Symbols Symbols l l A symbol is something
Symbols
Symbols l l A symbol is something that stands for something else. Often a word, color, object, picture, person, setting or happening that symbolizes a deeper, broader meaning.
WATER creation birth-death-resurrection the unconscious fertility and growth purification and redemption
The Sea infinity life eternity spiritual mystery the unconscious death and rebirth
Rivers death and rebirth (baptism) death flowing of time into eternity incarnations of deities life cycle
Rain sadness sorrow
SUN law in nature creative energy masculine Father Principle consciousness (thinking, enlightenment, wisdom) passage of time and life
Rising Sun birth creation enlightenment
Setting Sun death end of time
MOONLIGHT romance
ROSE Love lips kindness lovely woman
BALANCING SCALES justice
COLORS RED blood sacrifice passion violence disorder sensuality
COLORS GREEN POSITIVE growth sensation fertility hope nature NEGATIVE death and decay
COLORS BLUE usually highly positive truth religious feeling spiritual purity security
COLORS evil BLACK darkness death primal wisdom the unknown mystery melancholy
COLORS WHITE POSITIVE light purity NEGATIVE timelessness innocence blinding truth of cosmic mystery terror the supernatural death
COLORS YELLOW light comprehension brightness
CIRCLE or SPHERE wholeness unity completeness
SEASONS AUTUMN SUMMER Last few years of life Prime of life SPRING WINTER New beginnings birth End of life
TREE life (tree of life) immortality redemption (cross) inexhaustible life
NUMBERS Three (masculine) spiritual awareness light unity holy
Three l Three in Holy Trinity – l Three Phases of Moon – l New, Full, Old Three Sun Gods – l Father, Son, Holy Ghost Horus, Ra, Osiris (rising, midday, setting) Three Levels of Space – Heaven, earth, abyss
NUMBERS Four (feminine) spiritual awareness circle life cycle holy
Four l Four Ages of World (Ovid) – l Four Cardinal Virtues (Plato) – l North, south, east, west Four Faces of Christ – l Dawn, day, evening, night Four Cardinal Points – l Wisdom, courage, temperance, justice Four Parts of Day – l Gold, silver, bronze, iron Lion (ruler), ox (servant), man (earthly), eagle (spiritual) Four Seasons – Winter, spring, summer, fall
NUMBERS Seven perfection completeness union of three and four most powerful of all symbolic numbers
Seven l l l Seven Stars in Big Dipper Seven Days of Week Seven Planets (Old World) Seven Days to Create World Seven Days to Prepare food (OT) Seven Colors in Rainbow
NUMBERS TEN completeness perfection
Ten l l Ten fingers Ten toes Ten Commandments Tithing (1/10)
PLACES Garden (Edenic) paradise innocence fertile unspoiled beauty
PLACES Desert nihilism spiritual aridity hopelessness death
PLACES Island freedom innocence
ANIMALS l FOX Slyness cleverness
ANIMALS l ELEPHANT forgetfulness
ANIMALS l LAMB gentleness purity sacrifice innocence
ANIMALS l LION nobleness ferocity royalty
ANIMALS l DONKEY stubbornness
SERPENT evil (snake or worm) libido (sexual energy) mystery pure force wisdom corruption sensuality the unconscious destruction
MONEY labor evil
BIRDS l caged bird imprisonment
BIRDS l Dove peace purity
BIRDS l Eagle power clear-sightedness vision protection
BIRDS l Hawk warlike person pugnacious
BIRDS l Owl wisdom
BIRDS l Robin spring
BIRDS l Vulture loathsome evil waiting to devour man
BREAD life material things
BLOOD life sacrifice
FIRE or BURNING hell punishment passion
NAKEDNESS naturalness primitive instincts savagery innocence
MOTIFS or PATTERNS These patterns are recurrent in virtually every cultural mythology
Creation l l the most fundamental of all archetypal motifs virtually every mythology is built on some account of how the cosmos, nature, and mankind were brought into existence by some supernatural Being or beings
Flood l Nearly every culture has a story concerning the destruction or near destruction of the world by flood. – – Biblical account - Hebrew Epic of Gilgamesh - Sumerian l http: //www. godandscience. org/apologetics/gilgamesh. html
Sacrificial Scapegoat/Atonement The transfer of the corruptions of the tribe to a sacred animal or person to receive the cleansing or atonement thought necessary for natural and spiritual rebirth. The rites of blood sacrifice and purification were considered a magical guarantee of rejuvenation.
Sacrificial Scapegoat/Atonement l The hero, with whom the welfare of the tribe or nation is identified, must die (or leave the tribe/nation) to atone for the people’s sins and restore the land to fruitfulness. – – – Christ Joseph (OT) Shirley Jackson’s The Lottery
Characters: The Great Mother l l Represents mysteries of life, death, transformation Good Mother – – Positive Life, birth, warmth, nourishment, protection, fertility, growth, abundance l l l Demeter Ceres Mother in Everyday Use
Characters… l Terrible Mother – – – Negative Witch, sorceress, siren, whore, femme fatale Associated with: sensuality, sexual orgies, fear, danger, darkness, dismemberment, emasculation, death; terrifying aspects of the unconscious l l Wicked stepmother in fairy tales Medea
Characters… l Wise Old Man – – – Savior, redeemer, guru Personification of spiritual Spiritual qualities: knowledge, reflection, insight, wisdom, cleverness, intuition Moral qualities: goodwill, readiness to help Appears when the hero is hopeless or in a desperate situation; helper
Characters… l Trickster – – Joker, jester, clown, fool, fraud, prankster, picaro (rogue), poltergeist, con man, shaman, magician, shape-shifter, witch Closely associated with Jung’s shadow archetype Mischievous, unexpected, disorder, amoral Represents primordial, dawning consciousness l Particularly notable in African and American Indian cultures
Immortality l Escape from time: (return to paradise) – l the state of perfect timeless bliss enjoyed by man and woman before their tragic Fall into corruption and mortality Mystical submersion into cyclical time: (reincarnation) – – theme of endless death and regeneration submission to the rhythms of Nature’s eternal cycle
QUEST or JOURNEY l The hero (savior, deliverer) undertakes some long journey during which he must perform impossible tasks and overcome insurmountable odds in order to save the kingdom.
Animal Motif – – Children nursed/raised by wild animals Live by instinct/can never adjust to “civilization” l Romulus and Remus l Tarzan l Jungle Book
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