The child, the God in all things, represented bright new life, fresh imagination, sunny impetuosity, joyous spirit without end.
The old man who carried the child in his arms as his protector,
represented the senex, that is, the old wise man; the one who had lived
long, who knew the preciousness of new life, the locations of the ‘trip
and fall-down’ places, the detours and long-cuts, the underground
pathways through.
Back in the day, the child and the old man were
not separate ideas, but one. The older one did not die in order to be
replaced by the younger. Instead, they represented a hieros gamos of
sorts, a sacred union. They are the two critical aspects of inner
nature, that when melded together by inquiry, plans laid, and actions
taken, created a third: a more conscious and awakened psyche.
One
without the other, creative life without the long view, wisdom without
action of invention, could cause each to falter, eventually go awry,
then sicken and die… for lack of their life’s work in balance with one
another… enthusiasm and a reliable over-and-inner sight.
In
modern time, many older persons remain in high spirit by creating deep
friendships with the very young, and/or with ideas and attitudes that
carry fresh vitality. Many of the young feel they are living in the
shelter of a mountain, because they are near the heart of an elder who
is reasonably aged and wise in love, loyalty, praise and prescience.
As a pair, the wise old one and the newly born potential are the
essence of creative power that can make ideas manifest through
deliberate actions… much needed in our world, so that decent wishes can
become manifest in progressions through ‘inspirited’ and focused
actions.
Inspired by: Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estes
