MaHS :: Approaching the Unconscious :: The Soul of Man

Jung notes that consciousness has divided from instinct, the latter has not disappeared and is forced to find alternative means to assert itself. Man would like to believe he is free but unconscious factors influence mood and emotion. Jung noted man prevents himself from observing such division by compartmentalising life and behavior. Jung offers the example of an alcoholic seemingly redeemed by salvation; cured and praised by a congregation and held up as an image of divine grace. Later he relapses and the conclusion drawn by the congregation is the case is pathological and referred to a clinician.

Jung undertakes a thought experiment; if mankind were a single individual we
would see he was moved by unconscious powers. Problems are tucked in
distinct compartments yet he should wake up to the dangers growing beyond his control. Jung notes that Western Man prides himself on virtue and yet goes to great lengths in the name of national defence. Yet own vices are thrown back in his face; his own evil shadow. Jung notes that Man remains open to moral and mental infection for as long as he remains convinced it is only "they" who are wrong. He is blind to his own shadow. He cannot see that he does likewise under the guise of "good manners". Jung notes here the parallels between the Communist Archetypal dream of the Golden Age spawned by a Wise Chief and the Western belief in the welfare state, universal peace, equality of man, justice, truth (etc.).

Life is a battleground an consists in a complex of opposites day and night, birth and death, good and evil. Such a conflict led to many major religions to hope beyond and reject earthly desires and aspirations. Such notions would be suicidal if you were unable to compartmentalise. Millions of people have lost faith in religion and the loss goes unnoticed but when suffering occurs people begin to seek a way out and examine life and it's painful experiences. Since time immemorial men have had ideas about a supreme being only today do the think they can dispense with them. These are conceptions that have accompanied human life from prehistory; based on the evidence we have concluded they are not "true", Jung suggests they are perhaps not "true enough". Jung asserts we cannot dispense with them simply because we lack evidence; furthermore given they are unknowable why should we bother for evidence for such things? Jung highlights that even before we knew about salt in food we benefited from it's use as it contributed to our well-being. Why then deprive ourselves of what can prove helpful in a crisis, and give meaning to existence? There are good reasons to cultivate such ideas including the desperate need for meaning. Jung highlights that man can withstand incredible hardships when he is convinced they make sense. Discovering meaning in existence is what helps man to proceed beyond purely getting and spending.

Jung explains that myths originate among the primitive storyteller and his dreams and move men by the stirring of their fantasies. Concern for the origin of such ideas came later. For example in ancient Greece many philosophers concluded the tales of the gods were nothing but traditions concerning long buried kings. Pioneers of psychology arrived at the same conclusion with dreams which they believed did not mean what they said. Jung disagrees here and offer his disagreement as the reason he will always examine content. Jung notes that symbols point in directions distinct from those we can grasp and relate to something not entirely conscious. Symbolic ideas are notoriously difficult because they cannot satisfy reason, much like the phenomenon of affect or emotion. It is annoying to deal with facts that cannot be completely grasped.

Jung notes individuals are free to dismiss emotion or the unconscious but in clinical practice the hard fact of its existence will assert itself. It can be difficult for the reasonable mind to follow what happens when Psychology leaves the sterile environment of the lab and becomes an active part of real life. Symbols may have distinct meanings based on the maturity, occupation or context of the individual. For example the phallic symbol may mean something different to a child, Hindu priest, adolescent or even an Electrician [i.e. Male plugs and female sockets]. The clinician must remain imaginative and rely on his intuition; whilst irrational they seem indispensable to ensure symbols are understood by the dreamer. One can only explain a dream if one has reduced intuition to an exact knowledge of the facts and connections between them. The psychologist if he is honest will likely admit that he cannot always achieve this. Jung notes that it is a common illusion to believe what we know today is all we can ever know.

MaHS :: Approaching the Unconscious :: The Archetype in Dream Symbolism

Jung asserts that dreams serve the purpose of compensation within the Psyche, with dreamers providing the associations and the context. Yet in the case of obsessive or emotional dreams personal associations are not always sufficient. Elements occur in such dreams that cannot be linked to lived experienced. Freud referred to such elements as the "archaic remnants"; elements whose presence cannot be explained by something in the life of that individual. Jung here notes that the body is a museum of organs [85 million years of divergence from primates would seem to be behind such an assertion], so is it so surprising then that there would not also be psychological remnants? Jung notes that collective images and motifs can be uncovered and that in the same way the biologist requires a comparative body of science so does the psychologist require a comparative body of the psyche. Jung calls such motifs the Archetypes. These are not rigid categories based on a definitive image because such representations could not be inherited. Such images are bewildering in nature because they are instinctual. Jung notes that instincts are psychological urges perceived by the senses and the manifestation of such urges in fantasy and symbolism are the Archetypes.

Jung next proceeds to describe the dreams of a young girl who recorded these
dreams when she was 8 years old and shared them with her fathers. The dreams contain themes of rebirth, destruction and restoration. Whilst the girl may have in name had a Christian upbringing none of the dreams specifically evidence orthodox Christian thought. For example one particular dream seems to relate to the comogonic myth [the creation of the world and man]. There is the theme of the hero and rescuer that despite being devoured by a monster appears miraculously. Jung notes the Hero myth seems common to all; it's origins are lost and it has existed since time immemorial. Jung notes that the presence of Archetypes among children are important because they lack access to the tradition concerned. For example within the dreams reported by this child reference to the fourness of God and idea superseded by the trinity in the eighteenth century. There is also reference to the horned serpent of the sixteenth century known in Latin alchemy as Quadricornutus Serpens. Images such as the relativity of moral values exhibited by men dancing in heaven and good deeds by angels in hell. Jung notes that the dreams troubled him given their content and that tragically such dreams foreshadowed this girls own death at a very young age. Jung notes that it was as if future events case their shadows back.

Jung notes that it would be absurd to believe that each new animal created it's own instinct at birth and neither should we assume we invent our own ways. Jung asserts that there are collective thought patterns that are innate and inherited. He returns to the point that it is unclear why an individual should assume that the human psyche is devoid of all traces of evolution. Jung notes that many people do not know the meaning behind the Christmas Tree and the Easter Egg yet they participate in such activities without knowing why. Jung suggests that human beings have been repeatedly engaging in activities long before we knew why. Jung supports his claim by noting that intelligent people are caught by unreasonable moods dismissed as idiosyncrasies. Jung suggests these are actually a result of instinct. Jung suggests that consciousness itself may have arise from the shock of an emotional experience [wake up human beings and pay attention!]. Jung suggests that in the case of sudden changes one can often identify an Archetype that has been at work skilfully arranging circumstances that lead to crisis.

Jung notes that Archetypes are non-static and dynamic patterns. At times then an individual may not understand a dream until an external event occurs to offer explanation. Dreams may be anticipatory and the unconscious seems to be able to examine information and draw conclusions. The unconscious makes deliberations instinctively because reason is the privilege of conscious thought. Jung explains that the Archetypes have their own initiative and energy producing meaningful interpretation. They function in much the same way a complexes and come and go as they please. They have the potential to obstruct or modify conscious intention and can fascinate the individual. Personal complexes however are distinct in that they never produce more than personal bias whereas Archetypes create myths, religions, philosophy that influences people groups and eras. Jung notes that whilst complexes compensate for faulty attitudes Myths are a sort of mental therapy for mankind. The Hero myth refers to a powerful god-man who vanquishes evil in the form of dragons, monsters, etc liberating his people from death. The narration or repetition grips the audience with emotion and exalts the individual to identify with the Hero. Man in all his impotent misery is therefore endowed with transcendent qualities that may well sustain him for a long time, giving a style to his life. Such ideas are
powerful enough to set the tone of a whole society.

A common assumption is that Myths are invented and ultimately invent is derived from the Latin Invenirt meaning "find". Jung notes that the further we delve into the origins of a collective image the more we uncover an unending web of patterns. It is only now man is beginning to consciously reflect upon these. In former times men did not reflect upon their symbols they lived them and were unconsciously animated by their meaning. It took man a very long time indeed to conclude that he must have moved himself. Many believe the psyche invented itself like an acorn it has been developing and so it continues. Jung notes that inner motives spring from a deep source and the myth of earlier times are as active today as ever. Jung asserts that we refuse to admit we are dependent upon powers beyond our control. The Myth of the modern age is "where there is a will there's a way" yet man is blind to the fact that with all his reason he is moved by powers beyond his control. His god and demons have not vanished they simply have new names.