Jung And Aging: Possibilities And Potentials For The Second Half Of Life

Aging-what it is and how it happens-is one of today's most pressing topics. Most people are either curious or concerned about growing older and how to do it successfully. We need to better understand how to navigate the second half of life in ways that are productive and satisfying, and Jungian psychology, with its focus on the discovery of meaning and continuous development of the personality is especially helpful for addressing the concerns of aging.

In March 2012, the Library of Congress and the Jung Society of Washington convened the first Jung and Aging Symposium. Sponsored by the AARP Foundation, the symposium brought together depth psychologists and specialists in gerontology and spirituality to explore the second half of life in light of current best practices in the field of aging. Featuring essays by James Hollis and Lionel Corbett, this volume presents the results of the day's discussion, with supplementary perspectives from additional experts, and suggests some practical tools for optimizing the second half of life.

Leslie Sawin, M.S., is co-program director at the Jung Society of Washington, focusing on community based efforts to bring Jungian ideas to the general public. She has a master's degree from the Harvard School of Public Health and is currently in the Jungian Studies Program at Saybrook University.

Lionel Corbett, M.D., a Jungian analyst and a core faculty member at Pacifica Graduate Institute, is interested in the religious function of the psyche and the development of psychotherapy as a spiritual practice. He is the author of Psyche and the Sacred: Spirituality Beyond Religion, The Religious Function of the Psyche, The Sacred Cauldron: Psychotherapy as a Spiritual Practice, and The Soul in Anguish.