Analitik Psikoloji Doğrultusunda Mutasavvıf Şairlerin Şiirlerinde Gölgeler
Shadows the Poems of Sufi Poets Within Analytical Psychology

Summary/Abstract: Analytical psychology is a theory proposed by Carl Gustav Jung, a famous Swiss psychotherapist, in the 20th century and now influences not only psychotherapy but also many branches of science, from psychology to theology, ethnography, literature, and fine arts. Jung’s major success in this theory may be his discovery of unconscious, personal unconscious, and collective unconscious. This discovery has uncovered not only the collective images and their collective symbols in literary texts but also what the soul’s needs are. The primary assumption of Jung’s theory is that one is born with the need to attach to an ontologically stronger entity. Thus, continuing life by ignoring this basic need refers to spending energy on non-innate desires. Indeed, human beings are innately interested in various aspects of life. These desires may sometimes hinder social welfare and thus contradict religious orders. In this case, one is not accepted as religious and cannot achieve individuation psychologically. As Jung calls it in his theory, people failing to realize themselves are considered those failing to recognize their shadows. Yet, it is presumed in analytical psychology that it is rather challenging to realize shadows. According to Jung, some people cannot realize their shadows throughout their lives, and some may feel exhausted, tired, or even sick due to their experiences at some stages of their lives. In Jungian theory, people failing to realize their shadows cannot achieve their individuation. He even proposes that the greatest destruction of humanity will result from societies deprived of individuation. Ultimately, this article is interested in the similarity of the “shadow” archetype to the term nafs, which refers to desire, aspiration, and principles of life in the Sufi view, and meticulous examination of the term in the Divans of eleven Sufi poets in line with the theory. Therefore, it consists of the explanations of fifty-one poems in these Divans where the term shadow corresponds to the term nafs. The data obtained from the mentioned works are interpreted in five sections: definition of shadow, becoming conscious, recognizing shadows, individuation, and shadow types; hastiness, ambition, arrogance, and hatred. Interestingly, the poems describing the types of shadows also offer advice and solution suggestions on how to combat these shadows - detrimental human qualities. It should also be noted that Sufi poets’ advice to readers is among the recommendations that Jung particularly emphasizes in his theory. We believe that this paper will contribute to classical Turkish literature, Turkish-Islamic literature, and theology by uncovering the symbolic meanings of the terms and phrases aired in the examined texts.

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