“Walking, an eternal return to our origins and a constant advance towards our destiny.”
Walking is closely related to the archetype of the Eternal Return (1) in various ways, whether as a repetitive cycle, a connection with the past or a symbol of renewal and change.
This ancestral and natural practice of the human being can also provide us with a metaphorical perspective on the cyclical nature of life and the importance of moving forward, despite the apparent repetitions in our existence (Posts WALKING AS A PHYSICAL PRACTICE AND AS AN ALLEGORY; WALKING, AN EXISTENTIAL METAPHOR PART 1 OF 4).
The archetype of the Eternal Return suggests the cyclical repetition of events in history or in personal life, and can be inevitably related to the act of walking in various ways, as I explain in detail below.
One of the most obvious aspects is the idea that, through walking, we repeat a similar cycle every time we take a step. Each step forward takes us to a new point on the path, but also brings us closer to the starting point in a continuous cycle. This can symbolize the idea that, although we move forward in our lives, we also return to the same physical or emotional place where we started, thus creating a sense of repetition and continuity.
Another way to look at this analogy is that walking can be seen as an act that connects us with the past and with previous generations. Many routes and trails have been used for centuries, and by walking them, we are following in the same footsteps as those who walked them before us. This can evoke the idea that we are repeating the footsteps of our ancestors, keeping an ancient tradition alive.
A third aspect is that the act of walking can also represent the idea of renewal and rejuvenation. Every time we take a step, we are creating a new moment in our lives, leaving the past behind and moving towards an unknown future. This idea of constant renewal can be associated with the notion that, although life may seem repetitive, there is always room for change and transformation.
Let’s briefly see its relationship with the archetypal and the spiritual.
Carl Gustav Jung, the Swiss psychologist and founder of analytical psychology, would undoubtedly find the relationship between the Eternal Return archetype and the act of walking interesting. For Jung, archetypes are universal and innate patterns that are part of the collective unconscious of humanity and that influence our behavior and experiences.
“In each step, the walker relives the past and projects himself towards an infinite future, in an eternal return.”
In the context of the Eternal Return and the journey, Jung could interpret this connection as a manifestation of the journey or quest archetype. Walking, in this sense, would represent the journey of self-discovery and transformation that each individual undertakes throughout their life, turning to the past and looking to the future.
Each step taken along the way would symbolize progress in this inner journey, where the individual faces his fears, discovers new perspectives and constantly renews himself.
Furthermore, Jung could see in the act of walking an expression of the duality of human nature, where each step forward also implies a return to our roots and basics. This would reflect the Jungian idea of the integration of opposites, where the individual seeks to balance the different facets of his being to achieve wholeness.
Jung would likely consider the relationship between the Eternal Return and walking as a profound symbolic expression of the human condition, where the individual embarks on a constant journey of self-discovery and growth, facing the repetition and continuity of life while seeking to achieve totality and integration of your being.
Mircea Eliade, the prominent Romanian historian of religions and philosopher, would have an interesting spiritual perspective on the relationship between the Eternal Return and walking. For Eliade, the Eternal Return is a fundamental concept in many religious and mythological traditions, representing the idea that cosmic, historical and personal events repeat cyclically.
In the context of walking, Eliade could interpret this practice as a ritualistic act that connects us with the sacred and the transcendental. Walking, in many religious and mythological traditions, is an important element in rituals and pilgrimages (2) (Post THE PILGRIMAGE, AN ANCIENT PRACTICE OF WALKING), where one seeks to reach a state of higher consciousness or communicate with the divine. In this sense, each step taken along the path could be seen as a way of participating in the Eternal Return, where the individual joins the cosmic cycle of “creation-destruction-and a restart.”
Furthermore, Eliade could highlight the initiatory aspect of walking, where the individual goes through a process of transformation and rebirth when walking a sacred path. Each step taken along the way could symbolize a step towards a new understanding of himself and the world around him, in line with the idea that the Eternal Return implies not only the repetition of events, but also the possibility of renewal and change.
“Walking, a ritual of renewal where the Eternal Return manifests itself in each path traveled.”
This perspective highlights the importance of walking as a practice that transcends the physical and becomes a deep spiritual and existential experience.
I invite you to walk holding that archetypal-ritualistic being with our two hands, one, its ancestral part and the other, its spiritual-creative-artistic part. Let us respond appropriately to Prometheus when he broke his chains and revealed to the human being of those ancient times that his unavoidable mission that he should carry out eternally was: “Walking on Planet Earth” (Posts WALKING WITH UNCHAINED PROMETHEUS; PROMETHEUS’ PUNISHMENT AND ITS PSYCHOLOGICAL ASCENDANCY. NEUROCOGNITIVE ASPECTS).
(1) The Eternal Return archetype, deeply rooted in the collective unconscious, reflects the idea that events and situations in history follow a repetitive cycle. This archetype proposes that certain events, patterns and experiences repeat themselves in both individual and collective life, and that these cycles may be inevitable or beyond human control. It is a psychic projection that alludes to the periodic repetition of certain events and circumstances in human existence. Thus, this archetype suggests that certain aspects of human experience tend to manifest themselves over and over again, regardless of the particularities of each situation.
(2) Loya Lopategui, Calos, El Camino de los Milagros, EMULISA, México, 2024. Disponible en Amazon, Edición Kindle: https://www.amazon.es/dp/B0DH2V4VCF