Theos-Talk Archives (March 1999 Message tt00150)

Gerald Schueler wrote:

> >>Jerry, my sense is that latter day Jungian psychology has
> contributed
> a great deal to 'personalising' impersonal forces / archetypes.  I
> notice how following this tradition people start 'people-ing' their
> 'inner world' with all kinds of archetypes (so called).  All of them
> tend to be very human personifications, and at times even sub human.
> It's a bit like there has been a withdrawal of the 'projection' onto
> the
> divine but only to continue in another form.  For example - my
> magician,
> my wise man / woman, my warrior & so on, & so on.  What is your take
> on
> this?
> Regards,
> Peter>>
>
> Peter, I have always believed that the external gods and goddesses
> have
> as much reality (no more and no less) that the internal archetypes.
> The
> archetypes are impersonal. But when they are constellated (activated
> in
> someone) then they speak through symbols, and those symbols can,
> indeed,
> be taken personally. Jung called the personal interpretation of a
> symbol, a sign and carefully distinguished the two.
>
> That people today personalize the archetypes is no different than our
> ancestors who personalized the gods and goddesses. This is wrong, yet
> very human.
>
> Jerry S.

Jerry,

I would question also, whether it is even possible to consciously
perceive an archetypal symbol in action upon us, (whether from within or
without) without personalizing it into a sign, by Jung's definition. I
don't believe that we have a conscious relationship with the archetypes
but through such a personal interpretation. That makes it a unique
experience for each person, and by extensdion each cultural group
(through agreement and traditionalization - although there is always
subjectivization within cultural understanding) and thus aids in the
individuation process.

It's the understanding of the difference among any particular signs and
the commonality of the underlying archetype that humanizes and breeds
both brotherhood and compassion. Would you agree?

Mark


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