What are archetypes?

Good question. We have to look back to the work of Carl Jung, founder of analytic psychology, to find out. He defined archetypes as being fundamental units of the human mind – the living system of reactions and abilities that invisibly decide our life’s direction.

Said in another way, Archetypes are (but are not limited to) personality traits, unconscious triggers and patterns that influence the human psyche.

Here’s an easier explanation: We are all familiar with archetypes we just don’t see them as such. If you’ve ever taken a personality test or if you have ever used expressions such as

“Knight in shining armor, Drama Queen, Jewish Princess” then you’ve been in the world of archetypes.

These shorthand ways of describing people are pseudo archetypes, some border on stereo types but they are psychological characters that we are familiar with.

Archetypes are stripped back, are more meaningful and exist in every culture. Whereas the expressions above exist in only a few cultures. If we take out any triteness or anything that might be deemed demeaning and went to the pure essence of the aforementioned pseudo archetypes they would be Knight, Queen, and Princess. These exist in every culture. If you’ve ever described someone by these terms or said something like that person is a Hero, or I’m a rescuer, she is a goddess. Then you are familiar with archetypes. We all are.

Why do archetypes matter?

Because they are all pervasive – not only are they the material of fairytales, myths and legends, they show up in our dreams, in our entertainment and in the workplace.

Identifying archetypes in the world around us isn’t just fun – it allows us to understand ourselves, our world and our interactions. These hidden but powerful forces influence every aspect of our reality; even in the brands we buy: the Rebel archetype, which fights rules and seeks to undermine the establishment could be epitomized by Harley Davidson, whilst Volvo, a brand associated with safety, stability and reliability perfectly fits into the Ruler archetype.

Caroline Myss, in particular, has focused on the effects of archetypes and their shadows (which produce counterproductive or negative responses) to help us understand that engaging with our inner archetypes can help us overcome the difficulties we feel in understanding our compulsions and behaviour.

Recognising our inner archetypes can also integrate warring parts of our psyche, reduce our tendency to self-sabotage and help us spot the activity of archetypes so we can engage positively with our own subconscious. This makes us healthier, often happier, but always more engaged – linking our daily lives with the collective power and strength of the archetypal insights. We develop the ability to relate differently to much of the world around us, to interpret better the stories others tell us, and those we tell ourselves. Ultimately we find new and surer ways to navigate the complexities of existence whilst tapping into deeper and more original sources of creativity within ourselves.

What can I do to help myself through understanding archetypes?

There’s a great deal you can do to begin the journey if you haven’t already started. Stay tuned on this blog. Some excellent reads I would recommend are these books:

These books make a great introduction to this field of personal study and development.

Join one of my courses where we delve deep into archetypes or book a personal sessionto discover your personal archetypes.