Ashla and Bogan

Jedi and Sith wield the Ashla and Bogan. The light and the dark. I'm the one in the middle. The Bendu.

In Jungian psychology, the Wise Old Man is an archetype of the collective unconscious, the ancestral memory common to all humankind.

Yoda, Obi-Wan, Qui-Gon, Gandalf or Dumbledore, all retrace this topos.

If an individual has wrestled seriously and long enough with the animus problem so that he is no longer partially identified with it, the unconscious again changes its dominant character and appears in a new symbolic form representing the Self, the innermost nucleus of the personality. [.] In the case of a man, it manifests itself as a masculine initiator and guardian, a wise old man, a spirit of nature and so forth.

The Wise Old Man is typically a father-type figure who uses his personal knowledge to offer guidance that, in a mystical way, instills in the heroes a sense of who they are and whom they might become. He is often seen to be from a different culture, foreign or alien, often presented as a wizard or hermit. He is commonly killed or removed, in order to allow the protagonist to develop on his/her own.

The mindblowing point about being an important element of the collective unconscious is, that, even if absolutely scripted and predictable, the Wise Old Man genuinely touches our emotions, and inspires us.

An object can not make you good, or evil. The temptation of power, forbidden knowledge, even the desire to do good can lead some down that path. But only you can change yourself.

If you want, he is the 'quotable ourselves', the part of us that we *feel* is there. The wise, courageous, strong persona that always knows what to do, how to do it, when to do it.

No doubts, no uncertainties.

I have spoken.

It is just a matter of finding our own voice.

[For celebrating my little rant, a photo that combines my favorite two Wise Old Men: Bendu and Kuiil. Not such a big Jungian psychology spoiler, but, yeah... SPOILER - both dead. Obviously. But also a pity, because they were utterly brilliant. The Bendu background art is another stunning piece by @intoalargerworldbykara. The Pop was a perfect gift from @_hipstrice]