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Carl
Jung's Archetypes
To
further help you in uncovering the meaning of your dreams, Jung noted certain dream symbols that
possess the same universal meaning
for all men and women. He terms this phenomenon the "collective
unconscious". While dreams are personal, your personal experiences often
touch on
universal themes and symbols. These symbols are believed to occur in every culture
throughout
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history.
Jung identifies
seven such symbols in what is referred to
as the major archetypal
characters:
1.
The Persona is the image you present to the world in your waking
life. It is your public mask. In the dream world, the persona is
represented by the Self. The Self may or may
not resemble you physically or may or may not behave as your would. For
example, the persona can appear as a scarecrow or a beggar in your dream. However, you
still know that this "person" in your dream is you.
2.
The Shadow is the rejected and repressed aspects of yourself. It is
the part of yourself that you do not want the world to see because it is
ugly or unappealing. It symbolizes weakness, fear, or anger. In dreams,
this figure is represented by a stalker, murderer, a bully, or pursuer. It
can be a
frightening figure or even a close friend or relative. Their
appearance often makes you angry or leaves you scared. They force you
to confront things that you don't want to see or hear. You must learn to
accept the shadow aspect of yourself for its messages are often for your
own good, even though it may not be immediately apparent.
3.
The Anima / Animus is the female and male aspects of yourself.
Everyone possess both feminine and masculine qualities. In dreams, the
anima appears as a highly feminized figure, while the animus appears as a hyper masculine
form. Or you may dream that you are dressed
in women's clothing, if you are male or that you grow a beard, if you
are female. These dream imageries appear depending on how well you are
able to integrate the feminine and masculine qualities within yourself.
They serve as a reminder that you must learn to
acknowledge or express your masculine (be more assertive) or feminine side
(be more emotional).
4.
The Divine Child is your true self in its purest form. It not only
symbolizes your innocence, your sense of vulnerability, and your
helplessness, but it represents your aspirations and full potential. You
are open to all possibilities. In the dreamscape, this figure is
represented by a baby or young child.
5.
The Wise Old Man /Woman is the helper in your dreams. Represented by a
teacher, father, doctor, priest or some other unknown authority figure, they serve to
offer guidance and words of wisdom. They appear in your dream to
steer and guide you into the
right direction.
6.
The Great Mother is the nurturer. The Great Mother appears in your dreams as
your own mother, grandmother, or other nurturing figure. She provides you
with positive reassurance. Negatively, they may be depicted as a witch or old bag
lady in which case they can be associated with seduction, dominance and
death. This juxtaposition is rooted in the belief by some
experts that the real mother who is the giver of life is also at the same
time jealous of our growth away from her.
7.
The Trickster, as the name implies, plays jokes to keep you from
taking yourself too seriously. The trickster may appear in your dream when you
have overreach or misjudge a situation. Or he could find himself in your
dream when you are uncertain about a
decision or about where you want to go in life. The trickster often makes
you feel uncomfortable or embarrassed, sometimes mocking you or
exposing you to your vulnerabilities. He may take on subtle forms,
sometimes even changing its shape.
Archetypal
dreams, also refer to as "mythic dreams", "great
dreams" or "grand
dreams", usually occur at significant times or transitional periods
in your life. They often leave you with a sense of awe or that you have
learned something important about yourself. Such dreams have a cosmic
quality or an element of impossibility if occurred in reality. They are
often extremely
vivid and stay in your mind long after you had the dream.
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