Archetypal Cycles
This chapter presents a list of archetypes; in some cases, I have described the cycle in which they exist. This is not a complete list of archetypes; it is merely an introduction, to show examples by which we can gain a better understanding of the manifestation of archetypes into form and action. I have not had time to complete this list; some of the names and definitions could be improved.
Jump to the following sections:
- What are archetypal cycles?
- What can we learn from a study of archetypal cycles?
- What else do we need to know about archetypal cycles?
Examples of archetypal cycles. Jump to the following examples:
- Agriculture.
- Analysis.
- Assimilation.
- Birth.
- Child.
- Commerce.
- Communication.
- Consumer.
- Creation.
- Death.
- Decay.
- Defense.
- Ecstasy.
- Elimination.
- Family.
- Food.
- Game.
- Home.
- Marriage.
- Parent.
- Quest.
- Restoration. (Healing.)
- Sacrifice.
- Savior.
- Science.
- Seduction.
- Seed.
- Service.
- Sex.
- Sleep.
- Spoiler.
- Student.
- Teacher.
- Tool.
- Vehicle.
What are archetypal cycles? They are the cycles in which archetypes express their various aspects.
What can we learn from a study of archetypal cycles?
- An easier identification of archetypes. This is not a comprehensive list of archetypes or cycles, but it exhibits many of them so that we see that these regular human situations are expressions of archetypes.
- Our relative position within a larger scheme. We see how our archetypal position corresponds to the other dominant archetypes in a situation -- protagonist, protagonist's object, protagonist's activity, antagonist, antagonist's activity, and protagonist's reward. In our human life, we will experience each of these positions for every archetype.
What else do we need to know about archetypal cycles?
- Each cycle follows the same pattern: "The protagonist uses the protagonist's object in the protagonist's activity to interact with the antagonist to cause the antagonist's activity to gain the protagonist's reward."
- Every archetype has its own cycle. For example, in the Communication archetypal cycle; communication is an archetype, and all of its phases are also archetypes in their own right (and thus they have their own cycle). Therefore, in the Communication archetypal cycle, the Teacher archetype has a cycle of its own; the Student archetype has a cycle of its own; etc.
- Archetypes exist within more than one cycle. For example, the Fact archetype (i.e., a unit of data) is in the Science archetype (where the fact is discovered), and it is also in the Communication archetype (where the fact is communicated from one person to another).
- I have named some of the archetypes. Please note:
- We can create our own names for archetypes; I am not attempting to create a standardization. (Other systems do have standardized names for archetypes, as in tarot, astrology, and mythology.) Although we might agree on certain archetypes (e.g., "Parent"), we can be creative in naming the others; for example, my "Spoiler" archetype is somewhat analogous to the standard "Joker" archetype. I believe that we should be free to name the archetypes with terminology which is meaningful and accurate for us personally; for example, a tarot practitioner might feel comfortable with tarot terminology when identifying archetypes -- but the terminology might feel alien and awkward to someone who does not use tarot.
- These names are not restricted to their literal sense. The names are metaphorical; for example, in the Restoration ("healing") archetypal cycle, "Medicine" refers to any item or procedure by which a healer "restores" a person (or object) to its compliance with the "Health" ideal archetype.
- Some of the names might seem to be very strange abstractions. However, I believe that the names are appropriate for these archetypes as they exist in their own world, before they are translated into regular human life.
Agriculture.
This archetype expresses itself in any situation in which we
relinquish a valued object for the purpose of acquiring an object of
greater value.
Manifestations: Farming. Investment (of money or another resource, as
in an "emotional investment"). Gambling.
The cycle: Farmer uses Seed in Cultivation to interact with Virgin to
cause Surrender to gain Product.
- Protagonist: Farmer.
- Protagonist's object: Seed.
- Protagonist's activity: Cultivation.
- Antagonist: Virgin (i.e., something which has not yet been "put to use").
- Antagonist's activity: Surrender (yielding).
- Protagonist's reward: Product.
Analysis. (I have not described the cycle
of this archetype.)
This archetype expresses itself in any activity in which we use logic
to investigate an object, with a goal of understanding the nature and
dynamics of that object.
Manifestations: Computers. Dogma. Intellectualizing. Legalism. Logic.
Mathematics. Rationalization. Science. Thinking.
Assimilation.
This archetype expresses itself in any situation in which one object
consumes another object.
Manifestations: Eating.
The cycle: Consumer uses Utensil in Ingestion to interact with Food
to cause Sacrifice to gain Resolution.
- Protagonist: Consumer.
- Protagonist's object: Utensil (i.e., any tool which helps us to consume).
- Protagonist's activity: Ingestion.
- Antagonist: Food.
- Antagonist's activity: Sacrifice.
- Protagonist's reward: Resolution (of a need, e.g., hunger).
Birth. (I have not described the cycle of
this archetype.)
This archetype expresses itself in any situation in which an object
commences its material existence, or it commences a new nature.
Manifestations: Being born. Change. Initiations. Doors, gates.
Child. (I have not described the cycle of
this archetype.)
This archetype expresses itself in any object which receives
maintenance, protection, and guidance.
Manifestations: Son or daughter. Employee. Material possessions. Pet.
Houseplant. Slave.
Commerce.
This archetype expresses itself in any situation in which one
individual provides a valued object to another individual in a fair
exchange.
Manifestations: Business. Bartering.
The cycle: Merchant uses Product in Seduction to interact with
Consumer to cause Buying to gain Seed (i.e., money).
- Protagonist: Merchant.
- Protagonist's object: Product. (Any object of value.)
- Protagonist's activity: Seduction (i.e., advertising).
- Antagonist: Consumer.
- Antagonist's activity: Purchasing.
- Protagonist's reward: Seed (i.e., money).
Communication.
This archetype expresses itself in any situation in which data is
transmitted from one object to another.
Manifestations: Language. Conversation. Correspondence. Writing and
reading. Education in school. Internet.
The cycle: Teacher uses Fact in Speech to interact with Student to
cause Education to gain Power.
- Protagonist: Teacher.
- Protagonist's object: Fact.
- Protagonist's activity: Speech.
- Antagonist: Student.
- Antagonist's activity: Education.
- Protagonist's reward: Power (i.e., influence over the Student's thinking).
Consumer. (I have not described the cycle
of this archetype.)
This archetype expresses itself in any activity in which one object
acquires another object.
Manifestations: Purchasing. Robbery.
Creation.
This archetype expresses itself in any activity in which one object
causes another object to commence existence.
Manifestations: Birthing. Manufacturing. Artistic creativity (music,
painting, sculpture, dancing, etc.). Crafts. Imagination. Dreams.
Magic. Construction.
The cycle: Creator uses Paintbrush in Creativity to interact with
Void to cause Conformity to gain Product.
- Protagonist: Creator.
- Protagonist's object: Paintbrush.
- Protagonist's activity: Creativity.
- Antagonist: Void.
- Antagonist's activity: Conformity (to an ideal).
- Protagonist's reward: Product.
Death.
This archetype expresses itself in any situation in which there is a
termination of an existing condition.
Manifestations: Physical death. Change. Divorce. Ending. Funeral.
The cycle: Spoiler uses Reaper in Disaster to interact with Victim to
cause Death to gain Seed.
- Protagonist: Spoiler.
- Protagonist's object: Reaper. (The object by which death is inflicted. A weapon, etc.)
- Protagonist's activity: Disaster.
- Antagonist: Victim.
- Antagonist's activity: Death.
- Protagonist's reward: Seed.
Decay. (I have not described the cycle of
this archetype.)
This archetype expresses itself in any activity in which an object
changes to a condition which is less-aligned with its ideal.
Manifestations: Rust. Rot. Old age.
Defense. (I have not described the cycle of
this archetype.)
This archetype expresses itself in any activity in which one object
attempts to prevent its assimilation by another object.
Manifestations: Military defense. Protection. Caution. Modesty.
Ecstasy. (I have not described the cycle of
this archetype.)
This archetype expresses itself in any activity in which we
experience a pleasurable state whose intensity is such that we
experience a significant departure from the typical state in which we
base our identity.
Manifestations: Altered states. Drugs. Drunkenness. Manic states.
Meditative states. Orgasm.
Elimination.
This archetype expresses itself in any situation in which we move
something from our field of life.
Manifestations: Discarding. Releasing. Grieving. Throwing out
garbage. Defecating.
The cycle: Parent uses Toilet in Defecation to interact with Trash to
cause Departure to gain (?).
- Protagonist: Parent. (That which is responsible for the object.)
- Protagonist's object: Toilet. (That which receives the object.)
- Protagonist's activity: Defecation.
- Antagonist: Trash. (That which is not valued.)
- Antagonist's activity: Departure. (This archetype needs a better name.)
- Protagonist's reward: ? (I haven't devised a suitable name for this archetype.)
Family.
This archetype expresses itself in any object which is a
collection of objects which have a shared interest or
nature.
Manifestations: Human family. Tribe. Nation. Neighborhood. Social
clubs. Corporations. Cultures and sub-cultures. Teams. Our assortment
of material possessions. The various aspects of the psyche (e.g.,
ego, shadow, subpersonalities, etc.).
The cycle: Parent uses Home in Nurturing to interact with Child to
cause Growth to gain Life.
- Protagonist: Parent.
- Protagonist's object: Home.
- Protagonist's activity: Nurturing.
- Antagonist: Child.
- Antagonist's activity: Growth.
- Protagonist's reward: Life. (The Parent gains a type of immortality through the Child.)
Food. (I have not described the cycle of this
archetype.)
This archetype expresses itself as any object which is assimilated by
another object (a "consumer") such that it's nature and structure are
altered or destroyed, and its substance is re-structured to comply
with the nature of the consumer.
Manifestations: Food. Victim.
Game.
This archetype expresses itself as any situation in which one object
attempts to destroy the nature and structure of an unwilling object,
for the purpose of assimilating the other object.
Manifestations: Sport. War. Game. Debate. Any type of competition.
Hunting and fishing.
The cycle: Aggressor uses Weapon in Assault to interact with Prey to
cause Surrender to gain Spoils.
- Protagonist: Aggressor.
- Protagonist's object: Weapon.
- Protagonist's activity: Assault.
- Antagonist: Prey.
- Antagonist's activity: Death.
- Protagonist's reward: Spoils.
Home. (I have not described the cycle of this
archetype.)
This archetype expresses itself as any container in which we deposit
objects which we possess.
Manifestations: Personal residence. Hotel. Any territory which is
ours: our city, our social club, our school, our nation. Prison.
Marriage.
This archetype expresses itself in any situation in which two objects
are joined for the purpose of entering into a specific venture. (The
Creativity archetype differs from the Marriage archetype; in
creativity, we merge objects, while in marriage, we are one of
the objects which merges.)
Manifestations: Human marriage. Business merger. Legal contract.
Agreement. Vow or promise.
The cycle: Spouse uses Contract in Wedding to interact with
Singularity to cause Commitment to gain Family.
- Protagonist: Spouse.
- Protagonist's object: Contract.
- Protagonist's activity: Wedding.
- Antagonist: Singularity.
- Antagonist's activity: Commitment.
- Protagonist's reward: Family.
Parent. (I have not described the cycle of
this archetype.)
This archetype expresses itself in any situation in which we are
responsible for something else.
Manifestations: Human parent to a child. Employer or supervisor.
Leader. Owner of any material item: personal possessions, real
estate, opinions, our human body.
Quest. (I have not described the cycle of
this archetype.)
This archetype expresses itself in any situation in which we are
searching for a valued object.
Manifestations: Shopping. Religious pilgrimage. Looking for our car
keys.
Restoration. (Healing.)
This archetype expresses itself in any situation in which we restore
an object to its ideal state. (Refer to the list of "ideal
archetypes," in the chapter regarding ideals.) There is
a difference between the Restoration Archetype and the
Creativity Archetype; in Restoration, the ideal state existed
previously but now it does not exist.
Manifestations: Physician. Repair-person.
The cycle: Healer uses Medicine in Healing to interact with Decay to
cause Death to gain Health.
- Protagonist: Healer.
- Protagonist's object: Medicine.
- Protagonist's activity: Healing.
- Antagonist: Spoiler.
- Antagonist's activity: Death. (For example, the disease-germs die.)
- Protagonist's reward: Heath. (If we are healing ourselves, the reward is health; if we are healing someone else, the reward is a salary or some other type of benefit.)
Sacrifice. (I have not described the
cycle of this archetype.)
This archetype expresses itself in any situation in which one object
gives more material substance than it receives.
Manifestations: Martyrdom. Co-dependency. Volunteering. Philanthropy.
Savior. (I have not described the cycle of
this archetype.)
This archetype expresses itself in any situation in which any object
which gives unearned assistance.
Manifestations: Religious savior. Government welfare program. Grace.
Science.
This archetype expresses itself in any situation in which new data is
generated.
Manifestations: Research. Exploration.
The cycle: Scientist uses Trial in Analysis to interact with Mystery
to cause Revelation to gain Fact.
- Protagonist: Scientist.
- Protagonist's object: Trial. (An experiment.)
- Protagonist's activity: Analysis.
- Antagonist: Mystery.
- Antagonist's activity: Revelation.
- Protagonist's reward: Fact.
Seduction. (I have not described the
cycle of this archetype.)
This archetype expresses itself in any situation in which one party
lures another to commit an act which would not otherwise be
committed.
Manifestations: Sexual seduction. Persuasion. Advertising.
Propaganda.
Seed. (I have not described the cycle of this
archetype.)
This archetype manifests as that which has the potential to change
itself or other objects, or to create new objects.
Manifestations: Plant-seed. Money. Pregnancy. Semen.
Service.
This archetype expresses itself in any situation in which the intent
is to aid another object.
Manifestations: Helpfulness. Volunteering. Codependency. Slavery.
Employee. Host.
The cycle: Servant uses Tool in Task to interact with Pauper to cause
Healing to gain (?).
- Protagonist: Servant.
- Protagonist's object: Tool.
- Protagonist's activity: Task.
- Antagonist: Pauper.
- Antagonist's activity: Healing.
- Protagonist's reward: (?)
Sex.
This archetype expresses itself in any situation in which objects
interact to create a desired result.
Manifestations: Sex. Sensual play. Flirtation. Friendship.
Partnership. Any mutually pleasurable experience.
The cycle: Yang uses Penis in Penetration to interact with Yin to
cause Ecstasy to gain Transcendence.
- Protagonist: Yang.
- Protagonist's object: Penis.
- Protagonist's activity: Penetration.
- Antagonist: Yin.
- Antagonist's activity: Ecstasy.
- Protagonist's reward: Transcendence.
Sleep. (I have not described the cycle of
this archetype.)
This archetype expresses itself as any situation in which an object
experiences latency.
Manifestations: Sleep. Winter. Resting. Vacation. Any type of
latency.
Spoiler.
This archetype expresses itself as anything which disrupts our
concepts and plans. The Spoiler occurs also in the Restoration (i.e.,
healing) archetype: (1) in the Restoration archetypal cycle, we are
tested by the Spoiler, and we prevail; (2) in the Spoiler archetypal
cycle, we are tested by the Spoiler, and we fail.
Manifestations: Adversity. Accidents and misfortune. Court jester.
Devil. Disease. Prosecuting attorney. Humor (which is a disruption of
our logical mental processes). Limitation or barrier. Trickster.
Practical joker.
The cycle: The Spoiler uses Disaster in a Trial to interact with
Fallacy to cause Death to gain (?).
- Protagonist: Spoiler.
- Protagonist's object: Disaster.
- Protagonist's activity: Trial.
- Antagonist: Fallacy. (Something which is flawed or not true.)
- Antagonist's activity: Death. (The fallacy dies.)
- Protagonist's reward: (?).
Student. (I have not described the cycle of
this archetype.)
This archetype expresses itself in any situation in which one object
receives data from another object.
Manifestations: Students in a school. Reading.
Teacher. (I have not described the cycle of
this archetype.)
This archetype expresses itself in any situation in which one object
transmits data to another object.
Manifestations: Teachers in a school. Writers.
Tool. (I have not described the cycle of this
archetype.)
This archetype manifests as any object which is used to attain a
goal.
Manifestations: Tools. Computers. Employees.
Vehicle.
This archetype expresses itself in any object which transports
another object from one point to another point.
Manifestations: Car, truck, motorcycle, bicycle. Shopping cart.
Mailing envelope.