The 12 Archetypes
Azure Circe
Moderator · Hyperians
Part 3- The 12 Archetypes
This one is going to be considerably shorter than the other posts I’ve been making on this topic (I can practically hear the collective sigh of relief 
) because it contains some questions to which I would really like you guys to give some thought and then post a response for discussion.
Fun Fact: Carl Jung did not actually invent the *theory* of Archetypes. Plato did. He theorized that non-physical, but substantial forms (or ideas) were imprinted in the soul before it was born into the world. aka Plato’s Theory of Ideas. To Plato, these ideas or archetypes were collective and embodied fundamental characteristics, rather than specific individual ones.
Although Jung believed the number of Archetypes to be for all points and purposes as limitless as the human mind’s capacity for experience, he defined 12 as being symbolic of the most basic human drives and motivations. These particular archetypes show up time and again within our universal stories, legends and myths and are often used as symbols signifying the journey towards individuation and wholeness. Below is the most common description of each.
Keep in mind that one is no “better” than the other, so be honest. Everyone has the capacity and potentiality for all of them within their psyche by dint of sharing the human condition. Each archetype contains its own set of desires, fears, challenges and talents, strengths and weaknesses. Furthermore, these archetypes are broken down into “Types” which are indicative of the underlying motivators or impetus of the manifestation within the psyche. Learning to recognize and understand the archetypes can allow for greater knowledge of self, others and of humanity as a collective.
Most, if not all, people are multifaceted beings and as such, carry within them a combination of archetypal behaviors. Although we usually have one in particular which dominates the psyche. I tend to think of that dominant archetype simply as a person’s inherent nature. This nature may express itself in a number of ways, or even be hidden from view by the persona, depending on the development and unique personal experiences of the individual, but it remains a constant core component of the personality.
– With which 3 archetype/s do you most strongly identify?
– Which one would you say is dominant in your personality?
– Do you recognize any possible shadow content you may have contained within the archetypes opposite to your choices on the wheel?
The Ego Types:
I’d like to note here that the concept of “ego” is often misrepresented and confused with narcissism (that is an entirely different thing). A healthy ego is necessary for a healthy psyche. With out the ego, the “I” of consciousness, one would have no sense of Self at all.
1. The Innocent
Motto: Free to be you and me
Core desire: to get to paradise
Goal: to be happy
Greatest fear: to be punished for doing something bad or wrong
Strategy: to do things right
Weakness: overly trusting, can be naive to the point of foolishness
Talent: faith and optimism
The Innocent is also known as: Utopian, traditionalist, naive, mystic, saint, romantic, dreamer.
2. The Everyman
Motto: All men and women are created equal
Core Desire: connecting with others
Goal: to belong
Greatest fear: to be left out or to stand out from the crowd
Strategy: develop ordinary solid virtues, be down to earth, the common touch
Weakness: losing one’s own self in an effort to blend in or for the sake of superficial relationships
Talent: realism, empathy, lack of pretense
The Everyman is also known as: The good old boy, regular guy/girl, the person next door, the realist, the solid citizen, the good neighbor, the silent majority.
3. The Hero
Motto: Where there’s a will, there’s a way
Core desire: to prove one’s worth through courageous acts
Goal: expert mastery in a way that improves the world
Greatest fear: weakness, vulnerability, being a “chicken”
Strategy: to be as strong and competent as possible
Weakness: arrogance, always needing another battle to fight
Talent: competence and courage
The Hero is also known as: The warrior, crusader, rescuer, superhero, the soldier, dragon slayer, the winner and the team player.
4. The Caregiver
Motto: Love your neighbor as yourself
Core desire: to protect and care for others
Goal: to help others
Greatest fear: selfishness and ingratitude
Strategy: doing things for others
Weakness: martyrdom and being exploited
Talent: compassion, generosity
The Caregiver is also known as: The saint, altruist, parent, helper, supporter.
The Soul Types
5. The Explorer
Motto: Don’t fence me in
Core desire: the freedom to find out who you are through exploring the world
Goal: to experience a better, more authentic, more fulfilling life
Biggest fear: getting trapped, conformity, and inner emptiness
Strategy: journey, seeking out and experiencing new things, escape from boredom
Weakness: aimless wandering, becoming a misfit
Talent: autonomy, ambition, being true to one’s soul
The explorer is also known as: The seeker, iconoclast, wanderer, individualist, pilgrim.
6. The Rebel
Motto: Rules are made to be broken
Core desire: revenge or revolution
Goal: to overturn what isn’t working
Greatest fear: to be powerless or ineffectual
Strategy: disrupt, destroy, or shock
Weakness: crossing over to the dark side, crime
Talent: outrageousness, radical freedom
The Outlaw is also known as: The rebel, revolutionary, wild man, the misfit, or iconoclast.
7. The Lover
Motto: You’re the only one
Core desire: intimacy and experience
Goal: being in a relationship with the people, work and surroundings they love
Greatest fear: being alone, a wallflower, unwanted, unloved
Strategy: to become more and more physically and emotionally attractive
Weakness: outward-directed desire to please others at risk of losing own identity
Talent: passion, gratitude, appreciation, and commitment
The Lover is also known as: The partner, friend, intimate, enthusiast, sensualist, spouse, team-builder.
8. The Creator
Motto: If you can imagine it, it can be done
Core desire: to create things of enduring value
Goal: to realize a vision
Greatest fear: mediocre vision or execution
Strategy: develop artistic control and skill
Task: to create culture, express own vision
Weakness: perfectionism, bad solutions
Talent: creativity and imagination
The Creator is also known as: The artist, inventor, innovator, musician, writer or dreamer.
The Self Types
9. The Jester
Motto: You only live once
Core desire: to live in the moment with full enjoyment
Goal: to have a great time and lighten up the world
Greatest fear: being bored or boring others
Strategy: play, make jokes, be funny
Weakness: frivolity, wasting time
Talent: joy
The Jester is also known as: The fool, trickster, joker, practical joker or comedian.
10. The Sage
Motto: The truth will set you free
Core desire: to find the truth.
Goal: to use intelligence and analysis to understand the world.
Biggest fear: being duped, misled, ignorance.
Strategy: seeking out information and knowledge; self-reflection and understanding thought processes.
Weakness: can study details forever and never act.
Talent: wisdom, intelligence.
The Sage is also known as: The expert, scholar, detective, adviser, thinker, philosopher, academic, researcher, thinker, planner, professional, mentor, teacher, contemplative.
11. The Magician
Motto: I make things happen.
Core desire: understanding the fundamental laws of the universe
Goal: to make dreams come true
Greatest fear: unintended negative consequences
Strategy: develop a vision and live by it
Weakness: becoming manipulative
Talent: finding win-win solutions
The Magician is also known as: The visionary, catalyst, inventor, charismatic leader, shaman, healer, medicine man.
12. The Ruler
Motto: Power isn’t everything, it’s the only thing.
Core desire: control
Goal: create a prosperous, successful family or community
Strategy: exercise power
Greatest fear: chaos, being overthrown
Weakness: being authoritarian, unable to delegate
Talent: responsibility, leadership
The Ruler is also known as: The boss, leader, aristocrat, king, queen, politician, role model, manager or administrator.
Now, some of you may notice something familiar about the attached image and make a correlation to other such symbolic similar imagery of which I will be going over next, 
along with a look into the Archetypal symbolism and the journey through the awakening of consciousness to individuation, found in so many of the works all around us.
