"Permaculture, Carl Jung and the New Archetypes" (+ PDF) by Willi Paul, New Global Mythology Group @ Depth Psychology Alliance

Enjoy a better illustrated version of this work by downloading a PDF version of this work (see bottom of post).

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( i. ) Prelude – excerpt from Geo's Vision Machine by Willi Paul

"Transformation. Atheist-Episcopalian then bottomland Buddhist, part psycho-engineer, frequent Quaker and eco-manic depressive poet. Ph.D. finisher in her last three races. Geo is as grandiose as her nickname; she worked the new alchemy-spirit sciences, reinitiating world traditions with high computer techno-séances and transformed pagan menus. John Lilly, Ginsberg, Crazy Horse, Ben Franklin, W.I. Thompson, Jesus Christ. Players. It is this meta-mystical boundary, "door breaking" as she refers to the whole business that keeps Jack biking up here. He has his own plan for the Vision Machine."

( ii. ) Intro - Creative Mythology

Joseph Campbell's vision for the creation of new myths pits the individual versus the status quo:

Role of Inherited Legacy of Myth and Symbol

We might well ask if the myths and symbols of the past then serve any purpose. Campbell goes onto say:

"...with what I'm here calling creative myth, which springs from the unpredictable, unprecedented experience-in-illumination of an object by a subject, and the labor, then, of achieving communication of the effect. It is in this second, altogether secondary, technical phase of creative art, communication, that the general treasury, the dictionary so to say, of the world's infinitely rich heritage of symbols, images, myth motives, and hero deeds, may be called upon - either consciously as in Joyce and Mann, or unconsciously, as in dream - to render the message."

Creative Individuals

Joseph Campbell in his introduction to Creative Mythology writes:

"In the context of traditional mythology, the symbols are presented in socially maintained rites, through which the individual is required to experience, or will pretend to have experienced, certain insights, sentiments and commitments. In what I'm calling creative mythology, on the other hand, this order is reversed: the individual has had an experience of his own - of order, horror, beauty, or even mere exhilaration-which he seeks to communicate through signs; and if his realization has been of a certain depth and import, his communication will have the force and value of living myth-for those, that is to say, who receive and respond to it of themselves, with recognition, uncoerced."

But who are these individuals? Campbell explains:

"-And in youth, though early imprinted with one authorized brand or another of the Western religious heritage, in one or another of its known historic states of disintegration, he will have conceived the idea of thinking for himself, peering through his own eyes, heeding the compass of his own heart. Hence the works of the really great of this new age cannot combine in a unified tradition to which followers can then adhere, but are individual and various. They are the works of individuals and, as such, will stand as models for other individuals: not coercive but evocative."

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ONE – Scaffolding with Jung

"According to Jungian approach of psychology, some highly developed elements of the collective unconscious are called 'archetypes'. Carl Jung developed an understanding of archetypes as universal, archaic patterns and images that derive from the collective unconscious and are the psychic counterpart of instinct. They are autonomous and hidden forms which are transformed once they enter consciousness and are given particular expression by individuals and their cultures. Being unconscious, the existence of archetypes can only be deduced indirectly by examining behavior, images, art, myths, religions, or dreams. They are inherited potentials which are actualized when they enter consciousness as images or manifest in behavior on interaction with the outside world."

TWO - Permaculture & Nature Symbols
Permaculture & Nature Symbols are playing an active role in creating new archetypes. Here are ten to consider:

Shovel - turning, renewal

Cob bench - community

Pond - water birth, diversity

Sun flower – Nature Steward

Moon - magic, Nature wisdom

Bees - togetherness, eco-business

Lightning – ecoAlchemy - transmutation

Cob feet - dance, new Nature rituals

Broken concrete – reuse – recycling

Butterflies - metamorphosis, freedom

> > See Top Image < <

Key in the model (see below) is the interplay between archetypes and their symbols is called transmutation or alchemy.

Some archetypes share multiple symbols. Like a quiet volcano, many archetypes remain latent, unexpressed, dying-out and unseen under the cone. When culture-shifting events occur, the volcano explodes and the pool of archetypes are mixed and some get changed into new symbols and archetypes while brand new ones are catalyzed.

THREE – Permaculture Emerges in Partnership with Nature

Permaculture is a new agri-design movement that promotes healing Nature and sustainability with local - global actions. New archetypes come into public conscious thru permaculture three ethic's or "value lens":

(+) Care for the Earth
(+) Care for People
(+) Return the Surplus

Unlike the one way direction championed by Jung, here is a two-way flow of data between the collective unconscious and collective conscious as pulsed by symbols and the four emotional connectors (see model). It is through our experience of the collective unconscious and collective conscious and the symbols that classic myths fade from consciousness and new ones emerge. The Permaculture Lens, as a transmutator, recombines new dreams, symbols and archetypes to help individuals experience and share new global myths.

Question: Can old archetypes be destroyed or replaced with the new archetypes? No, new ones are just added. Some old archetypes simply fade from our collective conscious and are "archived."

> > See Middle Image < <

FOUR – Archetype codes and the Internet

It is important to support the model with key metaphors in the computer code and the Internet worlds as these are our global communication tool set. Archetypes can be seen as conscious and unconscious "code" to build and advance human evolution. The Internet is our primary broadcaster for new archetypes, symbols and new myths. Like software code – it is complied, tested and re-written over and over throughout history. Heroes write the code and challenge the data. Archetypes are competing or complimental social catalysts.

Here fear - mistrust - hope - love are working as connectors in this dynamic (see 5 new archetypes below).

The role of the following experiences in transmitting archetypes and their symbols between the collective conscious and collective unconscious should be explored further:

• Environmental: real-time, on land experience, verified by experience
• Historical and memories
• Music / Art – evocations from artists (Creative Mythology)
• Memes

FIVE - 5 Proposed Permaculture & Nature Archetypes and their Symbols in 2014

> > See Bottom Image < <

A. Permaculture & Nature Archetype: A love to preserve unique landscapes for future generations. Mistrust of greedy, short-term land and energy developers
Symbols: Tree of Life, Permaculture logo, Yosemite, Seeds, Amazon Rain Forest, US Gulf Coast

B. Permaculture & Nature Archetype: Our hope is to build sustainable systems in our local neighborhoods and towns. Fear of food and fuel shortages; fights for resources between neighbors and governments
Symbols: Crude oil on rails, GMO; Convergence and sharing expo events; neighborhood plans and new rituals

C. Permaculture & Nature Archetype: A deep love for freedom to own fire arms; fear of guns and killing.
Symbols: AK-47, US Flag, Scenes from mass shootings, vigils, pawn shops

D. Permaculture & Nature Archetype: Fear that global warming will destroy all life on Earth. Mistrust of business and goal of short-term profits
Symbols: Rising coastal tides, melting polar ice, coal fired power plants.

E. Permaculture & Nature Archetype: Mistrust of energy privatization and corrupt safety practices. Love of the system and blind faith in corporate responsibility
Symbols: BP, PG&E, Duke Energy

SIX – Preliminary Conclusions

(+) Agreeing with Campbell and his Creative Mythology, it is clear that artists can and do give us a "sense of the transcendent in a universe apparently empty of meaning." Indeed, they share their symbols, initiations and journeys on our way to global change.

(+) Archetypes are often spiritual, political, and / or universal in how they affect human emotions and the arts.

(+) The often symbiotic relationship between Permaculture and Nature and their archetypes and symbols is key to deconstructing the process and predicting new ones.

(+) Computers and the internet accelerate global data sharing, symbol building and archetype testing between the collective conscious and collective unconscious.

(+) Archetypes, symbols and new myths are one big ecosystem made of multiple critical paths and stories. One corrupted symbol can wreak havoc on the collective unconscious – collective conscious collaboration.

SEVEN - Additional References for Permaculture, Nature Symbols and New Archetypes

Permaculture Symbols 2. A Video for Kids with Eyes of Steel and Overflowing Feet! By Willi Paul. Vibes by sacredpermaculture.net

The Garden Symbol in Old & New Mythology. A Resource for Teachers. By Willi Paul, NewMythology.com

"Symbols in the Transition?" by Willi Paul

Permaculture Teaching Video #3 - Sacred Alchemy & Symbols for the Permaculture Transition by Willi Paul. Filmed & Edited by claroscura.com. Co-Sponsored by CommunityAlchemy.com

Building a new sound symbol library for global community storytelling. Videos (3) + Lesson Planning + PDF. By Willi Paul

Permaculture Age Symbols 3: Colors, Archetypes & New Myths. Willi Paul, planetshifter.com