I think the general pattern of the events of WW1 and WW2 when analysed as a pattern of psychological symbolism would provide a 'cool' story about the working of the psyche. The very simple fact that the WW1 started by a series of events that are purely coincidental and outside the control of anyone is very similar to the formation of our psyches. Formed by a series of coincidences and random events that ultimately shaped who we are without us having any say in it. Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the Archduke of Austria-Hungary, was in a visit to Sarajevo. A group of Serbs planned to assassinate him there. He survived the assassination but others were killed and injured. The Archduke insisted on visiting the injured in the hospital the next day. The driver took uncommon roads so as to avoid the attention. One of the assailants was sitting in a cafe, depressed by the failures of the day before. Out of nowhere he finds the Archduke alone with his driver in the car. The young man, not believing this coincidence, gets out his pistol and shoots the Archduke. A huge event beyond the control of the psyche happened to form how it is. The Russian empire and the Germans joined their allies, Serbia and Austria, and declared war. Others joined into the fray. Elements of the psyche, personalities and Archetypes, interacted together to deal with the event. The psyche, still young at this point, resolved the issue the only way it knows how; War. Not just war, but a trench war. A slow death for the soldiers. For the psychic elements. Millions died in the trench war, kingdoms fell, nations rose. The interplay of the psychic elements is not always predictable. They integrate, they divide, they fight. Some die, new are born.
Europe, the psyche, having identified Germany and it's allies, the dark psychic elements, as a threat, goes on to try their best to suppress them. A humiliating peace treaty which leaves Germany helpless.
A couple of years of apparent peace ensued. That's where the victorious elements think they've won the psychic war by suppressing some elements while letting others shine. The young psyche thinks that suppression of undesired shadows would render it powerless and helpless. History proves the psyche wrong. A couple of years later, the people of Germany themselves elect a fascist dictator as their leader. The shadow at this point feels the alienation and tries to regain his strength. The shadow finds out that many actually support him, other elements acknowledge him and wants to have him back. Hitler slowly increases the borders of his Reich and Europe are sitting there watching. They fear a renewed war. The victorious light lets shadow put on his show, hoping he'll stop soon. The shadow did not stop. He kept going on increasing his power. The nations of Europe dealt with the issue exactly the same way it did before. They regarded it as being successful before. They convinced themselves that. And they preferred living in the illusion instead of directing the efforts to the underlying patterns. Europe cracked down on Germany. Europe even asked for external assistance, the USA. Isn't that what the psyche does at this stage? The 'problem' came up again so we talk to others, read guides and do our best to re-suppress the shadow. Because that's what we've been told. Not to acknowledge its power. Not to harness its potential. But to suppress it.
And the cycle goes on again and again. The same shadow is plaguing Europe once more. The psychic shadow was never defeated. It can never be defeated. As long as it is regarded as an enemy, the psyche will never be whole. And that's the point. It doesn't want to be whole. It wants to stay in war. Because it's easier. Because it's known.
The shadow needs to be reintegrated systematically and compassionately into the psyche, if psychological integrity is what's truly being desired. The power of a United Self.
Europe, the psyche, having identified Germany and it's allies, the dark psychic elements, as a threat, goes on to try their best to suppress them. A humiliating peace treaty which leaves Germany helpless.
A couple of years of apparent peace ensued. That's where the victorious elements think they've won the psychic war by suppressing some elements while letting others shine. The young psyche thinks that suppression of undesired shadows would render it powerless and helpless. History proves the psyche wrong. A couple of years later, the people of Germany themselves elect a fascist dictator as their leader. The shadow at this point feels the alienation and tries to regain his strength. The shadow finds out that many actually support him, other elements acknowledge him and wants to have him back. Hitler slowly increases the borders of his Reich and Europe are sitting there watching. They fear a renewed war. The victorious light lets shadow put on his show, hoping he'll stop soon. The shadow did not stop. He kept going on increasing his power. The nations of Europe dealt with the issue exactly the same way it did before. They regarded it as being successful before. They convinced themselves that. And they preferred living in the illusion instead of directing the efforts to the underlying patterns. Europe cracked down on Germany. Europe even asked for external assistance, the USA. Isn't that what the psyche does at this stage? The 'problem' came up again so we talk to others, read guides and do our best to re-suppress the shadow. Because that's what we've been told. Not to acknowledge its power. Not to harness its potential. But to suppress it.
And the cycle goes on again and again. The same shadow is plaguing Europe once more. The psychic shadow was never defeated. It can never be defeated. As long as it is regarded as an enemy, the psyche will never be whole. And that's the point. It doesn't want to be whole. It wants to stay in war. Because it's easier. Because it's known.
The shadow needs to be reintegrated systematically and compassionately into the psyche, if psychological integrity is what's truly being desired. The power of a United Self.
