Page 8 - NAMAH-Apr-2019

Editorial

Instinct and intuition

Instinctual knowledge of the modern human being today, instinctual
symbols still persist as rituals, whose origin
When the Tsunami hit the Asian coastline on we have lost, and which rise as symbols
26 December 2004, the Sentinelese, one of in dreams but which we usually cannot
th
the few existing uncontacted primitive tribes decipher and often dismiss as nonsensical.
of the world known for their violent rejection A still persisting ritual is the earth altar
of any overture by outsiders, survived by in India and China. In traditional Indian
their sixth sense, which we do not possess households, the earth altar has the Holy Basil
any more. Using their ancient instinctual or Tulsi (Ocimum sanctum) positioned in a
knowledge of the movement of wind, sea and square or circle that denotes the psyche.The
birds, they had withdrawn from the coastline Mother described that the Tulsi signified
and moved to higher ground on their island ‘Devotion’, on which she elaborated, “Modest
long before the disaster struck. and fragrant. It gives itself without seeking
anything in return (3)”.
This instinctual knowledge that the primitive
humans possessed has been lost to a rational Often the earth altar is in the form of a Shiva
world that prides itself on being rid of all lingam at the base of an ancient banyan tree.
superstitions. What is missed is that the While the ancient tree symbolises the growth
primitive subject was not an isolated freak of the psyche unfolding through many lives
but in oneness with the cosmos through an (4), the Shiva lingam is a bare stone signifying
emotional ‘unconscious identity’ with natural that truth is naked (5).
phenomena that delivered symbolic messages
(1). To the primitive psyche, Matter was not Instinct in dreams
inert but vibrant with the presence of the
Earth Goddess, thunder was the wrath of The primitive or basic instincts rise up dramatically
god and the river had a spirit and was replete in our dreams. As we have lost their meanings,
with its nymphs while the tree too had its we cannot decipher the hidden messages which
own life-principle. The primitive psyche are not only significant but at times can save us
was one with the whole cosmos and in that from many ordeals in life. Carl Jung describes
extended consciousness; one could decipher a typical case:
the messages from stones, plants, animals as
well as sea, wind, cloud and lightning (2). “Another typical case was that of a lady who
was living above herself. She was high and
Though banished from the conscious awareness mighty in her daily life, but she had shocking

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