Sandtray as a Living Symbolic Process:

Integrating Dora Kalff’s Sandplay Method with Jungian Theory and Jolande Jacobi’s Concept of Symbol Formation

Rina Louw
Clinical Social Worker | Jungian Sandplay Therapist

What Is a Symbol in Jungian Psychology?

Dora Kalff’s Sandplay Therapy is grounded in the Jungian understanding that the psyche possesses an innate capacity for self-regulation and symbolic expression. Central to this method is the spontaneous emergence of images within a free and protected space, without interpretation or directive intervention. This article proposes a coherent integration of Kalff’s clinical process with Jungian theoretical concepts as articulated by Jolande Jacobi, particularly her work on the formation and development of symbols. By conceptualising sandtray work as a five-stage living symbolic process, the article demonstrates how archetypal activation, personal complexes, and symbolic images interact over time under the guidance of the Self. Jacobi’s theoretical framework is positioned as retrospective and reflective, thereby preserving Kalff’s non-interpretive stance while offering conceptual clarity for training, research, and professional reflection.

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1. Introduction

Sandplay Therapy, developed by Dora Kalff, occupies a distinctive position within Jungian analytical psychology. Unlike verbally mediated therapeutic approaches, sandplay relies primarily on symbolic image formation as the vehicle for psychological transformation (Kalff, 1980). Kalff’s method is characterised by a disciplined refusal to interpret symbols during the therapeutic process, grounded in her conviction that healing arises through symbolic experience rather than cognitive insight.

At the same time, Jungian clinicians and scholars have sought conceptual frameworks to understand how symbols arise, evolve, and withdraw across sequences of sandtrays. Jolande Jacobi’s writings on archetypes, complexes, and symbol formation provide theoretical clarification without undermining Kalff’s methodological stance. This article argues that Jacobi’s work does not stand in opposition to Kalff’s approach, but rather offers a meta-theoretical lens through which the sandplay process can be understood retrospectively and academically.

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2. Theoretical Foundations

2.1 Jungian Concepts: Archetype, Complex, and Self

In Jungian psychology, archetypes are inherited, universal structures of the collective unconscious. They are not images in themselves, but organising principles that become perceptible only through symbolic representation (Jung, 1959). Archetypes shape typical human experiences such as motherhood, heroism, loss, and transformation, yet remain formless until expressed symbolically.

Complexes, in contrast, belong to the personal unconscious and consist of emotionally charged constellations formed through lived experience, particularly early relational dynamics (Jung, 1960). Complexes carry affect and autobiographical material and may be activated when archetypal patterns intersect with personal history.

The Self functions as the organising centre and totality of the psyche, guiding the individuation process through symbolic expression (Jung, 1954). In sandplay therapy, it is the Self—not the ego or therapist—that directs the unfolding of images over time.

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2.2 Jacobi’s Contribution to Symbol Formation

Jolande Jacobi refined Jung’s ideas by articulating the process through which symbols come into being. She emphasised that symbols arise when an archetype constellates through a personal complex, producing an image that mediates between conscious and unconscious realms (Jacobi, 1959/1973). Symbols are therefore neither purely personal nor purely collective; they are relational formations that hold psychic tension and facilitate transformation.

Jacobi cautioned against premature interpretation, noting that symbols lose vitality when fixed too quickly or reduced to conceptual meaning (Jacobi, 1959/1973). This position closely aligns with Kalff’s insistence on non-interpretation within the therapeutic setting, reinforcing the importance of allowing symbols to remain alive, ambiguous, and experientially effective.

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3. Methodological Orientation: Dora Kalff’s Sandplay Therapy

Sandplay Therapy is conducted within what Kalff termed a free and protected space (Kalff, 1980). Clients are invited to create sandtrays using dry or wet sand and a collection of miniature figures, without instruction, direction, or imposed themes. The therapist adopts the role of silent witness, offering emotional containment rather than verbal engagement or interpretation.

Each sandtray is understood not as an isolated product but as part of a symbolic sequence unfolding over time. Healing is conceptualised as an emergent process that does not require conscious insight, making sandplay particularly effective for children, trauma survivors, and preverbal or dissociated psychological material (Kalff, 1980; Turner, 2005).

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4. Sandtray as a Living Symbolic Process: Five Stages

Drawing on Kalff’s clinical observations and Jacobi’s theoretical insights, sandtray work may be conceptualised as a five-stage living symbolic process. /image-vs-symbol-jungian-psychology/

4.1 Stage One: Archetypal Activation (Pre-Symbolic Phase)

Early trays often reflect heightened psychic activation without coherent symbolic form. Chaos, emptiness, fragmentation, or repetitive sensorimotor engagement with the sand are common. These trays express complex-driven states rather than symbols and should not be interpreted (Kalff, 1980).http://How symbolic play supports emotional regulation in children /symbolic-play-emotional-regulation/

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4.2 Stage Two: Image Emergence (Symbol-in-Formation)

As archetypal energy attaches to personal material, spontaneous images begin to appear. These images may be emotionally charged yet lack narrative coherence. At this stage, images function as pre-symbolic expressions rather than fully developed symbols (Jacobi, 1959/1973).

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4.3 Stage Three: Repetition and Deepening (Living Symbol Phase)

When images or motifs recur across trays, they indicate the formation of living symbols. Repetition reflects the psyche’s attempt to hold and work through psychic tension. The symbol now carries both archetypal resonance and personal significance, mediating between unconscious and conscious domains (Jung, 1954).

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4.4 Stage Four: Ego–Symbol Relationship (Transformational Phase)

Through continued containment within the sandplay process, symbolic images begin to reorganise psychic material. Trays often show increased structure, relationality, and balance. Emotional shifts may occur even in the absence of verbal insight, as the symbol itself facilitates transformation (Kalff, 1980; Turner, 2005).

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4.5 Stage Five: Symbol Transformation or Withdrawal (Integration Phase)

Once a symbol has fulfilled its psychic task, it may transform or withdraw. Former motifs may disappear or move to the periphery, often accompanied by increased calm, agency, or playfulness. This withdrawal signifies integration rather than loss and reflects the psyche’s self-regulating movement toward wholeness (Jacobi, 1959/1973).

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5. Integrating Process and Theory Without Interference

A critical methodological distinction must be maintained between clinical practice and theoretical reflection. Kalff’s sandplay method requires the suspension of interpretation within sessions, whereas Jacobi’s framework operates at a retrospective, conceptual level. When applied outside the therapeutic process—for research, training, or reflection—Jacobi’s theory enhances understanding without disrupting symbolic emergence.

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6. Discussion

Viewing sandtray work as a living symbolic process highlights the dynamic nature of symbol formation and transformation. This perspective affirms Kalff’s trust in the psyche’s self-regulating capacity while offering a coherent theoretical explanation for symbolic development over time. The integration of Jacobi’s work supports scholarly articulation without compromising clinical ethics or therapeutic integrity.

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7. Conclusion

Sandplay Therapy exemplifies Jung’s assertion that the psyche speaks most authentically through symbols. When held within a free and protected space, images arise, evolve, and withdraw in accordance with the Self’s organising principle. Jacobi’s contribution to symbol theory provides conceptual clarity to this process, enriching Jungian sandplay practice while preserving its non-directive essence. Together, Kalff and Jacobi offer a unified vision of symbolic healing that honours both experience and understanding.

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References

Jacobi, J. (1973). Complex, archetype, symbol in the psychology of C. G. Jung (R. Manheim, Trans.). Princeton University Press. (Original work published 1959)

Jung, C. G. (1954). The development of personality. Princeton University Press.

Jung, C. G. (1959). The archetypes and the collective unconscious (2nd ed.). Princeton University Press.

Jung, C. G. (1960). The structure and dynamics of the psyche. Princeton University Press.

Kalff, D. M. (1980). Sandplay: A psychotherapeutic approach to the psyche. Sigo Press.

Turner, B. (2005). The handbook of sandplay therapy. Temenos

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