SYMBOLS AND ARCHETYPES
Symbols, by definition, have meanings beyond words. Archetypes are the unconscious structure in our psychological makeup that make us human; the common instincts that create our perceptions and experience of the world. Archetypes are subliminal visual symbols that trigger memories, the energetic imprints, of both personal and universal meaning. C.G. Jung and Joseph Campbell both believed the collective imagination (or consciousness) that exists in ancient myths; meaning that all humanity has a residue of information about our origin that resides in the psyche.
Through expressive and creative mediums, series of symbols can awaken the psyche and offer clues to our past. Today, symbols and archetypes are taken for granted. Expanding one's awareness of nature, and the inherent cycles that occur in all things, will relax fear of the unknown and allow to experience these profound sources without bias. When interest is formed in a particular symbol, it is best to seek its origin and initial meaning. You might be surprised to discover that many things have been altered and borrowed to serve new meaning, meaning that perhaps a notion is presented that is far from explaining what was original intended.