The Mirror and the Mask

Abstract definitions are of no use to the child, give them living images so that thinking might sprout from them.  —study from The Education of the Child

Recently, I attended a short workshop exploring the difference between a stereotype and an archetype. A stereotype sits outside ourselves in the material realm (an artificial idea, separate from the human being). It is a manufactured idea, named, claimed, and its label managed. It functions much like a branded cardboard box. Inside that box, nothing can deepen or grow—the lid snaps shut. And eventually it collapses.

An archetype, by contrast, lives within us and it is always growing toward the light. It is recognizable through our shared human experience. It carries itself through every culture, every time period, and yet, still astonishes us with its mystery: the 'evil witch' who warns against distorted power, the 'brave knight' who crosses thresholds, the 'curious child' whose questions beckon a new dawn. Each holds shadow and light, failure and redemption. These experiences relate to every human being, inviting us deeper into the whole human experience. 

Imagine telling a tale of a young girl who follows the thread of a question into a deep forest. Perhaps she follows a silver spiral path or climbs a difficult mountain. These images breathe through every culture in expressive forms, movements, and colors. They may stir thought, warm the heart, or inspire the will. They are recognizable across the entire human consciousness.

The 'princess' can stumble, learn, and rise wiser. The 'hero' can hesitate before finding courage. The 'trickster' may sidestep our certainties and reveal truth through laughter. Children sense that elasticity and take it into themselves as permission to learn and grow from each experience presented. 

The 'evil witch' archetype, properly met, is a warning about becoming bitter. This is a choice we must all face someday, once we begin to look more closely at ourselves in the mirror. However, a stereotype throws the mirror away and paints the face green and ugly (avoiding the true nature and true encounter with this archetype). In this way, 'growing' is replaced with by 'fear,' and the living archetype is suddenly misunderstood, and potentially even outcast—dodging the mirror altogether. And what might have become a courageous conversation with the self, soon begins to harden into denial of the human nature. 

Perhaps this is why Steiner placed such a trust in living archetypes. For if we offer the 'evil witch' only as a lurid mask, we teach avoidance. But if we let her stand whole in her shadow, we give the child a mirror framed with courage. May every story we share guard this living space, so we can grow towards its own light, unboxed and unafraid. 

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AND

Watch this gentle puppet tale on YouTube.

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Read from other post below.

The Bridge Between Worlds

When the Invisible Becomes Visible

When Education Belongs