The Path

Among his other quirks, human has developed a natural affection for his paths. When passing through the undergrowth, it is better for him to ride a horse. And if there is no horse, he should follow a path to save him his troubles. We delight in nature, in its bounty and beauty, but without the crutch of a path this excitement can quickly turn to inconvenience. The image of a path winding under the forest canopy appeals to our sense of aesthetics. We speak of the spiritual path; we say life is a journey of the human soul. And to ascend into heaven we must climb up Jacob’s ladder.

The path is an archetype ingrained in human consciousness. Using his mind as his principle tool, human has forged a path away from the unforgiving jaws of his predators, and now finds himself safely cooped up in his ivory tower. Many of his modern idioms visually depict movement and action, a throwback to the days of adventure and romance. The path archetype is implicit. The listener relates to the hero complex, the perennial wayfarer on his quest. The ancestors who made the perilous crossing – from chaos to order – live on today inside him.

Posted in: Esoteric