MYTHOS MANUAL
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Archet ype s tudies, 2014
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CONTENTS
About
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Sys t em
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Archet ypes
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Animals
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Environment
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Elements
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Colours
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Talisman s tudies, 2014
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ABOUT
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MYTHOS A bout
MYTHOS is a set of symbols designed to facilitate dream recall and interpretation. When used to reconstruct a dream, the symbols can act as a temporary container for the dream’s major motifs. This allows one to identify key characters, animals, objects, and emotions in each dream sequence.
Mythos layout s ketch, 2014
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MYTHOS A bout
The Mythos system can form a bridge between dream image and waking reality. Its symbols can trigger memory and temporarily hold a plethora of meanings.
Mythos medit ation set, with Death Talisman
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MYTHOS Why?
Dream therapy has come a long way since Sigmund Freud first published ‘The Interpretation of Dreams. No longer the rigid theory it was 114 years ago, a multitude of professionals now use the technique in a more open and versatile way. Whether addressing the counseling needs of abused children, the uncontrolled anger of the violent, or the frustrations of the newly divorced, the discussion of dreams often presents opportunities for understanding and personal change.
Lithograph Tes t, 2013
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MYTHOS Why?
While many still dismiss dreams as murky and nonsensical, they certainly have a practical use in a therapeutic context: They are a powerful tool for self understanding. ’The dream acts as a mirror to a person’s inner world—that’s exactly what the therapist needs’, says Dr. Nigel Hamilton, director of the Dream Research Institute (DRI) in London.
‘Free Card Readings’ Wor kshop, RC A 2014
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MYTHOS Why?
The bridge between the unconscious and the conscious mind is fragile and is constructed most vividly through dreams, right before a person awakes. Objects can act as tethers, so that the emotionally significant elements of the dream are not forgotten. In the presence of a therapist these physical objects can become a focus point for the emotionally relevant parts of a dream.
Ear ly wooden protot ypes, 2014
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MYTHOS Why?
Our society is beginning to talk about mental health in a new way. Products like Mythos can broaden the acceptance of mental health practices, which are often cornered within institutions and therapy rooms. There is a need for wider communication of mental health practices. After all, according to the Mental Health Foundation, 1 in 4 people will experience some kind of mental health problem in the course of a year.
‘Know Your Dreams’ Wor kshop, RC A 2014
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MYTHOS Why?
Empowering people to understand themselves can reduce the fear they feel towards their own minds. Using a set of symbols that functions as a language helps us communicate with each other. It makes our thoughts concrete and gives weight to the feelings we may try to ignore or push away.
‘Know Your Dreams’ Wor kshop, RC A 2014
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SYSTEM
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SYSTEM A bout
Mythos is an open system that can be used in various ways and in multiple settings. In a therapy setting it can open up new lines of communication between the professional and the client. The Mythos system allows the dreamer to re-create and share mental images in a process that helps the therapist guide the client in unlocking their full meaning. Additionally the Mythos symbols and objects can be used in the personal and domestic sphere, for meditation and individual dream work. It offers a language, a new way of communicating the content of our dreams, for everyone to use.
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ARCHETYPES Organisation
The geometric structure of the Mythos set offers a systematic way to organize common dream symbols. At the center, forming the basis of the system, is our True Self. It is surrounded by the four main Jungian Archetypes, supported by four Family Archetypes. Next, in another ring, are four classifications of animals. The outer two divisions, split into four quadrants, are environments and elements. Lastly, these 20 symbols are surrounded by eight colours, making up 28 total elements.
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SYSTEM Constr uction
The drawing of each symbol is based upon the three basic geometric shapes: the circle, the triangle and the square. At the center, representing the totality of all symbols combined, lies the ‘True Self’. It serves as the basis to which the other symbols must connect. Additionally, all ‘human’ based characters are proportioned to the golden ratio, mirroring the way nature designed the human body.
Archet ype cons tr uction s ketch, 2014
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ARCHETYPES
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ARCHETYPES A bout
The symbols used in the Mythos set representing persons or characters are derived from Jungian archetypes. Carl Gustav Jung was a talented student of Sigmund Freud, who later separated from his teacher and began a life-long quest to understand how myth and mind connect. He assumed the existence of so-called ‘archetypes’ in the collective unconscious, universal entities that are imprinted in all of us, that we all intuitively understand and respond to.
Archet ype layout s ketch, 2014
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ARCHETYPES A bout
‘All the most powerful ideas in history go back to archetypes,’ Jung explained in his book,The Structure of the Psyche. ‘This is particularly true of religious ideas, but the central concepts of science, philosophy, and ethics are no exception to this rule. In their present form they are variants of archetypal ideas created by consciously applying and adapting these ideas to reality.’
Archet ypal for m s tudies, 2013
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ARCHETYPES A bout
Mythos centers around the four main archetypes: The True Self, The Shadow, Anima/Animus, and the Persona. Additionally, four supporting characters have been added to aide in storytelling: the Great Mother, the Old Man, the Child Hero, and the Maiden.
Archet ype layout s ketch, 2014
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The symbol for Tr ue Self is a full circle suppor t ed by a square.
ARCHETYPE Tr ue Self
The self is an archetype that represents the unification of the unconsciousness and consciousness of an individual. The creation of the self occurs through a process known as individuation, in which the various aspects of personality are integrated into one. Jung often represented the self as a circle, square or mandala. In dreams, our True Self can manifest as orbs of light, planetary forms, and glowing stars.
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The symbol for Persona is an undulating, shif ting wave.
ARCHETYPE Persona
This archetype represents the shifting part of us that undulates with our surroundings. Who are we with? Who are we trying to be? The persona is how we present ourselves to the world and the mask we wear to protect ourselves from criticism and rejection. The word ‘persona’ is derived from a Latin word that literally means ‘mask.’
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The symbol for Shadow is derived from a menacing triangle.
ARCHETYPE Shadow
The shadow is the part of us that we are afraid to confront: a looming shadow, a villain, a giant monster. What do we fear or repress in our waking life? Often the shadow is the darker side of the psyche, the part that will not play by the rules or be contained. We may see the shadow in others while denying it in ourselves. This ‘enemy’ may manifest itself as a demon or dark hooded figure.
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The symbol for Anima/Animus can be rot at ed for each gender.
ARCHETYPE Anima/Animus
According to Jung, our deep unconscious does not choose a gender. On the contrary, equal parts masculine and feminine balance the psyche. Our mind possesses the full capacity to be both male and female. The Animus is the male image within a female psyche, and the Anima is the feminine image within a male psyche. When combined, the Anima/Animus represents a whole image, complete with both genders, which is different from our more public personalities.
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The Child Hero symbol int ersects a trinit y of rings.
ARCHETYPE The Child
There is a child in all of us, lending the wisdom of the beginner’s mind at its best; throwing the tantrum of a sulking tyrant at its worst. In myth and story the Child Hero, though small in stature, has the power to change the world with his birth, like the child gods of our major religions. It is the birth of a child that stands for a new beginning and challenges existing systems of order. The Child Hero represents the bravery of innocence.
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Great Mother symbol s ketch, 2014
ARCHETYPE The Mo t her
She is our angel, our guardian, our godmother. Her feminine wisdom guides us, grounds us, and offers protection from our harshest critics. It is your Great Mother who guides you to the seat of your heart and gives you the courage to follow it. From Cinderella’s Fairy Godmother to the Virgin Mary, this powerful archetype provides a nurturing force.
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The Maiden symbol cent ers around her def ined wais t.
ARCHETYPE The Maiden
The Maiden is a common archetype in storytelling. She is someone to be rescued, a fragile entity to protect. She represents the delicate feminine, whose purity is yet unstained by the ravages of adulthood and easily abused by malign, corrupting forces.
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Wise Man symbol s ketch, 2014
ARCHETYPE The Old Man
The Old Man archetype represents the many sides of the masculine mind. This wise guide can show us the path to our truth. At his best the Old Man is our inner-sage; at his worst he is a scolding parent: stern, powerful, controlling.
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ANIMALS
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ANIMALS A bout
Animals are friends and enemies of the spirit. Before jumping to conclusions about an animal, one should ask how each creature manifests itself in a dream. In general, our minds divide animals according to how they move and where they live: Warm blooded animals who walk the land, creatures of flight who inhabit the sky, aquatic creatures who swim through water, and beasts who crawl and slither upon the ground.
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ANIMALS Mammals
With four legs and fur, they walk the earth with us and have been a part of our everyday domestic life for millennia. Sometimes mammals are a point of fear, like a protective bear or a growling dog. Other times, they are a vulnerable rabbit, a part of us needing to be rescued.
Animal s ketch, 2014
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ANIMALS Swim
When creatures of the sea swim through our dreams, they can take the form of powerful whales or bright schools of silvery fish. Water can be a symbol of the deeper parts of our mind where our internal wisdom resides. Perhaps sea creatures are messengers from our spiritual minds, swimming underneath the depths of our consciousness. Perhaps their fluid movements reflect the flow of the deeper currents of our selves.
Fish s ketch, 2014
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ANIMALS Slit her
If ‘creepy crawlies’ slither through our dreams, they are sure to prick the skin and leave unsettling memories. As snakes, bugs and lizards, they might be an element that needs ‘squashing’ or extermination. They could also be a wild part of our life that has been left untamed. As these beasts grow, they become more of a fear to be reckoned with and more closely associated with The Shadow. In some cases, snakes and reptiles are friends and guides, depending on personal associations with these creatures.
Slither s ketch, 2014
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ANIMALS Flight
Often connected to the air element, creatures of flight can represent our higher states of consciousness. Sometimes feathered beings appear as guiding forces; they can offer viewpoints from a higher plane. However, terrifying hawks or dragons may represent a point of tension between our cerebreal minds and the more sensual or grounded parts of ourselves.
Flight s ketch, 2014
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ENVIRONMENTS
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ENVIRONMENTS A bout
The setting of each dream is significant. The Mythos system divides key environmental elements into four quadrants, each associated with their own strength: Arches and Openings, Stairways and Fluxes, Walls and Blockages, and Pillars
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Openings present new oppor tunities.
ENVIRONMENT Openings
Arches are associated with the air element. They are openings that represent passages, lightness, and opportunity. When open they can represent a new direction. When closed they can represent a blocked path. As a natural form, arcs manifest in large geography: mountains, valleys, caves. Their ups and downs are a mirror for our internal landscape.
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Flux s ketch, 2014
ENVIRONMENT Flux
Upwards or downwards movement in a dream can symbolize a state of flux. For example, going up long flights of stairs may be an attempt to reach clarity or a higher level of creativity; whereas descending stairs may represent a need for grounding or connecting with lower parts of our consciousness. However, this movement is not just manifested in stairs. It may be an escalator, a waterfall, a crashing elevator, or a slippery mountain slope.
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Column s ketch, 2014
ENVIRONMENT Pillar
Columns are power. Their strong form carries the weight of our ancient temples. When broken they are a symbol of ruin, a cracking foundation. On their side they can crumble and roll away. In nature columns exist as tree trunks, spinal cords, and tall, jutting obelisks of stone.
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Plane s ketch, 2014
ENVIRONMENT Plane
A plane is a surface without volume. Lacking depth, it represents a division in space. Whether a placid lake or a brick wall, it is a separation between one dimension and another.
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ELEMENTS
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ELEMENTS A bout
The outer quadrant of symbols in Mythos contains the four elements: Earth, Fire, Water, Air. Each of these elements has its own characteristics, which can be related to different parts of our mind. In this system, each element is represented by a Platonic solid.
Platonic solids, or regular convex polyhedra, are named after the Greek philosopher Plato, who introduced these polyhedra in the dialogue Timaeus, (c.360 BC) and associated each shape with a classical element.
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Ear th (Cube), Fire (Tetrahedron), Wat er (Icosahedron), Air (Oct ahedron)
ELEMENTS A bout
“Earth was associated with the cube, air with the octahedron, water with the icosahedron, and fire with the tetrahedron. There was intuitive justification for these associations: the heat of fire feels sharp and stabbing. Air is made of the octahedron; its minuscule components are so smooth that one can barely feel it. Water, the icosahedron, flows out of one’s hand when picked up. By contrast, a highly in-spherical solid, the hexahedron (cube) represents earth. These clumsy little solids cause dirt to crumble and break when picked up, in stark difference to the smooth flow of water.” Lötter de Jager, Mathematics and Art 87
Ear th: Cube
ELEMENT Ear t h
As an element, earth is stable and grounded. However, it cannot flow or change form as easily as the other elements. Its rigid right angles keep it anchored in place. It is the building block of our man-made geometry: Boxes, bricks, buildings.
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Air : Oct ahedron
ELEMENT Air
Air is breath. As the lightest of all the elements, it moves the most easily. It is the seat of our consciousness, resembling the airiness of mind. However, thoughts are fleeting, and some things must be anchored so that they do not slip away.
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Wat er : Icosahedron
ELEMENT Wat er
Water flows. It can be a lazy river, a dark, choppy sea, or a deep and endless pool. This element takes on the shape of the environment and shifts to fill any space. Water is a good metaphor for our emotions, which flow in and out of one another. Sometimes they are a delicate stream, other times they are raging floods.
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Fire: Tetrahedron
ELEMENT F ire
Fire is the force of combustion. Its small sparks have the ability to bring about change. Its heat is piercing, and its pain can cut through all senses. As a roaring flame it will consume and destroy everything in its path.
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COLOURS
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The 8 Colours of the Mythos sys t em
COLOURS A bout
In dream interpretation colours, brightness and color saturation can be significant factors. They can reveal the dreamer’s emotional attitude towards the dreamscape and the objects or persons contained therein. Colouring the dream thus allows for a fuller understanding of the dream’s components. For therapists using body work to access dreams, colours may be used in conjunction with the chakra system, with the clear tone functioning as the seventh chakra and grey used to denote blockages.
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