Through a Jungian Lens

At the centre where masculine and feminine meet - a place of depth and shadow

I am again drawing on another photo from Vietnam, a photo that could be taken in so many countries all around the world. I take photos, not simply in search of something unique, something special, but more often because the photo can evoke a collective image of the human psyche rather than just record some objective reality. In this image, the parts of the hibiscus evoke both the masculine and the feminine and how they meet in order to create both life and purpose. The purpose, to regenerate life. Humans, like the hibiscus have a similar purpose, that of survival of the species. But, there is something more that is needed for the human psyche to achieve a psychological meaning, soulful meaning.

“The erosion of the great myths of Earth Mother and Sky Father has left us to search privately for images to guide and support the soul and link it to the cosmic drama. Without such linkage, we are doomed to a life of superficiality. To experience life in depth, as part of a larger context is the central contribution of myth, which as Jung points out, “explained to the bewildered human being what was going on in his unconscious.” (Hollis, Tracking the Gods, p. 54)