Formative Principles of Instinctual Power

Carl Jung initially proposed archetypes as innate organizing forces that underlie and give shape to images, ideas, fantasies, and emotional constructs within the human psyche, describing archetypes as “formal factors responsible for the organization of unconscious psychic processes.”  In the early and middle phases of his career, when his worldview was influenced by Kant’s distinction between noumena and phenomena, Jung posited that archetypes are unknowable forces beyond the scope of human psychological experience.

The archetypes, as Jung understood them, are ‘formative principle[s] of instinctual power’ existing in the background of the human psyche that organize, thematically condition, and dynamically animate human life. It is the archetypes that are responsible not only for the presence of universal symbols and motifs within all myths, but also for the presence of these same themes in our own individual dreams and fantasies, even when, as in most cases, the people experiencing such dreams have little or no prior knowledge of myth.

– Le Grice, Keiron, The Archetypal Cosmos: Rediscovering the Gods in Myth, Science and Astrology

Synchronicity

Through his exploration of the phenomenon that he coined “synchronicity,” Jung was led to believe that archetypes, which transcend their expression in the psyche, are universal, multidimensional ordering factors that inform and influence both psyche and cosmos. Jung defines a synchronicity as “the simultaneous occurrence of a certain psychic state with one or more external events which appear as meaningful parallels to the momentary subjective state—and, in certain cases, vice versa.” Furthermore, in the latter part of his career in the 1940s and 1950s, Jung came to the realization that archetypes are not just psychological principles since they also appear to influence phenomena. There are many terms used to describe Jung’s new formulation of archetypes as forces operating in both transcendent (spiritual) and natural (instinctual) domains: formative principles, organizing forms, dynamisms, gods, primordial images, unconscious dominants, instinctual powers, conditioning factors, and patterns of behavior. An archetype is a universal force that impels, forms, or permeates the human psyche and the world of human experience across multiple dimensions. 

The Hero's Journey

In The Hero with a Thousand Faces, first published in 1949, Joseph Campbell explores the stages and themes of the hero’s journey. Le Grice notes how Campbell makes the case for the universality of the hero myth, illustrating how it transcends cultural boundaries and referencing a wide array of examples that span ancient and modern storytelling. There are three fundamental stages that characterize a hero’s journey—separation, initiation (or transition), and return. 

Joseph Campbell believed that hero myths, including those with historical points of reference, primarily serve as symbolic representations that illuminate deeper patterns of human experience. The hero myth is used to convey the quest for meaning, self-discovery, and spiritual fulfillment, thereby assisting individuals in navigating the phases and challenges as life unfolds. 

The Power of Divination
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Astrology and tarot are forms of divination. The term “divination” originates from the Latin word divinus, signifying divine or related to a deity or something of sacred significance. Practitioners of both forms of divination are reading the Book of Life, and this involves deciphering symbols to formulate story structures. The art of interpretation plays a central role in both astrology and tarot, which are two distinct languages that involve reading symbols in order to forecast future events. Within the discipline of astrology, professionals analyze astrological charts, whereas in the field of tarot, they interpret the symbols embedded in cards. Astrology and tarot function as tools for revealing plot developments. It is through deciphering the archetypal components of the narrative that practitioners attain insight into the trajectory of events. In addition to gaining insight into the moment of a reading, a practitioner is able to examine the factors leading to the moment of a reading as well as delineate potential future outcomes through an archetypal perspective. To predict someone’s fortune, one must narrate their story.

Keys (Major Arcana):

The 22 Major Arcana cards, commonly referred to as the Hero’s Journey among tarot experts, embodies the process of self-actualization, or what Carl Jung describes as the process of individuation. The Major Arcana embody the overarching themes and it is through their extension into the Sephiroth (Minor Arcana) that the specific scenes unfold through interpersonal dynamics.

Sephitorth (Minor Arcana) – Elemental Powers:

While the Major Arcana are commonly understood to represent the central characters in the archetypal Hero’s Journey narrative, the Elemental Powers, which replace the traditional royal court cards, can be viewed as the supporting cast within this expansive storytelling framework. The Elemental Powers of the Divine are the supporting characters and manifest in divinatory readings as important figures who aid in the development of the plot.

Sephiroth (Minor Arcana) – 1:

The motives and impulses are expressed in the Aces: ambition, emotion, thought, resources.

Sephiroth (Minor Arcana) – Decans:

The nuanced scenes and dynamics depicted within the Decans showcase the multifaceted relationships between the various archetypes, allowing for a richly textured exploration of the human experience.

The Four Elements of Story

On a physical level, the classical elements symbolize the fundamental states in which all matter exists within the world, aligning with the four fundamental states of matter in scientific thinking: solid (earth), liquid (water), gaseous (air), and plasma (fire). Through astrology and tarot, a practitioner explores the elements as motives within narrative structure. Astrology and Tarot are two divinatory systems in which interpreting the elements and constructing narrative structures are essential components for conducting a reading. While the implements associated with each element—wands, pentacles, swords, and cups— symbolize the potent qualities of fire, earth, air, and water respectively, Digital Artists will have the opportunity to transcend the traditional Tarot implements, reflecting upon the innate qualities of the four classical elements to create modern symbols that represent motives within their myths. Digital Artists will have the freedom to either maintain consistency in their symbolic representations of the four elements or iteratively evolve them throughout their collections.

The Element of Fire: Ambitions
The element of fire, traditionally symbolized by the suit of wands in the Tarot system, epitomizes the least structured and most dynamic state of physical manifestation. An intrinsic characteristic of this element is its propensity to illuminate. Attributes of fire include brightness, impatience, and ambition. Fire is the sole element possessing the capacity to generate light, thereby assertively announcing its presence. Fire exhibits the most aggressive and assertive nature among the four elements, yet paradoxically, it is also the most impermanent. This element catalyzes possibilities and actively instigates transformative change in situations, rather than passively receiving and conforming to existing circumstances. Fire shapes reality according to its indomitable will, refusing to be confined by prevailing conditions. The narratives and stories aligned with the fire element thematically revolve around creation, transmutation, and transformation.
The Element of Water: Emotions
The element of water, traditionally symbolized by the suit of cups in the Tarot system, exhibits an inherent connection with the domains of relationships and desires. The essence of this element is inextricably linked to the exploration and expression of emotions encompassing comfort, safety, danger, desire, delusion, contentment, love, and a myriad of other permutations that constitute the nuanced spectrum of human affective experience. The narratives and stories aligned with the water element revolve around the thematic explorations of desire, fulfillment, betrayal, disappointment, enchantment, thereby encapsulating the perpetual ebb and flow that characterizes the depths of the emotional experience in all its complexities.
The Element of Air: Thoughts
The element of air, traditionally symbolized by the suit of swords in the Tarot system, embodies the preeminent power of the intellect. The astrological air signs are renowned for their exceptional cognitive abilities, encompassing critical thinking and articulate expression. The intellect, a quintessential quality intrinsic to the air element, facilitates the processes of analysis, division, and the incisive capacity to cut through complexities when confronted with intricate problems that necessitate rational and discerning solutions. The narratives and stories aligned with the air element revolve thematically around the exploration of confronting and resolving challenges through the strategic application of mental faculties.
The Element of Earth: Resources
The element of earth, traditionally symbolized by the suit of pentacles in the Tarot system, exhibits an intrinsic association with the physical resources and the material realm. Earth is the heaviest and most stable of the four classical elements that constitute the foundational components of the manifest world. In stark contrast to fire, earth is the least dynamic element, yet paradoxically, it is also the most enduring and long-lasting in its manifestation within the physical plane. Earth symbolizes stability, grounding, and an inherent sense of solidity and permanence. The narratives and stories aligned with the earth element revolve thematically around the cultivation, acquisition, and harvesting of tangible resources from the physical world.