Archetypal Images...Which is Yours?

In December I wrote a bit about Archetypal images in the last post on the Crone series. Today will be a closer look at Jungian Archetypal images or figures. They are numerous but fortunately just 12 are major ones. Each of us may have several in our psyche (where they reside) but only one is predominant. Wouldn’t it be fascinating to consider yours? I know we all have a propensity to want to discover more about ourselves which certainly accounts for the popularity of horoscopes, tarot and popular quizzes which may shine a light on self-understanding and seeking guidance amid life’s uncertainties. If that sounds interesting, read on.

To provide some preliminary information, here are a few basic definitions:

You may know that the (Merriam-Webster) dictionary meaning of Archetype is “the original pattern or model of which all things of the same type are representations or copies”, a synonym being ‘prototype’.

Archetype is also a literary device that creates characters based on universal traits and experiences, appearing both in Shakespeare and modern culture.

What I will be speaking of is the use of Archetype put forth in the works of Carl Jung in 1964 representing universal themes or motifs which evoke a profound emotional response and hold significance across cultures and generations. Jung believed that at birth, minds are not ‘blank slates’ but in fact contain unconscious knowledge from human ancestors waiting to be activated. This knowledge becomes activated in one’s particular environment (both personal and cultural) and as the archetypes get developed, they shape our personality and the way we behave.

There is much more that could be said but let’s not have this be too scholarly or clinical. Instead, the plan is to delve into 12 specific archetypal images, the names of which are those popularized in 2002 by Mark and Pearson in their popular business psychology book “The Hero and the Outlaw”. The authors revamped Jung’s original words into less abstract and more modern terms which, I believe, are more accessible to those who are not Jungian psychoanalysts.

Here is the list:

• Caregiver

• Creator

• Explorer

• Hero

• Innocent

• Jester

• Lover

• Magician

• Member

• Outlaw

• Ruler

• Sage

Reading those words will evoke thoughts and images of each one, correct? You could be someone anywhere, speaking a different language, in another age and living an existence quite foreign to what you know and those words will call forth images which have universal meanings.

Considering each one, I will offer a snapshot which will include a brief description, the goals, flaws (we all have many but the main one is the emphasis), and possible addictions (habitual involvement or preoccupation).

Here we go:

Caregiver: views altruism, even self-sacrifice as the ideals of maintaining their social structure. Their main goal is to help others, give freely and be recognized for their dedication, reliability, and care. Their main flaw is a propensity to rescue people at their own expense (e.g., to their mental health). Their addiction is co-dependency in romantic and platonic relationships.

Creator: work is their lifeblood, many projects are in process in an effort to accept and channel their authentic selves into the world. Their main goal is to create and express their thoughts and feelings through a variety of mediums. Their main flaw is an abundance of unfinished projects or procrastination. Their addiction is to overworking, obsessiveness, and a tendency toward lacking enough money to live adequately

Explorer: seeks an escape to focus on the next adventure, self-centered, autonomous, and possessing knowledge and understanding through their own experiences. Their main goal is to wander freely and interact with their surroundings as they discover new findings. Their main flaw is perpetual wanderlust and a feeling of not being grounded. Their addiction is to hyper-independence, job-hopping, extended travel and new experiences.

Hero: seeks to fight for justice and the greater good, objective focused, view themselves as saviors. Their main goal is to save a person or ‘the day’, and to accomplish a life-long goal. Their main flaw is tunnel vision to order to focus and meet one objective and an out-sized fear of failure. Their addiction is to ego-feeding and self-validating behaviors and narcissism.

Innocent: wide-eyed and overly trusting, floating in the waters of potential threats as their maintain their oblivion. Their main goal is to retain their child-like wonder and cheerfulness in order to live peacefully. Their main flaw is naievete and denial of dangers in society. Their addiction is to excessive consumerism and sugary highs.

Jester: essentially a free-wheeling hedonist, pranking and seeking fun, living in the moment and able to crack a joke in any situation. Their main goal is to live in the present and enjoy a life without bounds. Their main flaw is a frequent loss of self-control and inability to assume responsibility toward anything. Their addiction is to stimulants, hallucinogenics, and adrenaline rushes.

Lover: seeks to ignite and maintain the flames of lust in emotional highs yet struggles with true intimacy, often in short-term flings. Their main goal is to experience a sense of bliss in their relationships. Their main flaw is objectification of others and problems with intimacy. Their addiction is to romantic relationships, lust, and a tendency to briefly lose oneself with others.

Magician: an emotional alchemist filling their mind with psychological tactics and strategies to win friends and influence others, charismatic and with a sharp wit. Their main goal is to transform situations and influence people. Their main flaw is a tendency toward deception and manipulation to meet their own needs. Their addiction is to witchcraft, mind-altering substances, and alchemy.

Member: values tradition, loyalty and safety, will do their utmost to fit in and feel secure, becoming anxious if ‘sticking out’. Their main goal is to belong and fit into society, seeking peace and security. Their main flaw is being taken advantage of. Their addiction is to catering to everyone’s needs in order to maintain their social status.

Outlaw: seeks to destroy and reinvent laws they personally see unfit, willing to employ chaos, deceit, and mayhem in order to create a better future. Their main goal is to start a revolution, even riot, to challenge current norms and ideologies. Their main flaw is habitual destruction and ignorance of the law and criminality. Their addiction is to preaching freedom and new ways of thinking.

Ruler: seeks to impose order on the world via rigidity and total control, dictating what can and cannot be done, believes structure creates productivity. Their main goal is to maintain and uphold an orderly life while remaining in control. Their main flaw is an inability to plan around/ allow spontaneity or to tolerate chaos. Their addiction is to controlling adamant behavior and elitism.

Sage: values wisdom and knowledge above all, will go to great lengths to obtain books, experiences and accounts of past events in order to truly make sense of the world. Their main goal is to attain wisdom, truth, and understanding of the mysteries of life. Their main flaw is lack of empathy, being judgemental, and impracticality. Their addiction is to being morally correct and promoting objectivity in all situations.

So there you have it. What do you think? Could you identify archetypal images of people you know or know of or don’t want to know? Was this an amusing read or a total slog? And most importantly, might you have seen yourself in those images? Most people do and I have some free resources for you in the form of tests to discover which one is your archetypal image match. Here they are:

Projectarchetypes.com

Psychologistworld.com

Idrlabs.com

Enjoy!

And I hope you let me know what you have found.