MENTAL TRAVELLER

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Gates of Paradise - for the Sexes

In the thought of C G Jung the dynamic of individuation involves the ego/self axis which connects the conscious and unconscious functioning of the psyche. The ego, or consciousness, arises from the original state of unconsciousness which is the undifferentiated psyche. Jung calls the total psyche the Self; Blake calls the total psyche Albion.   

Jung and Blake discern that when consciousness develops, the connection between conscious mental processing and the unconscious totality is fractured. This is imaged as the division into the four functions in Jung and into the Four Zoas in Blake. Both men directed their thoughts to the restoration of the psyche as a unified whole which would incorporate the sundered parts and express each without division or competition.

In Blake the Zoa which became dominant was Urizen, the reasoning power of man. In Jung the ego, which acted as the executive of the psyche, was the thinking function. Blake and Jung agree that thought - not emotion, sensation, or intuition - governed the conscious functioning of the psyche.

Blake portrayed the aspects of the psyche which were not dominant as struggling to wrest control from the rational function. This represented a tug of war in the individual as the separate parts sought expression. Luvah, Tharmas and Los battled with Urizen until the Eternal form of Los - Urthona - brought all into a unity as it was in the unconscious before the psyche interacted with the external world.

The parallel process took place in Jung's system. The divided psyche which was under control of the rational mind reconnected with the unified unconscious called the Self. Through the process of individuation the ego experienced that the totality of the psyche was the Self and the ego was drawn back into the greater reality.   

Blake discerned that the ultimate reconciliation restored to man the ability to perceive the Infinite Eternal Divine. Jung expressed the resolution of the process of restoring wholeness to the psyche in terms of the ego gradually subordinating itself to the completeness of the Self which was as close to a God-image as Jung went.

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Jerusalem, Plate 27, (E 171)

"You have a tradition, that Man anciently containd in his mighty
limbs all things in Heaven & Earth: this you recieved from the
Druids.
  'But now the Starry Heavens are fled from the mighty limbs of
Albion'" 

Milton, Plate 29 [31], (E 127)

"The Sky is an immortal tent built by the Sons of Los
And every Space that a Man views around his dwelling-place:
Standing on his own roof, or in his garden on a mount
Of twenty-five cubits in height, such space is his Universe;
And on its verge the Sun rises & sets. the Clouds bow
To meet the flat Earth & the Sea in such an orderd Space:
The Starry heavens reach no further but here bend and set        
On all sides & the two Poles turn on their valves of gold:
And if he move his dwelling-place, his heavens also move.
Wher'eer he goes & all his neighbourhood bewail his loss:
Such are the Spaces called Earth & such its dimension:
As to that false appearance which appears to the reasoner,       
As of a Globe rolling thro Voidness, it is a delusion of Ulro
The Microscope knows not of this nor the Telescope. they alter
The ratio of the Spectators Organs but leave Objects untouchd
For every Space larger than a red Globule of Mans blood.
Is visionary: and is created by the Hammer of Los                
And every Space smaller than a Globule of Mans blood. opens
Into Eternity of which this vegetable Earth is but a shadow:
The red Globule is the unwearied Sun by Los created
To measure Time and Space to mortal Men. every morning.

Four Zoas, Night IX, Page 121,(E 391) 

"And the Eternal Man Said Hear my words O Prince of Light  
PAGE 122 
Behold Jerusalem in whose bosom the Lamb of God
Is seen tho slain before her Gates he self renewd remains
Eternal & I thro him awake to life from deaths dark vale
The times revolve the time is coming when all these delights
Shall be renewd & all these Elements that now consume            
Shall reflourish. Then bright Ahania shall awake from death
A glorious Vision to thine Eyes a Self renewing Vision" 

Four Zoas, Night IX, Page 133, (E 402)

"Not for ourselves but for the Eternal family we live
Man liveth not by Self alone but in his brothers face            
Each shall behold the Eternal Father & love & joy abound

So spoke the Eternal at the Feast they embracd the New born Man
Calling him Brother image of the Eternal Father. they sat down
At the immortal tables sounding loud their instruments of joy
Calling the Morning into Beulah the Eternal Man rejoicd   

Four Zoas, Night IX, Page 136, (E 404)

"This dreadful Non Existence is worse than pains of Eternal Birth  
Eternal Death who can Endure. let us consume in fires
In waters stifling or in air corroding or in earth shut up
The Pangs of Eternal birth are better than the Pangs of Eternal Death"