Masks of Strange Gods: An Aesthetic Relationship With Psyche

摘要

This thesis seeks to meet psyche, on its own terms for its own sake, by coming into aesthetic relationship with the phenomena that arise from it in the inner and outer world. The goal is a renewed understanding of beauty and the restoration of the primacy of psyche's aesthetic expression to the theory and practice of depth psychology. I have sought congruency with psyche in my exploration of aesthetic relationship by attempting to maintain an approach that is itself aesthetic in the heuristic research and artistic-creative production that comprises this thesis. By referring to psyche for the content as well as the process of this thesis, I hope to have aligned this work with the project of depth aesthetics within the framework of archetypal psychology. Opportunities for further research and integration of depth aesthetics into psychotherapeutic practice are explored.