The Symbolic Concept of "Center":The Comparative Study of the Eliade’s and Jung’s Theories

The concept of the center plays a crucial role in understanding and explaining various phenomena in the universe. Many scholars rely on their perception of this concept to establish the ontological foundations of their respective disciplines. The present study employs an analytical-comparative approach to examine the symbolic concept of the center, drawing upon the theories of two distinguished mythologists, namely Mircea Eliade and Carl Gustav Jung. The primary focus is to investigate the symbolic concept of the center as perceived by Eliade and Jung, and its manifestation in the external world. To address this query, the paper initially explores the perspectives of the two scholars concerning the world, man, and the relationship between them. Subsequently, the concept of the center in their epistemological framework is explained, and finally, the symbols associated with this concept in the external world, as introduced by their symbolic viewpoints, are presented. Eliade regards the center as the starting point of creation, where the various levels of existence are connected to each other. He introduces the cosmic pillar as a symbol of this concept. On the other hand, Jung seeks to understand the human psyche and introduces the archetype of self as the center of the psyche. The mandala is introduced as a symbol of this archetype in the external world.