m "introversion" comes from C. G. Jung. It means sinking into one's
own soul; the withdrawal of interest from the outer world; the seeking for
joys that can be afforded by the inner world. The psychology of the
neuroses has led to the concept of introversion, a province, therefore,
which principally treats of morbid forms and functions of introversion.
The sinking of oneself into one's own soul also appears exactly as a
morbid losing of oneself in it. We can speak of introversion neuroses.
Jung regards dementia precox as an introversion neurosis. Freud, who has
adopted the concept of introversion [with some restrictions] regards the
introversion of the libido as a regular and necessary precondition of
every psychoneurosis. Jung (Jb. ps. F., III, p. 159) speaks of "certain
mental disturbances [he means dementia precox] which are induced by the
fact that the patients retire more and more from reality, sink into their
phantasy, whereby in proportion as reality loses its force, the inner
world takes on a reality and determining power." We may also define
introversion as a resignation of the joys of the outer world (probably
unattainable or become troubled) and a seeking for the libido sources in
one's own ego. So we see how generally self-chastisement, introversion and
autoerotism are connected.

The turning away from the outer world and turning in to the inner, is
required by all those methods which lead to intensive exercise of religion
and a mystic life. The experts in mysteries provide for opportunities that
should encourage introversion. Cloisters and churches are institutions of
introversion. The symbolism of religious doctrine and rite is full of
images of introversion, which is, in short, one of the most important
presuppositions of mysticism.

Religious and mythical symbolism has countless images for introversion;
e.g., dying, going down, subterranean crypts, vaults, dark temples, into
the underworld, hell, the sea, etc.; being swallowed by a monster or a
fish (as Jonah), stay in the wilderness, etc. The symbols for introversion
correspond in large part with those that I have described for going to
sleep and waking (threshold symbolism), a fact that can be readily
appreciated from their actual similarity. The descent of Faust to the
mothers is an introversion symbol. Introversion fulfills here clearly the
aim of bringing to reality, i.e., to psychological reality, something that
is attainable only by phantasy (worl