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