Changes

The wholeness or unity in the Plotinian vision, although inherent in every fragment of the soul's expression as divisible, has its proper station in the Supreme. This suggests that the proper emphasis in psychology-the realm of division, plurality, and change-is on the divisible aspects of soul. Then psychology is inherently polytheistic and we should focus on the many loves of the soul, on its worship of sundry gods. In other words, let psychology be polytheistic and leave monotheism for spiritual concerns. An example of this view occurs in Kathleen Raine's response to Hillman's original article. There she appeals to Blake's polytheism and says, "Possibly, the Jungian system is somewhat confused through an insufficient distinction between the psychological and the spiritual levels. . . . Blake's system therefore finds a proper place for a psychological polytheism, coexistent with a spiritual monotheism; each is proper to its own level."[12]

The wholeness or unity in the Plotinian vision, although inherent in every fragment of the soul's expression as divisible, has its proper station in the Supreme. This suggests that the proper emphasis in psychology-the realm of division, plurality, and change-is on the divisible aspects of soul. Then psychology is inherently polytheistic and we should focus on the many loves of the soul, on its worship of sundry gods. In other words, let psychology be polytheistic and leave monotheism for spiritual concerns. An example of this view occurs in Kathleen Raine's response to Hillman's original article. There she appeals to Blake's polytheism and says, "Possibly, the Jungian system is somewhat confused through an insufficient distinction between the psychological and the spiritual levels. . . . Blake's system therefore finds a proper place for a psychological polytheism, coexistent with a spiritual monotheism; each is proper to its own level."[12]

However, this division of the activities of soul into polytheistic psychology and monotheistic spirituality is incompatible with the essence of Plotinian soul, whose very nature is to be always and at every level both divisible and indivisible, unified and divided. At certain stages or under special conditions one aspect of soul expresses itself more readily, but the other is always there, always ready to throw us into confusion or despair if we do not enfold both aspects of soul in our interior practice and our outer lives. Or as Jung says, "But the striving for unity is opposed by a possibly even stronger tendency to create multiplicity, so that even in strictly monotheistic religions like Christianity the polytheistic tendency cannot be suppressed."[13] Of course, this is symmetry here, for hidden within the heart of every polytheism is a demand for unity, for the movement through the many images to the one source from which they spring.

However, this division of the activities of soul into polytheistic psychology and monotheistic spirituality is incompatible with the essence of Plotinian soul, whose very nature is to be always and at every level both divisible and indivisible, unified and *divided. At certain stages or under special conditions one aspect of soul expresses itself more readily, but the other is always there, always ready to throw us into confusion or despair if we do not enfold both aspects of soul in our interior practice and our outer lives. Or as Jung says, "But the striving for unity is opposed by a possibly even stronger tendency to create multiplicity, so that even in strictly monotheistic religions like Christianity the polytheistic tendency cannot be suppressed."[13] Of course, this is symmetry here, for hidden within the heart of every polytheism is a demand for unity, for the movement through the many images to the one source from which they spring.

It might be suggested that the double nature of soul and the consequent propensity toward both monotheism and polytheism is a likely story, but not one that finds any modern expression. However, there is at least one outstanding example of a very sophisticated society and religious system that fully embraces both monotheism and polytheism: modern Hinduism. Since it is unlikely to have been strongly influenced by Platonism, the example is all the more convincing.

It might be suggested that the double nature of soul and the consequent propensity toward both monotheism and polytheism is a likely story, but not one that finds any modern expression. However, there is at least one outstanding example of a very sophisticated society and religious system that fully embraces both monotheism and polytheism: modern Hinduism. Since it is unlikely to have been strongly influenced by Platonism, the example is all the more convincing.

When confronted by what seemed to me a blatant contradiction between the monotheism of the Upanishads and the blatant polytheism in daily religious life, I sought refuge in the idea that monotheism and polytheism were the views of the elite and the common people respectively, that they only existed side by side, but were not actually integrated. However, questioning of both intellectuals and the humblest of worshipper lead to the same look of surprise when I expressed concern about the seeming contradiction. They found no contradiction between monotheism and polythesism and could barely relate to my concern. Without going into a detailed philosophic or religious analysis of how this could be, I merely end this section by quoting Hinduism's most revered systematizer and philosopher of non-dualism, Adi Sankaracharya. The sixth stanza in his hymn to Bhavani, the Divine Mother reads:

When confronted by what seemed to me a blatant contradiction between the monotheism of the Upanishads and the blatant polytheism in daily religious life, I sought refuge in the idea that monotheism and polytheism were the views of the elite and the common people respectively, that they only existed side by side, but were not actually integrated. However, questioning of both intellectuals and the humblest of worshipper lead to the same look of surprise when I expressed concern about the seeming contradiction. They found no contradiction between monotheism and polythesism and could barely relate to my concern. Without going into a detailed philosophic or religious analysis of how this could be, I merely end this section by quoting Hinduism's most revered systematizer and philosopher of non-dualism, Adi Sankaracharya. The sixth stanza in his hymn to Bhavani, the Divine Mother reads:

I know neither Brahma nor Vishnu nor Shiva,

*I know neither Brahma nor Vishnu nor Shiva,

Nor Indra, sun, moon, or similar being-

*Nor Indra, sun, moon, or similar being-

Not one of the numberless gods, O Redeemer!

*Not one of the numberless gods, O Redeemer!

In Thee, is my help and my strength, O Bhavani![14]

*In Thee, is my help and my strength, O Bhavani![14]

===Conclusion===

===Conclusion===