In India the same two aspects are recognized. There they are called marga and desi, respectively. Marga comes from a root that has to do with an animal trail; it means “the path.” By this, Indians mean the path by which the particular aspect of a symbol leads you to personal illumination; it is the path to enlightenment. Desi means “of the province.” All mythological symbols, therefore, work in two directions: in the direction of marga and in the direction of desi. The desi, or local, aspect links the individual to the culture.

A mythologically grounded culture presents you with symbols that immediately evoke your participation; they are all vital, living connections, and so they link you both to the underlying mystery and to the culture itself. Yet when that culture uses symbols that are no longer alive, that are no longer effective, it cuts you off. The marga or the Elementargedanken provide a path back to the heart of the issue. Looking at the symbol in terms of its universal meaning rather than its local, specific reference takes you down the path to self-discovery and illumination. bols that speak to you and use them, you might say, as bases for medita- tion. Let them work on you. A ritual is nothing by the dramatics, visual, active manifestation or representation of a myth. By participating in the rite, you are engaged in myth, and the myth works on you-provided, of course, that you are caught by the image.

The way to find your own myth is to determine those traditional symbols that speak to you and use them,you might say,as based on meditation.Let them work on you.

A ritual is nothing but dramatic, visual,active manifestation or representation of a myth.By participating in the rite,you are engaged in the myth.Myth works on you-provided,of course,that you are caught by the image.

But when you just go through the routine without real commitment, expecting it to work magically and get you into heaven-because you know that when you’re baptized, you get into heaven, after all-you’ve turned away from the proper use of these rites and images.

First, think about your own childhood, as Jung did-the symbols that were put into you then remain. Think not how they relate to an institution, which is probably defunct and likely difficult to respect. Rather, think how the symbols operate on you. Let them play on the imagination, acti- vating it. By bringing your own imagination into play in relation to these symbols, you will be experiencing the marga, the symbols’ power to open a path to the heart of mysteries.

It is my belief, drawn from experience, that there’s nothing better than comparative mythological studies to let you grasp the big, general form of an image and to give you many different ways of approaching that image. Images are eloquent in themselves; they talk to you. When the intellect tries to explicate an image, one can never exhaust its meaning, one can never exhaust its possibility. Images don’t essentially mean anything: they are, just as you are. They talk to some kernel in you that is.

So ask an artist, “What does your picture mean?” Well, if he despises you enough, he’ll tell you.

The point is that if you need him to tell you what it means, then you haven’t even seen it. What’s the meaning of a sunset? What’s the meaning of a flower? What’s the meaning of a cow?

The Buddha is called the tathāgata, “the one thus come ,.” He is as he is. The universe is “t “thus come ,” too. Every piece of it arises out of the same ground. This is called the Doctrine of Mutual Arising.