Symbol Paper

Intro

My experience writing the symbol paper was deeply profound. It was a journey—perhaps even a rite of passage. The symbol I chose was deeply personal; it has followed me throughout my life in one form or another. Writing about it felt like a liberation, and at the same time, an expansion of my conscious attitude.

Structure

The guidance I received was minimal—more along the lines of “write what feels right” with a few structural points in mind. What I maintained could be broadly categorized into four sections:

1. Personal experiences with the symbol (dreams, real-life examples)

2. Personal associations

3. Collective associations

4. Amplification

With this structure, I covered concepts of analytical psychology in relation to the symbol. I used dream associations and interpretations, then amplified them using alchemical symbolism, fairy tales, and appearances of the symbol across different cultures.

While researching the etymology, I uncovered some of the earliest mentions of this symbol, which became the backbone of the paper. Jungian literature, of course, is full of invaluable symbolic material that helped me strengthen my arguments. I found the following volumes particularly relevant:

• Volume 5 – Symbols of Transformation

• Volume 9 (Part 2) – Aion: Researches into the Phenomenology of the Self

• Volume 12 – Psychology and Alchemy

• Volume 13 – Alchemical Studies

• Volume 14 – Mysterium Coniunctionis

Beyond Jung’s works, I also drew inspiration from Joseph Campbell’s writings, the Bible, Edward Edinger, the ARAS archives (the premium account gives incredible access to a vast database not available for free), and several academic studies on the symbol itself.

What Happened When I Wrote It

It was a journey, to say the least. My dreams were vivid and wild, my emotions overflowing—and best of all, new ideas kept coming throughout the process. Once I sat down to write, I couldn’t stop. One idea led to another, which led to research papers and books, each uncovering something new. The paper kept expanding as if something wanted to be expressed through me.

I was fortunate to have the time and space to enter what felt like a chrysalis stage—an alchemical chamber where transformation could occur. Had I been distracted by classes or other obligations, the process would have been very different. But within two to three weeks, I had written something incredible—at least in my humble opinion. Not because I consider myself an excellent writer (a beginner if anything), but because for most of my life, writing was something I avoided. Yet years of recording my dreams each night strengthened this ability. It taught me how to express myself more clearly—as if the unconscious was speaking, and I was simply typing.

This paper was a deep opening into something I'm still trying to understand. For this very reason I'm glad that it's part of the curriculum. A second symbol paper is required by the end of studies and I'm looking forward to that adventure.

Now it’s time to prepare for the exams!