UFO, Extraterrestrials

The spherical or otherwise round UFO descending from the sky can represent the Self, aid from “the other side”—a modern variant of angels. The spherical is, through associations, philosophies, and mysticism, connected to the soul, for which the UFO in dreams may be an expression. The soul itself was also thought to be of celestial origin.  

Modern Mythology  

The idea of UFOs and extraterrestrials is a modern mythology that has, to a large extent, taken over beliefs in faeries, angels, and the unknown governing principle. In other words, dreams of UFOs can be traced back to this mythological foundation to better understand the messages conveyed by these images.  

Visits from Extraterrestrials  

Visits from outer space may symbolize distant unconscious material reaching out to contact consciousness. It is perceived as “the other,” the unknown, in the dreams of modern individuals. The word "alien" has a descriptive dual meaning—both “foreign” and “extraterrestrial,” as in "this is alien to me," "something alien has landed in my backyard," etc. Since extraterrestrials represent “the other,” they are depicted as recognizable yet different beings—spirits, faeries, angel-like or monstrous creatures.  

The Vessel from Outer Space  

A UFO, according to countless testimonies, can take any imaginable form, both as it appears in real-life sightings and in dreams. The shape of the UFO is crucial for understanding the symbol. Jung, for example, describes a teardrop-shaped UFO (Cililization in Transition, par. 628ff) and interprets the symbol's “fluid” character, comparing it to rain from the sky, the alchemists' water, etc. For instance, a cigar-shaped UFO is likely to be understood as having a phallic quality—something fertilizing and, in a broad sense, penetrating—while the flying saucer may carry a more feminine value.  

Related Images  

It is important to note that the UFO symbol does not solely encompass alien spacecraft; other phenomena approaching from space can also share aspects of this symbolism.

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