The 3 essentials: The origin, function and subject matter of Myth
Author: Christopher Chayban
The origin of myth is undoubtedly the found in the morphological structures (archetypes) in the collective unconscious (CW 9 pg.155). Less emphasized, is that Jung encountered these structures through the psychotic fantasies of his patients (CW 9 pg.152). They produced seemingly nonsensical images that paralleled images of mythological traditions (CW 9 pg.152). The difference between the schizophrenic and the yogi/shaman, is the relation to these images on the conscious level, but the source point lies in the unconscious. Impersonal in character, the collective unconscious is a psychic substratum that humans share. When the intensity of consciousness decreases, it gives rise to mythological products found in dreams and fantasies (CW 9 pg.155).
The function of myth serves the principle of individuation (Jung on Mythology pg.33). One can accumulate enough self-knowledge through myth and not easily become divided or succumbs to the influence of affects. Jung thought that myths helped provide a link between the instincts and the rationality of consciousness (Man and his Symbols pg.32-33). Myths also function as a compensation to the one-sidedness of the cultural weltanschauung (Jung on Mythology pg.20). They let the culture know when one age is ending and another was beginning. For example, Christ as the last Ram and the first Fish signified the end of the age of Aries, and the beginning of the age of Pisces (Jung on Mythology pg.29). In the Hindu myth, the last incarnation of Vishnu, is ”Kalki,” who rides in on a white horse and is yet to come. This would serve as a function to let us know when the new age has begun.
The subject matter is a recent category of reflection. Humans of an earlier age didn’t reflect on their symbols but lived them (Man and his Symbols pg.69). The role of the subject matter is to translate images of eternal realm into understandable forms of expressions (Man and his Symbols pg.32). This subject matter springs from archetypal forms that are disperse into archetypal images or common motifs with countless variations. The motif of the Hero may be Herakles wrestling the Nemean Lion, or Perseus slaying the Medusa. The subject matter changes throughout but the underlying pattern remains constant (Man and his Symbols pg.58).
Jung recognized that for the psychic organs, the vitality of myths in the archetypes were as important to the vital functioning’s of the organs in the physical body (CW 9 pg.154, 160). In fact, for the primitives who lost their religion it amounted to a “loss of soul.” (CW 9 pg.154). He claimed that the rationalization of myths was proved harmful as civilization gets further away from its roots (CW 9 pg.162-163). He says “There is no “rational” substitute for the archetype any more than there is for the cerebellum or the kidneys.” (CW 9 pg.161), meaning that we can’t use the same diagnostic tools for science that we do with myths. The best medium to understanding myths is the psyche. His ultimate concern is finding meaning in a world headed towards meaninglessness.
So the purpose of mythology when seen through the lens of Jungian psychology, is to have a way to keep in touch with the source of energy (instincts and archetypes) of which man is built upon. This is what Eliade might call the “historico-religious ” past, and the need to, as Edinger puts it, “incorporate primitive categories of experience without denying or damaging our conscious, scientific categories of space, time and causality” (Ego and Archetype pg.100). To not understand or to get rid of myths altogether is to not understand what certain organs of the body do. Except, in this case, myths help us understand our “psychic organs.” Edinger also suggests that we need to learn how to use these experiences of myth from the ancients in a psychological manner and apply them to our inner world as opposed to the outer world because in relating myths to the outer world we are superstitious (or don’t find them useful) but when we relate them to the inner world, then we become wise (Ego and Archetype pgs.100-101)
Myth can be beneficial in the sense of knowing or being at peace with the story or stories that we are living. If inclined to believe in a higher power or “divine will,” myths can serve as a “coming to terms” with or resignation to the fate of that myth that needs to be lived out in order for the furthering of the incarnation or transformation of a particular God-Image. If inclined to believe to be the controller of one’s own destiny, then to know one’s myth may be beneficial if we wish to change the narrative of our lives and not succumb to definite plot endings. This, in turn, can lead to the recognition of our projections. Because in effect, “The strange mythology of the psyche” as Walker puts it, is an unconscious projection of the psyche looking to become conscious of itself.
Resources:
Jung, C. G., Henderson, J. L., Franz, M. V., Jaffé, A., & Jacobi, J. (2013). Man and his symbols. Bowdon, Cheshire, England: Stellar Classics.
Jung, C. G., & Hull, R. F. (1980). The archetypes and the collective unconscious. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
Walker, S. F. (2002). Jung and the Jungians on myth. London: Routledge.
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