The archetype allows you to find out which type of activity is more suitable for a person, as well as what difficulties can arise if you pay too much attention to only one archetype.
Definition
Archetype is a word that came to us from the ancient Greek language. Translated, it means "prototype." These are all those universal human symbols that underlie various myths and folklore. Archetypes are powerful internal forces that determine a person’s actions and feelings. For example, in order to feel happy, one needs marital fidelity, children, and official marriage. Others value personal independence above all. Still others constantly need tension of sensations. And the fourth are a kind of "hermits." Regardless of religion, spirituality is paramount to them.
An archetype is a class of psychic meanings that do not have a source of life for an individual. The archetype is a combination of certain images and ideals. They do not have a real prototype in the form of a specific person. Archetype - this is the image that allows you to see yourself, as if in the reflection of a mirror.
Jung's Theory
The concept of archetype was first developed by the famous psychoanalyst K. G. Jung. He noted that the human psyche contains several parts. Its center is consciousness. In his writings, he described the archetypes of personality in sufficient detail.
If we examine the human psyche in more detail, we can see that it consists of several differently directed parts. First of all, Jung singled out the Ego, as well as Person and Shadow. Any archetypes of people evolved from instincts. Their main goal is survival. These images are passed down from generation to generation.
The following Jung archetypes are distinguished: Self, Person, Shadow, Anima and Animus, Ego.
The psychoanalyst considered these archetypes to be the main ones. In addition to them, he identified the following personality archetypes.
- Mother - brings peace and comfort.
- Father is an authoritative and imperious figure.
- The child is longing for carefree childhood, innocence.
- Sage - knowledge, experience.
- The hero is the rescuer, the protector of the weak and destitute.
- Enemy - carries danger and anxiety.
Archetype of Shadows
The shadow seeks to realize the instinct of reproduction, the thirst for life, freedom. It is an invisible part of the human unconscious, it contains all the desires, shortcomings, instincts that are suppressed. Jung said that the Shadow can appear in dreams in the form of monsters, snakes, monsters.
Jung's description of the archetype Shadow as a study of other parts of the personality is still of interest to psychoanalysts. Jung himself believed that people inherited him from the animal kingdom. It is the Shadow that is the focal point of longings, immoral acts, as well as unacceptable qualities of character that are condemned by society. The shadow side of the psyche is most often suppressed and supplanted. Often this comes to the point that a person does not see his own shortcomings.
Ego
It is here, according to Jung, that there is a point of observation of the conscious “I” of a person over the external and internal world. Here also begins the path of personality development, which the psychoanalyst called individualization.
Anima and Animus
In analytical psychology, these examples of archetypes denote the image of the opposite sex. Jung called it the image of the soul, containing the knowledge of generations, kind, as well as personal experience of a person in the field of relationships with the opposite sex. Anima and Animus take various archetypal forms. For example, the feminine can manifest itself in the form of a tender virgin or an evil sorceress. The male appears as a noble king or a jealous tyrant.
Self
The self is a union of the conscious and the unconscious. Often, Jung portrayed the self in the form of a drawing of a mandala. Jung believed that one can attain the Self only after passing the thorny path of accepting one's unconscious side. Accepting your shadow aspect destroys the mask of Persona. A similar process is extremely painful. But ultimately, it leads to positive changes in the structure of the individual.
A person
A person is an ideal representation of a person about himself, his appearance in front of other people. Translated from Latin, the word "person" means "mask". It is a mediator between the "I" of man and the world. On the one hand, it represents the bright side of personality. But on the other hand, this is just an image chosen by man, a kind of mask. The dark side is hiding.
Basic properties of prototypes
An archetype is a subconscious image that has the following properties.
- Sustainability (immutability).
- It occurs among all nationalities and time periods.
- It has a set of both positive and negative qualities.
- Reflected in folk tales, myths.
- It affects the emotional sphere of a person.
- It always provokes a reaction in an individual.
Why do we need information about archetypes
In order to know your life’s own roles as best as possible - mothers, daughters, spouses, bosses or traders, archetypes are needed. The Olympic gods and goddesses were distinguished by strength and beauty. These are female and male characters that personify human passions and aspirations.
They embody behavioral models that determine the quality and direction of personality development. However, “blind” following any archetype can adversely affect life. You should learn to go beyond the usual framework of any one image.
Information about archetypes is knowledge that allows a person to build more successful relationships with people. Often, the choice of a lover is associated precisely with the predominance of one or another archetype. Psychological work with the archetype allows you to change the scenario of relations between a man and a woman for the better.
Ancient images of men and women
K. G. Jung believed that in man both male and female images are combined. However, male psychological qualities prevail in the stronger sex, while female ones are pushed into the Shadow (the unconscious part of the psyche). And among beautiful ladies, female archetypes predominate, and male ones are crowded out.
In each person, several “goddesses” or “gods” can coexist at the same time. You can symbolically imagine this as a meeting at the same table. All the gods are seated, however, only one manages the feast - the strongest part of the personality. The remaining "present" are also necessary, because each of them is responsible for their own sphere.
Female images
The main female archetypes adopted in modern psychology:
- Artemis - is responsible for female power and relationships with other women. Artemis always seeks to achieve her goals, she does not tolerate any restrictions.
- Athena is the bearer of wisdom and craft. This is a strong woman who does not give in to the influence of feelings and in any situation relies on logic.
- Hestia - is responsible for home comfort and warmth of the hearth. At the same time, Hestia is self-sufficient, she is confident and beautiful.
- Hera - relationships in marriage are most important to her. However, she is emotionally unstable, jealous.
- Persephone - symbolizes the relationship with the mother and father. She is very dependent on the opinions of others, convenient for all people except herself.
- Demeter - relationships with children for her in the first place, but in her heart there is a place for everyone. Demeter is always warm and caring.
- Aphrodite - communication with other people, friendship, love. Aphrodite is a creative and gentle lady who embodies the very essence of female nature.
- Heba - symbolizes the image of the "forever young" lady. She avoids the slightest signs of aging - and she does it very well.
- Tyufe (Fortune) - This female archetype contains a contradictory nature. She struggles to control everything, but refuses to predict future consequences.
- Nemisis is one of the most important archetypes. The most important thing for her is honesty and conscience. Women with a similar archetype are unable to forgive injustice.
- Hecate - one of the deepest images, manifested in the need to mystify reality. The “bearers” of the image of Hekate often go headlong into occult practices.
Often in one woman there is a combination of several (usually 2-3) archetypes. Sometimes they can "compete" in her unconscious. At the same time, this competition manifests itself in the fact that a woman may want to have a strong family, while also succeeding in her career.
See the goddess in yourself
The test for archetypes makes it clear the reasons that prompt you to behave in one way or another. It is necessary to answer each question and put a mark next to the letter. And at the end of the test, see which answer options are more common than others.
- What fairy tales were your favorite in childhood?
A) The Tale of Cinderella.
B) “Sonya-Bogatyrka”.
C) "Thumbelina".
D) "Teremok".
D) "Vasilisa the Beautiful."
E) “The Frog Princess”.
G) The Magic Pot.
- What is the character you would like to turn into in childhood.
A) Alice in Wonderland.
B) Alyosha Popovich.
C) Kristina Orbakaite.
D) Tamer of wild animals.
D) The Queen of England.
E) Mistress of her own cafe.
G) A teacher of elementary grades.
- Favorite toy in childhood.
A) A plush bunny.
B) Toy tank on the control panel.
C) Barbie.
D) The neighboring dog Barbos.
D) A toy dish or a house.
E) Paints and pencils.
G) A bucket and a paddle for playing in the sandbox.
- Which of the following ladies would you like to resemble?
A) Mother Teresa.
B) Margaret Thatcher.
C) Audrey Hepburn.
D) Indira Gandhi.
E) Melania Trump.
E) Julia Vysotskaya.
G) St. Mary.
- What clothing style do you like more than the rest?
A) Delicate, romantic.
B) Military military.
C) Seductive.
D) Sports.
D) Strict classics.
E) American country.
G) I like any comfortable clothes.
Test results
The result of the archetype test, as indicated, is calculated by the predominance of a particular answer option.
- A - Persephone. Often these girls are weak-willed, they are distinguished by indecision and modesty. It is difficult for them to grow up, to begin to bear responsibility for their own actions. Even as an adult, Persephone can act like a child. She always looks younger than her years.
- B - Athena. By its logical abilities, it is not inferior to men and is able to decide on the most unexpected life changes. Excellent business women, lawyers, lawyers, and athletes are obtained from Athens. If Athena does not satisfy her ambitions for maturity, then she will turn into a real home tyrant.
- In - Aphrodite. The woman in whom this archetype is dominant is a true embodiment of attractiveness and eroticism. Wherever they should appear, men begin to experience excitement and desire to achieve Aphrodite at all costs. However, forcing such a lady to stay with one man for a long time is almost impossible. She is very amorous and her mood changes every hour. If a girl with a similar archetype dies a little her ardor, then she can push her man to new achievements, become a true muse for the artist or inspirer for the businessman. Aphrodite will not worry about the approaching old age - if she managed to find an interesting creative activity, she would devote all her free time to it.
- G - Artemis. This goddess was the favorite of the thunderer Zeus. Only the supreme god allowed her to choose gifts. She never had to fight for her father’s attention. In life, Artemis are very independent. Their motto in life is very simple - "I myself can take care of myself." Such girls often become public figures, politicians, join the ranks of animal defenders. It should be noted that Artemis does not like men and constantly strives to compete with them. This does not lead to good - as a rule, such girls are not very happy in marriage. With pity, Artemis is also not all right. They are more likely to empathize with a sick dog than a person. However, such ladies are very strong. They know how to find a way out of any difficult situation, because their mind is by no means extraordinary.
- D - Hera. This is the lady of Olympus, the wife of the thunderer Zeus. She was beautiful and full of greatness. Women-Ger are distinguished by revenge, cruelty. Their main meaning of life is marriage. These ladies make excellent spouses of the presidents, because they are attractive, educated, they are able to perfectly organize social activities. Hera is not very tuned to a career. However, in family life, such ladies often suffer from the behavior of their husbands.
- E - Hestia. This goddess was responsible for maintaining the home. Therefore, ladies who are dominated by this stereotype are excellent housewives. They can not be called very attractive sexually, but they do not reject the intimate side of life. Hestia makes a great mother.
- F - Demeter. The fertility goddess worshiped by all women who dream of having children. The female Demeter, as a rule, marries very early. But if the marriage is destroyed for some reason, she is not very sad - after all, the children remain with her. Such ladies are often drawn to immature men who remain "eternal boys." Often they choose as a profession a job related to raising children - a teacher, pediatrician, educator.
Men's images
The bearer of the archetype is every person. One of the most common images is the divine characters. Archetypes of men can carry the semantic load of two main roles - the paternal and filial.
Paternal archetypes include the following:
- Zeus - the father of all gods, is an archetype of strong people who are confident in their abilities. Responsible for achievements in society; this god is a leader, leader.
- Hades - reflects the inner, unconscious world. The archetype of men who trust their intuition and often go into themselves. As a rule, such people are smart enough, mysterious.
- Poseidon - carriers of this image love vivid experiences that are often not accepted by society. Poseidons are short-tempered, emotional. He is also responsible for the sphere of intimate life.
The main archetypes of men, symbolizing the filial position:
- Apollo - symbolizes intelligence, moderation in everything. Conscious and rational man. He is guided by common sense, logic.
- Hermes is light on his feet, gladly agrees to new ideas, suggestions. His area is trade, the ability to negotiate with customers and business partners.
- Hephaestus is a hardworking and hard worker who made the decision to become a true specialist in his field. However, it is notable for its sensitivity and vulnerability. The sphere for which Hephaestus is responsible is craft and creativity, humanism.
- Ares is one of the most “reactive” archetypes. He tends to succumb to the influence of internal impulses, not always thinking about the consequences. Ares' sphere is friendship, the ability to protect oneself and others.
- Dionysus is an archetype that perfectly illustrates the phrase "men as children." He does not enter into competition, does not like conflicts. Dionysus is an inner child who knows how to love and enjoy life.
Archetypes allow you to better examine yourself, understand the reasons for your actions. On the other hand, they are a useful tool for every psychologist or any person interested in personal growth.