Yesterday at the studio I began a post with the words “the whole world holds its breath…” Although I generally avoid politics on this blog, this incredible opportunity for change seems to warrant comment.
I’ve seen the Bush regime as a representation of our “shadow self” – our worst psychological elements as archetypes. In psychological terms, any “leader” can become an archetype. Think of examples of authoritarian archetypes such as “Atilla the Hun” and “Hitler”. Their very names conjure up an image of cruelty and domination rather than a person. Now think of a name such as “Abe Lincoln” or “Mother Theresa”. These names also represent an energy rather than the complex human beings that they were; in fact their names often become a verb. This is what happens when a person becomes an archetype.
Bush and Cheney represent an archetype of authoritarianism, arrogance, selfishness, fear, bigotry, and small mindedness. It was an ugly mirror image of our worst selves – what is it in us that’s selfish, egotistic, fearful, uncaring, arrogant, greedy? We have to look at it and experience it – as Carl Jung pointed out, we need to recognize the shadow within ourselves in order to change.
Now what we’ve needed is a mirror image of our best selves. We desperately needed to see a representation of optimism, courage, kindness and intelligence; finally, after hitting bottom in regressive darkness, we needed something that resonated with our highest and best selves.
(As an aside – The intention of this original music is to be perhaps a mirror of our best and most joyful, awakened, and authentic selves.)
So tonight, the citizens of the US have elected Barack Obama..Perhaps because of our desperate need for real change, many have turned him into that archetype, although he is far from “liberal”… but anything must be better than what we’ve just lived through.. He has become an archetype of hope, change, shared vision, intellectual curiosity, and openness. Traits we all possess, traits we must nurture – and which will see us through the challenging times we’re in. Finally, lets turn the page.
I don’t know that anyone could live up to such a positive archetype, but the rest of us can develop these traits within ourselves nevertheless.
All I can say, is Yippee!