A R C H E T Y P E S
"Archetypes, in spite of their conservative nature, are not static but in a continuous dramatic flux. Thus the self
as a monad or continuous unit would be dead. But it lives inasmuch as it splits and unites again. There is no energy without opposites!"
C. J. JUNG
as a monad or continuous unit would be dead. But it lives inasmuch as it splits and unites again. There is no energy without opposites!"
C. J. JUNG
we are obsessed with three dimensions - so the counscious must be up here, the unconscious must be down there, heaven upstairs, hell below. Higher dimensions. just different dimensions, otArchetypes are intimately linked with the collective subconscious. After all gods must live somewhere! What about interpenetrating, overlaping, interweaving, coexistence.
Carl Jung's break from Freud's Psychoanalytic Society was perhaps the most disappointing for Freud. When they met it is reported that they spent over 12 hours discussing psychoanalytic theory, and soon after, Jung became the logical successor to the society. Although he served as the society's first president, he resigned from the organization in 1914 after intense disagreements with his mentor.
The main disagreement he had with Freud was his belief that there was more to the unconscious than Freud theorized. Jung believed that there were fears, behaviors, and thoughts that children and adults exhibit that are remarkably similar across time and culture. He believed that this was more than coincidence and represented what he called the collective unconscious.
His newly formed school of thought, Analytic Psychology, theorized about how this collective unconscious influences personality. He argued that it was made up of what he termed archetypeswhich are primordial images inherited from our ancestors. As support for such a theory, he spoke of the immediate attachment infants have for their mother, the inevitable fear of the dark seen in young children, and how images such as the sun, moon, wise old man, angels, and evil all seem to be predominate themes throughout history.
In his view, infants are drawn to their mother because of the unconscious image of mother that is alive in all of us and that we fear the dark because of the unconscious image of darkness. Although he described many archetypes in his writings, there are a few that have received a lot of attention and thought. These include the animus/anima, the shadow, and the self.
The animus is the masculine side of the female and the anima is the feminine side of the male. This expands on Freud's writings that we are all born bisexual and develop normal sexual attraction through our psychosexual development. According to Jung, we all have an unconscious opposite gender hidden within us and the role of this archetype is to guide us toward the perfect mate. In other words, we project our animus/anima onto others as they project theirs onto us. When a match is made, we have found a suitable partner.
Another archetype is called the shadow which is basically the unconscious negative or dark side of our personality. The shadow, like all other archetypes, is passed down through history and given different names depending on time and culture. In Judeo-Christian writings, according to Jung, the shadow archetype is called the Devil.
Finally, the self archetype is the unifying part of all of us that finds balance in our lives. Working with the ego (which is partly in our personal unconscious), it helps us manage the other archetypes and helps us feel complete.
While his writings are poetic at times and nearly impossible to follow at others, the remarkable way his theories blend with myths, folklore, and legends has kept his theories alive. Are his archetypes nothing more than naturally born instincts or are they an unconscious representation of our long dead ancestors? Many argue that Jung has pieced together an important, and previously missing, explanation of these personality aspects that we all share.
Carl Jung's break from Freud's Psychoanalytic Society was perhaps the most disappointing for Freud. When they met it is reported that they spent over 12 hours discussing psychoanalytic theory, and soon after, Jung became the logical successor to the society. Although he served as the society's first president, he resigned from the organization in 1914 after intense disagreements with his mentor.
The main disagreement he had with Freud was his belief that there was more to the unconscious than Freud theorized. Jung believed that there were fears, behaviors, and thoughts that children and adults exhibit that are remarkably similar across time and culture. He believed that this was more than coincidence and represented what he called the collective unconscious.
His newly formed school of thought, Analytic Psychology, theorized about how this collective unconscious influences personality. He argued that it was made up of what he termed archetypeswhich are primordial images inherited from our ancestors. As support for such a theory, he spoke of the immediate attachment infants have for their mother, the inevitable fear of the dark seen in young children, and how images such as the sun, moon, wise old man, angels, and evil all seem to be predominate themes throughout history.
In his view, infants are drawn to their mother because of the unconscious image of mother that is alive in all of us and that we fear the dark because of the unconscious image of darkness. Although he described many archetypes in his writings, there are a few that have received a lot of attention and thought. These include the animus/anima, the shadow, and the self.
The animus is the masculine side of the female and the anima is the feminine side of the male. This expands on Freud's writings that we are all born bisexual and develop normal sexual attraction through our psychosexual development. According to Jung, we all have an unconscious opposite gender hidden within us and the role of this archetype is to guide us toward the perfect mate. In other words, we project our animus/anima onto others as they project theirs onto us. When a match is made, we have found a suitable partner.
Another archetype is called the shadow which is basically the unconscious negative or dark side of our personality. The shadow, like all other archetypes, is passed down through history and given different names depending on time and culture. In Judeo-Christian writings, according to Jung, the shadow archetype is called the Devil.
Finally, the self archetype is the unifying part of all of us that finds balance in our lives. Working with the ego (which is partly in our personal unconscious), it helps us manage the other archetypes and helps us feel complete.
While his writings are poetic at times and nearly impossible to follow at others, the remarkable way his theories blend with myths, folklore, and legends has kept his theories alive. Are his archetypes nothing more than naturally born instincts or are they an unconscious representation of our long dead ancestors? Many argue that Jung has pieced together an important, and previously missing, explanation of these personality aspects that we all share.
The Self, the regulating center of the psyche and facilitator of individuation
The Shadow, the opposite of the ego image, often containing qualities with which the ego does not identify, but which it possesses nonetheless
The Anima, the feminine image in a man's psyche; or:
The Animus, the masculine image in a woman's psyche
The Persona, how we present to the world, is another of 'the subpersonalities, the complexes'[9] and usually protects the Ego from negative images (acts like a mask)
Although archetypes can take on innumerable forms, there are a few particularly notable, recurring archetypal images[citation needed]:
The Child
The Hero
The Great Mother
The Wise old man or Sage
The Wise Old Woman/Man, archetypes of the collective unconscious
The Trickster or Fox
The Devil or Satan
The Scarecrow
The Mentor
Rebirth
The Shadow, the opposite of the ego image, often containing qualities with which the ego does not identify, but which it possesses nonetheless
The Anima, the feminine image in a man's psyche; or:
The Animus, the masculine image in a woman's psyche
The Persona, how we present to the world, is another of 'the subpersonalities, the complexes'[9] and usually protects the Ego from negative images (acts like a mask)
Although archetypes can take on innumerable forms, there are a few particularly notable, recurring archetypal images[citation needed]:
The Child
The Hero
The Great Mother
The Wise old man or Sage
The Wise Old Woman/Man, archetypes of the collective unconscious
The Trickster or Fox
The Devil or Satan
The Scarecrow
The Mentor
Rebirth
http://changingminds.org/explanations/identity/jung_archetypes.htm
Jung's ArchetypesExplanations > Identity > Jung's Archetypes
The Shadow | The Anima | The Self | Other archetypes | Deep origins | See also
Psychologist Carl Gustav Jung described several archetypes that are based in the observation of differing but repeating patterns of thought and action that re-appear time and again across people, countries and continents.
Jung's main archetypes are not 'types' in the way that each person may be classified as one or the other. Rather, we each have all basic archetypes within us. He listed four main forms of archetypes:
It is, by its name, dark, shadowy, unknown and potentially troubling. It embodies chaos and wildness of character. The shadow thus tends not to obey rules, and in doing so may discover new lands or plunge things into chaos and battle. It has a sense of the exotic and can be disturbingly fascinating. In myth, it appears as the wild man, spider-people, mysterious fighters and dark enemies.
We may see the shadow in others and, if we dare, know it in ourselves. Mostly, however, we deny it in ourselves and project it onto others. It can also have a life of its own, as the Other. A powerful goal that some undertake is to re-integrate the shadow, the dark side, and the light of the 'real' self. If this can be done effectively, then we can become 'whole' once again, bringing together that which was once split from us.
Our shadow may appear in dreams, hallucinations and musings, often as something or someone who is bad, fearsome or despicable in some way. It may seduce through false friendship or threaten with callous disregard. Encounters with it, as an aspect of the subconscious, may reveal deeper thoughts and fears. It may also take over direct physical action when the person is confused, dazed or drugged.
The Anima and AnimusThe second most prevalent pattern is that of the Anima (male), Animus (female), or, more simply, the Soul, and is the route to communication with the collective unconscious. The anima/animus represents our true self, as opposed to the masks we wear every day and is the source of our creativity.
The anima/animus may appear as someone exotic or unusual in some way, perhaps with amazing skills and powers. In fiction, heroes, super-heroes and gods may represent these powerful beings and awaken in us the sense of omnipotence that we knew in that very early neonatal phase.
Anima and animus are male and female principles that represent this deep difference. Whilst men have an fundamental anima and women an animus, each may also have the other, just as men have a feminine side and women a masculine. Jung saw men as having one dominant anima, contributed to by female members of his family, whilst women have a more complex, variable animus, perhaps made of several parts.
Jung theorized the development of the anima/animus as beginning with infant projection onto the mother, then projecting onto prospective partners until a lasting relationship can be found.
The Syzygy (the divine couple)In combination, the anima and animus are known as syzygy (a word also used to denote alignment of planets), representing wholeness and completion. This combining brings great power and can be found in religious combinations such as the Christian Holy Trinity (Father, Son and Holy ghost).
A perfect partnership between man and woman can occur when not only are our physical forms compatible but also the anima and animus. Thus you might find your soul-mate. Finding our matching other half is a lifetime of search for many of us, and few of us succeed in this quest. Love of another indicates an actual, perceived or hoped-for close match.
The SelfFor Jung, the self is not just 'me' but God. It is the spirit that connects and is part of the universe. It is the coherent whole that unifies both consciousness and unconsciousness. It may be found elsewhere in such principles as nirvana and ecstatic harmony. It is perhaps what Jaques Lacan called 'the real'.
Jung described creation of the self as a process of individuation, where all aspects are brought together as one. Thus 're-birth' is returning to the wholeness of birth, before we start to split our selves into many parts.
Other archetypesJung said that there are a large number of archetypes. These are often linked to the main archetypes and may represent aspects of them. They also overlap and many can appear in the same person. For example:
In earlier work, Jung linked the archetypes to heredity and considered them as instinctual. Yet wherever he looked across cultures, he found the same archetypes and thus came to conceptualize them as fundamental forces that somehow exist beyond us. They have existed in ancient myths as elemental spirits and Jung sought to link with this deep and old experience.
Jung's ArchetypesExplanations > Identity > Jung's Archetypes
The Shadow | The Anima | The Self | Other archetypes | Deep origins | See also
Psychologist Carl Gustav Jung described several archetypes that are based in the observation of differing but repeating patterns of thought and action that re-appear time and again across people, countries and continents.
Jung's main archetypes are not 'types' in the way that each person may be classified as one or the other. Rather, we each have all basic archetypes within us. He listed four main forms of archetypes:
- The Shadow
- The Anima
- The Animus
- The Self
It is, by its name, dark, shadowy, unknown and potentially troubling. It embodies chaos and wildness of character. The shadow thus tends not to obey rules, and in doing so may discover new lands or plunge things into chaos and battle. It has a sense of the exotic and can be disturbingly fascinating. In myth, it appears as the wild man, spider-people, mysterious fighters and dark enemies.
We may see the shadow in others and, if we dare, know it in ourselves. Mostly, however, we deny it in ourselves and project it onto others. It can also have a life of its own, as the Other. A powerful goal that some undertake is to re-integrate the shadow, the dark side, and the light of the 'real' self. If this can be done effectively, then we can become 'whole' once again, bringing together that which was once split from us.
Our shadow may appear in dreams, hallucinations and musings, often as something or someone who is bad, fearsome or despicable in some way. It may seduce through false friendship or threaten with callous disregard. Encounters with it, as an aspect of the subconscious, may reveal deeper thoughts and fears. It may also take over direct physical action when the person is confused, dazed or drugged.
The Anima and AnimusThe second most prevalent pattern is that of the Anima (male), Animus (female), or, more simply, the Soul, and is the route to communication with the collective unconscious. The anima/animus represents our true self, as opposed to the masks we wear every day and is the source of our creativity.
The anima/animus may appear as someone exotic or unusual in some way, perhaps with amazing skills and powers. In fiction, heroes, super-heroes and gods may represent these powerful beings and awaken in us the sense of omnipotence that we knew in that very early neonatal phase.
Anima and animus are male and female principles that represent this deep difference. Whilst men have an fundamental anima and women an animus, each may also have the other, just as men have a feminine side and women a masculine. Jung saw men as having one dominant anima, contributed to by female members of his family, whilst women have a more complex, variable animus, perhaps made of several parts.
Jung theorized the development of the anima/animus as beginning with infant projection onto the mother, then projecting onto prospective partners until a lasting relationship can be found.
The Syzygy (the divine couple)In combination, the anima and animus are known as syzygy (a word also used to denote alignment of planets), representing wholeness and completion. This combining brings great power and can be found in religious combinations such as the Christian Holy Trinity (Father, Son and Holy ghost).
A perfect partnership between man and woman can occur when not only are our physical forms compatible but also the anima and animus. Thus you might find your soul-mate. Finding our matching other half is a lifetime of search for many of us, and few of us succeed in this quest. Love of another indicates an actual, perceived or hoped-for close match.
The SelfFor Jung, the self is not just 'me' but God. It is the spirit that connects and is part of the universe. It is the coherent whole that unifies both consciousness and unconsciousness. It may be found elsewhere in such principles as nirvana and ecstatic harmony. It is perhaps what Jaques Lacan called 'the real'.
Jung described creation of the self as a process of individuation, where all aspects are brought together as one. Thus 're-birth' is returning to the wholeness of birth, before we start to split our selves into many parts.
Other archetypesJung said that there are a large number of archetypes. These are often linked to the main archetypes and may represent aspects of them. They also overlap and many can appear in the same person. For example:
- Family archetypes
- The father: Stern, powerful, controlling
- The mother: Feeding, nurturing, soothing
- The child: Birth, beginnings, salvation
- Story archetypes
- The hero: Rescuer, champion
- The maiden: Purity, desire
- The wise old man: Knowledge, guidance
- The magician: Mysterious, powerful
- The earth mother: Nature
- The witch or sorceress: Dangerous
- The trickster: Deceiving, hidden
- Animal archetypes
- The faithful dog: Unquestioning loyalty
- The enduring horse: Never giving up
- The devious cat: Self-serving
In earlier work, Jung linked the archetypes to heredity and considered them as instinctual. Yet wherever he looked across cultures, he found the same archetypes and thus came to conceptualize them as fundamental forces that somehow exist beyond us. They have existed in ancient myths as elemental spirits and Jung sought to link with this deep and old experience.