Redes da vida: uma leitura junguiana sobre o envelhecimento e a morte

Abstract

This paper proposes to address the stages of aging and death in the process of individuation starting from the symbolic amplification of images of these life stages in the light of Analytical Psychology. In order to relate these images to the stages of human development, especially to the phases of late maturity and life cycle termination, we carried out an imagistic and bibliographic study of aging and death based on the theoretical framework of Analytical Psychology and post-Jungian authors. Therefore, we performed a symbolic amplification of images coming from visual arts, literature, religion and mythology. The results of this study indicate that the images connected with death are related to the process of individuation, signaling the need for this issue - which is a taboo in contemporary society – to be experienced in a creative and meaningful way.