Exploring Watchword Personality Dynamics

Watchword Dynamics

Preliminary Comments

The Watchword Test is essentially a method of self-analysis in which it is important to interpret your own matrix. This is mainly because only you are aware of the full facts of your situation.

Also the words you have written will often have very personal or private significance that will not be apparent to someone else. If you decide to show your matrix to others, you should exercise caution in accepting any interpretations they may suggest.

Detailed guidelines for interpretation of the Watchword Test are given in my book Self-Discovery the Jungian Way.

Below, you will find simplified explanations that should allow you to decipher the most significant features of your test.

Dominant Theme

It is useful to begin by considering the main theme (if any) that is expressed in the eleven key words (those in the central rectangle). To do this you should ask yourself what aspect of your life these eleven words seem to represent. The theme will usually give a good indication of your major current areas of concern.

Common themes are: Work, Family, Relationships, Health, Education, Ideology, Sport, Entertainment, and Feelings.

Amplifying Words

Often the personal or psychological meaning of the key words that appear in your matrix will be fairly clear to you. At other times, you may struggle to understand what a word might represent.

In order to assist the interpretation of a key word, it is often helpful, especially when the word has no obvious personal or psychological significance, to elaborate upon (or amplify) its meaning.

This amplification involves allowing a word to suggest other associations (especially ones that are personally or psychologically significant). For example, the word "RAIN" might suggest to you ideas of unhappiness, weeping, cold, dismay or, perhaps, refreshment and rebirth.

The Watchword Keys

Each of the Watchword key words is believed to have a specific psychological meaning that depends upon its position (location) on the page.

An explanation of the structural principles involved can be found at Psychological Dynamics of the Watchword Test.


The Watchword Keys

The Watchword Keys

Interpreting Your Words

To interpret the meaning of your own words you should try to relate the word (or phrase) you have written in each key location (and its amplified associations) to the key principles and primary indications.

If you have difficulty interpreting a particular key, then an examination of the two words that were linked to form the key may help to establish its underlying meaning.

It is recommended that you examine the keys in the following order. The first four keys are often best interpreted in pairs, so that  contrasts in meaning can be more easily identified.

GIANT and DWARF

These two keys represent progressive and regressive  tendencies in your personality or current situation.


Giant and Dwarf GIANT DWARF
Principle Progression Regression
Primary Indication Driving Forces Inertial Tendencies
Personality Dominant motivation

Source of strength

Creative impulses

Necessary movement or development

Features that are carrying you forward

Future possibility

Personal virtues
Source of weakness

Features that are holding you back

Characteristics that should be held in check or moderated

Earlier situation

Childhood

Immature impulses

Personal vices

SOUL and PERSONA

These two keys represent the inward and outward aspects of your personality.


Soul and Persona SOUL PERSONA
Principle Inwardness Outwardness
Primary Indication Basic Inner Personality Basic Outer Personality
Personality Private or subjective self

Thoughts and feelings

Emotional situation

Unconscious or concealed tendencies

Attitude to the unconscious

Qualities that you attribute to the opposite sex

Jungian anima or animus
Public or objective self

Mask or performances

Social roles

Physical or social situation

Conscious attitudes or tendencies

Jungian persona

GUIDE and IMAGO

These two keys represent the progressive tendencies in, respectively, your inner world, and outer life.


Guide and Imago GUIDE IMAGO
Principle Inner Progression Outer Progression
Primary Indication Higher Self Ego-ideals
Personality Sense of inner teacher

Inner power or greatness

Intuitive insights

Dominant sense modality

Main source of inspiration or enjoyment

Inner qualities that need to be fully acknowledged or developed

Conscience

Moral principles

Ideology

Message from the unconscious

The direction of unconscious striving

Jungian mana personality
Conscious values, goals and desires

Idealized image of the self

Imagined future situation or seemingly inevitable consequence of current trends

Physical, material or social need

SHADOW and SPECTRE

These two keys represent regressive forces in your inner and outer life.


Shadow and Spectre SHADOW SPECTRE
Principle Inner Regression Outer Regression
Primary Indication Repressed Material Problems, anxieties and fears
Personality Dark or hidden side of your nature

Disliked characteristics that you are unwilling to recognise in the self and tend to project onto others

Features that you have failed consciously to acknowledge and develop

Irrational sensitivities

Complexes

Feelings of disgust

Inner weakness

Jungian shadow
Areas where expression is difficult

Rejected values

Old preoccupations

Features that you are aware of in the self or situation, but which you dislike

Dread of becoming

Area where help is needed or sought

Escapist tendencies

Domineering force

STATION and BATTLE

Station represents your overall psychological situation at this particular time.

Battle represents aspects that need to be addressed in order to move forward.


Station and Battle STATION BATTLE
Principle Inner-Outer Balance or Tension Progressive-Regressive Balance or Tension
Primary Indication Sense of basic selfhood Personal task, quest or adventure
Personality Current status or essential personal situation

Basic quality in the self

Continuing preoccupation

General emotional tone

Personal style

Identity problems

Jungian ego
Field of conflict

Moral dilemma

Inner turmoil

Spiritual crisis

Major cause of concern

Way forward

DESTINY

Finally, Destiny represents the anticipated resolution or outcome of your journey.

It is important to realise that this is NOT a fatalistic prediction of what will occur. Rather, Destiny suggests your psyche's "best guess" of a possible future situation, based on its assessment of the direction in which you are currently moving.


Destiny DESTINY
Principle Final Resolution
Primary Indication Realized Self
Personality Projected outcome of battle or quest

Ultimate goal or value

Personal transformation

Jungian Self