The English adjective 'close' refers to a state of being shut.1 It is the root of the adjective 'closed' which refers to the same.2 Etymologically these words are rooted in the Latin word 'clausum', from which also the English noun 'closet' stems, which regards a private room or inner chamber or a private repository of valuables.3, 4 A noun being similar in phonetics and semantics regards 'chest', denoting basically also a repository of valuables.5 In Dutch the words for 'closet' and 'chest' are 'kast' and 'kist'.6 Etymologically 'chest' is considered to be rooted in not the Latin 'clausum' but the Greek 'kiste', which denotes the same as 'chest'. 'Clausum' and 'kiste' may however very well have a shared ancient (for instance Indo-European) root, and in any way may 'chest' be etymosophically be related to 'closet' due to their similarities in phonetics and semantics. This goes also for the word 'case', which again has similar phonetics and semantics but is thought to be etymologically rooted in the Latin 'capsa',7 which again may sprout from a with 'clausum' and 'kiste' common ancient root. And this goes also for the word 'cage' (in Dutch 'kooi') with its etymological root in the Latin 'cavea'.8 'Close', 'closed', 'closet', 'chest', 'case' and 'cage' as well as 'clausum', 'kiste', 'capsa', 'cavea', 'kast', 'kist' and 'kooi', all belong etymosophically to the same word family denoting a shutting. The word 'enclosure' in its referring to a barrier may here also be added.9
Now 'close' does not only refer to a state of being shut but also to a proximity.10 But these two, the shutter and the proximity, are related. If you want your sheep to stay close to your home you need to fence the meadows in order for them to not wander off. If you want your jewels not to be scattered around the house, or worse: be stolen, it is best to keep them in a closed chest, closet or case. And if you don't cage your pet birds chances are high that one day they'll fly away. Enclosure of things keeps them close and things stay close when they are enclosed.
In abstract this closeness regards the centre, geometrically the point, and this closedness the periphery, geometrically the circle. This duality has been contemplated many times in different forms. The centre stands to the periphery as subjectivity to objectivity, spirit to matter and the soul to the body. Interesting here to mention is that the word 'chest' refers also to the thorax of the human body,11 which contains at its centre the heart. And considering that the heart is a symbol of the soul12 it is also interesting to mention that the human body as the container of the soul is figuratively referred to with the word 'case'.13 And the body as a case containing the soul is often also thought of as a cage.14
Above dualities were mentioned, and it should be added that every polar duality has an intermediary given. The point and the circle are intermediated by the cross, subjectivity and objectivity by conjectivity, spirit and matter by consciousness and the soul and the body by the personality.15, 16, 17 It are these third givens that in dualities are enclosed and kept close. The cross is enclosed by the circle and kept close to the point. Matter shuts off consciousness and brings it in proximity to spirit and the body does the same with the personality, bringing it in proximity to the soul.
Above the reason for and desirability of human incarnation is sketched. When human incarnation takes place the centred soul gathers at its periphery a material body that will allow the enclosed personality during its lifetime to grow closer to the soul, and spirit does the same on a deeper level with consciousness. Practically this also means that obstacles on our paths, shutting off possibilities for dispersion, make us take rest in our centres.18 True archetypes are applicable everywhere.19
May thus within our chests the jewels of our hearts be found and closing in to our souls our cases be closed.