Join us for an introduction to the teachings of theoretical Sufism, vis-à-vis Jungian psychology! Many religious scholars versed in Islamic psychology believe that Sufism differs from the major branches of the Islamic faith because it stresses ma’rifa, a direct mode of knowing the world, the human soul, and God. Similarly, Jungian psychology, which places great emphasis on knowing the personal shadow and the archetypal or transpersonal aspects of the psyche, has regularly been dismissed by the scientific community and the traditionalists.
This lecture illustrates the Sufi path to spirituality using a Jungian approach. Identifying parallels and outlining the soul’s journey, we’ll discover how the Sufi notion of the soul’s descent (tanzih) and ascent (tashbih) relates to Jung’s model of the individuation process. This interdisciplinary framework is not only significant to the psychological understanding of the esoteric dimension of Islam, but also contributes to the ongoing decolonization and loving expansion of Jungian psychology
