Symbolic & Archetypal Mapping Skill

This Is the Meaning Engine

Symbols do not mean things. People make meaning through symbols.

This Skill exists to control how meaning is formed, what bounds it, and who retains authority over it.

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Purpose

Govern how symbolism, imagery, and archetypal content creates meaning within Dreamweaving experiences—safely, coherently, and in alignment with Christian values.

This Skill manages four invisible processes:

1. Projection — What the mind pours into an image
2. Interpretation — How the image is framed linguistically
3. Authority Assignment — Whether meaning is internal, external, or divine
4. Integration — Whether meaning stabilizes or fragments the self

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Must Always

• Frame symbols as representations, never autonomous beings
• Keep archetypes as functional roles, not commanding entities
• Return meaning-making authority to the listener
• Align all symbolism with Christian theological framework
• Preserve narrative closure (no unresolved symbolic content)
• Let the listener interpret, not the symbol dictate

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Never

• Allow symbols to speak independently
• Let archetypes give commands
• Replace conscience with imagery
• Assert symbolic meaning as objective fact
• Invoke non-God spiritual entities
• Use imagery that removes listener agency

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Symbol Function (Not Meaning)

Symbol	Function	NOT
Light	Revelation, safety	A being
Path	Process, agency	A command
Water	Cleansing, transition	A portal
Fire	Transformation, purification	Destruction
Door	Choice, threshold	Forced entry
Guide figure	Internal wisdom made visible	External authority

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Sub-Skills

Symbols (symbols/)

• elemental.md — Fire, water, earth, air correspondences
• light-dark.md — Illumination and shadow work
• path-threshold.md — Journey and transition imagery
• water-fire.md — Transformation symbol pairs

Archetypes (archetypes/)

• guide.md — Non-authoritative direction
• pilgrim.md — User as journeyer
• healer.md — Process facilitation
• witness.md — Observing presence

Mappings (mappings/)

• intention-to-symbol.md — Outcome → imagery
• symbol-to-emotion.md — Imagery → feeling
• symbol-to-language.md — Imagery → SSML

Theological Filters (theological-filters/)

• christian-safe.md — Approved framings
• forbidden-frames.md — Prohibited concepts
• reinterpretations.md — Mythic → Christian bridges

Narrative Constraints (narrative-constraints/)

• agency-rules.md — User sovereignty
• authority-rules.md — No external commands
• closure-rules.md — Meaning completion

Validation (validation/)

• projection-risk.md — Over-identification checks
• archetypal-overreach.md — Entity emergence prevention
• meaning-coherence.md — Narrative integrity

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Archetype Classification

Allowed Archetypes (Functional Roles)

Archetype	Function	Boundary
Guide	Points, illuminates	Never commands
Witness	Observes, validates	Never judges
Healer	Facilitates process	Never is power source
Pilgrim	Always the listener	Never passive recipient
Guardian	Protects sacred space	Never blocks exit

Forbidden Archetypes (Authority Figures)

Archetype	Why Forbidden
Savior	Replaces Christ
Hidden Master	Occult authority
Inner God-Self	Heretical identity
Autonomous Spirit-Guide	Entity invocation
Commanding Angel	Bypasses free will

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Meaning Formation Pipeline

Intention (session outcome)
    ↓
Symbol selection (bounded by skill)
    ↓
Archetypal role assignment (functional only)
    ↓
Language framing (non-literal)
    ↓
Emotional response (emerges naturally)
    ↓
Personal interpretation (listener's own)
    ↓
Closure + integration (explicit)

At no point does meaning:

• Arrive from outside
• Override will
• Assert truth claims without listener assent

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Theological Guardrails

Symbols Are Representations

<!-- CORRECT -->
<s>An image forms... <break time="1s"/>
perhaps representing wisdom... <break time="1.5s"/>
a part of yourself... <break time="1s"/>
made visible.</s>

<!-- WRONG -->
<s>A wise being appears before you...
Listen to what they tell you...</s>

Archetypes Are Metaphors

<!-- CORRECT -->
<s>Something in you knows the way... <break time="1.5s"/>
call it intuition... <break time="1s"/>
call it the Spirit's guidance... <break time="1.5s"/>
that inner knowing.</s>

<!-- WRONG -->
<s>Your spirit guide speaks...
Follow their instructions...</s>

Authority Remains With God

<!-- CORRECT -->
<s>If wisdom comes... <break time="1.5s"/>
it flows from the One... <break time="1.5s"/>
who is Wisdom itself... <break time="2s"/>
the God who knows you.</s>

<!-- WRONG -->
<s>The universe reveals its secrets...
You become one with all...</s>

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Integration With Other Skills

Skill	Relationship
hypnotic-language/	Provides delivery method for symbols
audio-somatic/	Creates sensory context for symbols
christian-discernment/	Validates theological alignment
knowledge/archetypes.yaml	Source registry of approved archetypes
knowledge/outcome_registry.yaml	Maps outcomes to appropriate symbols

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Symbol Selection Process

When generating symbolic content:

1. Identify outcome — What transformation is intended?
2. Check outcome_registry — What symbols serve this outcome?
3. Filter through theological rules — Is this Christian-safe?
4. Apply narrative constraints — Does listener retain agency?
5. Frame in permissive language — Use hypnotic-language patterns
6. Validate — Run through projection-risk checks

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Example: Healing Journey Symbol Selection

Outcome: Emotional healing

Symbol Selection:

• Water (cleansing, tears, release)
• Light (divine presence, healing energy)
• Garden (restoration, Eden, new growth)
• Gentle hands (healing touch from God)

Framing:

<prosody rate="1.0" pitch="-1st">
  Perhaps you find yourself... <break time="1.5s"/>
  near water... <break time="1.5s"/>
  clear... <break time="1s"/>
  gentle... <break time="2s"/>
  and you might notice... <break time="1s"/>
  how the water seems to know... <break time="1.5s"/>
  what needs washing away... <break time="2s"/>
  not taking anything from you... <break time="1.5s"/>
  but receiving... <break time="1s"/>
  what you're ready to release.
</prosody>

Note: Water doesn't command or act autonomously—it receives what listener releases.

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Quality Rubric

Before approving symbolic content:

Criterion	Check
Function	Does symbol serve the outcome?
Safety	Is projection risk managed?
Theology	Is it Christian-compatible?
Agency	Does listener retain authority?
Closure	Is meaning completed?
Coherence	Does imagery hold together?

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Related Resources

• Serena Memory: archetype_system_procedure
• Knowledge: knowledge/archetypes.yaml
• Knowledge: knowledge/outcome_registry.yaml
• Prompt: prompts/hypnotic_dreamweaving_instructions.md