Joseph Gergen Works

In “Theo and Sprout” Theo is on a journey of self-discovery. He has the good fortune of being guided on that journey by Sprout, his usually helpful inner self. They learn together to navigate adolescence.

But why is Sprout a good guide? What does she bring to the table that is so helpful?

Well, we know she is an embodiment of his feminine side, his Anima. She leads him down paths where he can exercise his feminine side and become more comfortable with them. She teaches him about compassion, expression, nurturing and more. She wants him to grow and discover the feminine traits so often devalued in modern society.

But Sprout also represents the Collective Unconscious, that world of embedded archetypal knowledge we have available to us if we allow it to surface. Sprout calls herself Theo’s “Trailing Clouds of Glory,” as pulled from Wordsworth.

She interprets Trailing Clouds of Glory as the pool of archetypal knowledge that is buried in us beneath the surface. She’s Theo’s gateway to the collective unconscious. She explains to Theo she is the gut instincts he has that his own personal experiences could not possibly yet provide. Sometimes you know things there is no way you should know. She encourages Theo to learn the language of the collective unconscious so he can have deeper understanding of his interactions with the world and in some cases make wiser choices.

Theo’s self-discovery is enhanced because Sprout opens to the door to both his feminine side and to the collective unconscious. Would we all have a guide like Sprout? I suppose it’s never to late. Sprout awaits.