This is a summary of what I will present and demonstrate next weekend at the Journey Conference.
As we grow, the individual archetypes diminish and the shroud of the soul is removed as be become more universal and rise above the individual archetype. Thus is the process of becoming "whole."
In my personal experience, it appears that the archetypes are formed by the inner liquid light flowing around and reflecting off the obstacles to Love that exists within our souls. Per the Sufi poet Rumi, life is about finding and removing the obstacles to Love that exist within us. These "obstacles" cast shadows which we often see in a person prior to observing their inner light. (But remember, we often see the shadows in others that we most dislike and deny within ourselves.)
The union of the opposites is the merging of the masculine and feminine aspects at all levels of consciousness that is necessary in order to become "whole." The obstacles mentioned above, exist in both aspects of consciousness in each soul and create the unique complex personality of the individual. "Love" is the glue that holds the soul together as it grows to higher levels of consciousness. Without Love, the soul energy or consciousness takes various diverging routes, often far from center balance while trying to find "wholeness," yielding abnormal personality and behavior attributes represented by the shadows blocking the "Love" (or Light).
Mandalas represent the patterns of the soul created as the liquid light flows through these obstacles from one level of consciousness to another. Depth psychology is the process of removing these obstacles to light in a reverse process, much like peeling an onion from the inside out, thus allowing the inner light to shine brighter and grow faster. The secret is to find the stone blocking the flow closest to the source of the stream.
We are in a unique period of time, a sort of "springtime of the soul," where the shackles of the soul have been released allowing the soul growth to accelerate as the fire within desires to become "whole" and bear fruit. Along with this springtime, the light of the sun that shines within is much brighter, making it easier to see those obstacles to Love. At the same time, the increased light creates pressure within to resolve in order to not feel as though we will explode. As we cleanse the obstacles, the increased inner flow causes the light to reach progressively higher and higher levels of consciousness. The halo is merely an indicator that the Light or Love has overflowed the physical being.
Thus is the path to wholeness and removal of all archetypes, cleansing the soul of our obstacles which have been the anchors inhibiting our growth, and growing to acknowledge and embrace our true soul partner that we can only find by growing and embracing within, our higher self which is our true compliment.
In summary, when the Pharisees asked Jesus what was the most important commandment? He replied, "To Love God." and "To Love thy neighbor as thyself." Loving God is the process of always striving to reach higher levels of consciousness, and Loving thy neighbor is the process of removing the obstacles that block Love from cementing the soul's foundation firmly together to provide support for that higher growth. It really is that simple.
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