51社区

Abstract

The ego builds consciousness by knowing with an 鈥渙ther.鈥� However, the ego鈥檚 partial views and personal biases stymie consciousness. This dissertation argues that the iti-iti (this too, this too) ethos of the Hindu mythic landscape aids consciousness. The mythos offers manifold perspectives of many imaginal objects and weaves them with integrative narratives. Images, myths, and rituals emerge as meaning-laden, cohesive 鈥渨hole-grams.鈥�

I employ the mythographies of Vi峁ａ箛u and 艢r墨-Lak峁�m墨 to explicate the Self archetype鈥檚 propensity for whole-making. In the unconscious, archetypal realm, the Self sustains, supports, and mediates. To the ego, the Self is guide and bringer of new consciousness that rounds out ego partiality. The mythographies of Brahm膩 and Ga峁噀艣a bring clarity to ego structure, functioning, and teleology. I argue that the ego needs to be permeable yet protective, imaginative yet discerning, and creative yet deconstructive while assimilating the new.

Myths are also a play of libidinal energy. I analyze the myth of Sat墨-P膩rvat墨 to elucidate how libidinal energy (艣akti) manifests as emotions (rasa). The myth鈥檚 rasa-play also showcases how 艣akti flows in psyche to balance and connect opposing archetypal forces. The myth of the Descent of Ga峁単膩 exemplifies how trauma causes libidinal blockages and how ego-consciousness and Self can work together to engender libidinal flow. How that energy is expended for wellness in real life is explicated through the mythography of Lak峁�m墨, the goddess of wealth and value (artha). I argue that by encompassing the mundane realm, her mythos bridges the sacred with the secular. Well-being and flow are also at the heart of the Navar膩tri festival. I dissect the festival鈥檚 rituals to understand how visual, aural, and kinetic cues come together to create consciousness.

Psyche鈥檚 telos is towards p奴r峁嘺tva, differentiated wholeness. I conclude that ego-consciousness is best served by a mythic landscape where object-symbols and narratives stem from and lead back to unity. Such a setting is fertile; each object is a doorway and each relationship, a pathway, to greater consciousness.