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Archetypes of Apocalypse in Dreams and F

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Ancient religious texts and modern psychiatric patients share remarkably similar visions of the apocalypse, revealing universal patterns in how the human mind processes overwhelming fear and rage. Through psychoanalytic case analysis of schizophrenic and borderline patients' dreams alongside canonical texts like the Book of Revelation, distinct archetypal patterns emerge in both individual and collective apocalyptic imagery. The methodology paired clinical dream analysis with comparative examination of religious texts to identify these shared elements. Key findings demonstrate that apocalyptic fantasies consistently surface during psychotic episodes as psychological attempts to manage rage through projection onto cosmic forces. Common archetypes include world destruction and rebirth (Weltuntergang), protective maternal vehicles, falling celestial objects, messianic figures offering revelation, and luminescent mystical experiences. Both clinical and scriptural materials follow parallel narratives: Good versus Evil with Evil's temporary dominance before Good's ultimate triumph, followed by transformation into a harmonious new age. Individual fantasies and communal scriptures employ identical psychodynamic mechanisms, distinguished primarily by their private versus public expression. These patterns suggest apocalyptic thinking serves as a defense mechanism, providing hope through rescue and rebirth narratives when confronting powerlessness. The research illuminates both individual psychopathology and group psychology, offering particular insight into contemporary apocalyptic movements and their societal implications.

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    Published 1987

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  • Publication Credits

    Mortimer Ostow