The image of the Jungian Self in the work of St. Teresa of Ávila

Abstract

This paper focuses on the figurativeness of the language of mystical experience in the context of Jung’s theory of collective unconsciousness. It analyses the autobiographical work of St. Teresa of Ávila and tries to identify images that mirror the archetype of the whole, or the Jungian Self (das Selbst). The main objective of the paper is to reveal the life-giving potential and spontaneous nature of symbols created by the unconscious and to highlight their scope and importance in human life.