Immortality Instinct: A Mythical Approach

Immortality and undeterminity of myths cause them to have continuity in human unconsciousnessthrough the passage of time, and to be considered as one of the inseparable parts of human life. Indeed, it seems that, semantically, continuity of human life is not possible without myths because myths provide a deep response to one of the great challenges of man, that is, immortality instinct. By using the analytic-documental method, the present article tries to study the main themes giving rise to the immortality instinct and reasons of using the same structures in the different cults and ethnic groups. The theme of immortality can be found in mythical motifs like eternal return, myth of fertility, resurrection, the days of childhood, return to unity and myth of becoming a writer. The processes of formation of these motifs are the same, because the mythical mind (collective unconscious) has common function.