Archetypes: Who Are You?
I just read this amazing book by Caroline Myss, called Archetypes. These are collective symbols that everyone in the culture understands; patterns, habits, and behaviors that people can all describe. When we speak in archetypes, we speak in common terms.
For example, if I were to say my uncle’s sister’s daughter’s son’s mom is such a martyr, you would immediately get an accurate picture of what I mean by her personality. If I told you my brother’s grandma’s daughter’s son-in-law’s wife is an amazing mother, you would also understand what it is I am trying to say.
Did you catch that both of these people link back to me? No family members were harmed in the making of these examples. Hmmm…is that a Caretaker tendency…?!?
Identifying archetypes is helpful for understanding yourself and others. When I can step back and look at a situation, myself, or another person through the lens of archetypes, I am able to see the impersonal patterns of consciousness that connect us all. When I encounter a person who is a Drama Queen, for example, I can keep my own energy and not lose myself in theirs. And I no longer resent either the person or myself for the situation! Yaay!
Archetypes help clarify our human interconnectedness as “the universal language of the human soul,” as Caroline puts it. This book is like a workbook, helping the reader to identify some of their primary archetypes.
It is organized into ten parent categories that reflect today’s common expressions. These archetype families group similar expressions, making it easier to start identifying. As an example, the Creative family includes the Artist, Creative, Performer, Storyteller, etc. At this point I don’t necessarily need to define my nuances of a specific archetype (Author? Artist? Storyteller? Scribe?), it is enough to begin with the parent category (Creative!).
I found this book to be highly inspiring! If you would like to know more about archetypes in depth, take a look at the same author’s book Sacred Contracts, or visit her website salon for more information. Spiritual Seekers who have already read and experienced her previous work will still greatly enjoy Archetypes, it has great nuances.
One more important and fun aspect of this book: there is a companion website that is an archetypal community for everyone! Go to www.ArchetypeMe.com, read The Concept and How Our Site Works for better descriptions than I do justice here. Take the identifying quiz, then enjoy content created for and tailored to archetypes. Have fun, see you there!
Hay House, Pioneer Spriritual Visionary, gave me this book in exchange for my honest Detective, Intellectual, Seeker, Spiritual, Nurturer, Teacher, Mother opinion of it. My Goddess, Warrior, Creative, and Writer truly Advocate(s) this book!
gina drellack 
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Hello my friend!
I wanted to honor your creativity and grace so I nominated you for the Liebster New Blog Award. I have recently been honored, and so I now wanted to take a moment to acknowledge you, the amazing, creative writer, mama……and all the other archetypes that you are! You are so inspiring! Love your thoughts, and expression. Swing on by our little homestead blog to see your nomination!!!!
Blessings~ Wendy
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