Western Soul Image

What needs do mythology and religion serve in today's world and in ancient times? Here we discuss the relationship between mythology, religion and science from mythological, religious and philosophical viewpoints.

Moderators: Clemsy, Martin_Weyers, Cindy B.

Locked
boringguy
Associate
Posts: 459
Joined: Fri Jul 06, 2007 1:36 am
Location: Idaho

Western Soul Image

Post by boringguy »

Hi all,

Ok just have to say, if I’m ever going to get burned at the stake this is probably my best shot at it….


A thought occurred to me the other day as I read this;
The Anima is the female soul image of a man, the Animus the male soul image of a woman. That is the most simple definition, and one which many struggle with, since Jung seems quite absolute in defining a person's soul image as gender opposite.
And remembering that Cindy shared this the other day in the Colorado Tragedy thread when the conversation was on Sandyhook;
The trickster is a collective shadow figure, a summation of all the inferior traits of character in individuals...[The trickster motif has] a therapeutic effect. It holds the earlier low intellectual and moral level before the eyes of the more highly developed individual, so that he shall not forget how things looked yesterday...If at the end of the trickster myth the savior is hinted at, this comforting premonition or hope means that some calamity or other has happened and been consciously understood... --Jung
And along this line, too, i.e., when looking at an archetype, remember the importance of the concepts of opposites and enantiodromia when considering context and motif, in this case (trickster/savior, chaos/cosmos) a reason for hope...I hope. – Cindy

Now if you are so inclined and have time review Pinker’s thoughts here;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_sjosc0r1w

Sort of points to a picture, for me anyway, of a mutual arising that seems an obvious progression forward which one has to seriously wonder how many parts of, be it money, standard of living, technology, society, or even masculine based myth (religion) one might do away with and still not upset the apple cart.


My thoughts are toward the masculine based mythology and I have been somewhat critical in the past as to where that has taken us, and so that’s where I will wander.


Seems that for some 30,000+ years humans had Goddess myth which given Jung’s view might have actually had an underlying effect of connecting one to a masculine or Animus soul image. One can easily see masculine traits and function as survivalist, and Pinker’s findings support that view of life back then in a rudimentary way.

And then perhaps humanity reached a point where survival in nature had been accomplished, and these traits are then to the detriment of survival. The God mythologies were born, carried and spread by these conquerors now of man. And ultimately, now to put humanity (at least in the western culture) in touch with an Anima soul image?

Given humanities progress, at least as viewed through Pinker’s eyes, one has to wonder, no?

This whole picture perhaps rightfully seen as the collective individuation of humanity?

Thoughts?



bg
______________________
you make the world smile ....... the trick is to learn to let the world make you smile

Cindy B.
Working Associate
Posts: 4719
Joined: Wed Oct 05, 2005 12:49 pm
Location: USA
Contact:

Post by Cindy B. »

Hey, boringguy, it's nice to see you back. :D


I'm feeling lazy, so what I'm going to offer is links to other posts that immediately come to mind and that I made on the board that address issues in your post. (Lots of "thats" in that sentence, huh, plus one more. :P ) Just more food for thought and adding to the pot...


Pinker: A History of Violence (Couldn't find my own JCF link. So be it.): http://www.edge.org/3rd_culture/pinker0 ... index.html

Matriarchal and Patriarchal Consciousness and Culture: http://www.jcf.org/new/forum/viewtopic. ... 7107#57107

The Hare and The Tortoise: Culture, Biology, and Human Nature re: cultural hyperextension: http://www.jcf.org/new/forum/viewtopic. ... 7318#57318



:)
If the path before you is clear, you’re probably on someone else’s. --Jung

boringguy
Associate
Posts: 459
Joined: Fri Jul 06, 2007 1:36 am
Location: Idaho

Post by boringguy »

Thanks Cindy,

Sorry for the delay, I've just been very sick for the past ten days. I do want to read the thread you linked in it's entirety and then will be back.


bg
_______________
you make the world smile ........... the trick is learning to let the world make you smile

Cindy B.
Working Associate
Posts: 4719
Joined: Wed Oct 05, 2005 12:49 pm
Location: USA
Contact:

Post by Cindy B. »

Bummer! Sending healing vibes your way. Get well soon, boringguy. :)
If the path before you is clear, you’re probably on someone else’s. --Jung

gum drop
Associate
Posts: 30
Joined: Wed Mar 27, 2013 10:27 pm

Post by gum drop »

yes, I am seeing in an explanation of the protestant establishment of this country many answers only hinted at in my art eduacation at the Lutheran U....no images, all rational thought as religion stemming from the enlightenment....denying and crushing myth...here they are trying to rekindle art in america as it always was, a response to mystical divine experiences or unity, awe. Now as in their reliigion all is human centered, and especially male. A cold lifeless representation of religion, god, guns, and my willing babymaker.

I don't see how they will rekindle art based on a religion keeping children as daddys girls throughout life, but they go along with it, so they assume they are that inept and need PHD's like them to guide them....................

Billymack1949
Associate
Posts: 37
Joined: Thu Mar 24, 2011 1:02 am
Location: Springfield, Illinois

Post by Billymack1949 »

I haven't had time to view all of the links but I will when I get time. But I do have one thought.
Seems that for some 30,000+ years humans had Goddess myth which given Jung’s view might have actually had an underlying effect of connecting one to a masculine or Animus soul image. One can easily see masculine traits and function as survivalist, and Pinker’s findings support that view of life back then in a rudimentary way.

And then perhaps humanity reached a point where survival in nature had been accomplished, and these traits are then to the detriment of survival. The God mythologies were born, carried and spread by these conquerors now of man. And ultimately, now to put humanity (at least in the western culture) in touch with an Anima soul image?


This gives rise to an interesting question I've been thinking about: did consciousness evolve in a parallel fashion to animal/human evolution. There simply is no reason to have consciousness, we don't need it to have a planet full of animal/plant life, but with the appearance of the human race, at some point, we become aware and evolve what we know now to be consciousness. The back and forth between male animus projection and masculine God worship indicates phases introduced into that evolution of consciousness. Interesting stuff.
This is no ordinary universe!

Locked