The Journey to the Gold — Your Type Is Only the Beginning
When we look at the 16 types, it is easy to get caught up in tables and labels. But Jung did not see type as a boundary, but as a starting point — a gateway to an inner journey. This journey is called individuation: becoming who we truly are, beyond the social mask, the habits, and the parts we prefer to repress. It is a journey of self-discovery in which the different parts of the personality, including the darker ones, come together into one more whole unit.
Jung found inspiration in alchemy. The alchemists tried to turn lead into gold, but Jung understood that the true meaning was not in the metals: the alchemical process is a mirror of the psyche. The raw material represents our unconscious parts: fears, pain, drives, and states we were never taught how to deal with. The opportunity is to turn this material into gold — into the creation of the Self, the whole part within us.
The journey begins with a dive into the first stage: the stage in which we are forced to face inner chaos, a sense of breakdown, or loss of control. This is the place where the “lead” within begins to crumble. From there begins the stage of clarification, in which we begin to see our patterns, to understand what belongs to us and what belongs to external influences and the environment. Later, we move into the stage of gilding, a stage in which we begin to feel depth, meaning, and a sense of direction — this is the first light of the inner Self. Finally comes the stage in which all the components are united: opposites come together, the shadow stops being an enemy, and we feel that we are acting from an inner center, not only from an external persona.
This is where the transcendent function comes in — one of Jung’s central concepts. It is a process in which two opposing forces within the psyche stop fighting and begin creating something new. A clear example is the tension between the Extroverted Thinking function, Te — the desire to be efficient, organized, and measurable — and the Introverted Feeling function, Fi — an inner voice that seeks authenticity, loyalty to values, and loyalty to feeling. When one no longer “controls” the other, and they begin to speak to each other, a third way is born: an integration in which it becomes possible to act effectively while also remaining true to yourself. Just like in alchemy, the union of two opposites produces a new substance, a kind of “psychic gold” that did not exist before.
So your type is only the gateway. Individuation is the journey in which the raw material within goes through refinement, parts that threaten the inner order become allies, and the psyche creates its own wholeness. It is not a quick journey, but it creates the most precious thing: inner freedom, presence, and the ability to live as yourself with full depth and integrity.
Feel like this is only the tip of the iceberg? Let’s keep talking about it. We opened a WhatsApp group for people who understand — and are interested in — MBTI, where you can dive deeper into the types and ask about anything that interests you, without holding back.