The Language of the Soul
Archetypes are ancient and universal, impersonal patterns of influence or behavior that manage the flow of power through the individual psyche. Each archetype presents with important lessons and gifts, and reveals the ability to exercise power — or lack of it — in many crucial areas of life, with expressions of positive or light side and negative or shadow side.
WHERE DO ARCHETYPES COME FROM
The great ancient philosopher Plato believed that the material world as it seems to us is not the real world, but only a shadow of the real world. The forms that Plato referred to were Archetypes.
The Swiss psychologist Carl Jung (1875-1961) believed that archetypes live in "the collective unconscious" and served to organize, direct, and inform human thought and behavior. Being universal and innate, the energy of the archetypes can be found in the form of myths, stories, rituals and legends. Although the way that each of us expresses our archetypes is unique--the energy of each of these archetypes also corresponds to others. Carl Jung suggested that every society ever created shared its knowledge through storytelling. Originally, all societies were oral and pictorial storytellers, then, many moved to written and now electronic technologies, to tell their stories. According to Jung, this is how our minds store information about the human psyche and its relationship to the world.
The great ancient philosopher Plato believed that the material world as it seems to us is not the real world, but only a shadow of the real world. The forms that Plato referred to were Archetypes.
The Swiss psychologist Carl Jung (1875-1961) believed that archetypes live in "the collective unconscious" and served to organize, direct, and inform human thought and behavior. Being universal and innate, the energy of the archetypes can be found in the form of myths, stories, rituals and legends. Although the way that each of us expresses our archetypes is unique--the energy of each of these archetypes also corresponds to others. Carl Jung suggested that every society ever created shared its knowledge through storytelling. Originally, all societies were oral and pictorial storytellers, then, many moved to written and now electronic technologies, to tell their stories. According to Jung, this is how our minds store information about the human psyche and its relationship to the world.
For example, the characters in the Wizard of Oz, the journey to Oz resulted in the realization that they had the powers they had sought, within them all along; only their shadow archetypes of The Child, The Prostitute, The Saboteur, and The Victim were dominating their persona. Yet, it was these very shadow archetypes that propelled them to take the journey to see the great Oz in the first place.
Caroline Myss in her book Sacred Contracts, describes over 70 archetypes and says that new archetypes emerge when technological development causes new aspects of evolution in the human psyche. Doctor Myss writes that the apparently ‘negative’ or shadow archetype has power, precisely because it remains in the dark; we tend to deny its presence in us because we consider it unacceptable. Only when we face and acknowledge the shadow’s presence can we neutralize its potential negative impact on us, and embrace its wisdom.
Caroline Myss in her book Sacred Contracts, describes over 70 archetypes and says that new archetypes emerge when technological development causes new aspects of evolution in the human psyche. Doctor Myss writes that the apparently ‘negative’ or shadow archetype has power, precisely because it remains in the dark; we tend to deny its presence in us because we consider it unacceptable. Only when we face and acknowledge the shadow’s presence can we neutralize its potential negative impact on us, and embrace its wisdom.
WHY ARE ARCHETYPES IMPORTANT?
* Archetypes offer insights and help you appreciate the source and nature of your feelings and passions.
* By recognizing them you have the chance to shift the patterns that run your life (fate) to those that unleash your potential (destiny).
* They help you understand why certain relationships have been necessary in your life.
* Your life choices change for the better in the light of understanding what your archetypes are likely to think and express.
* You come to know yourself in a new way, and not wondering why you just acted 'the way you did'.
* They will allow you to better understand your family and friends.
* They help you develop your authentic self by cultivating self-esteem.
* Archetypes offer insights and help you appreciate the source and nature of your feelings and passions.
* By recognizing them you have the chance to shift the patterns that run your life (fate) to those that unleash your potential (destiny).
* They help you understand why certain relationships have been necessary in your life.
* Your life choices change for the better in the light of understanding what your archetypes are likely to think and express.
* You come to know yourself in a new way, and not wondering why you just acted 'the way you did'.
* They will allow you to better understand your family and friends.
* They help you develop your authentic self by cultivating self-esteem.
THE SHADOW
Although our archetypal patterns are essentially neutral, they do have both Light and Shadow aspects.
The shadow aspects of archetypes are rooted in fear patterns and represent the part of our Being that is least familiar to our conscious mind. We can say that our shadow occupies our subconscious mind, and often emerges unexpectedly in destructive ways. We are as intimidated by being empowered as we are by being dis-empowered. That dis-empowerment is a threat to our well-being, is easy to understand, at least on the surface level. But why should we also fear becoming empowered? That, in essence, is the paradox that feeds the shadow. The shadow can be seen as an unexplored power. It expresses itself through behavior that often sabotages our wishes and image of ourselves. These complex aspects of our personalities filter into our behavior by outwitting our conscious minds, after which they often assume a dominant role. We frequently don't know why we do the things we do, or why we have to cope with inexplicable fears. This leads to painful conflicts when we feel one way and act another, separating mind and heart. The LIGHT aspects show us the opportunities to reach our highest potential and to live from a place of gentleness and integrity.
Reference: Caroline Myss, Sacred Contracts
Although our archetypal patterns are essentially neutral, they do have both Light and Shadow aspects.
The shadow aspects of archetypes are rooted in fear patterns and represent the part of our Being that is least familiar to our conscious mind. We can say that our shadow occupies our subconscious mind, and often emerges unexpectedly in destructive ways. We are as intimidated by being empowered as we are by being dis-empowered. That dis-empowerment is a threat to our well-being, is easy to understand, at least on the surface level. But why should we also fear becoming empowered? That, in essence, is the paradox that feeds the shadow. The shadow can be seen as an unexplored power. It expresses itself through behavior that often sabotages our wishes and image of ourselves. These complex aspects of our personalities filter into our behavior by outwitting our conscious minds, after which they often assume a dominant role. We frequently don't know why we do the things we do, or why we have to cope with inexplicable fears. This leads to painful conflicts when we feel one way and act another, separating mind and heart. The LIGHT aspects show us the opportunities to reach our highest potential and to live from a place of gentleness and integrity.
Reference: Caroline Myss, Sacred Contracts
THE ARCHETYPAL WHEEL
The Wheel, compared to a Clock represents a complete cycle of life. Day and night both have twelve hours, and twelve months complete a year. Twelve signs of the zodiac surround our planet, twelve apostles were sent by Jesus on their missions, and twelve tribes of Israel made up the biblical Jewish nation, arguable the foundation of the entire Western Tradition. The mystical implications of the number twelve suggest that it too is an archetypal pattern. The clock, when divided into twelve sections, also resembles a wheel, one of the most ancient representations of spirit, fate, fortune, and the cycles of life.
CHART OF ORIGIN
The Chart of Origin is represented by 12 Houses.
HOUSE 1-------Ego, personality
HOUSE 2------LifeValues
HOUSE 3-----Self Expression/Siblings
HOUSE 4-------Home
HOUSE 5--Creativity/Good Fortune
HOUSE 6---Occupation/Health
HOUSE 7---Marriage/Relationships
HOUSE 8--Other People's Resources
HOUSE 9----Spirituality
HOUSE 10----Highest Potential
HOUSE 11----Relationship to World
HOUSE 12----The Unconscious
Specifically, the Wheel is a medium through which our archetypal patterns can best communicate their role in unfolding our Sacred Contracts. Each of the twelve houses represents a different focus of our life.
The chart is then divided into four quadrants. The first quadrant relates to self-identification; the second quadrant relates to self-expression; the third quadrant relates to self-expansion; and the fourth quadrant relates to self-transcendence or the path to enlightenment.
There is a link between Archetypes and the Zodiac. The Archetypal wheel is an intuitive method that makes symbolic information accessible to us. Our archetypes become even more significant when you see them at work in the houses that signify twelve different aspects of our life. The Wheel helps you decode the behind-the-scenes patterns. It shows us our experiences and relationships as spiritual dramas, filled with opportunities for personal transformation.
All of our archetypal patterns are present in the concerns of the twelve houses, for they interact as one hologram-like system within the psyche. Nonetheless, one pattern takes the lead regarding the theme of each house.
EXAMPLE
MICKEY'S CHART OF ORIGIN
References: Caroline Myss. "Sacred Contracts". "Archetypes Who Are You"