Re‐enchantment in Adolescent Psyche: Spiritual Experiences in Video Games and Dreams

Abstract This study explores spiritual experiences in online video games and dreams from the perspective of analytical psychology, focusing on how such experiences activate the archetype of initiation in adolescents. Method: The present study adopted a Jungian psychological perspective to analyse symbols and psychological processes emerging in dreams that occurred after interaction with video games. Scores on Mystical Experience Questionnaire (MEQ‐30) were used to assess whether the participant had undergone a spiritual experience while playing video games. Participants continued to record dreams for a 10‐week follow‐up period. The paper presents two case studies to illustrate that video games can evoke diverse spiritual experiences that are often connected to an individual's personal complexes. These spiritual experiences may activate the archetype of initiation and interact with dreams, thereby contributing to the process of individuation. In cases of addiction, an archetypal self‐care system may be at play—representing a destructive aspect of the Self—which is experienced as a damaging form of spirituality. The paper suggests that Jungian analysts and educators should recognize the transformative and spiritual dimensions embedded in video games to support healthy initiation in adolescent development.