The Significance of Amplification in Jungian Psychology and Eastern Esotericism
Introduction
In the exploration of the unconscious mind through dreams, amplification stands as a pivotal technique within Jungian Psychology. This method involves identifying parallels between dream contents and elements from mythology, religion, or fairy tales. This process helps to “amplify” the symbolic meaning of the dream, making its messages “louder” and more comprehensible to the dreamer. In this post, we will delve into the concept of amplification, its importance, and its applications, while drawing parallels with Eastern Esoteric concepts to enhance our understanding.
Three Reasons to Study Amplification:
- To better understand and integrate the messages from the unconscious.
- To reconnect with cultural and psychological heritage, providing a sense of continuity and identity.
- To facilitate personal and collective transformation during life’s transitions.
Review of Dreams and Eastern Esoteric Concepts
Working on dreams can be viewed as a form of Dharana (focus or concentration) and Dhyana (meditation). The process of drawing or working on dream images can be seen as creating a personal Yantra, a tool to access the Mandala (an image of the Self). The artwork becomes a bridge to these deeper symbols, facilitating a journey toward inner wholeness.
Discrimination of symbols in dreams is akin to Viveka, the discernment and understanding of their meanings. Engaging with dreams involves working within the Citta, the psychic field or consciousness in Jungian terminology. This engagement is a process of interacting with Prakriti (subtle matter or Mother Nature), as Jung asserted, “the dream is pure nature.” Through this work, we connect with the primal, natural aspects of our psyche.
The Purusha can live and is liberated from the subtle body (the personality). The place it lives must be what Jung called the archetype of the Self. Dreams and engaging in Dream Sadhana can be viewed as a kind of Purushartha (for the Purpose of the Purusha). By engaging with our dreams, we incarnate, metabolize, reflect, and transform the imperfect/impure/clouded god images (Imago Dei) or Images of the Self (Atman/Purusha) that are continually incarnating within us, facilitating a deeper connection and clarity with our divine essence.
Prakriti is the psychic forms (images) that are subtle matter (with density) in the Dream that is illuminated by the proximity of the light of the Purusha that is witnessing its imperfect reflection in these images. The images of the Self are Prakriti and Prakriti provides the means of Liberation for the Purisha through the amplification of the Images of the Self. The Self or the Atman or Purusha (the witnessing subject) is often represented both in spiritual traditions and in dreams by the Mandala which draws us closer to our true stable, unchanging spiritual nature in contrast to the unstable, changing nature of Matter (Prakriti).
The Alchemical process of separating the unio mentalis from the unio naturalis is a Correlate concept. Where one separates the world, body, soul, and spirit and then puts them back together for the unus mundus experience. We will discuss this at another time.
Understanding Amplification
Amplification, in Jungian terms, refers to the act of making the contents of a dream more resonant by linking them to universal myths, religious symbols, or fairy tales. The term itself suggests making something “louder” or more noticeable. This technique can be likened to the famous line from “Little Red Riding Hood” by Charles Perrault:
“Grandmother, what big ears you have!” “All the better to hear with, my child.”
Here, the notion of amplification is illustrated through the exaggerated features of the wolf, symbolizing how amplification can sometimes distort if overused. Therefore, it’s essential to use this method judiciously, ensuring it aligns with the client’s needs and resonates with their personal experiences. In Eastern philosophy, this has a correlate that lands more on the inner level, called “Sruti,” where one “hears,” or is listening for the meaning, the call to “listen,” or “hear,” what is being spoken from a sacred text or Guru. In our case, the dream is the Guru, and we are listening for clues that the dream-maker is giving us.
The Purpose of Amplification
The primary goal of amplification is to help individuals better understand the messages from their unconscious. By making these messages louder and clearer, the dreamer can anchor their identity within their cultural and psychological heritage. Amplification helps in reconnecting with the images and narratives that have shaped the human psyche across generations. This practice can be especially beneficial during life’s transitions, offering a symbolic framework that can support personal growth and transformation (Stein, 2010).
Historically, rituals and symbolic rites of passage played a crucial role in this process. These rites helped individuals transition from one life stage to another, providing a sense of meaning and continuity. In modern times, however, these rites have largely lost their relevance. Amplification seeks to revive this practice, making the symbolic contents of dreams loud enough to speak meaning into our contemporary lives.
I’d like to keep our eye on the ball and stick with the Hindu concept of the universe being the “Dream of Vishnu.” Dreams act as a stage where every figure represents a part of ourselves in our own Lila (Story/Narrative). When we list out the Dramatis Personae and amplify or take note of what the archetypal figures have said in our dreams, we turn up the volume on each one of those voices and try to hear the message that wants to come through a particular archetype. With Amplification, we can also see which of the three Dream directions or types: compensatory, reductive, and prospective dreams the Dream Maker is taking us. Reductive dreams show a regression in personality, while prospective dreams indicate a progression or foreshadowing future events.
Applications of Amplification
John Hill, a noted Jungian analyst, outlines four ways in which amplification can reconnect us to our psychic heredity: Intimations of the Archetypal, Undoing the Knots of Fate, the Psyche’s Perennial Creativity, and Finding the Narrative for All. Let’s focus on two of these approaches:
- Undoing the Knots of Fate: This approach resembles the process of dissolving psychic karma in the Citta (Psyche). By amplifying the knots (Gunas & Kleshas), one can uncover the root causes of complexes and their psychological bondage (Kleshas), facilitating a deeper understanding and separation of the human from the inhuman aspects of their psyche (Stein, 2010). This method encourages active confrontation and awareness, rather than passive acceptance of one’s fate.
- Finding the Narrative for All: Sharing and amplifying dreams within a group setting can provide spiritual meaning not only for the individual but also for the larger community. This collective approach can inspire others and foster a sense of shared purpose and connection, addressing the widespread lack of meaning in today’s post-religious, post-meaning society (Stein, 2010).
Comparative Analysis: Jungian Amplification and Eastern Esotericism
To further elucidate the concept of amplification, let’s compare it with similar concepts in Eastern Esotericism:
| Jungian Amplification | Eastern Esoteric Concepts |
| Anchoring identity within cultural heritage | Reconnecting with ancestral wisdom |
| Undoing the Knots of Fate | Dissolving karmic bonds through awareness |
| Finding the Narrative for All | Collective meditation and shared spiritual rituals |
| Amplification of dream symbols | Symbolic interpretation in sacred texts |
| Active Imagination | Tapas (intentional dreaming while awake) |
| Image (Imago) | Visual representation of energy or emotion |
| Libido (Psychic Energy) | Prana (life force) |
| Mandala and Yantras | Images of psychic wholeness and centering |
| Meditation | Dhyana (contemplation and introspection) |
| Bhakti Yoga | Yoking with the divine through love and devotion |
| Citta | Consciousness (psyche) |
| Cidakasha | Psychic space |
| Dharana | Concentration |
| Jiv-atma | Individual soul |
| Kosa | Sheaths of existence |
| Manas | Sensory mind |
| Prakriti | Matter (objective world) |
| Purusa | Spirit (subjective world) |
| Sadhana | Daily spiritual practice |
| Samadhi | Absorption and enlightenment |
| Sanatana Dharma | Eternal truth |
| Sattvam | Psychological strength |
| Soul | Psyche (psychological vehicle) |
| Spirit | Energy of consciousness |
| Subconscious | Personal unconscious |
| Unconscious | Collective unconscious |
| Viveka | Discrimination of symbols |
| Vritti | Waves of the mind |
Conclusion
On a mundane level, linking these contents to universal myths and symbols, individuals can reconnect with their psychic heritage and navigate life’s transitions with greater purpose and clarity. The parallels with Eastern Esoteric concepts further enrich our understanding, highlighting the universal quest for meaning and transformation. Amplification in Jungian psychology serves as a vital tool for making the unconscious contents of dreams louder and more meaningful, as well as making the light of the Purusha brighter, or removing the sheaths and obstructions of that light, so that it may become conscious of itself. One way to do that is to amplify the images of the Archetypes and the Self and reflect on those amplifications in our dreams.
Three Reasons to Study Amplification:
- To better understand and integrate the messages from the unconscious.
- To reconnect with cultural and psychological heritage, providing a sense of continuity and identity.
- To facilitate personal and collective transformation during life’s transitions.
Resources
- Perrault, C. (n.d.). Little Red Riding Hood. Retrieved November 09, 2018, from source.
- Stein, M. (2010). Jungian psychoanalysis: Working in the spirit of C.G. Jung. Chicago: Open Court.
- Additional resources: Campbell, J., & Moyers, B. (1988). The Power of Myth.
- Documentary: “The Life of Mircea Eliade.”
- Lecture: “A Joseph Campbell Lecture on Western Psychology.”
By engaging with these resources, we can deepen our understanding of amplification and its significance in both Jungian psychology and Eastern esoteric traditions.
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