Trickster

A series of synchronicities got me interested in archetypes and although I am still fairly new to this literature, I am finding it quite fascinating.  T.A. Doug, through some clues in my profile and further synchros, encouraged me to check out the trickster archetype and I must say it is quite fitting.  I found an especially lot of resonance with this article By Blair A. Moffett, from http://www.theosophy-nw.org/theosnw/world/america/my-moff2.htm

“For under whatever name, Trickster, as some like Campbell and Radin have noted, evolves. This outlandish yet remarkable thing in human form learns, grows in understanding, changes and, at a certain point in his adventuresome blunders, is transformed. Until that moment, however, Trickster keeps changing shape and experimenting with a thousand identities, including shifts in sex, in a seemingly never-ending search for himself. During all this he inflicts great damage on those around him and also suffers innumerable blows, defeats, indignities, and dangers resulting from his thoughtless, reckless forays. On entering upon existence he is first seen as a blurred, chaotic, hardly unified being, having no self-knowledge or life-knowledge, despite his divine parenthood. It is only later on in his peregrinations that Trickster emerges as a culture hero, demigod, and savior of peoples. But this occurs only after his transformation or self-integration takes place, and brings to the fore the great and epic qualities initially given him by his divine progenitor…

‘Our problem is thus basically a psychological one. In fact, only if we view it as primarily such, as an attempt by man to solve his problems inward and outward, does the figure of Trickster become intelligible and meaningful.' - Paul Radin, op. cit., p. xxiv.”

This got me thinking about how this archetype came to be and how it might be impacting the world.  A lot of my past and present friends and relatives have seemed “tapped in” have also had serious drug/alcohol and other issues fitting the above description.  Now when I started meditating heavy a lot of these negative characteristics became less and less of a problem and the strengths of insight/intuition/creativity have been increasing and increasing (not to mention a few bizarre phenomenons).  Seems to me that this archetype could have arisen b/c you have people who feel/intuit divine connection yet feel lost b/c they experiential spirituality has been detached from the mainstream.  I had always felt a longing for something more from life and unable to find it turned to drugs and deviance to fill the void.  Funny when you start thinking how the most statistically successful method of getting people clean is twelve steps-an organization that teaches God, support and love (not my path to leaving addiction but works for many).  Or if you have read “A Million Little Pieces,”  Frey finds freedom by reading The Tao Te Ching over and over and discovering love (closer to my path).   Seems to me that many addicts, especially those who seem to have high presence or insight, could be helped through meditation and love and… It seems logical that the hero can emerge from the deviant b/c he has learned the hard way, the pitfalls and follies of the human psyche and can apply that knowledge to help the world at large.

The book “The Trickster and the Paranormal” by George Hansen seems really interesting; has anyone read it?

I've also been amazed at recently discovering Jung's ideas on symbols in dreams.  Doug recommended “Man and his Symbols” and I subsequently had a series of breakthroughs through dream analyses. I had a few dreams that were fairly literal and figured them out, with a little help from Tarot symbology and synchronicity. I never really put any stake in Tarot cards; my wife had a couple of books and decks that she had bought the summer before we met, but I had never even looked at them-I actually teased her a bit for having them.  This new interest in symbols and archetypes got me a bit curious so I went into deep meditation and started playing with them.  The first time I did, I was quite amazed b/c the two most important cards in the spread were the most fitting cards that I could have picked for defining my character/destiny.  I figured I would dabble a little more: Even if there wasn't anything to it, the advice in the book was always positive and reminded you to stay balanced.  One of the cards, three of swords, came up three days in a row (two of which I only picked one card for a little daily insight).  After the first one I thought I figured out the betrayal thing through dream analysis but the next day cut the same card, out of 72, a bit strange/no bends in card etc.  So I have to admit I started to get a little paranoid about who was betraying me.

I thought the dream analysis stuff was really cool, but I was a little disappointed that I never really had or noticed dreams regarding symbols.  That night I had two dreams:  In the first, I was crossing this rapid section of a river with some friends and there were the nastiest crab things I ever saw and they were relentless in latching on to you and you could not get them off.  They hurt and seemed like pure evil (I rarely have nightmares).  The second dream that night I was locked out of my car/and the building I was at and really wanted to go home to be with my wife, life, etc.  Probably the last addiction that I was hanging on to was smoking.  I have quit many, many times, but always seem to find an excuse to start up again and recently have been and have been having trouble quitting even though I know how awful it is for me.  Using Jung's methods for dream analysis I felt that crabs definitely represented the smoking and it put the smoking in a whole new light of evil in my mind.  With every cigarette I saw those nasty crabs.  It seemed like the dream was letting me know how vicious the smokes actually were.  The being locked out, seemed to represent me locking myself out of my “destiny” or what have you b/c I was still hanging on to these hang-ups. 

I figured this all out upon waking up and went and did my morning meditation.  I had the revelation that perhaps the betrayal card I had been cutting was actually mostly about me betraying myself.  So deep in meditation, I went back to the deck and cut one card, another one fell on the floor.  One section of one of the descriptors was described as “suddenly realizing the truth, exposing what was hidden, having a burst of insight, seeing through the illusions, getting the answer, seeing everything in a flash” the other one included “feeling reborn, awakening to possibilities, enjoying renewed hope, making a fresh start, seeing everything in a new light, knowing what you must do, releasing guilt and sorrows, forgiving yourself, atoning for past mistakes, unburdening yourself.”  So I've quit smoking again, but feel like it will stick this time.  And as for the tarot/symbology/dreams-whether it be divination or just a tool for me to connect the right dots, it seems to be doing quite a bit of good by me.

I would love to hear others thoughts on anything remotely similar to any of this.

Peace

Re: Trickster

Magus555,

Fantastic archetypal/personal account of Trickster's role in Spiritual Development!  I know there are others, and other ways that Trickster manifests.  Let's hear about this exciting and often confusing archetype.  For confusion is often a phase and catalyst in growth. 

All in One,

twice awakened Doug

Re: Trickster

Let me introduce you to Saint Irony. Saint Irony is a Ancient Portugese construct - an old dapper, dandy who is usually dressed up to the nines and is obviously the purveyor of all things Ironical.  My Portugese friend informs me that I don’t really understand him at all, and I am sure she knows what she is talking about. However …

Soon after meeting the Idea I suddenly put a Coyote head on the good Saint and he became Someone Else. He now belongs to the desert Southwest of the United States, as I do. We both have red dust in our veins, eyes that can hold the strong desert sun and still see in the dark.

My Saint Irony is a Trickster. He was born partly from a long fascination with the thought of just where irony crosses with the persona of the Trickster. Irony is defined as a literary device in which there is a gap or incongruity between what a speaker or a writer says and what is generally understood. Irony relies on a sharp discordance between the real and the ideal … an incongruity or a gap between an understanding of reality, or expectation of a reality, and what actually happens. I can see the shadow of the Trickster in that gap, that incongruity. And there is, of course, the fact that the Trickster is often the Hero as well ~ an incongruity in and of itself.

I agree, Doug, “exciting and often confusing archetype.” BOTH excitement and confusion are catalysts in growth. Is the Trickster a catalyst herself? Cat-alyst. Humm.

Re: Trickster

Oh! And all kinds of stories - both made of words and image on the subject of Raven ~
another fascinating incarnation of the Trickster - over at PLAY-POD

http://pods.zaadz.com/play_pod/discussions/view/196908


This is from my re-telling of the Norse Tale “Odin and the White Raven Nights”

Re: Trickster

I found this article to on trickster, shadow and synchronicity to be highly interesting as well.
http://sacredwisdom.net/modules/news/article.php?storyid=193