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The Dialogical Self of Taoistic Dynamics: How scientists and practitioners can trigger the discovery of a harmonious self

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Abstract

In the present paper, I relate the Dialogical Self Theory with the philosophy of Taoism. For that purpose, I instance the premises of Taoism such as that human being use open ideograms (signs and symbols) that grow constantly in their meaning, that the meaning of life can be only unraveled if the unity of opposites is integrated in one’s worldview and that the human being listens to his natural intuition and does not force himself to do things (wuwei = effortless action which has its origins in Laozi’s TaoTeChing). When those premises are applied to the Dialogical Self Theory, psychologists can help people to develop a harmonious self because the self is operationalized as an open system that is constantly in flux of meaning. Hidden I-positions might be shifted to the foreground while helping the human being to listen to a multitude of positions and to not act in a rigid fashion. In order for scientists and practitioners to use the insights of what I call the Dialogical Self of Taoistic Dynamics, I propose an open interview guide that could help people to realize their harmonious pluralistic self.

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Notes

  1. I am grateful for one reviewer asking me to specify my writings about wuwei. This has especially to do with the over-rational nature of the concept of Wuwei. It is important to underline that Wuwei – such as acceptance within therapy – should not only be talked about. On the contrary, it shows itself through concrete actions. But this does not mean that we cannot talk about those actions as well as about their consequences. Yet, we need to be cautious to not make that concept an intellectual one.

  2. Systemic Psychotherapy does something similar where client and therapist work on inner aspects of the Self and try to express those (see Kriz, 2017).

  3. I understand my work in tradition of William James who was not shy in applying psychological insights to the domain of life philosophy (1918). James was in particular interested how a harmonious life comes into being – something that is inherently philosophical. However, mainstream psychology is nowadays afraid of sticking to its philosophical roots (Valsiner, 2014, 2019) and refrains from questions and inquiries about leading a harmonious life.

  4. The I Ching is an old Chinese oracle that is nowadays used as a philosophical work. Its origins are far older than the principles of Taoism or Confucianism but can be combined with the axioms of Taoism (Hesse, 2021). People are still debating its use whether it should be seen as an oracle or as a way to come into dialogue with one’ Self and others (see Jung, 1997d).

  5. There are many interpretations of the signs. However, I follow here Chang’s interpretation of the I Ging.

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Acknowledgements

Für Anna Ghazi, für Reinhard Semmerling, für Jaan Valsiner, ohne die ich heute nicht schreiben würde. Ihr habt mir geholfen, mich besser kennenzulernen und den Weg des Tao zu gehen.

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    Enno Freiherr von Fircks

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von Fircks, E.F. The Dialogical Self of Taoistic Dynamics: How scientists and practitioners can trigger the discovery of a harmonious self. Integr. psych. behav. 58, 361–385 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12124-023-09807-7

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