Rix Weaver (1902–1990)

Active Imagination is a Jungian psychotherapeutic technique which utilizes artistic expression as a means to access subconscious material. Weaver states that it "is not valuable for its artistic quality, but for its symbolism, which, taken into account with the conscious situation, gives deeper and wider meaning to life" (p. 1). Weaver uses her personal interactions in fantasy with "The Old Wise Woman" to illustrate the progression and value of Active Imagination. Her exploration of her dream material included creative writing (creating a fairy tale that told her more about the figures in her dream) and sculpture, making the figures from her dream come alive in clay. The importance of Weaver's work for herself, and as a model for Jungian therapists, is in its efficacy in aiding therapy clients to reach and understand the symbolism of their dream material. Jung's theories are based on the idea that becoming more conscious of our hidden motivations is our life work, and Active Imagination is one of the tools a therapist may use to help a client become "consciously involved" with the archetypes and symbols from their unconscious.… (mais)