Practical symbols Tracing the functions of archetypal symbols

Abstract

In our study, we seek to answer the question of how symbols can help to build a sustainable society and what opportunities they can offer to meet new challenges. According to environmental analysts, intangible heritage elements, including symbols, are of particular importance in reducing vulnerability. In our research, we explore archetypal symbols that we believe can be applied in practical (e.g. pedagogical, psychological) work.

On the one hand, we review the research on the applicability of archetypal symbols in the national and international literature, mainly covering the period from 2000 to the present. Based on the results of national and international research, the meanings of archetypal symbols will be analysed, and then some of their generally characterisable functions will be highlighted. We will also look for examples of how archetypal symbols can be used, using practical examples to illustrate their vulnerability, i.e. their ability to respond and recover. Secondly, an attempt is made to compile a symbol inventory of archetypal symbols, using qualitative content analysis to examine the symbols in the symbol libraries. Our aim is to formulate the common functions of archetypal symbols (e.g. life-giving, rebirth) that can be applied in practice and then to redefine these functions according to the needs of today (e.g. motivating, re-starting).

Our research has led us to conclude that the vulnerability of archetypal symbols creates opportunities to meet new challenges. To sum up our work, we can conclude that archetypal symbols are, on the one hand, elements of heritage that communities pass down from generation to generation. On the other hand, based on the assumption of the collective unconscious, these heritage elements are possessed by humans from birth. These archetypal images, adapted to the needs of the present, shape our identity and provide a sense of continuity between generations.