Introduction to Archetypes
What Are Archetypes?
An archetype is the universal symbolic essence underlying a physical manifestation. Archetypes can be places, animals, plants, objects, and even seasons or personality traits. Their meanings are universal among cultures around the world, although their outward appearances may differ.
For example, the forest represents the wild and mysterious unconscious with continuous growth and decay, but how that looks varies widely from place to place. A northern forest filled with evergreens is very different from a lush tropical jungle, but their symbolic essence remains the same. That essence is the archetypal energy of the forest.
Many archetypes can seem contradictory at first glance, representing opposites like life and death, but opposites cannot exist without one another - this is the duality of the world we live in. Life cannot exist without death, and death is meaningless without life. Sometimes these binary pairs can be better understood as cycles in time rather than as static concepts. We all journey through the cycle of life and eventually die, reborn into a new form. Other times contradictory pairs just represent positive and negative expressions of the same trait.
Archetypes vs. Stereotypes
Stereotypes assume an essence based solely on outward appearance, and are limited to one essence that doesn’t change over time. Archetypal energies can exist in an unexpected form, and many can exist in one form. Archetypes can also come and go over time.
For example, the stereotype of a mother would be a woman who has given birth and is putting all of her energy into caring for her baby. She does not have any identity outside of this, now or in the future as her child gets older, because stereotypes are one-dimensional. The mother archetype, on the other hand, can be expressed in any physical form. A single father would need to channel the mother archetype in many situations in addition to his role as father. A person in need of self-care would connect to the mother archetype in mothering themselves. And even a mother who meets all of the external stereotypical criteria and is fully immersed in the mother role is more than just one essence. She is a multifaceted human with other traits as well.
Stereotypes are limiting, whereas archetypes are expansive and fluid. They flow through us at different times in our lives, connecting us to all of the other beings who have channeled those same energies in the past, present, and future.
The History of Archetypes
The concept of archetypal symbols most people use today was first described by Carl Jung, a psychologist in the early 20th century who wrote extensively about archetypes and the collective unconscious of universal experiences. He saw archetypes as patterns that emerge in a person as they develop their own identity and selfhood, which he referred to as individuation.
Jung’s work was influenced by earlier thinkers, including Plato who described “ideal forms” which were much like archetypes, although with more of a focus on perfection and idealism.
By their very nature, archetypes are thought to exist beyond time and space, embedded into our collective unconscious, in a way we cannot directly observe, but instead perceive indirectly. They exist in cultures around the world, expressed through their legends and stories, although there are variations in different cultures depending on their individual histories. Archetypes are abstractly and intuitively rooted in our shared personal experiences.
How to Use Archetypes
Archetypes can be used in writing stories that resonate universally and in interpreting symbolism in stories. They can be used on a personal level through dream analysis or psychoanalysis. They can even be used in business when creating a brand that resonates with certain types of people. Basically, they can be used wherever it would be useful to connect with universally understood patterns and symbols.
An important caveat: archetypal symbols do not override personal symbols (or individual cultural symbols). If you have a particular feeling associated with an archetypal representation, and you’re using it for something personal, say dream analysis, always trust your own interpretation over the universal when they are in conflict.
Here, you’ll find the focus mainly on how archetypes can be used in storytelling for personal healing following the stages of the heroine’s journey. We will use archetypes to communicate with the subconscious since it speaks the language of symbolism.
Ultimately, archetypes are just tools to create a deeper understanding of ourselves and how we are all connected. We can use them however we wish.
I’d love to hear your thoughts. How do you experience archetypes, and how do you use them in your life?
Further Reading:
The Archetypes and the Collective Unconscious by C.G. Jung
