A Safe Container: The Temenos of the Creative Process

Safety, Containment and Ritual in Transformative Processes:

To feel safe is the prerequisite of all the work that we do with Jungian art methods - the basis and foundation that everything else rests on. To surrender to creativity and the exploration of the inner world, to create artworks that can be very raw at times and to share that with others - all that requires that we feel we are in a safe environment. Maintaining this safe space is of course a main priority for me in my work.

But what elements constellate a safe, sacred space both as an inner experience and an outer place? In this post I want to explore the role of containment, ritual, and boundaries which help to protect that sacred within.

 Jung’s Concept of the Temenos

Jung referred to the therapeutic space that was constellated with his clients, in the counseling room as a temenos and he described this temenos as a safe, sacred space where an encounter with the unconscious can be had and where the unconscious contents can safely be brought into the light of consciousness. He saw it as a “a means of protecting the center of the personality from being drawn out and from being influenced from outside.”

Historical Roots of the Temenos

Originally the word temenos comes from ancient Greece, and it refers to a sacred, protected space; so it was often a temple or a court which was a  physically enclosed area. It was a space that was set apart from ordinary every day life and used for worship and connecting with the divine. It’s also related to the Roman idea of the genius loci - which means a spirit of a place, or a sacred guardian bound to a certain space or region. Jung said: 

"When the Romans came to a new place they put a little stone there, an altar, to the unknown genius or god of this place. They did not know who the presence was in that place but felt they had better do something about it and be polite and greet it. So they dedicated a stone or altar to the invisible genius of that place. That is the primitive politeness to the existence of the invisible unconscious.”

Symbols of Protection: Mandalas, Circles, and Symmetry

Jung also associated the temenos with certain symbols especially the circle and the mandala. He said: “The symbol of the mandala has exactly this meaning of a holy place, a temenos, to protect the centre. And it is a symbol which is one of the most important motifs in the objectivation of unconscious images.” 

Other symbols associated with the temenos are a square or any kind of queternio meaning the amount of four of something and it is also expressed through symmetry. Jung also described it through a very specific image of a "symmetrical rose garden with a fountain in the middle”. Jung believed that the need to establish or preserve a temenos can be indicated by drawings or dream images where these kinds of symbols appear. That’s not to say that every time you dream of or make an image of a circle or a square that this is what its referring to - but its just one of the nuances or potentials of those symbols. But something he did notice with his patients was that mandalas often appeared spontaneously in dreams and art, especially during times when a person was going through a crisis, inner conflict, or otherwise stressful and challenging life situations. So the mandala worked to bring that balance, harmony and containment for the psyche.

Alchemy as a Metaphor for Psychological Transformation

Jung was also very interested in alchemy because he saw the alchemical processes as metaphors to psychological transformations. Jung said:

“The experiences of the alchemists were in a sense my experiences and their world was my world. This was a momentous discovery. I had stumbled upon the historical counterpart of my psychology of the unconscious” (Jaffe p.231)

So alchemy was a way to seek the secret of turning lead into gold, or the philosophers stone through different kinds of ritualized experiments. In alchemy, everything starts with the alchemical vessel -  a vas or a pot where fire was applied to. So psychologically this is a means for containing the interior energies and allowing them to unfold within us. Jungian analyst Marie-Louise von Franz who worked closely with Jung said:

"The alchemical vessel is a symbol for the attitude which prevents anything escaping outside; it is a basic attitude of introversion which, on principle, does not let anything escape into the outside world. The illusion that the whole trouble lies outside oneself has to come to an end and things have to be looked at from within.” 

So this containment also has to do with taking responsibility of ones own emotions and not projecting them to the outside world, to other people or events. This enclosement is therefore very much about boundaries. And of course one way of creating boundaries in any kind of inner work are rituals. They provide anchors to root and structure spiritual experiences and to bring one back to the sacred within themselves. They can work as gateways, pathways or liminal spaces in and out of spiritual experiences.

Temenos as Both an Inner and Outer Space

The temenos can be a physical outer space, or it can also be constellated within as a personal container - and most of all as an experience. In my groups I encourage my participants to reflect on their personal temenos, what does that mean for them? In regards to our creative processes it might mean a certain way one might want to set up their area where they are doing their creative work that supports their explorations. Maybe they have a designated rspot, room or table for that. Maybe there are some objects that they might want to place in this area to symbolize this temenos, or sacred space.

Also, a very concrete way to create containment and boundaries is for example reserving a certain amount of time that is set aside for this kind of work. Maybe it’s a certain time during the week. Are there some rituals or some sort of deliberate framing of their space—such as lighting a candle before they begin? I usually like to use music, and there’s a specific song I’ve used for years to begin my live groups 

During the creative process, they can also examine what kind of material is culminating in their inner alchemical vessel. In other words: What kind of thoughts do they have about themselves and their creative process? Are those thoughts supportive of building a safe space in which to be and create? It’s helpful to notice the inner dialogue that arises—sometimes it can be encouraging, and at other times more judgmental. I think we all carry both of these voices within us.

To feel safe regarding our creative work we also need to feel a positive regard towards ourselves. Often safety comes from sincere interest and nonjudgemental compassion. Sometimes this can be easier to give to other people then to ourselves - but we need to also feel safe within our own thoughts and the way we talk to ourself through our internal speech.

Creating a temenos—both within and around us—is an essential part of Jungian art work. It allows the unconscious to safely emerge and supports the deep, transformative processes that creativity can invite. Whether through ritual, symbolic space, or compassionate inner dialogue, tending this sacred container helps maintain a grounded, open relationship to the inner world. A well-held temenos becomes a quiet foundation where meaningful transformation can take root.