The Individuation Journey

I recently attended a workshop that introduced me to the idea of artificial versus natural individuation - a new perspective to me. The presenter shared a passage from Jolande Jacobi’s work, describing these two very different approaches to psychological growth. I found it fascinating as someone who uses astrology as a tool for greater self-awareness and inner work.

Individuation, as Carl Jung described it, is the process of becoming more whole—integrating all the aspects of ourselves that we often suppress or ignore. Jacobi's perspective emphasizes that this growth can unfold naturally or be forced and artificial. But what does that mean for us in today's world, where self-help, spiritual guidance, and healing modalities are everywhere, especially, in a society that prefers quantity over quality?

Just today, I was listening to a podcast with Dr. Calley Means, who spoke about how doctors are often compensated based on the quantity of patients they see rather than the quality of care or the outcomes they provide. Crazy right?! It feels like this mentality has permeated many areas of our lives, encouraging artificial, forceful growth instead of living in sync with nature, its rhythms, and our own inner cycles. I mean, this also makes me think of everything from our agricultural practices to our shopping habits.

I also think about how this applies to anyone engaged in healing work, whether you're a coach, a therapist, or simply on a personal path of self-discovery. It reminded me of the importance of meeting people where they are and honoring their unique life experiences and rhythms, rather than pathologizing or being quick to prescribe solutions.

In a world that often prioritizes quick fixes and overnight transformations, how do we create space for natural, organic growth?

One of the gifts astrology offers, I believe, is the ability to recognize life cycles and initiations that happen for each of us, whether that’s a Saturn return, a Pluto transit, or a lunar cycle. Astrology reveals the natural timing of growth and transformation and helps us see where someone might be in their process and what is emerging for them.

I believe astrology is best worked with as a guide. It shows us the potential energies at play, but the work of individuation is personal and ongoing. We must trust that each individual, at their own pace, will naturally move toward wholeness. The soul, I believe, wants to individuate and express its fullness—it's inherently wired for this growth or unfolding, just as the body is wired for birth.

When I think about this idea of natural vs. artificial processes, I can’t help but reflect on my own birth experience. During labor, I found myself trying to power through and “overcome” my contractions as if forcing would help me deliver my baby faster. What I now recognize is that this approach only created more resistance and tension. What my body needed was surrender. The natural process of labor, like individuation, requires trust. Each contraction had its own timing, and it was asking me to stop fighting and lean into the rhythm of my body, allowing birth to unfold as it was meant to.

This mirrors the psychological and spiritual growth we experience in life. We often resist the contractions—the moments of discomfort, challenge, or emotional intensity—because we want to control the outcome or get through the discomfort as quickly as possible. Yet these experiences open us up, preparing us to birth new parts of ourselves. What if we could see these events as happening for us, rather than to us? What if, no matter how difficult, these moments were a part of our fate—something we are being asked, as Hollis says, to 'love and wrestle' with?

Artificial individuation would mean trying to skip the contractions altogether, pushing for growth before the psyche is ready, or adopting an identity without doing the inner work. Through Jacobi's work and my exploration of astrology, I'm learning that individuation is truly natural and organic; it's not meant to be rushed. Just as the body knows how to give birth, the soul knows how to grow and integrate if we trust its timing and provide space for it to be heard.

Astrology is a tool that can help us recognize when certain processes are unfolding. It’s not about forcing outcomes but about holding space for the unfolding, just as a midwife supports the natural birth process. We can work with life's contractions, lean into them, and listen to what they're asking of us. We cannot dictate timing or skip over the hard parts, just as in birth.

What a woman needs during labor is to be witnessed, tended to, and reminded that her body knows how to do this. In our soul journeys, we too need to allow our essence to be witnessed, nurtured, and reassured that its expression is welcome. I believe that this is our role in whatever “healing” sessions we conduct—mirroring this back to those we serve.

In a culture that often profits from selling quick-fix solutions, it’s more important than ever to remind ourselves and others that true growth happens in its own time, with every experience and lesson contributing to our becoming. Whether through astrology, therapy, or spiritual practices, our role as guides is to hold space for the natural process of becoming whole, allowing each person to move at the pace their soul dictates. We create space for the deepening and attunement to the river beneath river, cultivating a connection to the currents of their inner world.

Truly, it’s an invitation to trust—not just in astrology, but in life itself. Trust that the soul is always moving toward its own expression and individuation, and that each contraction, each challenge, is part of a greater unfolding.

Thanks for being here,

-Mel