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Abstract

C. G. Jung never published his painted opus, The Red Book, or the art-based methodology that he learned in creating it, instead teaching this process to his advanced patients in analysis. Yet, 鈥渄espite the fact鈥� that he 鈥渟o often travelled this path with individual patients,鈥� Jung (1933) lamented that he had not 鈥渟ucceeded in making the process clear to a wider circle and in working it up in a form suitable for publication,鈥� something that was 鈥渁ccomplished only in a fragmentary way鈥� (p. 72). This art-based and art-informed study gathers these scattered fragments and assembles them as stepping stones to recreate the soul鈥檚 illuminated pathway. Following Jung鈥檚 example and his advice to patients on how to create their own painted opus, I travelled Jung鈥檚 path and lead others on this individuation journey to find our 鈥渙wn way,鈥� as Jung (2009) instructed (p. 125). Focusing on Jung鈥檚 summary statement from The Red Book as a lens: 鈥淚t [soul] is not to be thought; it is to be viewed. It is a painting鈥� (p. 547), this dissertation views the soul as a painting to formalize and publish his art-based methodology. In bringing Jung鈥檚 path to a wider circle, the study takes a step toward redressing his regret that he 鈥渇ailed鈥� in his 鈥渇oremost task, to open people鈥檚 eyes to the reality of the soul and the buried treasure [The Red Book] in the field鈥� (as cited in Russell, 2013 p. 5).