Self-Analysis by Horney Karen

Author:Horney, Karen
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Taylor & Francis (CAM)

Chapter Seven

Systematic Self-Analysis: Preliminaries

Systematic self-analysis might be superficially distinguished from occasional analysis of oneself by the mere fact that it involves more frequent work: it, too, has its starting point in a particular difficulty which one wants to remove, but unlike occasional self-analysis it goes through the process over and over again, rather than resting content with an isolated solution. This description, however, while correct in a formalistic way, would miss the essential differences. One might recurrently analyze oneself and it would still remain occasional analysis if certain conditions were not fulfilled.

The greater frequency is one distinguishing factor in systematic self-analysis, but only one. More important is the attribute of continuity, the following up of problems; the lack of this in the examples of occasional work was emphasized in the previous chapter. This requires, however, more than a mere conscientious picking up and elaboration of the leads that offer themselves. It is by no means from sheer superficiality or negligence that the persons in the examples cited were satisfied with the results attained. To proceed beyond insights that are within easy reach inevitably means to encounter “resistances,” to expose oneself to all kinds of painful uncertainties and hurts and to take up the battle with these opposing forces. And this requires a different spirit from that which serves in occasional work. There the incentive is the pressure of some gross disturbance and the wish to resolve it. Here, though the work starts under a similar pressure, the ultimate driving force is the person’s unrelenting will to come to grips with himself, a wish to grow and to leave nothing untouched that prevents growth. It is a spirit of ruthless honesty toward himself, and he can succeed in finding himself only to the extent that it prevails.

There is, of course, a difference between the will to be honest and the capacity to be so. Any number of times he will be unable to measure up to this ideal. There may be some consolation, however, in the fact that no analysis would be necessary if he were always transparent to himself. Furthermore, the capacity for honesty will gradually increase if he carries on with a measure of constancy. Each obstacle surmounted means gaining territory within himself and therefore makes it possible to approach the next with greater inner strength.

Feeling at a loss as to how to go about it, the person who is analyzing himself, however conscientious, may undertake the work with a kind of artificial zest. He may resolve, for instance, to analyze all his dreams from now on. Dreams, according to Freud, are the royal road to the unconscious. That remains true. But unfortunately it is a road that is easily lost if there is not full knowledge of all the territory around it. For anyone to try his skill at interpreting dreams without some understanding of the factors operating within himself at the time is a haphazard, hit-or-miss play. Interpretation may then degenerate into intellectual guesswork, even if the dream itself is seemingly transparent.

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