Archetypes

Of unknown origin and present in the individual psyche at the moment of birth. Stored in the collective unconscious of the mind, Archetypes emerge in symbolic form in the world's myths, religions, art, literature, symbolic philosophies and dreams. Archetypal Characters: Hero The Self on its journey to release creativity and achieve full potential. Related to transformation and achieving wholeness by overcoming all obstacles and integrate all parts of the Self. The hero: The courageous figure, the one who's always running in and saving the day. Example: Dartagnon from Alexandre Dumas's "The Three Musketeers." Seeker: usually on a quest for truth, justice, or revenge. Known as an independent, loner (sometimes) type, though will hook up with others if the circumstances are right. Anima/Animus The Anima represents the feminine qualities of a male dreamer. The Animus represents the masculine qualities of a female dreamer. In exaggerated form as beautiful goddess or noble god or hero, they indicate a need to integrate the male and female sides within us. If ignored, these archetypes can be projected outwards into a search for an idealized, unrealistic lover. The Anima develops out of the relationship the male dreamer has with his actual mother. The Animus develops out of the relationship the female dreamer has with her actual father. Their appearance in dreams symbolizes the dreamer's progress in individuation. Beast/Shadow The dark side of one's personality; sometimes seen as that part of the psyche for emotions of fear and anger. It contains whatever we're afraid to face is part of our personality. It often appears as a dark-skinned (if the dreamer is light-skinned ) human figure. It may appear as a person hiding or veiled in shadows, or as an unknown shape. It can also be creativity that we don't realize we have because it is of a kind not allowed expression on our culture. Indestructible, if not integrated into our psyche, it will appear in dreams indicating a need to pay more attention to its existence and integrate it into our personality. The Shadow is not evil, it's primitive, unadapted energy. In fairy tales the Shadow is a beast (Beauty and the Beast) or ogre. Destroyer: the "bad guy" in the story; usually has a difficult and traumatic past. May have been an orphan at some point. Trickster A clown who mocks himself and the pretensions of the ego and its persona. He disrupts the games and plans of humans. He is a symbol of transformation. He is untamed, amoral, anarchic. The trickster surprises. Is able to operate in both worlds of divine and material, therefore, often a bridge between gods and humans; Loki in Norse mythology, Raven and Coyote in Native American mythologies. Fool: always cracking jokes or speaking in code, but is usually sadder and wiser than the other characters. Virgin Innocence; maiden aspect of the self. Innocent: needs rescuing, and usually represents purity, freshness, and naivete. Wise Old Man The archetypal male wisdom figure who gives knowledge needed for but not available in waking life. As the higher self or guardian spirit, appears in fairy tales, myths, and dreams as any authority or wisdom figure including wizard, sage, king, father, or grandfather. Wise old Man: savior, redeemer, guru, representing knowledge, reflection, insight, wisdom, intuition, and morality. Sage: has all the answers, but usually wont tell anyone what they are. Rather, they guide them toward enlightenment. Caregiver: a compassionate and generous helper and friend that assists the hero on his quest; a healer in time of need.

Wise Old Woman The archetypal female wisdom figure who is the loving and wise aspect of the Self. Can appear in fairy tales, myths, and dreams as any authority figure including sorceress, witch, grandmother, mother, or queen. Is a form of the Mother Goddess.

Sage: has all the answers, but usually wont tell anyone what they are. Rather, they guide them toward
enlightenment. Witch Archetype of the wild woman, the instinctual, inner knowing Self. The crone aspect of the Goddess of feminine principle, therefore wisdom and destructive power necessary for rebirth and regeneration. A guide. Wizard Represents connection with the controlling forces of nature. seeming to have control over supernatural/cosmic forces, he harnesses primordial creative energy and helps in transformation. A guide.

Magician: can do miraculous things; they can do things that set them apart from the rest of humanity. Can be
good or evil, but usually not persuaded either way. Outcast The outcast is just that. He or she has been cast out of society or has left it on a voluntary basis. The outcast figure can oftentimes also be considered as a Christ figure. Example: Simon from William Golding's "The Lord of the Flies" Scapegoat The scapegoat figure is the one who gets blamed for everything, regardless of whether he or she is actually at fault. Example: Snowball from George Orwell's "Animal Farm" Star-crossed lovers This is the young couple joined by love but unexpectedly parted by fate. Example: Romeo and Juliet from William Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" Shrew This is that nagging, bothersome wife always battering her husband with verbal abuse. Example: Zeena from Edith Wharton's "Ethan Frome" Ruler This person is usually the king or queen. This character enjoys making laws, sometimes good ones and sometimes bad ones. Creator This is the "Top Good Guy" in the story. He sometimes has fantastic powers, but usually is not the hero. Orphan This character has an old soul. They are wise beyond their years, and either strong and sane or weak and evil. Prince If the dreamer is female, he is her animus, the male aspect of herself. If the dreamer is male, he is the dreamer himself.

Princess If the dreamer is female, she is the dreamer herself. If the dreamer is male, it is his anima, the female side of himself. The CHIEF - a dynamic leader, he has time for nothing but work The BAD BOY - dangerous to know, he walks on the wild side The BEST FRIEND - sweet and safe, he never lets anyone down The LOST SOUL - a tormented being, he lives in solitude The CHARMER - a smooth talker, he creates fantasies The PROFESSOR - coolly analytical, he knows every answer The SWASHBUCKLER - Mr. Excitement, he's an adventure The WARRIOR - a noble champion, he acts with honor

The BOSS - a real go-getter, she climbs the ladder of success The SEDUCTRESS - an enchantress, she charms to get her way The SPUNKY KID - gutsy and true, she is loyal to the end The FREE SPIRIT - eternal optimist, she dances to unheard tunes The LIBRARIAN - controlled and clever, she holds back The WAIF - a distressed damsel, she bends, but does not break The CRUSADER - a dedicated fighter, she meets commitments The NURTURER - serene and capable, she nourishes the spirit
Archetypal Symbols: Water The unconscious and emotion; fertility; life force of the psyche; rebirth. As a large body, symbolizes the Collective Unconscious. The source of creation and being in most of the world's culture's cosmologies. Water Water is a symbol of life, cleansing, and rebirth. It is a strong life force, and is often depicted as a living, reasoning force. Example: Edna learns to swim in Kate Chopin's "The Awakening." Water: birth-deathresurrection; creation; purification and redemption; fertility and growth.Sea/ocean: the mother of all life; spiritual mystery; death and/or rebirth; timelessness and eternity.Rivers: death and rebirth (baptism); the flowing of time into eternity; transitional phases of the life cycle. The great fish: divine creation/life. Car The Self and where it is in one's life journey and how one is currently traveling that path. Cave A symbol of the womb; entrance to Mother Earth through which one travels to the underworld (unconscious) to begin the process of individuation. In myth, it's the hero who usually reemerges from the underworld through a cave, reborn and regenerated after receiving wisdom from a personified underworld archetype. Concave images: (ponds, flowers, cups, vases, hollows) female or womb symbols. Colors The most ancient and universal of symbols. They can symbolize moods or emotional process. They can represent pairs of opposites and dualism such as light and dark, masculine and feminine, etc. They can represent the four directions and the different stages of transformation. See specific colors for further insight. Black: Archetypically the shadow; the repressed part of the Self. Mystery; the unconscious, the underworld, death/mourning, emotional darkness, hidden desires/instincts, un-enlightenment. Passive forces, the feminine principle, it is the color of the first step in the transformation process in which the old is destroyed in order for new creation of the Self to occur. Black: darkness, chaos, mystery, the unknown, death, wisdom, evil, melancholy.

Blue: The color of the spirit, the spiritual, the heavenly, the divine, intuition, inspiration. Has the association with the unconscious and feminine qualities. In Eastern thought, it governs the throat chakra, associating it with communication, creativity, self-expression, and the search for truth. Blue: highly positive; secure; tranquil; spiritual purity. Gold: Divine light, illumination; self-worth/value. Represents the final stage of transformation and individuation. The incorruptible self. Green: In positive terms, Mother Nature, fertility, hope, renewal, health, youth, harmony, prosperity. The color of sensual and spiritual passion. As the color of growth, it is the second stage of transformation. In negative terms, the color of rot, decay , and death, jealousy, and envy. Green: growth, hope, fertility. Orange: Balance, creative expression, pride and ambition, cruelty, ferocity, luxury. As the color of fire, can represent burning away impurities. Pink: Romance and love from the heart, sensuality, emotions, the material. Purple: The color of royalty, imperial power, pride, justice, intuition, wisdom, truth. As a blend of red and blue, it is the color of authority/ power and the wisdom to know how to use it. In Eastern thought it is the color of the Third eye chakra. Red: Blood, life, life-force; embarrassment, anger; fire, lust, passion. Associated with activity, energy, courage, will power, and war. In Alchemy, it is the fourth stage of transformation, the reddening in which the life process becomes ruled by the enlightened Self. Red: blood, sacrifice, passion; disorder. Silver: The color of the moon, magic, the Goddess, psychic nature, emotions and intuition. The feminine aspect of the cosmos. The preciousness of the Self. White: Purity, holiness, sacredness, redemption, mystical enlightenment, innocence, joy, light and life it is transcendent perfection. It signifies the union of opposites to form a whole as well as the symbolic death of transformation and renewal. Thus, the third stage of transformation in alchemy that represents new awareness. In Eastern thought, white is the color of the crown chakra, what is known as a halo in Western thought. White: light, purity, innocence, timelessness; [negative: death, terror, supernatural] Yellow: The sun, illumination, intellect and generosity, maturity. The color of fire and thus the purification of flame. Yellow: enlightenment, wisdom. Collective Unconscious A genetically inherited level of the mind containing what Jung called the, "vast historical storehouse of the human race", the Collective Unconscious contains symbols, ideas, themes, and archetypes accessible by humans in all cultures, in their dreams and inner conscious quests for the meanings of life's mysteries. Therefore, it stores the material of the world's myths, legends, religions, art, and literature. Forest Archetypal symbol of the unconscious; the mysterious; secrets; fertility, growth, primitive instinct. In fairy tales, the child must enter the forest of the unconscious, inner self to overcome an impossible task given by a wise woman (witch) in order for individuation to take place. Here there is no mother or father to protect the child. She, and/or he, must face the trial alone to grow. Garden Archetype of the Feminine principle. Balance and harmony; divine order, as in the Garden of Eden, union of divine and material. If a tree figures in a garden as a symbol of the Male principle, the two together symbolize the ultimate unity of yoni and lingam; male and female; yin and yang. Garden: paradise, innocence, unspoiled beauty. House The Self. Rooms and different levels represent different aspects of the Self.

Numbers

They can be symbols representing the Self, dynamics of the psyche and stages of growth and development. They can also stand for age, amounts of things, especially money, time, dates that are significant for some reason. Number symbolism is found in myths, fairy tales, alchemy, and other esoteric teachings. See individual numbers for further insight. One: The beginning and ending of all things, the source, the mystic center, wholeness, unity, individuality. The number of the divine within all things. Two: Duality and balance. The number of opposites married into a whole, representing healing. Three: Creative power and forward movement. Represents a beginning, middle, and end. Represents triple aspects of gods and goddesses in all cultures/religions. The past, present, and future in all things. The three-fold nature of man; mother, father, and child. The number of the completion of a phase of growth. 3 - light, spiritual awareness, unity (the Holy Trinity); male principle. Four: The number of building/ordering the psyche and the world. The balance of things in nature. Represents synthesis in alchemy and numerology. 4 - associated with the circle, life cycle, four seasons; female principle, earth, nature, elements. Five: Archetypically related to eternity, transformation, life/death and birth/rebirth. The number of natural mankind, the physical body and its five senses. Six: Balance, harmony, health, time, feminine power. Marriage and evolution. The completion of a creative process. Seven: A univeral sacred number; victory. The number of the mystical side of man; the highest stage of illumination and perfect order. Associated with magic, psychic, and healing powers. The seven days of the week, the seven stages of man. The seven colors of the rainbow. The seven levels of chakra energy. 7 - the most potent of all symbolic numbers signifying the union of three and four, the completion of a cycle, perfect order, perfect number; religious symbol. Eight: Regeneration and achievement of a spiritual goal. Eternity and infinity, higher consciousness. Nine: Power, the incorruptible, attainment and fulfillment. Spiritual or mental achievment. The number of truth and wisdom resulting from the completion of a cycle before a new one begins. Synthesis of the mind, body, and spirit. Ten: The law of heaven and earth (the ten Commandments). Balance, unity or a return to unity of opposites, including male and female. The number of returning to the beginning point of a cycle, therefore completing and beginning anew. Twelve: One symbol of the cycles of the passage of time. Cosmic order and perfection of things. The twelve signs of the Zodiac. The twelve year cycle of the Chinese Zodiac. The twelve disciples of Jesus. Tree Symbol of the Self and its growth process. Also a symbol of the Axis Mundi that connects spirit, earth, and underworld. A symbol for the male priciple in unity with the female principle if in a garden. Tree: denotes life of the cosmos; growth; proliferation; symbol of immortality; phallic symbol. Mountain Symbol of the Self representing the three basic parts of the Self and striving to achieve higher enlightenment. Sun (fire and sky are closely related): creative energy; thinking, enlightenment, wisdom, spiritual vision. Rising sun: birth, creation, enlightenment. Setting sun: death. Serpent (snake, worm): symbol of energy and pure force (libido); evil, corruption, sensuality, destruction. Seasons

Spring - rebirth; genre/comedy. Summer - life; genre/romance. Fall - death/dying; genre/tragedy. Winter - without life/death; genre/irony.
Desert spiritual aridity; death; hopelessness. Creation All cultures believe the Cosmos was brought into existence by some Supernatural Being (or Beings). Freud's symbolism/archetypes Phallic symbols (towers, mountain peaks, snakes, knives, swords, etc.) male symbols. Dancing, riding, or flying: symbols of sexual pleasure.

The task - A situation in which a character, or group of characters, is driven to complete some duty of
monstrous proportion. Example: Frodo's task to keep the ring safe in J. R. R. Tolkein's "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy

The quest - Here, the character(s) are searching for something, whether consciously or unconsciously. Their
actions, thoughts, and feelings center around the goal fo completing this quest. Example: Christian's quest for salvation in John Bunyan's "The Pilgrim's Progress"

The loss of innocence - This is, as the name implies, a loss of innocence through sexual experience, violence,
or any other means. Example: Val's loss of innocence after settling down at the mercantile store in Tennessee William's "Orpheus Descending"

The initiation - This is the process by which a character is brought into another sphere of influence, usually
(in literature) into adulthood. Example: Ayla's initiation both into the Clan and into adulthood in Jean Auel's "The Clan of the Cave Bear"