The Archetypes and the Collective Unconscious

Although rebirth cannot be observed empirically, the fact that it emerges across mythologies and is widely discussed is evidence of its prevalence within the collective unconscious. Unlike archetypes like the Great Mother, rebirth represents archetypal experience rather than an archetypal figure.

Jung highlights several types of transcendent experiences, including two which produce little alteration in the individual. The first is experiences induced by ritual. Catholic Mass is an example of this form. The individual is impacted by an external expression of transformation; however, this may not result in a change of personality or identity. In the second, an individual undergoes an immediate experience, which is a lesser external experience of transformation. In this form, though the experience may offer a moment of insight, the transformation remains entirely outside of the individual.

In contrast, subjective transformations have a greater impact on the psyche. One such transformation is a diminution of personality, which is described as a “loss of soul” in some cultures. Jung correlates this type of transformation to depression and other forms of mental illness. The opposite form is the enlargement of personality. In this version, an external force connects to an individual, exaggerating a portion of the psyche. Jung asserts that the story of St. Paul meeting Jesus on the road to Damascus is an example of this correlation between the internal and external, arguing that Paul was only able to see Jesus because of the placement of Christ within his own unconscious.

Other forms of subjective transformations, such as a change of internal structure, cause a complete alteration of the personality. Jung points to both demonic possession in religious cultures and the impact of prolonged mental illness on individuals as examples of this type. He also discusses transformation through identification with a group, a lesser form of conscious alteration in which an individual alters their behavior by aligning with a collective identity. Jung says it is the easiest transformation for individuals to follow, though it produces only a shallow transformation. This is also true for individuals who are transformed through their identification with a cult-hero, adopting characteristics of an admired figure. These types of transformations do not result in deep psychological changes. 

Some subjective transformations are intentional, such as when individuals participate in rites of magic or techniques like yoga. However, Jung elevates natural transformation through individuation, which is the process of integrating unconscious elements into the conscious self. He describes this as the highest form of change. He illustrates this idea with a story about a man who seeks individuation by drawing mandalas, which are symbolic representations of psychic wholeness. According to Jung, natural transformation occurs most often in dreams and can lead to genuine psychological rebirth.

Jung centers his attention on a story from the Koran to explore the archetype of rebirth and the ways in which it manifests in mythology. Sura 18 of the Koran focuses on the story of the cave. In this narrative, a group of young believers seek refuge in a cave to escape religious persecution. They fall into a deep sleep in the center of the cave, and God protects them for many years, allowing them to wake up later, in a different era, to find their society changed. The location of the center of the cave is important because it emphasizes individuation and the merging of dualities as a source of transformation.

Jung argues that the cave is a symbol of the unconscious and that entering it has a profound effect on the psyche. He says: “Anyone who gets into that cave, that is to say into the cave which everyone has in himself, or into the darkness that lies behind consciousness, will find himself involved in an—at first—unconscious process of transformation” (135). The story also contains several important archetypal components. For example, the number of sleepers, seven, is an important numeral in mystical teachings and is believed to represent spiritual completion. Furthermore, the story centers on a space where two worlds collide. Jung compares this narrative to a story about Moses who seeks a place where two seas meet. Jung suggests that this imagery’s significance lies in the reintegration of the Shadow with the Self through a process of individuation.