Defining the Self

In my introductory post, I defined Dark Paganism as a positive, life-affirming Pagan spirituality focused on honoring and cultivating the Self. However, this definition begs what is meant within Dark Paganism by the “Self.” For this, we begin with the Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung.

Carl Jung believed that four universal, inborn models within us influence human behaviors. He called these four models “archetypes.” The four archetypes are anima/animus, persona, shadow, and the Self.  

Jung defines the Self archetype as being not only the center of a person but also the totality of that person. The Self is a phenomenon that encompasses both the unconscious and conscious mind. It’s the center of the individual while also the person’s totality. 

The Self is “nothing” or “not a thing.” It’s an ever-changing, dynamic phenomenon that’s an emergent property of the physical and spiritual bodies. While we exist in this material realm, it’s the product of complex interactions between biology, environmental conditioning, and cognitive functions. During our existence in the Otherworld, the Self is the emergent property of the Soul’s or subtle body’s unique conditions.   

Blessed Be.