Tarot, the Language of the Collective Unconscious
The collective unconscious was the name that Jung gave to the wellspring of symbols and archetypes from which we derive human narratives.

Anima and Animus
When combined, the anima and the animus are meant to represent a union, a whole, a complete self. Jung believed that every human has within them “feminine” and “masculine” aspects to their character. Part of having a balanced psyche is to acknowledge, understand and accept both “feminine” and “masculine” aspects.

The Shadow

The Shadow
This is the part of ourselves that we reject – aspects of ourselves that we would like to remain hidden. In other words, we all put a mask on to the world. When we don’t accept it, it becomes detached, like another being that we hate, and detest. Shadows are the archetypal foundations for monsters, demons, evil, the works. A part of becoming a mature person and society is understanding the darker aspects of ourselves, not rejecting them.

“The soul thinks in images.”  (Aristotle)

The 78 cards in the Tarot deck are a mystical, symbolic “system” that provides a visual map of consciousness. It allows us to communicate with our inner mind in its own language of symbols and images. It can therefore be understood as a visual embodiment of Jungian archetypes, offering insight into all aspects of our lives, especially the underlying drives, motives, and complexes. The images on the cards can act as mirrors of our mental, emotional and spiritual development and levels of consciousness. As a symbolic map, the Tarot shows us archetypal and universal layers of consciousness that appear cross-culturally. It offers us a direct link to the vast wisdom of the collective and unconscious minds. In particular, the 22 cards of the Tarot’s Major Arcana symbolize the life lessons we need to learn as we progress on the path of our spiritual and psychological growth. It also provides a unique centerpiece for meditation on metaphysical themes that are most relevant to our life path and spiritual/soul growth.

Tarot is a mechanism for inner exploration, self-analysis, self-knowledge and a self-help tool.

The supernatural and parapsychology was no stranger to Jung. He personally underwent a near-death experience, had clairvoyant dreams, incidents of precognition, encountered various hauntings with actual manifestations and poltergeist activity. He conducted experiments in telepathy and had a spirit guide known as Philemon, who flew out of the sky one day and landed at Jung’s side. Jung gave him the nickname of the “Old Wise Man” and they often conversed as they walked together in Jung’s garden. Jung claimed he had a second soul, one that allowed him to access the occult realm. Many of his beliefs were derived from The Tibetan Book of the Dead which he consulted though out his professional life. He used the I-Ching to help diagnose patient’s maladies and suggest treatment methods. He investigated the arcane arts of Alchemy and Astrology as well.

CARL JUNG AND THE TAROT

Returning to Jung’s theory of the collective unconscious will help us understand his association with the cards. He thought of the collective unconscious as the “soul of the world” and it is in that “soul” that our shared symbolism of the archetypes dwell.



He also postulated that an event in a person’s life can trigger an internal mechanism that allows access to the collective unconscious. Once this process begins an archetypical configuration takes place. He called this “being” that formed during this configuration a “psychoid.” It was part real in the sense that it was manifesting itself and taking on a form and it was also part psychic due to it’s origin in the depths of the unconscious mind. Which Jung described as “the deposit of all human experiences back to the beginning of time. It is the source of the instincts, since archetypes are merely the forms that our instincts have assumed.” At this point the conscious mind can now recognize this primordial archetype, and understand the message it is trying to convey through its symbolic form. After this triggering episode has subsided, the “psychoid” melts back into the regions of the netherworld.


These “psychoids” are somewhat like the Tulpas that are reportedly created by Tibetan monks** through shear will power. These are also temporary beings that are brought to actual physical life for a short time, perform the tasks that they are created to complete and afterward return to nothingness. It is easy to see the wide influence that The Tibetan Book of the Dead had on Jung.