This is aimed to work as an overview of the three levels of consciousness according to Jung’s model of the mind (psyche). It will be highly simplified as this is a complex topic.
Have you ever had a dream about events that you feel you could never have come up with yourself? You may wonder where it came from, or who orchestrated it. We will here explore one model for thinking about the different departments of the mind (or psyche), the layers of consciousness.
Jung’s Three Layers of Consciousness: Exploring the Psyche
Carl G. Jung (1875-1961), easily one of the most influential historical psychologists, proposed a model of the human psyche which divided consciousness into three main parts: the Conscious Mind, the Personal Unconscious, and the Collective Unconscious.
This framework can help us think about how our conscious experiences and actions are influenced by parts of our minds that we are not consciously aware of. Understanding this framework can help us acknowledge parts of ourselves that were previously unknown to us.
1. The Conscious Mind
The Conscious Mind is the level of awareness where we actively think, reason, and make decisions. Memories and knowledge that can be accessed by our awareness are also included here. It includes everything we are presently aware of, such as our thoughts, perceptions, emotions, retrievable memories and sensory experiences.
Jung believed that the Conscious Mind is useful for navigating daily life, but it is only a small part of the total psyche. It is influenced by deeper unconscious processes that are harder for us to understand. Our sense of self, or the ego, resides within the Conscious Mind, serving as the centre of our awareness and identity, or who we experience ourselves as.
2. The Personal Unconscious
Beneath the Conscious Mind lies the Personal Unconscious, which contains repressed memories, forgotten experiences, and personal conflicts. This level holds information gathered from personal experiences within one’s own life. Once conscious, information about experiences gets pushed into the background for one reason or other. Reasons for information becoming unconscious include trauma, suppression, denial, and forgetting.
Jung saw the Personal Unconscious as a rich and dynamic space. A place where unresolved issues, past experiences, and unprocessed emotions reside, influencing our thoughts and behaviours. This is also the realm of what Jung called “complexes”, emotionally charged groups of ideas or memories that can shape our psychological responses.
3. The Collective Unconscious
Jung argued that the deepest level of the unconscious is common to all humans, the Collective Unconscious. Unlike the Personal Unconscious, which is unique to everyone, the Collective Unconscious is a shared realm of inherited memories, instincts, and archetypes. Jung proposed that this level of consciousness is universal, shared by people across cultures and time.
The Collective Unconscious contains archetypes, which are innate, universal symbols and themes that shape human experiences. Examples of archetypes can be found in dreams, myths, religions and folk tales all over the world. They include the Hero, the Shadow, the warrior, the Wise Old Man and many more.
The Interplay Between the Three Levels
Jung pointed out that these three levels of consciousness are working together to form the totality of the mind. In various therapies, a large part of the work involves working on becoming consciously aware of previously unconscious contents of our minds, such as traumatic past experiences automatic patterns of thought and behaviour, and defence mechanisms.
Dreams, artistic expression, and introspection can be used as tools to bring unconscious material into consciousness. Perhaps more commonly used in short-term therapy nowadays is to reflect on past and present thoughts and behaviours we experience that have become unhelpful to us, such as rejecting people prematurely, avoiding people or places, and rumination. Tracing their unconscious origins, such as past trauma, repression of unwanted tendencies, or habitual behaviours can be part of the work of bringing information into consciousness.
Jung believed that personal growth and psychological health depend on integrating the unconscious into conscious awareness, a process he called individuation. This involves recognizing and embracing hidden aspects of the mind, ultimately leading to greater self-understanding.
The Bottom Line
Jung’s model of consciousness provides a helpful framework for understanding human mind. This framework can be used to navigate self-exploration and development. By exploring the unconscious parts of our minds, we move toward greater self-understanding and personal growth, ultimately fostering a more integrated and balanced sense of self. If you are interested in starting the journey of individuation you can seek out a Jungian or depth psychologist, and/or follow the advice in the suggested reading below.
Suggested reading:
‘Jung’s map of the soul’ by Murry Stein.
‘Inner Work’ by Robert A. Johnson.
