BECOMING CONSCIOUS OF THE TYPOLOGICAL SHI FT IN THE IGNATIAN SPIRITUAL EXERCISES

In his ETH lectures, Jung described the Spiritual Exercises as a predo minant example of the western individuation process. Based on Ignatius ' autobiography as well as on the written and the experienced text of the Spiritual Exercises, this paper discusses typological aspects of s piritual methods, including thinking (understanding, meditation), feel ing (will, discernment of spirits, affective consideration), sensation (body-oriented sensing prayer) and intuition (memory, imagination, co ntemplation). Ignatius draws on all four functions, and he offers to h is exercitants the possibility of using exercises consistent with thei r primary function and of systematically working, with their auxiliary and inferior functions. The latter appears to be not only the less de veloped, unconscious function (close to anima/animus and to the shadow ) but also the psychic field where religious symbols are created betwe en two persons. This relationship between the exercitant and the accom panying person and the exercises' impact on the individuation process is interpreted in the light of the wounded-healer archetype and the ro le of the inferior function. The Ignatian exercise of the Kingdom whic h presupposes a serious confrontation with the shadow is easily misund erstood as a traditional ''imitation'' of Christ. But in a Jungian per spective, it is the opposite; an assimilation of the Christ image and the reconciliation symbol of the cross to my own self which is general ly linked with the typological shift during midlife transition.