Archetypes and Cultural Symbols in Dreams

Archetype

One of Jung’s most influential and controversial concepts

The idea of the Archetype has had a far reaching influence over such disciplines as psychology, anthropology, theology, literary interpretation, movies, cultural history, etc.

ArchetypeJung did NOT discover the idea of the Archetype

First found with Philo Judaeus (Alexandria 20BCE-50 CE)

Related to Plato’s concept of “ideal forms”—patterns existing in the divine mind that determines what form the material world will take.

Also found in the writings of Irenaeus (Greek Cleric. Died 202 AD)

From the Greek: Arche = the first and Type = imprint

Jung:“From the unconscious there emanate determining influences which, independent of tradition, guarantee in every single individual a similarity and even a sameness of experience…One of the main proofs of this is the almost universal parallelism between mythological motifs, which, on account of their quality as primordial images, I have called archetypes (9, CW, 118)

Jung:“We can only suppose that (human) behavior results from patterns of functioning, which I have described as primordial images. The term “image” is intended to express not only the form of the activity taking place, but the typical situation in which the activity is released. The images are “primordial” images insofar as they are peculiar to whole species, and if they ever “originated”, their origin mush have coincided at least with the beginning of the species” (9, CW, 153)

Archetypes

The inborn blueprints and universal patterns we have inherited from our ancestors that form the dynamics of the personality

Understood and energy systems within us that can take the form of behaviors, thoughts, emotions, and value systems

They are NOT inborn “images” that are directly knowable, but the predisposition to form images and stories around universal themes.

How did Jung “discover” Archetypes?

He was a prolific scholar of the worlds myths and religions, and noticed common themes not only in theses myths, but also the same themes would appear in his clients dreams and fantasies.

These common themes include patterns of life, death, rebirth, conflict, sacrifice, development, suffering, connection, order, wisdom, relationships, etc.

Why important?Archetypes arrive to portend potential developments and provide a healing experience and energy.

They offer meaning, orientation, and guidance both within and with respect to interpersonal events.

Connect us to the dimension of the spiritual and of spiritual experience

They show us the ways that humankind has responded spiritually, philosophically, socially, ethically to the grand themes of existence

Recognizing Archetypal imagery

Need a basic knowledge of the common themes found in the myths, religions, and fairy tales of the world

In dreams they often provide an “otherworldly” experience—magical, numinous (sense of awe), spiritual, fairytale quality.

Or a quality of destined, dramatic, and encompassing power.

Often feel like a “big dream”

https://aras.org/

The Archive for Research in Archetypal Symbolism

Working with Archetypal Motifs

First, we need to recognize them!

This can be difficult, as archetypes are “clothed” in a contemporary frame of reference, or present in some fragment or variation on a theme.

For example:

Thunderbolt of Zeus is the electrician in the dream warning of potential electrocution

Cupid may shoot one with a gun

Temptation of the devil may appear as a sly and cunning evil salesman

The victorious sun hero of old may appear as superman in ones dream

The “hard to find treasure” may be dreamt as a archeological dig with your classmates

Common Archetypes

The Hero

THE HERO— mother is sometimes a virgin; circumstances of birth are unusual; some attempt is made at birth to kill him; raised by foster parents, returns to his kingdom to right wrongs; marries a princess; becomes king; meets a mysterious death; body is sometimes burned or missing rather than buried

Old wise man/womanteacher or counselor to

the initiate; often are father or mother figures to the hero or heroine

Conflict

CONFLICT— Between the forces of good and evil

Loyal companions

— loyal companions willing to face any number of dangers to be together

Helpful animals

These creatures aid or serve

the hero/heroine and symbolize how nature is on the side of the hero/heroine

Shadow

DEVIL FIGURE— evil incarnate; offers worldly goods, fame, or knowledge to the hero in exchange for possession of the soul

Each mother Offers spiritual and emotional

nourishment to those she meets; shown in earth colors and has large breasts and hips symbolic of her childbearing capabilities

Character Archetypes

TEMPTRESS— sensuous beauty; tries to bring about the hero’s downfall because he is physically attracted to her

Situational Archetypes

Trickster

Situational Archetypes

THE QUEST—search for someone or some object, which when it is found and brought back will restore life to a wasted land, and the desolation of which is mirrored by a leader’s illness and disability. THE TASK—to save the kingdom, to win the fair lady, the hero performs some superhuman deed to identify himself so that he may assume his rightful position

Situational Archetypes

THE JOURNEY—the hero goes in search of some truth or information to restore life to the kingdom; he must descend into a real or psychological hell and is forced to discover the blackest truths about himself (usually his faults); he must then decide to return to the world of the living; this could also appear as a group of isolated people (trapped on a boat, bus, island) to represent society

Situational ArchetypesTHE INITIATION— the awakening of a teenager or an initiation into adult life; the adolescent comes into his/her maturity with new awareness and problems along with a new hope for the community THE RITUAL— actual ceremony that marks a new stage (rite of passage) in life (weddings, funerals, coronations)

Situational ArchetypesTHE FALL—descent from a

higher to a lower state of being; characters experience a loss of innocence and often experience an expulsion from a kind of paradise as a penalty for their disobedience and moral transgression

Situational Archetypes

DEATH AND REBIRTH— deals with the similarities between the cycle of nature and life; morning and springtime represent birth, youth, or rebirth; evening and winter suggest old age or death

Symbolic Archetypes

LIGHT VS. DARKNESS— light suggests hope, renewal, or intellectual illumination; darkness suggests the unknown, ignorance, or despair.

Symbolic Archetypes

SUPERNATURAL INTERVENTION— the gods or special forces most often intervene on the side of the hero to assist him in his quest

“I was walking in the open somewhere. I stepped on a snake that bit me on the heel, and I felt poisoned”

Dream 1: A male client complaining of pains in his feet, as well as a recurring stabbing in his chest/heart

area, “as if stabbed”

He dreamt he saw a green, half high, not yet ripe wheat field. A herd of cattle had broken into the field and trampled

down and destroyed everything in it. Then a voice from above called out: “Everything seems to be destroyed, but from

the roots under the earth the wheat will grow again”

Dream 2: A man in his 40’s, who just received a diagnosis of melanoma sarcoma with many

metastasis. He was in denial about the diagnosis

Death and resurrection of Osiris

I am alone in a great formal garden such as one finds in Europe. The grass is an unusual kind of turf, centuries old. There are great hedges of

boxwood and everything is completely ordered. At the end of the garden I see a movement. At first it seems to be an enormous frog mad of grass. As I get closer I see is is actually a green man, herbal, made of grass. He is doing a dance. It is very beautiful and I think of Hudson’s novel, Green Mansions. It gave me a sense of peace, although I could

not really understand what I was beholding.

Dream 3: Client who was terminally ill: