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IMAGE AND SYMBOL

A PATH TO THE REALIZATION OF THE SELF

Images and symbols are the language of the unconscious mind. When evoked and understood, they can provide us with the guidance to resolve issues from the past, help us discover and develop our talents and potentials and empower the present, and bring into consciousness inspiring visions with which to grow personally, professionally and spiritually throughout our life span. In this article, the dynamics of imagination are discussed in detail. Both ancient and modern methods for provoking and working with the symbolic process are discussed.

"Affectus, qui passio est, desinit esse passio simulatque eius claram et distinctam formamus ideam." Emotion, which is suffering, ceases to be suffering as soon as we form a clear and precise picture of it. 'Ethics'. Spinoza

"Infected minds to their deaf pillows will discharge their secrets; more needs she the divine than the physician." 'Macbeth'. Shakespeare

THE NEED FOR INNER WISDOM

We live in an outer directed culture, one which highly values intellect, analysis and reason and which places great emphasis on science, entertainment and extroversion. Because of this, it is only natural for us to seek logical solutions to our problems when trouble befalls us. Or to escape from and avoid our crises through drugs, high tech toys, travel, movies and television. Or to turn to others--therapists, ministers, family, friends, or the institutions to which we belong--to give us solutions to our difficulties and distress.

Unhappily, reason alone cannot help us deal with life in broad and inspiring ways. Neither science nor entertainment can help us address or resolve developmental issues. Neither the external systems to which we belong nor the people with whom we interact can fully understand the complex and unique realities that exist within us. These resources and strategies can, to some degree, lessen stress, provide comfort, and lend support. They are no substitute, however, for the hard work required to comprehensively confront our patterns of thinking and behaving and find answers to basic questions about the meaning and purpose of our lives. They cannot forever protect us from the risks we must take to develop our human resources and make critical decisions and are of little help when the time comes to take responsibility for the consequences of our actions in the world.

We do, however, need a source of guidance and inspiration if we are to wind our way successfully through the labyrinths, changes and developmental stages of life. So where can we turn for help? One of the greatest challenge in life is to discover, develop, learn to trust and utilize the deep springs of wisdom that flow within us. We must engage in the search for meaning, and seek answers to our fundamental questions, within the realms of our own unconscious mind (Miller, 1975, p. 123).

There are levels of awareness that can take us beyond the necessary but limited outlook of intellect and reason. There are alternate modes of perception and higher states of consciousness that can be accessed to connect us ever more deeply to ourselves and to life. Exploring and developing these possibilities can result in a deeper understanding of our experiences, the renewal of our sense of meaning, the development of our human resources, and move us beyond the narrow limits of strictly self-seeking and self-serving behavior (Progoff, 1963, p. xv).

The search for inner guidance and wisdom brings us into contact with processes that operate very differently from those of the rational mind. The shift of attention from external to internal reality puts us in touch with the unconscious mind, in general, and with the resource of imagination, in specific. As a species we have many languages with which to communicate with one another. The unconscious mind, however, communicates to us all in the same way, through images and symbols. We need to learn how to deal with this unusual language in order to access, explore, understand, and develop the deeper and higher aspects of our humanity (Fromm, 1951, 7-10).

The function of imagination usually operates unconsciously in the sense that we do not normally guide or direct its activity in a purposeful way. Most of us live strictly conscious lives and neither explore the vast dimensions of the unconscious mind nor...   Click here for the rest

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