Symbol Brief — The Ocean
As I watch Hurricane Ike bring the Gulf region of Texas to its knees, I’m reminded once again of the primal power of the ocean. Born before land, it is a primary symbol of life. As myth, the sea contains all life in potential, and certainly within the reality of a great flood, it also has the power to take life away.
The symbols associated with the ocean are so numerous I couldn’t begin to list them all here. The ebb and flow of the tide may remind us of the passing of time and the pull of gravity. Some of us associate water with washing away sin or holding new life in a mother’s womb. In Jungian psychology, an ocean is THE symbol for the unconscious and the deeper layers of the psyche. In Taoism, water is equated with wisdom because of its ability to move around obstacles.
If Hurricane Ike or some other encounter with the ocean has you pondering it’s deeper meaning, I hope you’ll share it with us on this blog.
– Writeye
Posted on September 13th, 2008 under Jungian Psychology, Symbol Brief • Tags: ocean/water symbolism. • 
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