Beyond Easy Tolerance or the Greater <i>Jihād</i>

Abstract The psychology of C. G. Jung is known for its focus on the inner life and a tendency toward introversion. In recent years, however, there has been increasing emphasis on political activism and advocacy in depth psychology in general, not least in Jungian circles. Jung was highly suspicious of mass movements and warned that extreme positions tend to become their opposite ( enantiodromia ). He also warned of the danger of secular or banal matters being imbued with archetypal significance through projection and how this leads to fanaticism. This paper addresses the role of analytical psychology in an increasingly politicized world, turning first to the medieval Islamic philosopher Ibn 'Arabī who proposed a tertiary vision that was capable of perceiving the barzakh, the line that divides as well as connects the opposites. I then illustrate this with the life and teachings of the Malian Sufi, Tierno Bokar, and finish with a discussion of jihād , an Islamic term that refers to both outer and inner struggle. I conclude that the choice facing Jungian psychology is not limited to a simple binary of action vs. inaction but includes a third, more challenging position.