According to Jung, we are not born as clean slates.  We are born with a predisposition to reproduce energy in a certain manner.  Archetypal behaviors are considered eternally repeating behaviors among human beings.   Archetypes simply put clothes on the energy for our comprehension. 

A common archetypes is the mother figure.  Many living things can identify with one.  When humans and animals are born, many are born with a predisposition to relate to a mother figure.  So if you have a line of baby ducks following you, you know you got in the middle somewhere there.  Another common archetype is the father figure who often is expressing power in a masculine manner.  A good example is the power figure in my dream where a powerful man comes to sit beside me.  

Jung also believed that many of our more complex social behaviors are also inborn, universal, archetypal behaviors.  Mating and courtship rituals for instance.  :-)  Many of these energies are so universal they have been captured in the Tarot card deck.   Some of the cards are idenfied with by where you have been and other cards indicate where a person can or will go on their journey.

The Lovers card shows Adam and Eve with a force in between them.  Some cards depict the love triangle, a man who is torn between two different types of women.  (Hint, hint there!  One can be both.  :-)  The Chariot shows a powerful force charging forward that will not stop no matter what.  The Hanged man shows a man hanging upside down relaxed with the golden glow of enlightment about his head.   His life has truly changed, he is at peace with what has happened, and life is now experienced from a completely different angle.

Most interestingly, Jung saw the human desire for spirituality as our need to experience "the Eternal" (i.e. God or whatevery you call your higher power).  This is considered an inborn archetypal behavior that drives one forward in their quest.   Our actions, even in turning away, are part of a desire to be closer to the eternal truth.

Selected Archetypes and Symbols

 

The House   The symbol of the House can mean many different energies according to the dreamer and the context of the dream.  Typically the house represents the dreamer and their self-image.  The details of the rooms represents emotions, attitiues, values and provide many different pieces of the individual. I visited my white alabaster home in astral to comtemplate its meaning.  I ran my hands along the softly white, flowing artistic structures.  The soft curves of the house are as though they are fashioned by the soft waves of ocean.  Then it struck me why the house appears this way with soft curves and gentle semmetry.    Although the home is of stone, it is my shell.          ---EvonneTheStoryteller Close to home.

 

 

 

Symbols and Archetypes from: Dream Symbols and

Dream Dictionary.  Click the links to look up other symbols from dreams.

 

ANIMA: For a male, this is the female aspect of the psyche or unconscious and when these receptive, maternal, intuitive type qualities are to be addressed in some way, this Archetype will manifest. Both ANIMA/ANIMUS terms mean "soul" in Latin. Some forms may be as a mermaid, elf, Greek Goddess, or perfect partner. Taking up the positive qualities of the Anima may enable a man to have a more balanced and spiritual life. If the Anima appears negatively, Jung suggests that adverse qualities of being irritable, moody, inferiority, over-sensitivity may be dominant with the dreamer.

ANIMUS:  This Archetype is representative of the male energy attributes for a woman. The positive aspect lends itself to endearing male qualities of strength without domination, rationale, will etc. Attributes of negativity for a woman are considered to be controlling, manipulation, rigidity, argumentative, and over opinionated.

CHAIR:  To see a chair in your dream, symbolizes your need  to sit down and take time out to contemplate a situation before proceeding.

To dream that someone is offering you a chair, signifies that you need to be open to taking and accepting advice.

 

CHILD: Often this is a signpost for a significant change in the personality of the dreamer's life. A return to innocence and being able to be less serious and more playful are indicated. Things forgotten or dismissed from childhood may need to be re-integrated to effect balance in life, and the happy, carefree child is the positive Archetypal symbol for this. The negative may be demonic, lost etc.

EAST - The direction of the sunrise, it may symbolize 'rebirth': perhaps a radical re-orientation of yourself so that you face and receive all that is good and life-enhancing.

FATHER:  Jung believed that this Archetype reflected the dreamer's role of success or destiny in life, and is important psychologically. It can represent protector, lawgiver, ruler, king, elder, or heavenly father. Other forms may be phallic, the sun, weapon, or heaven. The negative side can be destructive, violent, consuming, or dominance.

HERO: This Archetype may manifest during the early part of a dreamer's life...(adolescence to adulthood), but may emerge much later in life if an individual is "stuck" and not evolving maturely. This may have a parallel with older cultures such as the American red Indian and their ritual "vision quest". A western "Hero" may be doing superhuman feats, be an Olympic champion, be awarded for brave deeds, all done within the dream.

HOUSE - the symbol of yourself. your self-image. the rooms are your emotions, attitudes, complexes. if it is parental home, what you may feel may say a lot about your childhood feelings.

MOTHER:  The Mother Archetype is not limited to the normal form, but can appear as an inanimate object, or be non-human. The association with the dreamer is the key, and meditation may be needed to "plumb the depths" of understanding. With a positive view, the Mother may be the normal image of caring mother, Aunt, or Grandmother, or be a cave, place of worship, or growing garden. Jung associated these with connotations of maternal comfort and sympathy, growth, nourishment, and fertility. The negative forms can be of a witch, hag, dragon, or bitch, as well as the moon, or anything with connotations with darkness, secret, hidden, destructive, manipulative etc. Also, anything which poisons, seduces, or devours. They may be feelings you project onto a Mother figure.

PERSONA: This Archetype is the projected part of ourselves we prefer other people to see and acknowledge. It is in fact our ego image, and may reflect our consistency with what we believe that to be.

SHADOW: Being sexually the same as the dreamer, this Archetype is of the repressed "dark side" of the psyche. The Shadow of beauty is the beast. Being opposite the PERSONA, it is not generally acknowledged or accepted by the dreamer, but integrated can be very useful to the individual in seeing or realizing the full aspect of the inner self. This energy can be re-directed positively into waking life. A positive side of the Shadow is to provide strength to an intimidated person.

TOOLS - Are those things in your life that can repair what needs to be repaired.