Psychology of the Unconscious: A Study of the Transformations and Symbolisms of the Libido. A Contribution to the History of the Evolution of ThoughtJung, C. G. (Carl Gustav)
Philosophy
Psychology of the Unconscious: A Study of the Transformations and Symbolisms of the Libido. A Contribution to the History of the Evolution of Thought
Jung, C. G. (Carl Gustav)
Libido (Psychology); Mother and child; Psychoanalysis; Subconsciousness; Symbolism (Psychology)
“Suddenly an Aztec appeared, absolutely clear in every detail; the
hands spread open, with large fingers, the head in profile, armored,
headdress similar to the feather ornaments of the American Indian. The
whole was somewhat suggestive of Mexican sculpture.”
The ancient Egyptian character of the Sphinx is replaced here by
American antiquity—by the Aztec. The essential idea is neither Egypt nor
Mexico, for the two could not be interchanged; but it is the subjective
factor which the dreamer produces from her own past. I have frequently
observed in the analysis of Americans that certain unconscious
complexes, i.e. repressed sexuality, are represented by the symbol of a
Negro or an Indian; for example, when a European tells in his dream,
“Then came a ragged, dirty individual,” for Americans and for those who
live in the tropics it is a Negro. When with Europeans it is a vagabond
or a criminal, with Americans it is a Negro or an Indian which
represents the individual’s own repressed sexual personality, and the
one considered inferior. It is also desirable to go into the particulars
of this vision, as there are various things worthy of notice. The
feather cap, which naturally had to consist of eagles’ feathers, is a
sort of magic charm. The hero assumes at the same time something of the
sun-like character of this bird when he adorns himself with its
feathers, just as the courage and strength of the enemy are appropriated
in swallowing his heart or taking his scalp. At the same time, the
feather crest is a crown which is equivalent to the rays of the sun. The
historical importance of the Sun identification has been seen in the
first part.[351]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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