9 4 Types of symbols level of aesthetic consciousness

The life of a symbol as a spiritual reality (creation and perception) is a complex process of creating the fullness of human presence in being and the being of reality (in symbolic-figurative clothing) in its consciousness. The wealth of spheres of experience as evidence of the wealth of ways of human interaction with the world is reflected in the wealth of types of symbolism that "encode" the content of experience. These are scientific, philosophical, artistic, mythological, religious types of symbols. The sphere of symbols comprehends nature, man, society, the entire cosmos. Symbols of the type not only create (each by its own means) a holistic image of reality, but also set for it the methods of ideal vitality. The latter, in order to become real, requires deobjectification - "decoding" of the symbol for introducing it into the personal experience of the subject in order to deepen the image of the vitality of the object of cognition: more and more new layers of its content. Thus, the nature of spiritual reality is symbolic. The fullness of life connections in the world of their carriers is concentrated in figurative language, revealing mutual transitions of forms and ways of being in accordance with the principle of "all in all". Therefore, each image reflects another being, forming a special - symbolic reality.

Aesthetic consciousness includes many types of symbols that help interpret and evaluate works of art and cultural phenomena. These symbols can be classified according to different levels and functions. Here are some key types of symbols at the level of aesthetic consciousness:

1. Archetypal symbols
Archetypal symbols are universal images that are found in myths, religions and cultures around the world. They represent basic human experiences and collective unconscious experience. Examples of archetypal symbols:

Hero: symbolizes strength, valor and self-sacrifice.

Mother: symbol of motherhood, care and fertility.

Shadow: represents hidden aspects of personality and internal conflicts.

2. Cultural Symbols
Cultural symbols have meaning within a particular culture or society. They reflect historical, social, and religious values ​​and customs. Examples of cultural symbols:

Cross: a symbol of Christianity and faith.

Lotus: a symbol of spiritual enlightenment in Indian culture.

Torri: a traditional Japanese gate symbolizing the passage into sacred space.

3. Personal Symbols
Personal symbols are unique to the individual and may have special meaning based on personal experiences and perceptions. These symbols are often used in art to convey the artist’s inner feelings. Examples of personal symbols:

Dreams and visions: images that appear in dreams can become important personal symbols.

Autobiographical elements: objects and places that are related to the artist’s life experiences.

4. Nature Symbols
Nature symbols are used to convey ideas and emotions through images of natural objects and phenomena. They are often found in poetry, painting, and other forms of art. Examples of symbols of nature:

Tree: symbol of life, growth and stability.

River: symbol of time, changes and travel.

Mountain: symbol of spiritual ascent and striving for the highest.

5. Symbols of colors and shapes
Colors and shapes themselves can be symbolic and carry a certain aesthetic meaning. Artists and designers often use them to convey mood and meaning. Examples of symbols of colors and shapes:

Red: symbol of passion, energy and danger.

Circle: symbol of integrity, unity and infinity.

Triangle: symbol of strength, stability and trinity.

Symbols differ in the scale of comprehension of the content of the subject of formation and the method of "coding" spiritual experience. If we compare the mythological, artistic and scientific types of symbolization, a tendency of a noticeable deepening of the meaningful layering of the meanings of the symbol can be traced. Mythological consciousness produces the desired in the forms of the real, providing its own way of life to the surrounding and mental world. The sensually given integrity of myth-images in their own (human) likeness is a way to create a non-alienated, recognizable image of all human permeability in life. This is a psychologically favorable way to create the illusion of the full functioning of experience, because it gives rise to faith in mastering the entire natural and supernatural world, not only sensually perceived, but also created by the imagination.

The symbols that science operates with will require their mastery. The complexity of the latter - in a purely "conditional", expressed in the symbolic language of science, has no prototypes in reality. Therefore, without special knowledge - without studying the language of a specific science - the content of spiritual experience encoded in it remains unattainable. As we have already noted, a kind of mediating link in the mastery of reality in the ideal image of its being is art. True, it is not able and does not have the goal of revealing the truths of science. This prerogative belongs only to it. Art is a symbolic way of "coding" spiritual reality, human relations in all their richness in the unity of reality and the ideal. It forms the super

real, ideal space of vitality, elevated above the real not only by the sign of the vibrancy of the way in which the integral ideal reality is formed, - the specific (artistic) language of art. This is a reality of a different type. In it, the ideal way of being is defined as the being of the universal (idea) in an individualized image (images): the being of an idea in an integral, sensually perceived image. In the artistic and figurative language of art, the experience of perfect being arises either as a consequence of the productive-formative idea of ​​society, which creates a perfect image of the vitality of the human spirit, or by a productive formative idea, which traces in the integral vitality of the subject of creation the complexity of its implementation in the perfect manifestation of vitality. The problem that modern humanity has encountered is associated with the growth of symbolic loading of all types of figurative formation: science, philosophy, art. Opposition to the complication of the language of culture is now acquiring an extra-cultural form: immersion in the sensory authenticity of objective being, "cleansed" of symbolism. Science, singled out as a special sphere of experience on the grounds we have given, becomes the achievement of the spiritual experience of an insignificant number of people who have devoted themselves to a specific branch of it. Contemporary art declares and implements a complete rejection of imagery. The above explains the reasons for the spiritual crisis of the modern civilized world, which prefers to live by the values ​​of speech rather than spiritual content. Therefore, the "reification" of man has become the reality of culture. In turn, culture in a state of alienation loses itself as a living process of constant layering of symbolic structures of content. The aesthetic image of culture is lost in the sense that it destroys itself as a humanistically defined quality of human existence - its spirituality. The development of personality on the basis of the harmonious organization of its spiritual structures is determined by the completeness of comprehension of the wealth of types of spiritual experience of mankind and their individualization in personal interaction with this experience.

Aesthetic consciousness includes many types of symbols, each of which plays an important role in the interpretation and perception of art and culture. Archetypal, cultural, personal, nature and floral symbols form a multi-layered system of meanings that enrich our understanding and perception of aesthetic experience. The use and interpretation of these symbols allows us to deepen our interaction with art and culture, making it more intense and multi-valued.