The Archetypal Symbolism of Animals

by Barbara Hannah

In The Archetypal Symbolism of Animals, Barbara Hannah, a student and a close friend of C.G. Jung, presents lectures on the symbolic meaning of several domestic and wild animals. According to Jung, the animal is sublime and, in fact, represents the "divine" side of the human psyche. He believed that animals live much more in contact with a "secret" order in nature itself and―far more than human beings―live in close contact with "absolute knowledge" of the unconscious. In contrast to humankind, the animal is the living being that follows its own inner laws beyond good and evil―and is, in this sense, superior. Hannah’s previously published lectures were on the cat, dog, and horse. These lectures add material on the serpent, the lion, the cow, and the bull, illustrating how, in the light of consciousness, the archetypal images of animals can be positive and helpful. Here Hannah shows how our animal nature can become the psychic source of renewal and natural wholeness. The Archetypal Symbolism of Animals is the second volume in the "Polarities of the Psyche" series, edited by Emmanuel Kennedy-Xypolitas. This series focuses on the broad theme of the opposites in the psyche. In 2004, Chiron published the first volume, Lectures on Jung’s Aion, by Barbara Hannah and Marie-Louise von Franz. Also in this series is the two-volume set of Barbara Hannah's The Spirit of Inner Truth in Women (2010): Volume 1 and Volume 2 . This volume and its companions in the series are invaluable resources for a deeper understanding of Jung's ideas on archetypes in the human psyche.

Genres: Mythology, Psychology, Animals

413 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2005

Reviews

[Eternalised · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jungian analyst Barbara Hannah explores the archetypal symbolism of the cat, dog, horse, bull, cow, lion, and serpent, to understand their role in the unconscious.

Animals have been an integral part of human existence since our earliest origins. They are deeply ingrained within us and play a crucial role in the unconscious. In various religions, animals are revered as gods. Swiss psychiatrist and psychologist Carl Jung frequently remarked that animals embodied the divine aspect of the human psyche. He wrote a bold statement for a thinker of his era, "Even domestic animals, to whom we erroneously deny a conscience, have complexes and moral reactions.”

We belong to the animal kingdom, and knowing this is part of the individuation process, the journey towards wholeness. Yet, we seem to have forgotten our roots.

The animal is a symbol of the Self. It embodies the complete wisdom of nature yet does not possess the light of human consciousness. Animals are deeply connected to a “secret” order within nature itself and the absolute knowledge of the unconscious, living according to their own inner laws beyond human notions of good and evil. Animals live exactly as they were meant to live, and grasp a sense of wholeness instinctively, rather than intellectually. They are the ones who can lead us to this source of natural life.