Introduction

Daoism and dialogism: A dialogue between China and the West

“…Specifically, the human mind at times more deeply understands a phenomenon when also presented with its opposite, or in observing the two in conjunction. In fact, some psychologists have stressed the existential importance of “connecting to a narrative and dialogic stance” for individuals (Jones & Morioka, 2011, p. 4).…”

“…In examining the theories of dialogue and psychology, particularly in Carl Jung’s ideas of the dialogical self (Smythe, 2013), one may find important Chinese philosophical connections (Murase, 2008; Virtbauer, 2012; Zhang & Chen, 2009). As such, the Jungnian movement can be seen “as a philosophical approach to the self” (Jones & Morioka, 2011, p. 1), and for his insights, he often “approached the golden temple of Eastern wisdom” (Coward, 1985, p. xiv).…”

“…This split of selves is also central to understanding psychological principles in partitioning the self in various guises. In Jungnian psychology for instance (Jones & Morioka, 2011), a “collaborative pluralism” exists in a person (p. 1), as separate selves in the mind dialogue with each other. In essence, he conceives of consciousness as “a ‘divided whole’ whose various parts are relatively independent, ‘so much so that certain parts of the psyche never become associated with the ego at all’” (p. 15).…”

“…I conceive of this dynamic relationship as a dialogue between my multiple identities (Hermans, Kempen, & van Loon, 1992), and thus have long been intrigued by the concept of dialogue. In this paper, I examine Chinese Daoist philosophy (Inada, 2003; Lao-Tzu, 1993; Zhang & Chen, 2009) and connect this thinking with Western conceptualizations of dialogue (Bakhtin, 1981; 1984a; 1986; 1990; 1993; Jones & Morioka, 2011) venturing also into possible connections of both lines of thought with Western psychological principles (Jones & Morioka, 2011). I contend that Chinese and Western philosophies have overlap, revealing a shared understanding of the world.…”

The Dialogical Jung: Otherness within the Self

“…Papadopoulos [27,28] has extensively documented the theme of “otherness” in Jung’s life and work, making a compelling case that this was an essential preoccupation of Jung’s throughout his long and productive career. The contributors to a recent volume edited by Jones and Morioka [29] focus more specifically on dialogical aspects of Jung’s approach to otherness within the self, which is the focus of the present paper as well. The aim is not to attempt to assimilate or “domesticate” analytical psychology to the categories of dialogical self theory but, rather, to extend the reach of both traditions through mutual engagement.…”