The Study on Korean Shamanic Myths seen from the Viewpoint of Healing Complex

Abstract

Nowadays, Korean society is often referred to as ‘society of complex’. It means that the members of our society are experiencing more and more mental discomfort as well as pain because of their complex. Based on the recognition of this reality, this researcher attempts to find the possibility of complex healing in contemporaries from Korean myths. Shamanic myths in Korea tend to have a narration with its original form that is rich enough and a plot that the main character described as a limited human turns into a sound being after all. Therefore, those shamanic myths in Korea imply the process that the main characters suffering as a limited human being are healed in terms of their negative self-awareness or complex internalized in them. Accordingly, this author analyzed the narrations of the turtle • freshwater tortoise in <Sukyeongrang • Aengyeonrang Singa> as the typical example of complex attributed to physical inferiority, Halrakgungi in <Igongbonpuri> as the example of complex resulted from defective relationship, and Jacheongbi, the main character of <Segyeongbonpuri>, as the example of complex caused by notions of the society. Based on that, this study is intended to figure out the structure of complex that is problematic in each case and discuss the process of healing by altering the structure of complex. At this time, this researcher performs contrastive structure analysis to understand the structure of complex and sequential structure analysis to figure out the process of complex healing so that you can understand the formation and action of complex as well as healing narratively. With analysis on the three myths, it was possible to reveal the basic principle Korean myths guarantee regarding the discovery and healing of complex. In the formation of complex, the basis is the conflict between ‘the ideal and reality’ which corresponds to ‘divinity and secularity’. ‘The narration of the ideal and reality’ corresponding to ‘the narration of divinity and secularity’ has the healing process by unifying the opposites. This is the very process that the main characters who have recognized themselves negatively for their own complex get to discover and become sure of the value of their existence as an ideal being internalized in them already. The narration of those Korean myths is grounded on the original recognition about humans as a being already internalizing divinity within them. Therefore, they can suggest the way of healing about the matter of complex that can be said to be the fixation about one’s negative self-awareness entangled unconsciously.