Marie-Louise von Franz - The Process of Individuation (Full Essay)

Jung's final book was called Man and His Symbols, the purpose of which was to explain Jungian psychology to the general public. Being very elderly at this time, Jung appointed his main disciples to write different chapters of the book while he focused on the introductory essay. Chapter 3 of the book is about the central concept of Jungian psychology: individuation. For this, he entrusted his closest disciple, Marie-Louise von Franz.

This important chapter outlines the process of individuation, describing its role in the life of a human being, and its importance to the wholeness and vitality of the psyche. I have personally listened to this essay more times than I can count, and it has powered much of my own individuation process. The essay contains a complete roadmap to individuation, from describing the formation of ego consciousness in childhood, to reconciling the shadow, then the anima, up until the emergence of the self, and how this can be adapted to day-to-day life in the final section on how one's ego should relate to the self.

ML von Franz (4 January 1915 – 17 February 1998) was a Swiss Jungian psychologist and scholar, renowned for her psychological interpretations of fairy tales and of alchemical manuscripts.

Timestamps
0:00 Overview
16:51 The First Approach Of The Unconscious
24:28 The Realization Of The Shadow
46:34 The Anima: The Woman Within
1:06:16 The Animus: The Man Within
1:17:52 The Self: Symbols of Totality
1:51:29 The Relation To The Self