An archetype is "an inherited idea or mode of thought in the psychology of C. G. Jung that is derived from the experience of the race and is present in the unconscious of the individual."[1] Just a few examples of archetypes are the Child, the Princess, the Knight, and the Hermit. We often use archetypal language to describe people. "She is such a princess!" "He's my knight in shining armour!" Most everyone knows what you are talking about when you use archetypal language.
Each and every archetype has both positive and negative attributes. For example, an archetype that sounds negative like the Saboteur "serves you brilliantly as a gut instinct that directs you to take action based on hunches rather than on rational thought."[2] And an archetype that might sound more positive like the Teacher can manifest as a desire to manipulate students.[2]
So how can archetypes help you learn about yourself? According to Caroline Myss, examining all of your major archetypal influences together "produces a view of the governing forces of your psyche and soul."[2] Through studying your influencing archetypes and the roles they have played in your life, you can get an idea of why you behave the way you do and possibly even get a glimpse into your life purpose.
The book Sacred Contracts by Caroline Myss (ISBN: 0-609-81011-1) contains exercises and information that will help you learn about your archetypal patterns, thus helping you learn about yourself. If you're not interested in buying the book just yet, you can get started using Caroline's website. The basic idea is to read through a list of archetypes and find the ones you associate with. Then you ask questions of each archetype in yourself and see what kind of answers come up.
Through the process of exploring your archetypes, you can gain many different insights into yourself and your life. Take it from me - I have a strong inner Teacher!
[1] Merriam-Webster, s.v. "Archetype," http://www.merriam-webster.com/ (accessed November 2, 2010).
[2] Caroline Myss, Sacred Contracts: Awakening Your Divine Potential (New York: Three Rivers Press, 2002).
No comments:
Post a Comment