10/18/2014

Carl Jung Symbols Are Still Applicable To Many Situations

By Dominique Martin


Some dream symbols are universal and apply to men as well as women. In Jungian theory, this is called the collective unconscious. Carl Jung is the famous psychoanalyst and author responsible for creating his theories of Jung symbols.

Great emphasis was placed on the figures who appeared in dreams and the figures who existed in the waking hours. They represented people who were part of the dreamers waking life. He defined seven major archetypal characters and correlated their symbolic meanings to actual people.

Each person has a Persona which serves to represent you as the world perceives you. In a dream you are represented symbolically. When you wake, if you recall the dream, you automatically know that the famous singer or beggar at the airport is representing you.

The next archetype is The Shadow and he symbolizes your worst traits. These are the ones you try to hide from the world. In dreams, this Shadow appears in the role of some kind of monster. Seeing him in a dream makes you very angry.

Jung posited that each person has female and male aspects, which he named Anima-Animus. A woman may dream of having purely masculine qualities, such as being a bull rider in a Western rodeo. The man may express his feminine side by dreaming he is dressed in womens clothing. The Anima may strive to be more masculine and the Animus show the more emotional side of his nature, which is a feminine quality.

Due to the fact that he lived in a different era, his concept of gender roles differed from those that exist today. Women were most often in dependent roles, and males in dominant ones. Currently these roles are often intermingled.

The fourth symbol is The Divine Child. In your dreams this purest part of yourself appears as a baby or child. It embodies your innocence. It also represents the aspirations you hold and the full potential you can hope to reach.

The main authority figure in your life is represented by a Wise Old Man or Woman. Any knowledgeable individual who offers help can fill this role. It might be a teacher you depend on for guidance. The Wise Old Man represents that character.

The Great Mother appearing in your dreams may be your own mother or other caretaker. As a nurturing entity she will be reassuring. Jung believed that the mother grows jealous of a child who grows distant as he grows older. This may give off negativity expressed in the dream as dominance or death.

The Trickster is the seventh archetype. His name describes exactly what he does. His appearance might signify an error made foolishly during the day. He would embody your extreme embarrassment. This Trickster is a troubling influence and may leave you feeling vulnerable and weak.

In addition to early books, Psychology of the Unconscious for one, Jung wrote fiction including one book on murder. The theories he proposed are studied and used in the field of psychiatry and psychotherapy today. His last book, Man and His Symbols provides insight into his complex theories.

He wrote in German and his large body of work was translated into many languages. He did some writing in English. His books are now considered to be classics.




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