The Archetypal Symbolism of Animals: Lectures Given at the C.G. Jung Institute, Zurich, 1954-1958 (Polarities of the Psyche)

“From the viewpoint of the psychology of C. G. Jung we can say that animals generally represent instincts when we meet them in dreams and active imagination. Each animal represents a different instinct, or if you prefer, another aspect of instinct. As we discuss our separate animals and, in particular, the attributes associated to them in their mythology, we shall see how multifaceted they are and that their symbolic meaning necessarily depends on the context in the dream and the conscious situation of the dreamer.... This gives us a very good idea of why it is so vitally important for anyone who is dealing with the products of the unconscious to study the symbolism of animals.” (from the book)

Barbara Hannah (1891–1986) was born in England. She went to Zurich in 1929 to study with Carl Jung and lived in Switzerland the rest of her life. A close associate of Jung until his death, she was a practicing psychotherapist and lecturer at the C.G. Jung Institute. Her books available from Chiron include The Archetypal Symbolism of Animals; Encounters with the Soul; Jung, His Life and Work; and Striving Toward Wholeness.