Eeeny Meanie Miney Moe; How Do We Get Our Archetypes?
March/28/2009 07:58 AM Filed in: Ethics &
Archetypes
How do we
get our archetypes? I discuss this in the
introduction section of the Ethics and
Archetypes course.
There are several ways that we seem to acquire our
archetypes.
1) Some are probably universal to everyone, and teach us basic survival lessons. The "Child" and the "Victim" are two of these that are discussed in the course. They represent our process of going from disempowerment to empowerment as we grow up. The problem occurs when we don't learn the lessons they teach, and remain disempowered!
2) We seem to be born with certain archetypes. In the previous entry, I wrote about my relationship with the “Teacher”, and how it has been a constant theme for me since an early age. It is often easy to see archetypes in young children. Some are obvious “Leaders”, or “Nurturers” or “Artists.” If you spend time with kids, it can be fun to watch their archetypes emerge and “grow up” with the child. Look for all the ways they guide the child’s life.
3) We get some archetypes by going through rituals and initiations. For example, I tell the students at the school where I teach that our school’s orientation ceremony is actually inducting them into the archetype of “Student”. Students everywhere have certain things in common. Learning is a transformational process, involving interactions with the learning material, other students, and instructors or facilitators. Being a “Student” carries certain expectations and obligations. At the end of their formal studies, another ceremony called Graduation will conclude their relationship with the “Student” and they will be handed off to the archetype of “Professional”. The expectations, roles, boundaries, and lessons are different in each one.
4) Another way we can acquire an archetype may be by requesting or inviting it into our life. When one decides to begin a spiritual practice, they may be inviting an archetype in… perhaps the “Healer”, the “Sage” or the “Magician”. I’m actually undecided about this method, because I’ve known many people (self included) who tried to invite an archetype and it just didn’t work. Are there any other ways that archetypes come into our lives that readers can think of?
1) Some are probably universal to everyone, and teach us basic survival lessons. The "Child" and the "Victim" are two of these that are discussed in the course. They represent our process of going from disempowerment to empowerment as we grow up. The problem occurs when we don't learn the lessons they teach, and remain disempowered!
2) We seem to be born with certain archetypes. In the previous entry, I wrote about my relationship with the “Teacher”, and how it has been a constant theme for me since an early age. It is often easy to see archetypes in young children. Some are obvious “Leaders”, or “Nurturers” or “Artists.” If you spend time with kids, it can be fun to watch their archetypes emerge and “grow up” with the child. Look for all the ways they guide the child’s life.
3) We get some archetypes by going through rituals and initiations. For example, I tell the students at the school where I teach that our school’s orientation ceremony is actually inducting them into the archetype of “Student”. Students everywhere have certain things in common. Learning is a transformational process, involving interactions with the learning material, other students, and instructors or facilitators. Being a “Student” carries certain expectations and obligations. At the end of their formal studies, another ceremony called Graduation will conclude their relationship with the “Student” and they will be handed off to the archetype of “Professional”. The expectations, roles, boundaries, and lessons are different in each one.
4) Another way we can acquire an archetype may be by requesting or inviting it into our life. When one decides to begin a spiritual practice, they may be inviting an archetype in… perhaps the “Healer”, the “Sage” or the “Magician”. I’m actually undecided about this method, because I’ve known many people (self included) who tried to invite an archetype and it just didn’t work. Are there any other ways that archetypes come into our lives that readers can think of?