Symbolic Archetypes 9/22 & 23

What is a Symbol? A symbol is a concrete object used to represent an abstract idea. Examples

Heaven - Hell Gods live in the skies or mountaintops Evil forces live in the bowels of the earth

Water - Desert Because water is necessary to life and growth, it commonly appears as a birth or rebirth symbol. The appearance of rain in a work of literature can suggest a character’s spiritual birth. Conversely, the aridity (dryness) of the desert is often associated with spiritual sterility. Characters who live in the desert are often “dead” to morals or the “good side”.

Haven vs. Wilderness Places of safety contrast sharply against the dangerous wilderness. Heroes are often found in unexpected places. Wilderness threatens civilization.

Circles Spheres, eggs, wheels Wholeness, unity, infinity, continuity, and cycles

Civilization Cities Corruption, sin, lust, voluptuous materialism

Colors The most ancient and universal of symbols. They can symbolize moods or emotional process. They can represent pairs of opposites and dualism such as light and dark, masculine and feminine, etc.

Black (darkness) The shadow; the repressed part of the Self. Mystery; the unconscious, the underworld, emotional darkness, hidden desires/instinct Black represents the first step in the transformation process in which the old is destroyed in order for new creation of the Self to occur

Green In positive terms In negative terms Growth Fertility Hope birth Rot Decay Jealousy Envy

Blue The color of spirit, the heavenly, the divine, intuition and inspiration

Red Blood, life, anger Lust and passion Courage and war

Gold Divine light, illumination, self-worth/ value

White Purity, holiness, sacredness, redemption, mystical enlightenment and innocence. Signifies the union of opposites to form a whole the symbolic death of transformation renewal In Eastern thought, white is the color of the crown chakra, what is known as the halo in Western thought

Yellow The sun, illumination and intellect. The color of fire and thus the purification of flame

Silver The color of the moon, magic, the Goddess, psychic nature.

Orange Balance, creative expression, pride and ambition. As the color of fire, can represent burning away impurities

Sun Cycle Rising sun The East, birth, rise of the hero, goodness or optimism

Sun Cycle Setting Sun The West, death, fall of the hero, evil or pessimism

Seasonal Cycle Spring Birth phase, rise of the hero, resurrection growth Summer Peak of hero’s power, marriage, triumph, youth Fall Beginning of death, decline of hero, increasing isolation and alienation Winter Death, chaos, fall or death of hero

Seasonal Cycle continued Deserts Spiritual emptiness, death, hopelessness, and sterility Gardens Paradise, innocence, unspoiled beauty, fertility

Water Sea The mother of all life, spiritual mystery and infinity, death and rebirth, timelessness and eternity, the unconscious Rivers Father or protector, death and rebirth, baptism, the flowing of time into eternity, transitional phases of life cycles

Review True or False Gods live in the skies; evil lives in the bowels of the earth. Water and desert both symbolize birth.

True or False 3. Heroes live in the woods. 4. Cities symbolize corruption.

List One Possible Meaning of the Symbol 5. 6. 7. 8.

Colors: List One Meaning Black Green Blue Red White

Time to Use your Knowledge Get in your group and work on your Creation Myth art project