The Sacred Tower: Finding the Feminine in the Phallus

Abstract

According to Jungian psychology, the process of individuation calls for the harmonizing of conscious and unconscious material, including the integration of masculine and feminine energies within the psyche. Symbols of a numinous nature can guide this process. This thesis explores the Tower as a powerful symbol of transformation in the psyche, embodying both masculine and feminine principles. Utilizing an alchemical hermeneutic research methodology, the unconscious reveals the Tower’s transformation from destructive and potent phallus to nurturing and healing womb through meaningful symptoms, synchronicities, and dreams. This work illustrates how inviting a symbol such as the Tower to dance between the realms of soma and psyche, conscious and unconscious, and masculine and feminine, can lead to a more holistic sense of self.