Does Type Change?

Does or can Type change?

Jung said that for a plant to unfold its nature to the full, it must first grow in the soil in which it is planted. By this, Jung was talking about the power of our environments and cultures to shape and affect our development, but within this Jungian thought is the idea that we–like the plant–have a nature into which we are each developing (this is the hard-wiring).

If we are hard wired cognitively, then how much transformation is possible? Outside my window right now is a Ginko tree–a beautiful reminder of spring. There is nothing that tree can do to become a bush or a stone–or even another kind of tree, but if its development is positive (and normal) and its environment allowing, that Ginko will grow and transform (in size, shape and color) over the years. In some startling ways, like size, it will transform over time, and in some other ways (like color) it will cycle through some more minor transformations over the course of its life.

As are trees–so are people in many ways. Jung’s model gives us a template to understand how we as people are pre-disposed to take in data and make decisions, but over time and with development, we can and should grow and transform into something far greater.

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