You and Your Stories

Archetypes are stories. Your personal archetypes are your stories. I know. I’m always banging on about archetypes. Archetypes are patterns of thinking, feeling and acting. Patterns become stories. Your personal patterns become your stories…

Naming your stories helps you to recognise the difference between your true nature and the stories, good or bad, that keep you stuck, constricted and unfulfilled. Your stories will possess you in this way, and continue to sabotage your life until you name them one by one because you are not your stories.

You were not born to be possessed. So each week, I will post a description for one archetype from the list below. This means you can begin the process of identifying the archetypes that are active in your life.

You can test each archetype for activation in your life by Self Authoring it. Because you are unique and therefore, so are the stories in each of your archetypes.

I’ve resisted developing a resource of archetype descriptions ever since I began working with archetypes in 1997, however, if you’re new to archetypes, or you’re familiar with archetypes and you want to DIY, then you may want to refer to my forthcoming resource. Then you can determine which elements of each archetype represent your character. And you can always ask trusted friends, family or colleagues for feedback.

My aim with the resource is to help you identify and reflect on the archetypal energies that are active in your life, then you can self-author those that resonate in a highly charged positive or negative way, so that you increase self-awareness, charge up your personal growth, and integrate the different aspects of your personality.

Archetypes represent fundamental patterns of human behaviour, motivations, and experiences. By reading about each archetype and self authoring those that attract (and repel) you, then you’ll gain insights into the drives, desires, fears, and aspirations that shape your actions and choices.

Archetypes are deeply embedded in cultural narratives, myths, symbols, and rituals. I want the resource of archetype descriptions to provide you with this information so you can analyse and interpret their expressions, not only at a physical, emotional or mental level but also at a symbolic level. What is the challenge or lesson contained within the story?

Archetypes provide a shared language and framework for communication and storytelling. They allow you to convey complex ideas, emotions, and experiences in a way that resonates with others on a deep, intuitive level. Try speaking archetypes in your next conversation and watch what happens. When you tell a friend who’s feeling defeated that you’ve always admired their willingness to have a go, and they’ve shown the strength and courage of an Olympian, notice how your kind words begin to lift their energy and mood. An Olympian mindset will remain with them long after the end of your conversation. Your friend will remember the idea of Olympian, and instinctively tap into its theme, drawing deeper from the well of this archetype, to embody additional elements of the Olympian such as perseverance, dedication, commitment and determination.

You can capture the power of any archetype. Simply name the story with archetypes and watch the magic happen.

Archetypes are powerful, karmic-like forces. Constructive and destructive. When used in a conscious and constructive way, everyone involved can benefit. When used in a destructive manner, the power in the archetype will backfire.

By naming an archetype, you can tap into a shared understanding and connect with others in a deeper, more empowering way. Archetypes are have cultural and cross-cultural significance. The resource of archetypes should provide a foundation for comparing and analysing your archetypal patterns even across different cultures, to reveal the universal themes that underlie diverse cultural expressions.

I hope you find it a useful resource for understanding human behaviours, cultural symbolism, and the collective unconscious. The archetype resource when used as a reference to self-author your personality archetypes offers a framework for self exploration, analysis, and interpretation, enabling you to gain deeper insights into yourself and others, and the world we inhabit.

To begin, you will need to familiarise yourself with the list of archetypes and the Self Authoring process. Next week, I will introduce the first archetype.