Author's Notes
AUTHOR'S NOTES:
Those familiar with the Archetypes of CG Jung may find even my metaphors and images traveling wide. For instance, I do realize the in looking at the archetype of THE CHILD, I should be considering the child within myself. Some of the poetic selections deal with my own children rather than the child within. Or do they? That is the question of course. What do you learn about the child within, by looking at the child without? What do you discover about the nurturing of self in the way you come to nurture others? There are many of these MIRRORED METAPHORS in the poems, prose and paintings included here. Often there is more than one mirror. The subsections in THE CHILD are Jung’s and added a fascinating dimension to the subject.
The archetypes are not organized in any particular order - other than the first five being the archetypes most often examined in studies of Jung. THE SHADOW, THE ANIMA/ANIMAS, SYZYGY, THE CHILD, THE SELF. This study originally began as an investigation of just these five archetypes. Then it grew. And grew!
It is perhaps unfortunate that THE SHADOW happens to be the most commonly examined of the archetypes. Since it is, it is where this collection begins, which means that the very first selections you will see are somewhat dark. I do hope you will go on, past this darkness, as there are many different dimensions, textures and degrees of illumination that follow.
Many of the images and concepts, you will find, are anything but traditional. For instance, traditional images for MANA - SPIRITUAL POWER most often revolve around phallic and lingam symbols, cultural implications that are associated with male sexuality. I have seen something different; a loosely connected collection of images which called to me. Images, which I was intrigued to note, feature, quite a bit of fire.
THE HERO is also probably not what you expect. The Hero’s quest I choose to explore is not the usual tale. There has been a cultural upheaval in women’s ‘roles’ in the last fifty years. I began to wonder where a woman looks for a mentor, a guide or a ‘hero’ now. I looked for images, listened for metaphors - and answered myself.
Archetypally, Jung considers THE ANIMALS as they interact with the human psyche. This selection features the animals that have called to me, artistically, in the last year, I think that is probably a good indication, not of the universal psyche, but of my own.
I read in several places that Jung’s identification of THE FAMILY archetype had to do with blood ties. Regardless of what the original intent was, this is a concept whose time is past. There are innumerable configurations for the word “Family” now, being related by blood is only one. The majority of this section deals with my personal shaping of the word “Family.” However, in acknowledgment of what “Family” truly means, this section begins with a painting of the Bell-Poulson family, one of the most fantastic families I know. Not one of these people is related to any other one by blood. All of them are related to each other by LOVE. Love is what makes a family.
As a note on the section titled THE MAIDEN: I consider “Maiden” to cover the period of a woman’s life between Childhood and Motherhood or taking up her Life Task and have never deemed that it had a thing to do with her sexual activity. I thought I better clarify that before some of my Maiden’s started pointing out that they didn’t think they qualified any more. Again, tradition does not reign here. You will not find these Maidens waiting helplessly for someone to come and rescue them.
The final section includes four concepts that I would like to consider in more depth at some time. Each one is represented by just one painting. They are concepts linked to Jung, but not archetypes and are therefore ADDITIONAL CONCEPTS.
The fourteen archetypes I have chosen are by no means the only ones. How did I choose which ones I would address? Yes. I listened for metaphors and looked for images. In other words: I picked those that interested me. The older I get the more I find this to be an excellent way of proceeding in life, all the way around.
I do hope you enjoy what you find here.
~ Edwina Peterson Cross
Those familiar with the Archetypes of CG Jung may find even my metaphors and images traveling wide. For instance, I do realize the in looking at the archetype of THE CHILD, I should be considering the child within myself. Some of the poetic selections deal with my own children rather than the child within. Or do they? That is the question of course. What do you learn about the child within, by looking at the child without? What do you discover about the nurturing of self in the way you come to nurture others? There are many of these MIRRORED METAPHORS in the poems, prose and paintings included here. Often there is more than one mirror. The subsections in THE CHILD are Jung’s and added a fascinating dimension to the subject.
The archetypes are not organized in any particular order - other than the first five being the archetypes most often examined in studies of Jung. THE SHADOW, THE ANIMA/ANIMAS, SYZYGY, THE CHILD, THE SELF. This study originally began as an investigation of just these five archetypes. Then it grew. And grew!
It is perhaps unfortunate that THE SHADOW happens to be the most commonly examined of the archetypes. Since it is, it is where this collection begins, which means that the very first selections you will see are somewhat dark. I do hope you will go on, past this darkness, as there are many different dimensions, textures and degrees of illumination that follow.
Many of the images and concepts, you will find, are anything but traditional. For instance, traditional images for MANA - SPIRITUAL POWER most often revolve around phallic and lingam symbols, cultural implications that are associated with male sexuality. I have seen something different; a loosely connected collection of images which called to me. Images, which I was intrigued to note, feature, quite a bit of fire.
THE HERO is also probably not what you expect. The Hero’s quest I choose to explore is not the usual tale. There has been a cultural upheaval in women’s ‘roles’ in the last fifty years. I began to wonder where a woman looks for a mentor, a guide or a ‘hero’ now. I looked for images, listened for metaphors - and answered myself.
Archetypally, Jung considers THE ANIMALS as they interact with the human psyche. This selection features the animals that have called to me, artistically, in the last year, I think that is probably a good indication, not of the universal psyche, but of my own.
I read in several places that Jung’s identification of THE FAMILY archetype had to do with blood ties. Regardless of what the original intent was, this is a concept whose time is past. There are innumerable configurations for the word “Family” now, being related by blood is only one. The majority of this section deals with my personal shaping of the word “Family.” However, in acknowledgment of what “Family” truly means, this section begins with a painting of the Bell-Poulson family, one of the most fantastic families I know. Not one of these people is related to any other one by blood. All of them are related to each other by LOVE. Love is what makes a family.
As a note on the section titled THE MAIDEN: I consider “Maiden” to cover the period of a woman’s life between Childhood and Motherhood or taking up her Life Task and have never deemed that it had a thing to do with her sexual activity. I thought I better clarify that before some of my Maiden’s started pointing out that they didn’t think they qualified any more. Again, tradition does not reign here. You will not find these Maidens waiting helplessly for someone to come and rescue them.
The final section includes four concepts that I would like to consider in more depth at some time. Each one is represented by just one painting. They are concepts linked to Jung, but not archetypes and are therefore ADDITIONAL CONCEPTS.
The fourteen archetypes I have chosen are by no means the only ones. How did I choose which ones I would address? Yes. I listened for metaphors and looked for images. In other words: I picked those that interested me. The older I get the more I find this to be an excellent way of proceeding in life, all the way around.
I do hope you enjoy what you find here.
~ Edwina Peterson Cross
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