Myth
...by the collective conscious of humankind. These stories in their utmost simplicity succeed in capturing the innermost and intimate dwellings of human psychology. Such is the case with the stories of Parsifal and Psyche whose quest for perfection is filled with intricate details of feminine and masculine way of thought and action. The journey to wholeness is a life-time adventure which is accomplished through the discovery and eventual harmonious co-existence of inner feminine and masculine traits.
Perhaps no one else has excelled the genius of Carl Jung in his mastery of animating the ancient archetypes and relating them to the psychological trends of modern times. Certainly, an important element contributing to his success was his ability to identify with his ancient archetypes. Thus, a closer look at Jung's life will reveal the close parallels existent between Parsifal and his own challenges on the way to perfection.
The feminine archetype represented by Psyche has a universal appeal of similar magnitude. Modern women from different walks of life can identify with the innermost and intimate feelings of Psyche. To validate this argument, all one has to do is to look at the turbulent lives of many public female figures whose path to perfection mirror the tribulations essential to Psyche's eventual discovery of happiness. One such figure who embodies a significant portion of Psyche's characteristics is Princess Diana. Her treacherous journey to individuality was marred with many internal conflicts which essentially occasioned her eventual rise to the level of total self-control and self-assurance.
The early years of Jung's childhood has its distinct similarities with that of Parsifal. Jung's mother had a tremendous impact upon him whose indelible influence becomes a burdensome challenge to overcome throughout his life. During the early years of his...
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