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Diwa, Essence and Archetypes of The Elemental Spirits

by P. Paredes Daly

Diwa is Tagalog for soul, ideals, idea, essence, spirit and thread of thought. Use the keys of Archetypes to understand the Essence of the Elements Dance within the human soul's Earthly experience. They will unlock the doors to understanding the mythology of our souls.

The Meaning of Archetypes

Archetypes are sets of universal patterns of human experience. They are the symbols of myth and dreams. They embody spiritual principles and meaning.

From studying a bit of what Carl Jung believed on elements and archetypes I learned that a fundamental and continuous part of human experience are dreams and myths in which impersonal characters and symbols play a vital function of presenting meaning and possibilities.

Jung discovered that humans have a "preconscious psychic disposition that enables a (man) to react in a human manner." These are potentials and doorways for creation and manifestation that are taking their first steps towards actualization when they enter consciousness as images.

In his early working years, Jung attempted to make a connection between archetypes and heredity. He believed then that archetypes were an instinctual aspect of human existence, i.e. they were universal in meaning among all humans. There are universal symbols that project similar sets of meanings(including dichotomous sets) among different peoples and cultures regardless of location and time such as the figures of an angel, the warrior-hero, the old wise man, the virgin, the whore, the king, the castle, the knight, etc.

Thus Jung believed that we people were born with innate archetypal patterns which configured our imagination and affected our individual human experiences. In this way archetypes are connected to our bodies. And our souls. This is one way of explaining why archetypes are manifested universally in humanity's mythologies and people's dreams.

As Jung’s worked progressed, he was convinced that archetypes shaped matter (nature) as well as mind (psyche)"and used the term psychoid.

Jung uncovered archetypal patterns in all cultures, and all historical periods that he looked into. Regardless of race, geography and time setting, certain archetypes behave according to a particular set of principles in all cases. Jung believed in the Universal Unconscious and that it was the source of these universal archetypes and that every human being accessed these archetypes from the Universal Unconscious via the subconscious.

The Connection to the Elements

Jungs worked reflected the principle that archetypes originate from forces that worked in creating the world and human life. Ancient beliefs would use the term “elemental spirits.” These very thoughts articulate why I have found a connection of the elements of earth/wind/fire/water/light to the archetypes teacher/visionary/warrior/healer/priestess.

I believe that although in professional careers or vocations we do not choose to be teachers, visionaries, warriors, healers or priestesses outright, the spirit of all human work that serves the community at large does embody these archetypes. For example, a Philippine dance troup works in the spirit of these archetypes. How? As the dancers convey the Filipino culture and mythology via dance, they also teach and pass on to the audience our heritage, it helps them have roots. As the audience receives this knowledge and experience of the Filipino culture, they are helped to connect with something that and makes their identity more whole, less fragmented and disembodied. Such an experience is healthy for the human soul and healing for the alienated identity. The music that is played for the dance performance creates an audial layer to the experience. Music has a way of touching one's soul and transporting the spirit to higher places. That is the experience priestessing creates. This is the same for the creative work of poets, novelists, musicians and artists.

The warrior spirit will be found in any act of service to community or to oneself that is to aid in change for growth and for survival. When that spirit is called upong for profiteering or gaining control over another person or group of persona that is the shadow side of the warrior spirit and only serves fears and ego.

The archetypes will also be found in the works of social advocates, academes, political activists, a mother, a manager, in any works of service, and in the works of the very professions that echo the specific names of those archetypes.

The 5 archetypes, and the elemental spirits all can be found dancing in our pro-creative acts, for our growth, for humanity's evolution.

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May you receive this in openness and your life be enriched by it.

If you have any links and resources to share, please email me.



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Ever out of Love.

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