Archetypes and their characteristics according to Jung. What are archetypes: just about the complex

Archetype - from the Greek. "arche" - the beginning and "typos" - the image - thus, these are powerful mental prototypes hidden in the depths of the unconscious, innate universal ideas, the original models of perception, thinking, experience. This is a kind of primary ideas about the world and life, which do not depend on the level of knowledge gained. They form the structure of the worldview and are passed down from generation to generation.

The collective unconscious as a sediment left by experience and at the same time as some of it, experience, is a priori an image of the world that has already been formed in time immemorial. “The only possibility is to recognize the irrational as a necessary – because it is always present – ​​mental function and take its content not for concrete (that would be a step back!), but for mental realities, realities, insofar as they are things effective, i.e. reality."
These are the ruling forces, the gods, i.e. images of dominating laws and principles of general regularities, to which the sequence of images is subject, the soul experiencing everything again and again.
Archetypes can be seen as the result and reflection of experiences that have taken place; but in the same way they are the factors that serve as the causes of experiences.
The knowledge of archetypes is a significant step forward. The magical or demonic action caused by the neighbor disappears due to the fact that the disturbing feeling is reduced to a certain amount of the collective unconscious.
During the period of a life turn, special attention should be paid to the images of the collective unconscious, since at such moments it is a source from which one can draw instructions for solving the problem. From the conscious processing of these data, a transcendental function can result, as the formation of perception mediated by archetypes.
Jung described many archetypes, giving them conditional and very peculiar, but precise names: Self, Person, Shadow, Anima, Animus, Mother, Child, Sun, Old Sage, Hero, God, Death ...
The transcendental function does not act aimlessly, but leads to the revelation of the essential core of man. At the first consideration, it is a purely natural process, which under certain circumstances proceeds without the knowledge and assistance of the individual and can even forcibly realize itself in spite of his opposition. The meaning and purpose of this process is the implementation of the (originally embedded in the embryo) personality in all its aspects. It is the restoration and deployment of the original, potential wholeness. The symbols that the unconscious uses for this are nothing more than the images that humanity has long used to express integrity, completeness, perfection, as a rule, these are symbols - quaternary and circle. Jung calls this process the process of individuation.
A person

Our person is the outward manifestation of what we present to the world. This is the character we find acceptable; through it we interact with others. Personality includes our social roles, the clothes we wear, and our individual ways of expressing ourselves. The term persona comes from Latin, meaning "mask" or "false face". The mask was worn by actors in ancient Rome. In order to function socially, we play a role using the techniques specific to that role. Even when we cannot adapt to something, our roles continue to work. These are roles that express refusal.
A person has both negative and positive aspects. A dominant person can overwhelm a person. Those who identify with a person see themselves mostly within the boundaries of their specific social roles. Jung called the persona a "coherent archetype". As part of its positive function, it shields the ego and psyche from the various social forces and attitudes that interfere with them. In addition, the persona is a valuable tool for communication. In ancient drama, the unreliability of a person was conveyed through distorted masks, informing about the personality and the role played by the actor. The persona can be decisive in our positive development. When we start to play the main role, our ego, little by little, tends to identify with it. This process is fundamental in personal development.
The process, however, is not always positive. As the ego identifies with the persona, people begin to believe that they are what they claim to be. According to Jung, we ultimately extract this identification in order to explore, in the course of self-realization, or individuation, what we are. A small group of other people around us contain problems of their personalities, due to cultural biases and social cuts of their personas.
The persona can be expressed through the objects we use to cover our body (clothes or a blanket) and through the tools of our activity (a shovel or a briefcase). Thus, ordinary objects become symbols of a person's identification. The term status symbol (car, house or diploma) expresses society's understanding of the importance of image. All of these symbols can be found in dreams as representations of a person. For example, someone with a strong personality might appear in a dream as being overdressed or cramped with too much clothing. A person with a weak persona may appear naked or in open clothes. One of the possible expressions of an inadequate person may be a figure without skin.
Shadow


The shadow is an archetypal form, composed of material repressed by consciousness; its content includes those tendencies, desires, memories and experiences that are cut off by a person as incompatible with the person and contrary to social standards and ideals. The shadow contains all the negative tendencies that a person wants to reject, including animal instincts, as well as undeveloped positive and negative traits.
“How can I be real without casting a shadow? If I want to be whole, I must also have a dark side; realizing my shadow, I remember once again that I am a human being like any other.”
The stronger our persona becomes, the more we identify with it and the more we reject other parts of ourselves. The shadow represents that which we intend to subordinate in our personality, and even that which we neglect and never develop in ourselves. In dreams, the shadow figure may appear as an animal, a dwarf, a vagabond, or any other subordinate figure.
In his writings on repression and neurosis, Freud primarily dealt with aspects of what Jung calls the shadow. Jung found that repressed material is organized and structured around a shadow that becomes literally the negative self, or the shadow of the ego. The shadow often appears in the dream experience as a dark, primitive, hostile or frightening figure, since the content of the shadow is forcibly repressed from consciousness and antagonistic to the conscious point of view. If the material from the shadow returns to consciousness, it loses many of its primitive and frightening features. The shadow is most dangerous when unrecognizable. In this case, a person projects his unwanted features onto others or is suppressed by a shadow without understanding it. The images of the enemy, the devil, or the concept of original sin are aspects of the shadow archetype. When more of the shadow material becomes conscious, the lesser cannot dominate. But the shadow is an integral part of our nature and can never be completely destroyed. The person who pretends to have no shadow turns out to be not a complex person, but a two-dimensional caricature, denying the mixture of good and bad that is inevitably present in all of us.
Anima and animus

Jung took it for granted that integral part persona is a kind of unconscious structure, and called it anima in men and animus in women. This basic mental structure serves as the focus of all psychological material that is not consistent with how a person perceives himself as a man or a woman. Thus, insofar as a woman consciously imagines herself within the boundaries of what is characteristic of women, to the extent that her animus will include those unknown tendencies and experiences that she considers characteristic of men.
For a woman, the process of psychological development entails the beginning of a dialogue between her ego and animus. The animus may be pathologically dominant due to identification with archetypal figures (such as an enchanted prince, a romantic poet, a phantom lover, or a marauding pirate) and/or an extremely strong attachment to the father.
The animus is viewed by Jung as a separate entity. Once the animus and its influence on the individual is realized, the animus assumes the role of a link between the conscious and the unconscious until the latter is gradually integrated into the self. Jung considers the traits of this union of opposites (in this case, masculine and feminine) as the main determinant of a person's fulfillment of the female role.
A similar process occurs between the anima and the masculine ego in the male. As long as our anima or animus is unconscious, not accepted as part of our self, we will tend to project it onto people of the opposite sex:
“Every man carries within himself the eternal image of a woman, not the image of this or that particular woman, but a certain feminine image. This image is ... the imprint or "archetype" of the experience of all female ancestors, the repository, so to speak, of all impressions ever acquired by women.
... Since this image is unconscious, it is always unconsciously projected onto a loved one, and this is one of the main reasons for craving or aversion.
According to Jung, the parent of the opposite sex has a fundamental influence on the development of the child's anima or animus. All relationships with objects of the opposite sex, including parents, are strongly influenced by anima or animus fantasies. This archetype is one of the most influential regulators of behavior. He appears in dreams and fantasies as characters of the opposite sex and functions as the most important intermediary between the processes of consciousness and the unconscious. It is focused primarily on internal processes, just as the person is focused on external ones. This is the source of projections, the source of image creation and access to creativity. (The creative influence of the anima can be seen in the example of artists who painted their muses as goddesses.) Jung also called this archetype "the image of the soul." Since it is able to bring us into contact with the forces of our unconscious, it is often the key to unlocking our creativity.
Self


The self is the most important and difficult to understand archetype. Jung called the self the main archetype, the archetype of the psychological structure and integrity of the personality. The self is the archetype of centeredness. This is the unity of consciousness and the unconscious, which embodies the harmony and balance of various opposite elements of the psyche. The Self determines the functioning of the whole psyche by the method of integration. According to Jung, "consciousness and the unconscious are not necessarily opposed to each other, they complement each other to a wholeness that is the self." Jung discovered the archetype of the self only after his research on other personality structures.
“The archetype of man is the self. The Self is all-encompassing. God is a circle whose center is everywhere and has no boundaries.
The Self is depicted in dreams and images either impersonally (as a circle, mandala, crystal, stone) or personified (as a royal couple, a divine child, or other symbols of divinity). Great spiritual teachers such as Christ, Mohammed, and Buddha are also symbols of the self. These are symbols of integrity, unity, reconciliation of opposites and dynamic balance - the goals of the process of individuation. Jung explains the function of the self this way:
“The ego receives its light from the self. We know something about the self, but still we do not know about it ... Despite the fact that we receive the light of consciousness from the self and know about the source that illuminates us, we do not know whether it is stored precisely in consciousness ... If the self was entirely derivable from experience, it would be limited to experience, while in reality this experience is unlimited and endless ... If I were alone with my self, I would know about everything, speak Sanskrit, read cuneiform, know about prehistoric events, would be familiar with life on other planets, etc.”
The self is a deep inner guiding factor that may seem easily distinguishable from consciousness and ego, if not alien to them. "The self is not only the center, but also the periphery, which encompasses both consciousness and the unconscious: it is the center of everything, just as the ego is the center of consciousness." The self may manifest itself primarily in dreams as a small, insignificant image. The self in most people is undeveloped and they are unaware of it. The development of the self does not mean the disappearance of the ego. The ego remains the center of consciousness, an important structure of the psyche. It becomes connected to the self through a long, hard work of understanding and accepting unconscious processes.

The result of the processing of psychoanalysis by Carl Gustav Jung was the emergence of a whole complex of complex ideas that were fed from various fields of knowledge: philosophy, mythology, literature, psychology, archeology, theology. Such a breadth of mental search, in combination with the author's complex, mysterious style, is the reason for the difficult perception of his psychological theory, which is based on such concepts as archetype and symbol.

Interpretation of the concept under consideration

Archetypes is translated from Greek as "prototypes". This term is widely used in theoretical analysis mythology. It was first introduced by the Swiss psychoanalyst Gustav Jung. In addition to psychology, he was also engaged in the study of existing myths.

According to Jung, archetypes are the primary schemes of various images that are reproduced unconsciously and a priori form the activity of the imagination, as a result of which they are embodied, as a rule, in myths, beliefs, dreams, delusional fantasies, works of literature, and art.

Archetypal images, motifs are identical in nature (for example, the ubiquitous ancient myth that tells about the Flood) and are found in mythologies and areas of art that do not touch each other, which makes it possible to exclude the explanation of their appearance by borrowing.

But nevertheless, archetypes are, first of all, not images in themselves, but only their schemes. In other words, psychological preconditions, possibility. Archetypes, according to Jung, have limited, non-substantial, but exclusive formal characteristics.

The schematic image receives the first characteristic only after penetrating into the area of ​​consciousness, being filled with the material of experience. Jung identifies the form of the archetype with a certain system of axes of a certain crystal, transforming it to a certain extent in the mother solution, despite the absence of material existence in it. In this regard, the process of myth-making is the transformation of the considered concept into an image. According to the researcher, these are involuntary statements about mental events that are of an unconscious nature.

Despite its formality, extreme generalization, lack of content, a schematic image (archetype) has a property. Psychologists believe that, depending on the degree of their distinctness, emotional richness, they can impress, captivate, inspire in view of the fact that they strive for familiar beginnings within the framework of human nature. As a result, the importance of prototypes for creativity (artistic) arises.

Based on Jung's statements, the secret of the influence of art is the special ability of the artist to feel certain archetypal forms, and subsequently display them in works.

One of the best concise formulations of the concept of the archetype is that of Thomas Mann, according to which the typical is largely composed of the mythical, since the myth is a priori a pattern, so to speak, a primordial life form, a timeless scheme, a formula given by distant ancestors, completed by self-aware life, and implicitly aimed at acquiring anew the signs that were once foreshadowed to her.

Heredity of prototypes

Jung assumed the inherent nature of the concepts under consideration for the entire genus (humanity as a whole, its community). In other words, the archetypes of the collective unconscious are inherited. He “gave” the role of the receptacle (“dimensions of the soul”) for prototypes directly to the deep unconscious, which goes beyond the boundaries of the personality.

This concept, in the process of studying myths, aims at searching among the ethnic, typological diversity of the corresponding plots, the motives of the archetypal core (invariant), which is expressed by them (mythologems) through metaphors, but which cannot be exhausted either by scientific explanation or by poetic description.

Archetype examples

Nevertheless, Gustav wanted to outline the systematics of the concepts under consideration. To do this, he formulated, for example, such archetypes of the unconscious as " Shadow"(the pre-human unconscious component of the psyche, which Jung identified with the heroes literary works: Goethe's Mephistopheles in "Faust", Sturluson's Loki in the "Younger Edda", Hegni in the Germanic epic poem "The Nibelungenlied"), " Anima"(the human unconscious beginning of the opposite sex, transmitted in the form of images of bisexual creatures from primitive myths, Chinese categories of Yin-Yang, etc.)," Wise old man"(the prototype of the spirit, meaning, hiding behind the chaos of life and presented as a wise magician, shaman, Nietzsche's Zarathustra). The mythologeme of the Great Mother was archetypically interpreted in various variations (Goddess, witch, norm, moira, Cybele, Demeter, Mother of God, etc.). All these examples reflect the prototype of the highest female being, which embodies the feeling (psychological) of the change of generations, immortality, overcoming the so-called power of time.

The archetypal role of the images of Prometheus, Epimetheus Jung presents as an opposition in the psyche " selves"(individual-personal beginning), in particular its part, turned outward (" Persona»).

The meaning of the concept under consideration and the provisions of the doctrine about it

Both of them strongly influenced the thoughts and creativity of researchers of religion, myth (who collaborated with Gustav Carl Kerenyi, Romanian mythologist Mircea Eliade, Indologist Heinrich Zimmer, Islamic scholar Henri Korben, American mythologist Joseph Campbell, Hebraist Gershom Scholem), literary critics (Canadian mythologist Northrop Fry, English mythologist Monty Bodkin), theologians, philosophers (German scientist Paul Tillich) and even non-humanitarian scientists (biologist Adolf Portman), prominent figures of art and literature (Hermann Hesse, Federico Fellini, Thomas Mann, Ingmar Bergman).

Jung himself revealed inconsistently the existing interdependence of archetypes, acting as elements of psychostructures, and mythological images, which are products of primitive consciousness. He understood it first as an analogy, then as an identity, then as a product of one another. In this regard, in the later literature, the term under consideration is used simply as a designation of general, fundamental, universal motives (mythological), initial schemes of representations that underlie any kind of structure (for example, the world tree) without the necessary connection with the so-called Jungianism. .

Jung's main archetypes

The number of prototypes within the framework of the collective unconscious tends to infinity. But still, a special place in his theoretical system is given to: “Mask”, “Anime” (“Animus”), “Self”, “Shadows”.

Prototype "Mask"

This archetype, translated from Latin, means a mask - the public face of a person. In other words, how people manifest themselves in interpersonal relationships. The mask symbolizes the many roles played by a person in accordance with existing social requirements.

In Jung's perception, it serves the purpose of making a special impression on other people or hiding from them its true inner essence. "Person" as an archetype is always necessary for a person in order to, so to speak, get along with the rest within Everyday life. But Jung warned in his conceptions about the consequences of endowing a given archetype with significance. In particular, a person becomes superficial, shallow, and only one single role will be allocated to him, he will remain alienated from the true colorful emotional experience.

Archetype "Shadow"

This is the opposite of "Mask". "Shadow" - the dark, evil, animal side of the personality, suppressed in man. This archetype contains human socially unacceptable aggressive, sexual impulses, as well as immoral passions and thoughts. However, it also has a number of positive features.

Jung regarded the "Shadow" as a source of endless life force, creativity, spontaneity in the fate of the individual. In accordance with the concept of this researcher, the main function of the Ego is to correct the desired direction of the energy of the archetype under consideration, to curb the pernicious side of human nature to a certain extent, allowing you to live in constant harmony with other people, and at the same time openly expressing your impulses, the possibility of enjoying health, creative life.

The prototypes of "Anima", "Animus"

In them, according to Jung, the innate androgenic human nature is concentrated. The first archetype identifies the inner female image in a man (unconscious female side), and the second - the masculine principle in a female representative (unconscious male side).

These human archetypes are partly based on existing biological fact that the human body produces both male and female hormones. They evolved, according to Jung, over many centuries within the collective unconscious as a result of the experience of the process of interaction with the opposite sex. Some men have become a little "feminized", and women have been "chauvinized" due to years of living together. Karl argued that these archetypes, like the rest, should coexist harmoniously, that is, not disturb the overall balance, in order not to provoke an inhibition in the development of the individual in the direction of exclusively self-fulfillment.

In other words, a man should show not only masculine qualities, but also his feminine features, and a woman - vice versa. In a situation where these attributes are not developed, this can eventually lead to one-sided growth, the functioning of the personality.

"Self" as the main archetype of Jung

Within the framework of his concept, he is recognized as the most important. "Self" - the core of the personality, which is surrounded by other elements. When the integration of all spiritual aspects is achieved, a person begins to feel inner unity, integrity, harmony.

So, in Jung's perception, the evolution of oneself is the primary goal of human life.

The main symbol of the "Self"

They are the “Mandala” (its many types): the halo of a saint, an abstract circle, a rose window, and so on. According to Jung's concept, the unity of the "I", wholeness, expressed symbolically in a figurative completeness similar to it, can be found in dreams, myths, fantasies, religious, mystical experience. This researcher believed that it is religion that acts as a great force that contributes to the human desire for completeness, integrity. However, do not forget that the harmonization of all mental components is a complex process.

He considered it impossible to achieve a true balance of all personality structures, if only in middle age. You can say more, the main archetype does not appear until there is a connection, harmonization of all spiritual aspects (conscious, unconscious). In view of this moment, the achievement of an already mature "I" requires perseverance, constancy, intelligence, significant life experience.

Innate prototypes

There is another interpretation of the concept under consideration. So, archetypes are memories that have appeared, ideas that predispose a person to experience, perceive, react to various events in a specific way. Of course, in reality this is not entirely true, if specified, it is more correct to interpret them as predisposing factors that influence the manifestation of universal models in people's behavior: perception, thinking, action as a response to the corresponding object (event).

It is innate here that the tendency of emotional response, behavioral, cognitive, to certain situations, for example, at the moment of an unexpected encounter with any subject (parents, stranger, snake, etc.) comes forward.

The relationship of prototypes with feelings and thoughts

As mentioned earlier, archetypes are "initial images". Jung argued that each of them is associated with a certain tendency to express specific types of feelings, thoughts about the corresponding situation, object. For example, a child perceives his mother through her real characteristics, colored by unconscious ideas regarding data on the archetypal attributes of the mother: education, dependence, fertility.

Thus, if we summarize all of the above, we get the following: the concept considered in this article has made an invaluable contribution to numerous areas, it is based on concepts such as archetype and symbol. Jung described the former as a prototype, and the latter as a means of expressing it in human life.

1. The collective unconscious. The concept of an archetype
2. Symbolism of archetypes
3. The meaning of some symbols on the example of the architecture of a private residential building
4. Interpenetration of symbols
5. The archetype of the "mother"
6. The “baby” archetype

1. The collective unconscious. The concept of an archetype

Jung considers the collective unconscious as an integral part of the psyche, which is not connected with a person's personal experience and "is not an individual acquisition". “If the personal unconscious consists mainly of elements that were conscious at one time, but subsequently disappeared from consciousness as a result of forgetting or repression, then the elements of the collective unconscious have never been conscious and, therefore, have never been acquired individually, but owe their existence purely hereditary." Thus, the collective unconscious is universal for all "individuals".

Individual unconscious consists of "emotionally colored complexes" that form an "intimate mental life personalities." collective unconscious consists of "archetypes" or "archetypal motifs". "Archetypic motifs" are forms and images that are the source of mythology, folklore, religion, and art. According to Jung, any essential idea or view is based on an "archetypal proforma", "the images of which arose when consciousness did not yet think, but perceived." Jung argues that myth is primarily a mental phenomenon, "expressing the deepest essence of the soul". ancient man transferred his emotional experiences to the processes of the external world, since his consciousness was not separated from the unconscious from nature.

Close analogues of archetypes are instincts. They have an important influence on the psychology of the individual, but are impersonal factors that determine the motivation of a person. Thus, Jung says that archetypes are models of instinctive behavior. “When a situation corresponding to this archetype arises, it is activated and an impulse appears, which, like instinctive attraction, makes its way against all arguments and will, or leads to neurosis.” In the event that the instincts have been suppressed, they are manifested in the dreams and fantasies of a person by means of "archetypal motives". "The presence of unrealized, unconscious fantasies increases the frequency and intensity of dreams, with awareness of fantasies, dreams become weaker and appear less often." It follows from this that fantasies tend to become conscious, and archetypes enable a person to do this with the help of the symbols contained in them. Hence, archetypes are a way of interaction between the conscious and the unconscious.

This interaction is, according to Jung, vital for a person. As a result of development, consciousness prevails over its unconscious part. But in spite of high level differentiation, in comparison with the "savage", a person cannot distance himself from his unconscious. In his theory, Jung says that “essentially, the archetype represents that unconscious content that changes, becomes conscious and perceived; it undergoes changes of that individual consciousness on the surface of which it arises. Hence, archetypes change under the influence of culture, the carrier of which is consciousness. Thus, "in order to connect the life of the past still existing in a person with the life of the present," he needs new interpretations of the archetypes, "acceptable for this stage."

2. Symbolism of archetypes

Archetypes manifest themselves in the form of symbols: in images, heroes, myths, folklore, traditions, rituals, etc. But, combining several characters, the archetype is not one of them to the end, tk. contains not the symbol itself, but its quality. So the main symbol of fire is a zigzag, but to convey the fiery and passionate image of Carmen, large flounces are used in the costume, which, with the help of color in motion, betray the dynamics of flames. The more clearly the quality of the primitive image is displayed in the symbol, the stronger the emotional impact it has.

According to Jung, the fate of a person depends on the images he experiences, because. “in every soul there are forms that, despite their unawareness, are active installations that pre-establish human thoughts, feelings and actions.” There is a danger that a person will fall under the influence of archetypes. This happens "when the archetypal images act in addition to consciousness", when consciousness is not able to hold the unconscious. For these reasons, when creating design objects, it is necessary to calculate the strength of the impact of archetypes and their appropriateness.

The archetype affects the subconscious and can simultaneously evoke diametrically opposite emotions: delight and horror, reverence and fear. The duality of perception "is an attribute of universal human experience." It was formed under the influence of "mystical delight", covering a person from the awareness of the close presence of a deity..

Considering myths, beliefs, religions, Jung emphasizes that their impact with the help of archetypes is aimed at separating the conscious and limiting the influence of the unconscious."The symbolic process is the experience of the image and through the images." The main goal of this process is "enlightenment or higher consciousness." But as a result of an increase in the level of consciousness, a person gradually displaces his unconscious, which, as Jung argued, "takes possession of the personality and distorts the individual's intentions for its own purposes." "The process is viable only with mutual cooperation" of the conscious and the unconscious.

3. The meaning of some symbols on the example of the architecture of a private residential building

Private residential building in southern Spain. Architect Emilio Ambaz. The name of the house is translated as "House for spiritual solitude."

The main and only façade is two symmetrical white plastered walls located at an angle of 90° to each other. The main entrance - a carved portal made of dark wood is located at the junction of the walls. Likewise, but higher, approximately at the level of the third floor, there is a balcony overlooking the outer side of the walls. Two symmetrical cantilever staircases lead to the balcony on the inside. They form a triangle, the top of which is a balcony. Water flows along the railing. It flows into a small semi-circular pool at the base of the stairs leading to the living space, which is underground. Light enters through an opening (patio) that resembles a wave in configuration. It provides through ventilation of all rooms and leads outside the house.

The architecture of this building is filled with symbols. Interacting, they complement each other, speaking about the idea of ​​human development.

According to Jung, the more differentiated consciousness becomes, the greater the danger of destroying the state of its stability. In order to avoid this and rise in his development, a person must know his dark side, meet his own “Shadow”. The shadow is desires, tendencies, experiences, everything that is forced out by consciousness and goes into the unconscious. The shadow cannot be ignored, because “you can, without realizing it, be in her captivity.”

You can see your reflection, your Shadow in the water. In Jung's work, water is most often found as a symbol of the unconscious. “The sea resting in the lowlands is the consciousness lying below the level”, denoted as "subconscious". A person looking into the “mirror of waters” sees his true face, “which he never shows to the world, hiding it behind the Person”.

“This is a gorge, a narrow entrance, and one who plunges into a deep source cannot remain in this painful narrowness ... therefore, behind a narrow door, he unexpectedly discovers an unlimited expanse.”

This idea is reflected in the architecture of the building. Passing through the entrance, arranged at the junction of walls, a person, as it were, finds himself in the depths of his subconscious. He sees in front of him "limitless" space, a view of the landscape opens up. A staircase leads from the entrance, widening to the bottom at the base of which there is a semicircular pool. The wave-shaped patio highlights the symbol of water. The staircase leads deep into the residential part of the house, to the "Cave".

The cave symbolizes rebirth. A place where a person descends in order for "incubation and renewal to take place." The cave is like a secret place that is inside a person, "the darkness behind the consciousness." "Penetrating into the unconscious, he establishes a connection with his unconscious essence." This, according to Jung, leads to significant changes in personality in a positive or negative direction.

You can read another symbol that speaks of rebirth and growth - Triangle. It is formed by two symmetrical staircases leading along the inner side of the walls to the balcony.

The triangle is a symbol of stable growth. It corresponds to the number three.“The Trinity expresses the need for spiritual development, which requires independence of thought. The Trinity is also an archetype whose dominant power not only encourages spiritual development, but on occasion he imposes it. In Alchemy, trinity denotes polarity - "one triad always implies the presence of the second: high - low, light - darkness, good - evil." The presence of opposites means the possibility further development and striving for balance.

The house of the Spanish architect Emilio Ambaz is a vivid, but not the only example of the conscious use of symbolism. It is often used in the design of architectural structures, interiors of public spaces: hospitals, rehabilitation centers etc.

4. Interpenetration of symbols

Jung believed that "the main symbolic figures of any religion always express a certain moral and intellectual attitude." The cross, according to Jung, embodies the idea of ​​dispensation. It is an ancient symbol of order and order. Often in dreams, the cross can appear in the form of a "four-part mandala." "The mandala denotes the exclusive concentration of the individual on himself," being a symbol of self-control. The outer part of the mandala is a square, a symbol of integrity; it corresponds to the number four, a symbol of self-centeredness. Jung wrote that in fact the quaternary is a symbol of God "manifesting himself in creation", that is, "God within". For modern consciousness, the quaternary "directly suggests the identity of God with man." So, according to Jung, the central place of the mandala today can be occupied by a person.

Circle, the inner part of the mandala. Symbolizes the "Deity, or man, depending on the celestial constellations." The circle symbolizes the sky, the square symbolizes the earth. Thus, the mandala is a trying on symbol.

Jung wrote that "the interpenetration of qualities and contents is typical of symbols." Another symbol that intersects with the symbol of the cross is the trinity, "has an exclusively masculine character." In nature, the trinity symbolizes the three elements: water, air, flame. But, the unconscious "turns this symbol into quaternity", supplementing with a certain dark beginning that is present in the cross. Jung also said that the fourth part is the earth or the body. The earth was symbolized by the Virgin. "Medieval philosophers considered woman or the feminine to be the fourth element." Thus, “the symbol of the quaternary comes from the Anima, a female figure personifying the unconscious.

Anima and Animus are the concept of oneself as a man or a woman. According to Jung, every man carries the image of a woman as such. “Anima expresses life in its pure manifestation, without meaning and without rules”, opposes orderliness. " female creature appears in various manifestations, causing bliss, depression, ecstasy, uncontrollable effects. The image has a certain independence, the direction of emotions does not depend on consciousness.

5. The archetype of the "mother"

The mother archetype has many manifestations. It can be a mother, grandmother or mother in a figurative sense of the word - a goddess. According to Jung, the symbol of the mother is also present in things "expressing the goal of a passionate desire for salvation: paradise, the kingdom of God." Things that arouse “awe” in a person: the church, the university, the country, the sky, the earth, the forests, the seas, the moon. The mother archetype also symbolizes abundance and fertility. "It can be associated with a rock, a cave, a tree, a spring, a spring." Due to its protective function the symbol of the mother can be a mandala. "Hollow objects", vessels, some animals are associated with it: "a cow, a hare, useful animals in general."

The mother archetype, like many others, is characterized by a duality of manifestations. "Evil symbols are a witch, a snake, a grave, a sarcophagus, deep waters, death, ghosts, brownies and others." A positive manifestation of the archetype: “care, sympathy, the magical power of a woman; wisdom and spiritual exaltation that transcends the limits of reason; any useful instinct or impulse; anything that is kind, caring, or supportive, or that promotes growth and fertility.” The mother archetype is associated with resurrection and magical transformations. In a negative sense, it can mean “something secret, mysterious, dark: the abyss, the world of the dead, everything absorbing, tempting, i.e. something that inspires horror and that is inevitable like fate. Jung wrote that the mother archetype is credited with "three main attributes: divinity, passion, and darkness."

6. The “baby” archetype

The "baby" motif has various forms: gem, pearl, flower, bowl, golden egg, golden ball and more.

Jung wrote that “one of the essential features of the 'baby' motif is its future. "Baby" is a possible future". In mythology, the hero often appears at first as the "Child God". According to Jung, the main feat of the hero is to overcome the "darkness", that is, the unconscious. For this reason, "baby" is often identified with things "contributing to culture, such as fire, metal, grain, corn." “Thus, the “baby” is characterized by acts, the meaning of which lies in the conquest of darkness.”

Jung argued that the "baby" is born as a result of the collision of opposites. As a result of this, something third comes to light - "whole", uniting the conscious and the unconscious. For this reason, the "baby" motif is associated with salvation, as are all unifying symbols.

Another property of the "baby" motive is its "abandonment, insecurity, exposure to dangers." This is due to his "mysterious and miraculous birth". Having united in himself two opposite principles, he was rejected by both. As a result, the "baby" symbolizes "distance, isolation from its source." "Baby" means something developing towards independence. He can do this only by alienating himself from his origins: therefore, abandonment is necessary condition". But, despite its loneliness in mythology, the “baby” often “possesses capabilities that far exceed ordinary human ones.” Yun noted that “since the symbol of the “baby” fascinates and captures the conscious mind, its saving power penetrates the human mind and helps to get out of the conflict state.”

Bibliography.

1. Carl Gustav Jung, Soul and Myth. Six archetypes, Kiev, State Library of Ukraine for Youth, 1996.
2. Carl Gustav Jung "Archetype and Symbol", M, Renaissance, 1991

According to Jung's theory, all processes in a living environment are controlled by archetypes or primary forms. All archetypes grow from the realm of the unconscious - the world of instincts. Anima and Animus are two central archetypal figures in the psyche of every person, symbolizing the opposite principle.

According to Jung, archetypes lie in the sphere of the collective unconscious and represent a kind of library of images that is inherited. These images or patterns of behavior incline to a stereotyped reaction to a situation developed by generations.

Archetypes of the Great Father and Great Mother

Archetypes come from instincts, therefore in their action there is a desire for survival. For example, the archetype of the enemy in the wild helps the cubs recognize the danger in the form of an approaching predator and adopt the appropriate form of behavior - hide and hide.

Sometimes we meet people along the way who we don’t like for inexplicable reasons. We experience inner discomfort next to them and a desire to stay away from them. It is likely that the person we meet fits into our image of the enemy, and our feelings are the action of the archetype.

Embraced by an archetype

Excessive identification of consciousness with the archetypal image speaks of "coverage by the archetype." Sometimes, it looks like an obsession, when it seems that some foreign essence has taken possession of the human psyche. In fact, this seems to be true. During the grip of the archetype, a person loses conscious control over himself, and power passes into the sphere of the unconscious, instinctive.

At the same time, the archetypes themselves are objective, and the true causes of phenomena are hidden in the archetypal forms. This mechanism explains why some dreams can be warning or prophetic.

For example, a beloved mother in the form of a witch or a father with the head and hooves of a goat may well be interpreted as a warning about the illusory nature of perception. In this case, the subconscious, which has more complete information about reality sends signs to consciousness that protect against the formation of false beliefs.

Power over archetypes

Comprehension of the essence of archetypes gives power over them. In the ability to recognize and decipher archetypal images, two previously separated spheres of the human soul are connected: consciousness and subconsciousness. This connection in Jung's theory is reflected in the archetype of integrity or "Self".

Understanding the language of the subconscious gives access to the true causes of phenomena and life situations encrypted in archetypes. This is an opportunity for a conscious choice of what is - a manifestation of individuality. From Jung's point of view, individuality is the opposite of archetypality. Showing our individuality in a conscious choice, we move away from patterns of behavior, showing our creative essence. Individuation is the path of soul evolution. The path from being covered by archetypes to achieving integrity, when consciousness and the unconscious merge into a single core of personality.

Mandala - a symbol of the archetype of the Self .

Jung's main archetypes

In the structure of personality, Jung singled out 3 spheres: consciousness, personal unconscious, collective unconscious.

The personal unconscious is what was previously realized, but moved to the level of the unconscious. The collective unconscious is not acquired during life, but is inherited, like an information package of images and forms. At the same time, the development of personality is based on the interaction of 5 main archetypal figures, through which the connection of consciousness with the unconscious is carried out.

Jung's main archetypes:

• Anima and Animus;
• Shadow;
• A person;
• Self.

The dark aspect of the Anima or the archetype of the Shadow in the form of Maleficent.

Ego or "I"

The ego is the center of the sphere of consciousness in the human psyche. Here is the point of observation of the conscious "I" for the inner and outside world. From here begins the path of personality development, which Jung saw in the so-called "individualization".

Individualization is the fusion of consciousness and the unconscious in one single structure - the archetypal image of the Self.

Eurydice in the symbolic image of Anima - the soul of Orpheus, for whom he goes to the underworld kingdom of Hades.

Anima and Animus

Anima and Animus in analytical psychology denote the image of the opposite sex in the genetic memory of a person. Anima is feminine in a man. Animus - masculine in feminine. Jung calls this the image of the soul. The image of the soul carries the experience of all mankind, the experience of the family and personal experience person in relationships.

The anima and animus can take on a variety of archetypal forms in the human psyche, illuminating the positive or negative aspects of the personality. For example, the feminine can be manifested in the form of a gentle maiden or an evil sorceress. Male - can appear before consciousness in the form of a noble prince or a jealous tyrant.
The image of the soul has an impact on the choice of a partner and on relationships with the other sex in general. Also, the manifestation of gender qualities in the behavior of the individual largely depends on this image.

Anima archetype in the image of Venus - the goddess of beauty.

At the same time, although the archetypes are dual, their duality is in an equilibrium balance. The power of manifestation of one aspect gives strength to the manifestation of the opposite. External, indicative manifestations of strength speak of internal weakness. For example, a strong woman who performs male tasks in her life carries in her mind the image of a weak Animus, according to which she subconsciously seeks a life partner for herself. Because too strong women choose too weak men. In general, we always choose those whose qualities reflect our inner being.

Shadow

The shadow is formed from attitudes and inclinations that were inherited by us, but which we ourselves do not accept. Everything that seems to us impartial and unaesthetic; everything that we used to hide from society behind the masks of decency forms our Shadow.

What was rejected at the level of consciousness goes into the realm of the unconscious. And from there, through the archetype, the Shadow continues its impact on the psyche. The more personal qualities are forced out by consciousness, the more the Shadow becomes, and the more often and more strongly it interferes with conscious life.

Archetype of the Shadow as Mephistopheles (left) from Goethe's Faust.

However, although the Shadow represents the dark aspect of the personality, its goals are quite constructive. By its intervention in conscious life, it directs to the satisfaction of suppressed desires and the release of restrained emotions. Ultimately, the intervention of the shadow should lead a person to realize and accept his shadow side. Otherwise, what Jung called "the flooding of consciousness with archetypal unconscious content" occurs. Or, more simply, psychosis.

The shadow reminds of itself both through the symbolism of the inner world and in the real figures of the outer world. She can haunt in dreams and visions, in the personification of a demon or monster. The Shadow can also be projected onto the people around us. Sometimes, we meet in the surrounding images that provoke our Shadow to act. And then, driven by anger and resentment, we succumb to the unconscious influence of the Shadow and begin to behave unseemly. Wherein negative emotions that we experience in relation to other people is the result of the meeting of "I" with our own repressed shadow side.

Symbolically, a meeting with the Shadow is indicated by a look at one's own reflection in a mirror or in a pond.

A person

A persona is an intermediary between the “I” and the outside world, a set of masks behind which the Shadow hides. In fact, this archetype is the light aspect of the personality. On the other hand, this is just an image that a person chooses to like, hiding his dark side.

Social models of behavior are dictated to a person by a Person - the face of a personality

Self

The way to achieve the Self lies through the awareness and acceptance of the unconscious shadow side, which was previously repressed by consciousness and was hidden behind the mask of the Person. Accepting some aspect of one's Shadow renders the Persona mask unnecessary, and the mask falls apart. Such destruction can be painful, but in a positive outcome, they entail positive changes in the structure of the core of the personality.

The formation of the Self is the result of a process of "individualization" that Jung contrasted with archetypicality. Thus, by reconciling the unconscious with consciousness, a person can move away from archetypicality, showing individuality in a conscious choice.

Symbolic image of the dual nature of all manifestation

The self is also the awareness of one's essence and one's place in the world. Symbolically, the achievement of selfhood is depicted in myths as the reunion of the hero with his soul in the image of the opposite sex. "Orpheus and Eurydice" is a myth about the path of reunion of a man with his feminine principle - Anima. Egyptian myth about Osiris and Isis - a story about the salvation and resurrection by a woman of her inner man cut into pieces - the Animus.

In the process of cognition, not once will we discover that at some time in the past we “lost” our soul. And then, tearing off another mask and accepting another aspect of the Shadow, we will regain our soul.

Symbolic image of the act of saving the soul - Anima

The moment of complete and final reunion with the soul is the moment of awareness of all lifestream experience. Perfection has no limits, and perhaps the final moment is unattainable. However, this should not stop aspirations. Everyone by nature strives for the harmony of the external and internal. This is manifested in the desire to be happy. But only the one who understands that it is not for specific material purposes, but in relation to his own “I” to himself and the world, finds happiness.

Carl Gustav Jung

“The Self is the image of God;
at least,
she is indistinguishable from him.”
Carl Gustav Jung

Before defining the self, Jung turns to the description of the EGO ("I"), because the self, according to Jung, "is not thought of as repressing the EGO, but rather as a concept of a higher order that includes the EGO in itself."

EGO relies on the field of consciousness and is its center. The field of human consciousness, although it is capable of expanding indefinitely, however, has its limit when it encounters the unknown, which falls into two groups of objects. One part of the unknown is in the external (in relation to the Self) world and can be perceived through the senses. The other part of the unknown, which is in the inner world of the conscious and can be directly perceived by him, is the unconscious.

EGO is a conscious factor based on somatic and psychic foundations. The somatic basis of the EGO is made up of conscious and unconscious factors - from the totality of internal sensations of the body, only some of which, in turn, are conscious and therefore already have a psychic nature and are associated with the EGO, and those irritations that lie below the threshold of consciousness.

The mental foundation is formed by the total field of consciousness and the total amount of unconscious contents, which include both contents that temporarily remain subconscious and can be reproduced in an arbitrary order (memory), and contents that are either not amenable to arbitrary reproduction, or cannot be conscious at all.

EGO is formed with the course of a person's life, arising from the collision of his somatic (physical) factor with environment and, once established as a subject, develops on the basis of further collisions with the external and internal world.

EGO is individual and unique. Although it is able to maintain its identity to a certain extent, its stability is very relative, since it often undergoes significant changes, which, Jung emphasizes, can be both pathological and reflect development and growth.

The ego has free will, by which Jung means "freedom of choice", more precisely, the subjective feeling of freedom. The EGO is able to ensure the adaptation of a person by an effort of will. But free will encounters both various external obstacles and unconscious processes in the inner world of a person, which are the same objective obstacles for the EGO as external obstacles.

Being the center of the field of consciousness, the EGO is not the center of the personality. It is part of the personality, but not the whole personality. According to Jung, "psychic phenomena in their entirety cannot be comprehended with the help of intellect, because they include not only meanings, but also values, and the latter depend on the intensity of the accompanying emotional, sensual tone ... However, it is difficult to harness intellect and feeling into one team - they are in conflict by definition."

Jung emphasizes that personality traits that are of decisive importance are often unconscious. Therefore, personality generally different from EGO. It is the integral personality, which cannot be fully known, that Jung calls SELF. It includes both the unconscious in a person and his EGO (his "I").

The ego, Jung believes, is subordinate to the self and cannot do anything against it. Moreover, sometimes the EGO is assimilated by the unconscious components of the personality that are in the process of development, which leads to distortions of awareness and impaired adaptation, when the way is opened for all sorts of accidents.

Jung emphasizes that if the contents of the personal unconscious are acquired throughout the life of an individual, then the contents of the collective unconscious invariably turn out to be the archetypes that were originally present in it.

The shadow represents a moral problem, presupposes the recognition of the real presence of the dark aspects of the personality. It contains features that demonstrate an extremely stubborn opposition to moral control. Not a single person is able to realize his shadow without making serious efforts of a moral nature. Awareness of the personal unconscious allows one to integrate the shadow to one degree or another, which ensures greater integrity of the personality.

Among the archetypes that produce the most frequent and destructive effect on the ego, Jung refers to the animus and anima (the archetypes of the opposite sex that are present in every woman and in every man). The tension of opposites created in human souls is a reflection of the integrity of the personality and, according to Jung, is an objective factor that the subject encounters regardless of his desire. Awareness and integration of archetypes serves to strengthen the integrity of the personality.

Jung notes that the shadow can only be realized through a relationship with a partner, and the anima and animus only through a relationship with a partner of the opposite sex, because only within such a relationship do their projections begin to operate.

If the EGO for any time falls under the control of an unconscious factor, then its adaptation is disturbed, and the way is opened for all sorts of accidents. Jung, therefore, emphasizes the extreme importance of the rootedness of the EGO in the world of consciousness: “for these purposes, such virtues as attentiveness, conscientiousness, patience are very useful morally, and intellectually, diligent observation of the unconscious and objective self-criticism.”

So, the self is, according to Jung, the integrity and unity of both the conscious and the unconscious, and the duality of the unconscious forces operating in a person. Unity and wholeness, writes Jung, stand at the highest rung of the scale of objective values, since their symbols are already almost indistinguishable from the Image of God.