C.G. Jung, Hans Trub and the concept of ''psychosynthesis''

Journal/Book: Anal Psychol. 1996; 27: Allschwilerstrasse 10, CH-4009 Basel, Switzerland. Karger. 119-137.

Abstract: This article examines the use of the concept ''psychosynthesis'' in the writings of C.G. Jung and Hans Trub in general and in Trub's critique of Analytical Psychology in particular. The concept of psychosynthesis was first used by Dumeng Bezzola, and then taken up by Jung in his correspondence with Freud and in ''Wandlungen und Symbole der Libido''. At the same time, Roberto Assagioli developed his own psychotherapeutic school around the concept of psychosynthesis. At the heart of Assagioli's critique of Jung lie their different understanding of the Self and the allegedly apolitical stance of Analytical Psychology. The concept of psychosynthesis was also taken up, quite independently, by the therapist Hans Trub, originally one of Jung's disciples, who, under the influence of the dialogical philosophy of Martin Buber and Franz Rosenzweig, then moved away from Analytical Psychology, as his posthumously published work ''Heilung aus der Begegnung'' shows. The article concludes with a discussion of the background to Trub's 1936 lecture to the Psychologischer Club in Zurich and three hitherto unpublished documents: Trub's introduction to that lecture, Jung's response to it, and Trub's report of the lecture and its reception in a letter to Martin Buber and Rudolf Pannwitz. In this way, the article seeks to open up a new perspective on Analytical Psychology which shows how the relationship between the analysand and the world is seriously neglected in Jungian thought. The article is published in two parts. Part I deals with the concept of psychosynthesis in Bezzola, Jung and Assagioli, whilst Part II deals with the psychology of Hans Trub and its relation to Jungian thought.

Note: Article P Bishop, Univ Glasgow, Dept German Language & Literature, Glasgow G12 8QL, Lanark, Scotland

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