The "fall" into semiotic awareness, with all its associated complications, opens up a profound space for potential transcendence. In many traditions, the fall is not merely a fall but a necessary step for human development—a movement from innocence or unity into self-consciousness, where dualities (such as good and evil, self and other) emerge as a result of language and symbolic meaning-making. This emergence of duality can be perceived as both a constraint and a potential for transcendence.
Let's break it down:
1. The Fall as Separation:
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The process of becoming semiotic is the moment when consciousness becomes aware of difference, contradiction, and opposition. What was once unified—often depicted as the unity of the divine, the unconscious, or the primordial state—becomes divided through the introduction of symbolic structures.
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This division leads to the emergence of binaries (e.g., life/death, light/dark, good/evil) which Campbell talks about in terms of mythological motifs. In the Western Christian narrative, this "fall" represents the transition from unity (Eden) to multiplicity (the world of opposites). The emergence of language is a key moment here because it is the medium through which these opposites are structured.
2. Tragic and Liberating Aspects of the Fall:
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Tragic: The fall can be seen as tragic because it creates a divide—between humans and the divine, between different parts of the self, between the present and the future, and between individuals. In Campbell’s terms, this division creates a sense of “separation” from the sacred or eternal, which is typically associated with loss, suffering, and the struggle to reconcile the finite with the infinite.
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Liberating: On the flip side, the fall opens up the possibility of individual agency. It’s only by being thrown into the world of dualities and differences that one can begin to transcend these very dualities. The person who recognises these oppositions is capable of navigating them, understanding their meaning, and ultimately reconciling them within themselves. This is where transcendence can begin.
3. Transcendence through Integration:
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Synthesis of Opposites: The first step toward transcendence is not to reject the opposites created by the fall, but rather to understand and integrate them. In Jungian terms, this would be the process of individuation, where the unconscious mind and the conscious mind work to reconcile their opposites. Mythologically, the hero's journey often reflects this process—moving through and overcoming various opposites, reconciling conflict, and returning to a state of wholeness.
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Transcending Duality: Campbell talks about the possibility of transcending the opposites, such as the union of the masculine and feminine principles, the reconciliation of life and death, or the realisation that the divine is both immanent and transcendent. In a way, the fall itself gives rise to the tension necessary for transcendence because transcendence cannot happen without the challenge of opposites. The realisation of duality allows for a deeper understanding of unity beyond opposites.
4. Symbolic Systems and Transcendence:
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Language and other semiotic systems offer a way to structure meaning, but they also limit our perception. Once we recognise the limitations of the symbolic systems (i.e., the “fall”), we can begin to transcend them. For example, in many mystical traditions, language is seen as a barrier to direct experience of the divine or the ultimate truth. Transcendence, in this sense, involves moving beyond the confines of language and entering a space where dualities dissolve.
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The Role of Myth: In mythological terms, transcendence often involves a return to unity, but a new kind of unity—a synthesis of opposites that transcends them. The fallen hero, after facing trials and transformations, often returns to a higher state of awareness, in which dualities are understood in a more holistic way. This is part of the journey of transformation, and it suggests that transcendence is not about rejecting the fall but embracing its lessons.
5. The Eternal Return:
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In many mythologies, there is the concept of an "eternal return," where the hero’s journey is cyclical. This could be viewed as a process of continuous transformation—an ongoing reconciliation of opposites, where transcendence is not a final state but a continuous evolution. It implies that transcendence is not a one-time achievement but a repeated process of growth, where every cycle of descent into duality and ascent into unity leads to a deeper understanding of the self and the cosmos.
In summary, the fall into semiotic awareness, which brings duality, also offers the potential for transcendence. Transcendence comes not from escaping duality but from integrating, understanding, and ultimately reconciling the opposites that the fall introduces. In this process, mythological narratives and symbols serve as tools for guiding individuals through their own evolution—from a fragmented sense of self to a more integrated, harmonious, and transcendent understanding of their place in the world.
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