be distortions of the image; we shall frequently see projected upon
each other, things that do not belong together, we shall perceive
convergences at vanishing points which are to be ascribed only to
perspective. I might for brevity's sake call the errors so resulting
errors of superposition. The significance of this concept will, I hope,
come to have still greater validity in psychoanalysis. [This error of
superposition C. G. Jung attempts to unmask, when he writes: "As libido
has a forward tendency, so in a way, incest is that which tends backward
into childhood. It is not incest for the child, and only for the adult,
who possesses a well constituted sexuality, does this regressive tendency
become incest in that he is no longer a child, but has a sexuality that
really no longer can suffer a regressive application." (Jung, Psychology
of the Unconscious.) It may moreover be remarked that Freud also is
careful not to take the incest disclosed by psychoanalysis in too physical
a sense.] This error of superposition is found not only in the view
backward but in the forward view. So what I, as interpreter of mystical
symbolism, may say about the possible development of the soul will be
affected by this error of superposition. It is not in my power to correct
it. In spite of everything, the treatment of symbolism from the two points
of view must be superior to the onesided treatment; in order to
approximate a fundamental comprehension, which to be sure remains an
ideal, the different aspects must be combined and in order to make this
clear I have added a synthetic treatment to the analytic part of my work.

Looking back through the elementary types, we see the infantile images
together with those non-moral origins that psychoanalysis discovers in us;
looking forward we notice thoughts directed to certain goals that will be
mentioned later. The elementary types themselves thanks to
intro-determination represent however a collection of our spiritual
powers, which we have first formed and exercised at the time that the
images arose, and which are in their nature closely related to these
images, indeed completely united with them as a result of the errors of
superposition--this collection of powers, I say, accompanies us through our
entire life and is that from which are taken the powers that will be
required for future development. The objects or applications change, the
powers remain almost the same. The symbolism of the material