Definitions of Mystical Terms Derived from Carl Jung

Below are some Definitions, mostly derived from the writings of Carl Jung (1865-1961), Psychotherapist 

Archetype: invisible, intangible thought patterns residing in the Unconscious Mind.  Archetypes include the king, the queen, the wise old man, the wise old woman, earth, moon, sun wind, rivers, trees, animals and more.  Archetypes are universal: everyone inherits these images.   Archetypes were discovered by Carl Jung, a noted psychotherapist and one-time associate with Freud.  He insisted that Archetypes are unknowable: only their manifestations are knowable. Jung insisted on keeping the mystery of Archetypes a mystery.

Conscious mind: the part of our thinking that we are aware of.  Logic, math, step by step, syllogistic thinking all come from the Conscious Mind.  When the Conscious Mind interprets the metaphors and symbols of the Unconscious Mind whole new paradigms of awareness unfold.  (See Unconscious Mind.) 

Unconscious mind: the part of our thinking that we are unaware of.  -The storage of memories.  -The Source of religion, legends, myths and dreams.  The Unconscious Mind speaks through symbols and metaphors.  (See Conscious Mind.)

Mysticism: direct experience with Spirit through deep contemplation.  Deep contemplation includes prayer, meditation, dreams, waking dreams, active imagination, visions, apparitions and intellectual insight.  The mystical experience includes deep, passionate emotion and spiritual illumination.

Individuation: the Unconscious, inborn quest for self-actualization and self identity.  Individuation is the quest for personal purpose, meaning and fulfillment.  It is a life-time process.  Few have ever achieved 100% Individuation.  Jesus and Buddha are believed to have achieved such a quest.

Hero’s Journey: an Unconscious Archetype that drives us toward purpose, meaning and fulfillment.  The Hero (you and me) obeys an inward call to leave one’s comfortable surroundings, fight dragons (fulfill one’s inward call/inward purpose, which always involves hardship and adversity) and return home to share wisdom with others.  Each individual has one’s own unique Hero’s Journey.  Simply knowing that one is a wayfarer on a Hero’s Journey can bring about transformation.

Rebirth Archetype: a transcendent, spiritual experience of renewal to the point where one literally feels that their life has been born anew.  This experience can happen suddenly or it can happen over a period of time.  Each Rebirth experience is unique to the individual.  For instance, Saul of Tarsus received his Rebirth experience suddenly and unexpectedly.  Saint Ignatius Loyola, on the other hand, received his Rebirth experience slowly and gradually as he read the lives of the Saints.  Rebirth also includes a “death” to one’s old way of thinking.  The old is gone.  The new is born.

Shadow: the part of ourselves that we do not wish to be.  The Shadow is usually the “shadowy, negative” side of our personality and dwells in the Unconscious Mind.  It can come out suddenly and unexpectedly in the form of anger or even violence.  The Shadow, however, has certain positive characteristics: competition, vigor, determination, self-preservation and more.  The Shadow, therefore, is a duality.  We cannot eliminate the Shadow.  But we can manage it through conscious reason and developing its positive characteristics.

Symbol: An Unconscious figure, character, sign or mark that awakens strong emotion and beckons to be interpreted.  Symbols originate from the Unconscious Self and are metaphors that seek interpretation from the Conscious Ego.  Each interpretation is unique to the individual.  Symbols manifest themselves in dreams, visions, legends, myths, fairytales, art and religion. 

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