The Shrew View: Home of the Brave

Fear is being allowed to fester in America…The type of fear that can only be fostered by the media and improved upon by the liberal academics because they are the prime manipulators of emotion. Is this fear linked to the polarizing politics of today? Perhaps it is simply the natural human instinct of preserving life at all cost? Either way, it’s definitely worth taking a closer look as only a Shrew would…

When President Roosevelt said in 1933 that ‘The only thing to fear is fear itself…’, he was not far from the mark. During that time we were at the peak of the Great Depression. He went on saying, ‘…fear itself – nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance…’ Fear as an emotion is ephemeral unless a person is consumed by it nonstop.

In my booklet, Archetypes of the Human Spirit, I picture a large fish with many sharp teeth as a symbol of the fear that consumes all efforts to improve not unlike the Bible story of Jonah and the whale.

This all consuming fear is that which comes when you are not sure that your choices are leading you in the best direction. Fortunately we have the ability to look back on past choices to determine the best path forward…This is why learning factual history is so important! In your own life your history is all of those past choices, and the outcome of those choices are what you have to learn by. Your anxiety ridden, uncomfortable present or future is an illusion of fear until you reconcile those past choices with what you learned after making them…And if you succeed in applying this model, you gain wisdom.

In America there is a certain effort underway to rewrite our history. This is an unfortunate circumstance because the “new” history focuses on victimhood and is consuming humanity’s efforts to improve. Learning everything we can about why we had slavery, The Trail of Tears, women’s suffrage, Jim Crow and gay rights in our “free” society is good, but only if we are brave enough to see the true context as whole and proper. It is only then that we can make progress as a nation that values Liberty for all rather than equality as an outcome for all.

Shrewd Awakenings: River of Choice

Is it really about guns?

I am deeply saddened by the tragic events at the Parkland, Florida high school on Wednesday. My heart goes out to all the families that are affected by this violent act. I know that the whole country is mourning the loss of these innocent victims. Sudden death at the hands of a human being is mind boggling. How can a human being be capable of such a crime?

In my previous blog, The Archetypes of the Human Spirit (a series of 12 posts beginning on November 15th ) I relate about choice and the consuming nature of loss and/or failure…

I think archetypes like the all-consuming Monster Fish in the River of choice can offer a glimpse into the subconscious and why horrific acts by humans will and do play out in real time. Psychiatrist and psychoanalyst Carl Jung understood that the human subconscious grapples with the dilemmas that are experienced on a daily basis. In most cases a person can deal with loss and/or failure by knowing that supportive and life affirming family or spiritual support structures are present for him or her. Bad and irregular thoughts or dreams occur but are usually placed aside because reality is a manageable experience in this case.

But what if a person is out of touch with their “spiritual self” and reality becomes a series of experiences or choices that negatively affect them to the point where it becomes all consuming? As if being eaten by a monster fish, the resulting by-product is either becoming the monster itself or being the excrement that flows into the ocean of despair. The “monster” in reality feels the need to play out its revenge. By the same token, the “excrement” can seem to be lost forever, recycling from river to ocean to rain and back to the river. In order for tragedy to not befall the victim or victims, awareness about these subconscious conditions must be present. I believe that this awareness can only be imparted by an “interceptor” such as the archetypal Guide.

One must have faith that this guide represents a forward path to hope. This is why spiritual connectedness to our Devine nature is so relevant. We all bear the responsibility of empowering each other with the knowledge of this connection. To not have any idea about your Devine nature and subsequent Devine purpose within humanity’s context is another tragedy altogether…

Shrew U: The Faceless Being and Hidden Treasure

Archetypes of the Human Spirit (Story Analysis)

Part 12

Archetype #10 – The Faceless Being

“Courage is the pure light of truth through which the Self must act”

An animated tree symbolizes the Hero, that part of your Self that is willing to leave the protection of the soul. If the soul is “immortal”, then to leave this immortality is a courageous act. There is risk in relying on your authentic Self and not your Ego as you confront your dragons. Notice that the animated tree also holds what appears to be a sword. This sword is your light of truth, and this truth points the way to hidden treasure.

Are you the Hero of your metaphysical journey?
Can this type of hero also be compared to what we call a prophet?
What Prophets in human history exemplify this type of journey?
Why do you think that you must let go of your Ego in order to take this journey?

Archetype #11 – Hidden Treasure

“Continue to seek the inner gifts that call you forward.”

Where the end of a rainbow meets a path there will be found a treasure of your making. Some say that this treasure is “God’s will”. God’s gift to humanity is the individual’s capacity to find meaning in his or her humanity…EPIPHANY!

It is up to each and every individual to take this metaphysical Hero Journey, a journey that exemplifies Love… Of yourself and of others.

Notice that beyond the rainbow the dragons appear as clouds. They are there to remind you that Ignorance and Insecurity can arise in you again. Also notice that these dragon clouds are playing with something circular that looks like the sun. This orb-like shape represents your wholeness, the many facets that complete your Self. This again is the Female Principle. How? The female symbolizes transformation because of the many transitions her physical body makes in her lifetime. These transitions are physiological while also requiring psychological courage, perseverance and humility…all conditions of the metaphysical Hero Journey.

Can this metaphysical journey be taken more than one time? If so, how can it be used to conquer difficulties in every day life?
Is this journey accessible to everyone? How might Prophets like Jesus, Budha, and Ghandi have shown us this path?
What other stories or myths have you learned that use the archetypal images similar in this journey?

“Our greatest treasure is that which is hidden deep within our own unconscious, it is that dark unused part of our self that is in fact light that is unconscious of itself.” ~ Carl Jung

Conclusion by the Author…

It is my wish that this story will offer guidance to anyone in need of a new way to envision hope. I think that our usual models of religious teaching are too cumbersome at times. This model is easy to use by any individual. May it prove useful.

Blessings,

Bette Brunswick

Shrew U: The Forest, Dragons and Tongues

Archetypes of the Human Spirit (Story Analysis)

Part 11

Archetype #7 – The Forest

“As the forest matures with nature’s care so, too, does the soul.”

The Forest represents fertility, life, renewal and the spiritual aspects of your Self. Your thoughts and emotions take root in the fertile soil and give life to your soul’s essence. Only you can attest to the care that is taken with your soul. Your secrets define your emerging authenticity. Forgiving yourself as well as forgiving others who do not know you as you know yourself are measures of maturation. Notice that this archetype aligns with the Female Principle (refer to post, “The Shrew View”, November 3, 2017).

Do you take time to honestly know yourself?
Could a walk along a familiar wooded path bring you the contemplation your soul deserves? Why does your soul deserve this activity?

Archetype #8 – The Dragons

“Dragons reveal an intensity of character that cannot be denied”

Dragons are intense aberrations. These are deviations from maturity. I name one dragon Ignorance to reference all that you probably still have yet to know and learn about yourself and about other human beings. I name the second dragon Insecurity to reference all the human beings and material things that you believe you need in your physical life, however this “need” is in actuality a deep want for self recognition but only in the physical realm. Know these dragons well because if you ignore them, their intensity lashes out in behaviors you may not expect of yourself.

Can you identify your dragons when they appear? What behaviors do they bring out of you?
Why do you think your dragons have a relationship with the people and things in your physical life? Can you identify these relationships? Are the behaviors relating to these relationships worth the energy that is given to them?

Archetype #9 – Tongues

“Criticism must be heard intelligently”

Tongues represent criticism, either told to you about you or directed at you from yourself. If you haven’t taken the time to nurture your soul then you will not be able to identify weather criticism is valid. If the criticism is valid, how do you then apply that that criticism toward self improvement? Notice that these tongues are of the dragons and are intertwined.

Is all criticism bad? If it is, then how can you turn the information into constructive criticism?
Because these tongues come from dragons, does the criticism also apply to the relationships in your life? How?

**Next up…The conclusion of “Archetypes of the Human Spirit”

Shrew U: The Monster and The Guide

Archetypes of the Human Spirit (Story Analysis)

Part 10

Archetype #5: The Monster

“To dwell solely on failure and loss may consume all efforts to improve.”

I depicted this archetype as a very large and gruesome fish that has the ability to attack. Making choices means that a choice might be wrong and, in this case, the repercussions of a wrong choice could be so overwhelming that you might not be able to continue your metaphysical hero journey. To be “in the belly of the beast” is to be in a very bad place.

When have you made choices that did not end well? Were you able to learn from your mistakes?
Can the darkness of being in this “belly” be compared to being in the “womb” of darkness? What is the difference?

Archetype #6: The Guide

“Wisdom will take much time to acquire.”

A guide that comes to help with your journey can come in many forms. A wise old man in this case signify’s the heavens (white hair like clouds and blue eyes like sky). Notice the light inside his eyes. This light is a reminder of your search for purpose.

Do you trust in the authentic wisdom of your inner voice? Is this voice different from your intuition? If so, then how?
In your life, can you find real people who listen well and do not judge?

If your metaphysical Self has made it this far, you have only just begun the transformative process…

Shrew U: The Road and The River

Archetypes of the Human Spirit (Story Analysis)

Part Nine

Archetype #3: The Road

“Pay attention to all that is seen and not seen.”

We all travel a unique road in our metaphysical “journey”. No matter your sex, skin color, religious belief, or up-bringing, the story is only yours. The start of this journey is new to the Self and offers a glimpse of innocence. Allowing yourself to know the concept of innocence in this way can help you to clear away any emotional baggage that you carry from your physical life. Be curious on this journey. However, if you stray from the road you will always be off course. The road leads to your purpose, and everything that comes across the road is a necessary developmental stage.

What cultures or religions emphasize a journey of inner personal growth?
Are you able to imagine yourself without sin?
In your daily life are you as aware of those things that you cannot see or know as you are about those that you can see or know?
Do you discover those things that you cannot see or know by using contempt (sinful)? Or, do you discover them with curiosity and humility (moral)?

Archetype #4; The River

“Choices give life definition like a river that has cut its path through time.”

Choices are like a river that is in your way. This archetype is very important because if you never try to cross it (i.e. Make a choice), your Self will never mature as it should.

The water in a river moves downstream and you cannot know it’s depth unless you go into it. Crossing to the other side represents a change to your Self.

How do you feel when there is change in your life or when you know you need to change your behavior?
River water is perpetually returning waters. In life there is usually more than one choice. What do you think about your own choices?

Shrew U: Three Anchient Pillars

Archetypes of the Human Spirit (Story analysis)

Part Eight

Archetype #2; Three Anchient Pillars

“Three anchient pillars remain steadfast and sure as if they contain the wisdom of all generations”

This archetype represents support. As we know, it takes at least three legs to support a stool or a table. Think of the Trinity (the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit) or the great triangular pyramids that symbolize the integration of self and soul. Three represents the physical nature that is heaven, earth and waters as well as The Triad of beginning, middle and end. All of these are measures of maturity.

Inside this strength formation is light that is reaching toward infinity. This is the great power of your Self which has no limits unless it is burdened by your own judgements as represented by the clouds. The clouds that cut across the pillars form the shape of a cross or dagger representing bravery.

There is a road leaving and a road returning. This is the metaphysical path of the hero’s journey. It is not enough to be born into existence, you must be “born again” to self actualization…A Femal Priciple of transformation.

What or who is part of your spiritual support system?
Where are you in the story of your Self?
What limits do you place on your own power of self discovery?
Are you brave enough to take this hero journey?

Shrew U: Archetypes for Being

Archetypes of the Human Spirit

Part Seven

“Humans have been literally torturing each other for centuries as they grope toward a chalice of fulfillment.” The Shrew

How do we teach each other about each other?

Our individual experiences help to shape what we believe to be true about ourselves and about each other. Consequently, an individual is easily given to influences. Those persons, or “influencers”, around an individual can be mistaken as the mold for that individual, and when this happens the individual is no longer that unique creature of his or her life and liberty. Therefore, we each bear the responsibility to seek a greater awareness of our unique purpose also known as our pursuit of happiness.

These are not new concepts. Humans have been literally torturing each other for centuries as they grope toward a chalice of fulfillment. In the United States we have the best chance of attaining individual freedom based on actual resources of shared opportunities. I believe this is where we are today. It is most interestingly evidenced by the women in our U.S. Culture, and the influence here is what I call the Female Principle (FP). Those who embody the FP are know as a Shrew.

In my first blog post (The Shrew View, Nov. 3, 2017) I describe the Shrew as having these qualities:

Emotional maturity
Openness as a condition toward wholeness
Fortitude
Humility

My story, Archetypes of the Human Spirit, recounts the metaphysical steps toward individual happiness. It is a forward driven motion of heroic proportion that when actualized on an individual level can reveal the promise of what our “Creator” intended for his or her human creature. The following analysis provides a deeper understanding of this story for the purpose of finding the happiness we all desire…

Archetype #1; Light and Dark

“Your light of truth will evolve as you leave the storm of darkness”

I depicted this Archetype in two ways:

A vast dark area with a bright spot in the shape of a triangle pointed downward.
A combination of two fetuses with a separation between them.

The fetuses represent the individual in a conflict of duality and with a separation that acts as the “waste” depository for unnecessary emotional baggage.

What does conflict mean to you?
What is your unnecessary emotional baggage?

The triangle of light represents the exit from the womb of darkness and dependency.

Can you think of religions or myths that rely on these Archetypes? There are many, and this is just the beginning (Genesis!).
Can we consider this a Female Principle?

Next, I will reveal the Archetype of the number 3…