psychoanalytic work. Simply put, individuation is the act of achieving wholeness through the integration of the conscious and the unconscious. Dr. Jolande Jacobi, a Swiss psychologist who worked with Jung, described individuation as “the psychic parallel to the physical process of aging”. She believed all individuals had the potential to individuate however, not everyone achieves the end goal, even if they partake in the process. Ultimately, if successful, those attempting to individuate can achieve their own personal brand of wholeness, combining elements of the ego and the psyche in the truest representation of self.

The Ego

The course of individuation often begins with an understanding of our ego. The ego can most easily be called our conscious self. Before the process of individuation occurs, we generally understand the ego as working opposed to our psyche. Once we partake in the experience of individuation, we begin to understand them as functioning counterparts. Like the branches of a great tree, the ego presents itself to the world in all the glory of its sturdy trunk and extended leafy branches reaching toward the sky. Underneath, however, buried deep within the earth, are the roots of the psyche, unseen, yet powerfully guiding the ultimate growth of our human existence. The two cannot exist without the other.

The Persona

In the first half of life, we build up the ego, developing a neat and tidy persona that is comfortable for society to see. In some ways, our ego helps us bury thoughts, desires, and instincts we deem unacceptable; unacceptable at least according to the culture in which we were raised. We present ourselves in a way we deem safe, approachable, and suitable. We are conditioned. We wear a masque the represents this persona. That which is unacceptable becomes a shadow-self, hidden deep within. Jung describes this time as the morning of life, saying, “The significance of the morning undoubtedly lies in the development of the individual, our entrenchment in the outer world, the propagation of our kind, and the care of our children”

But what happens to all that unconscious material we internalize during the morning of our lives?

American Jungian analyst June Singer (1994) describes the emergence of unconscious material saying:

As the unconscious reveals itself through the analysand’s day-to-day experiences, through dreams, through reflection and meditation, through fantasy, through creative expression, and in countless other ways, the archetypes emerge. We have said that archetypes belong to the deeper layers of the psyche, the collective unconscious. Since they are unconscious, we cannot observe them directly, but we can see their manifestations everywhere about us in the form of archetypal images and symbols. These images and symbols lead us from the known to the unknown, as we seek to better understand ourselves.

Archetypes

As we begin to individuate, we confront archetypal images including the persona and the shadow, which powerfully exist in opposition to each other. We begin to understand the archetypes of the anima and animus, which is our personal and collective construction of the masculine and feminine. Through this exploration, we ideally develop an understanding that we are a combination of all these aspects, and that combination creates a whole which is the archetype known as Self.

Why bother?

If individuals dedicate a good number of years developing a strong ego and representative persona, why bother emancipating oneself from this beautifully constructed masque? In truth, not everyone will travel the road of individuation and self-awareness. But for some, the psyche cannot be denied. If the first half of life is described as the morning, then the second half, starting around the age of forty, could be called the afternoon. Jung discussed this afternoon period of life in his book Modern Man in Search of a Soul saying:

"Statistical tables show a rise in the frequency of cases of mental depression in men about forty. In women, the neurotic difficulties generally begin somewhat earlier. We see that in this phase of life--between thirty-five and forty--a significant change in the human psyche is in preparation. At first it is not a conscious and striking change; it is rather a matter of indirect signs of a change which seems to take its rise from the unconscious."

Finding meaning in life's second half...

One must ask then, is the second half of life a diminution of the first half or, rather, an expansion. Jung often discussed the meaninglessness his clients experienced upon reaching the second half of their lives. For while they had achieved societal expectations, there was a yearning to discover and acquire their own unique meaning. As the robustness of physical youth begins to wane, many people are left wondering what their purpose is. Jolande explains:

"This way to the broadening of the personality consists, as we have seen, in a gradual exploration of the contents and functions of the total psyche and of their effect on the ego. It leads the individual to know himself for what he naturally is, as distinguished from what he would like to be--and probably nothing is more difficult for a human being."

An awakening

Individuation is like a profound awakening--a realization that the masque we have donned to serve us in our external lives is not the truest representation of Self. Indeed, this realization can be a shock to the system. Our ego-selves can find it difficult to realize that everything we have previously understood to be true no longer serves us. For many though, the pain of the meaninglessness of their lives propels them to listen to the voices of their psyche, leading to a better understanding of Self, a broadening of the personality, and the true representation of their uniqueness.

Our soul's journey

Jung suggests that during the second half of life we should devote extensive amounts of time exploring our inner selves. Indeed, while biologically our function in the human race changes as we age, people would not live to be 70 or 80 years old if they did not serve an important function to humanity. Therefore, it is almost our duty to explore our inner minds so we can discover what our unique contribution to this world actually is. Indeed, we cannot expect to play by the rules of the morning of life when entering the afternoon of life--to do so would be damaging to our soul.

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This is just scratching the surface of the process of Individuation! While I'm not a certified Jungian Analyst (maybe someday), I did partake in analytical psychology with an analyst for over 12 years. It was an important and profound experience. As a certified therapeutic counsellor, I'd be pleased to explore this process with you during a session.

Love and support to you one your journey.

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