The word archetype (pronounced ARK-ee-type) has its roots in
Latin and Greek, but it was Carl Jung that brought the word into
wide usage today. It can mean an original model or prototype;
or an ideal example of a type.
In Jungian psychology, it refers to an instinctual pattern of
thought or symbolic imagery derived from the past collective
experience (Jung referred to this as "the collective
unconscious"), and present in the individual unconscious.
The Child
This is a very common dream symbol and an easily
recognizable archetype -- we were all children at one time and
can remember the freedom of being a child, the unconditional
love we received from our parents, the spontaneous laughter,
how we innocently accepted things as they were and let our
imaginations run wild.
The Child archetype reminds us of how we were as children.
When children appear in your dreams, ask yourself: "Have I
forgotten how to laugh and enjoy life? Am I need of
unconditional love (perhaps from myself)? Have I forgotten
how to dream? When was the last time I played a game?"
Often The Child archetype is speaking for the "inner child" --
the part of you that never grew up and is in need of love,
comfort and reassurance. Have you embraced or spoken to
your inner child recently? It can go a long way towards healing
and wholeness.
You may recognize several variations of The Child archetype --
The Divine Child, The Wounded Child, and The Abandoned
Child, among others.
The Divine Child archetype is often seen in myths. The most
easily recognizable Divine Child is the symbol of the Christ
Child. In your dreams, The Divine Child is your true spiritual
self, capable of great transformations and could symbolize your
spiritual growth.
The Abandoned (Orphaned) Child archetype can easily be seen
in Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz or Oliver in Oliver Twist. If you
lost a caregiver in your early life, the Abandoned Child may
show up in your dreams.
The Wounded Child archetype is seen as fragile and shy and
will most likely appear if you've been abused or neglected as a
child. Even if you had a wonderful, loving childhood, the
Wounded Child can appear when you are experiencing
something in real life that reminds you of a time when friends
laughed at you or Mom unfairly chastised you as a child.
The Animus
In Jungian Psychology the Animus is the inner, masculine side
of a woman. To quote Jung: "Woman is compensated by a
masculine element and therefore her unconscious has, so to
speak, a masculine imprint. This results in a considerable
psychological difference between men and women, and
accordingly I have called the projection-making factor in
women the animus, which means mind or spirit." [The Syzygy:
Anima and Animus, Collected Works, 9ii, par. 28f.]
"The animus is the deposit, as it were, of all woman's ancestral
experiences of man - and not only that, he is also a creative
and procreative being, not in the sense of masculine creativity,
but in the sense that he brings forth something we might call
. . . the spermatic word." [Anima and Animus, Collected Works
7, par. 336.]
A woman becomes familiar with the nature of her animus by
constantly questioning her ideas and opinions. "The technique
of coming to terms with the animus is that the woman must
learn to criticize and hold her opinions at a distance; not in
order to repress them, but, by investigating their origins, to
penetrate more deeply into the background, where she will
then discover the primordial images. [Anima and Animus,"
Collected Works 7, par. 336.]
Jung described four stages of animus development in a
woman. In stage 1 he appears in dreams and fantasy as the
embodiment of physical power, an athlete, muscle man or thug.
In stage 2, he gives her initiative and the capacity for action.
He is behind a woman's desire for independence and a career
of her own. In stage 3, the animus is the "word," often seen in
dreams as a clergyman or a professor. In the final stage, the
animus is the incarnation of spirit and its meaning. At this
level, the animus intercedes between a woman's conscious
mind and her unconscious. In mythology this aspect of the
animus appears as Hermes, messenger of the gods; in dreams
he is a helpful guide.
The Mandala
A mandala is a simple or complex geometric pattern or design
-- usually circular. In Buddhism and Hinduism it represents the
Universe. Jung believed it was a symbol of Self. It can also
symbolize the "circle of life" or the concept of wholeness and
completeness. The patterns or symbols within the mandala can
be a clue as to what it means to the dreamer.
Mandalas can be simple -- a star, or snowflake -- or a complex
pattern of repeating geometrics forms. Mandalas are often
seen in art and can be used to concentrate on while meditating.
You can find many samples of mandalas here: The Mandala
Project
Have you seen a mandala in your dreams? Perhaps a coin or
treasure you discovered? A piece of art hanging on the wall?
A gift someone gave you? The pattern on the floor or
wallpaper?
Try creating a mandala of your own. Use any medium you like --
simple pen and paper, crayons, colored pencil, collage, acrylic,
water color, computer graphics. Let your mind wander for
awhile before beginning. Ask yourself -- What color am I?
What shape? How many parts do I have? How do they
interconnect?
Please share it with us, if you make one. Feel free to email it to
me and I will add it to my Guest Authors and Artists page.
Look for more Archetypes coming soon!
See Working With Symbols and the Symbol Dictionary for more
info.
Schumann's: Traumerei
(Dreaming) performed and
© John Bell Young. It is used
with permission.
be an expert on dreams. I
have no degree in Psychology
or any other science. I
profess to be a dreamer -- in
every sense of the word,
because I dream and I have
learned to interpret my own
dreams. I make no promises
that I can interpret your
dreams. I merely hope to help
you learn to interpret your
own dreams. You are
welcome to learn from my
experiences.
Book 1 Book 2 Book 3 Book 4 Book 5
