The tortoise

This article is a study of the way the symbol of the tortoise was manifested in the analytic process of a 35-years-old man. The analytic problem of the correct approach to a living symbol was solved by the analysand himself. In doing so, he demonstrated an ethical or eco-psychological attitude appropriate to reporting on his personal relationship with an animal symbol. As for the author, he is eager to attest to the psychological functions of the animal symbol at work in the analysand’s individuation process, while taking care not to “kill” the tortoise by burdening it with an intellectual theory.