Archetypes Part I

We hear this word often in psychology and such areas, and we have heard a lot about a certain Californian couple and what archetype they are. I wanted to discuss the various archetypes and how these characteristics can become a negative thing.

The Innocent is one archetype. This person lives in a world of pure idealism, of pure ideas, and is often almost in a la la land of their own. Ideas and convictions can be very stabilizing, they provide grounding in something and that can be a good thing. However, as with anything in life it can become a negative thing. Think along the lines of Qanon or eco-terrorists, where the ideal become the be all and end all of things, at all costs, no matter what the collateral damage. A healthy innocence in terms of having faith in the ability to overcome obstacles is great, awesome, and finding healthy ways to do so, amen. It can also lead to unrealistic expectations where the idealist wants to see things done and changed overnight, which doesn’t reflect the realities of life.

The Orphan is someone who longs to belong, never quite feels at home anywhere, restless spirit perhaps. Searching for the right fit in terms of friends etc… is normal, you want to feel comfortable among your peers etc…If the spirit is too restless, then you end up being part of everything and really not committing to anything or really belonging to anything. This why meditation, a grounding meditation and grounding affirmations can be helpful. It’s important to find our “tribe” of friends etc…, but when there is scattering, chaos of spirit and soul, then you never really do find your home and that makes for a very dissatisfied and restless life.

The Hero always seeking to be the main character of the story. The hero can be a great advocate, give a voice etc… to those who may not have a voice or not know how to use their voice to bring change, justice etc.. Where it can go awry is when the person has this notion that they are the only one who can do something, or save something, need constant validation and if combined with the idealist in a negative way can actually put themselves and others in constant harm’s way. If the Hero is constantly trying to prove how great and smart etc… they are it can be exhausting for them and those around them. One has to pick one’s battles carefully, know when to delegate, when to step back and let others handle things. The Hero may have a very prideful aspect of self, as might the idealist. Knowing when to lead, when to follow, when to step back is crucial in life. You can’t always be a hero and save everyone, or everything. The song The Gambler has a part of it where it says you need to know when to fold, when to walk away and when to run. That is good advice, ignore the part about the best you can hope for etc…, that’s not wise advice. The part about knowing when to fold etc.., that is.