Emotions and archetypes

Picturing your life as a realm, you as Sovereign, supported by the Lover, the Warrior and the Magician.

Welcome to those who’ve joined since my last post, and apologies about the gap since then.

I’m part of the Mankind Project that provides opportunities for men to support men. We make use in our work of archetypes that relate to the four big emotions I’ve used in my recent poems. Some of you might find this useful, so I’m sharing the principles here, using my language and insights about each.

Another place to get some real insights into these emotions is the film “Inside Out” (though read my post first!!)

The image that brings them all together is that of an inner realm; I am the sovereign, the leader of my inner realm, as you are of yours, and the other archetypes all play their part day by day and in the insights and advice each of them brings.

The Lover: this is the lover, the carer, the healer, the one who brings compassion into any and all situations, both as an internal approach that is kind to the realm, and as an external approach that seeks to be kind to others. The Lover can drift into being soft and compliant, and with mindfulness that can be corrected with radical compassion, supported by the Warrior.

This approach associates the Lover with the emotion of Grief; when grief is around we need to acknowledge it for what it is because, when we grieve we need to know we are loved, and that kindness, hugs, and the chance to cry are all necessary. There’s something here about the inevitable changes that life throws at us. We need to grieve for that which has passed, and love takes us into whatever follows.

The Warrior: this is the defender of the realm, the one that brings discipline, keeps boundaries, is practical and does what has to be done, even when the going is tough. The Warrior can be violent, something that is all too prevalent in too many circumstances, and with mindfulness this can be corrected and turned to positive use, supported by the Lover.

This approach associates the Warrior with the emotion of Anger; when anger is present we need to acknowledge it for what it is, and take some time to identify what is going on underneath (almost always some variation of grief or fear). There’s something here about the inevitable challenges that life throws at us. We need to see these for what they are and channel anger and the potential for destruction into passion with its potential for constructive support, with help from the Magician

The Magician: this can imply that some kind of magic is at work, whereas in fact this is more The Wise Counsellor, who uses mindfulness and their inner wisdom to provide constructive advice to the Sovereign for the good of the realm and the relationships of the realm with other realms. The Magician can get too stuck in their head, and try to be overly cautious and careful, and with mindfulness that can be corrected and appropriate risks taken, supported by the Warrior.

This approach associates the Magician with the emotion of Fear; when fear, along with its companions anxiety and worry, is present we need to acknowledge it for what it is; some fears are real and we need to act accordingly with action, though often anxiety and worry are more about what might happen. There’s something here about the inevitable risks life makes us take. We need to assess these, acknowledge how these can stop us fully living, and take some risks with help from the Warrior.

The Sovereign: this is the leader of the realm and, when all is going well, the sovereign shows up as their best possible version. However, this is often not the case and, when grief, anger, or fear (or all three) are around, the Sovereign too often can make unhelpful, sometimes destructive, decisions. By heeding the advice of the Lover, Warrior and Magician, who know about these emotions, the Sovereign makes better choices for the realm and its relationships.

This approach associates the Sovereign with the emotion of Joy; this can be sorely lacking when we feel weighed down by grief, anger and fear. Sometimes we need to actively seek it out, with mindfulness, perhaps having gratitude for what we can appreciate, sometimes by valuing ourselves for what is positive about our choices, rather than dwelling on the negative. There’s something here about the opportunities life offers, and we need to recognise and make the most of these, and celebrate when we do so.

Here’s a summary created using my text with help from Google Gemini.

The Lover

Carer, healer; brings compassion both internally and externally. Can be soft and compliant, corrected with mindfulness and radical compassion, supported by the Warrior. Associated with Grief when dealing with inevitable life changes; grieving the past while love leads into what follows, again supported by the Warrior.

The Warrior

Defender of the realm; brings discipline, boundaries, and practical action. Can be violent, corrected with mindfulness, turned to positive use, supported by the Lover. Associated with Anger when facing inevitable challenges; channelling potential destruction into passion and constructive support, supported by the Magician.

The Magician

Wise Counsellor; uses inner wisdom and mindfulness to advise the Sovereign. Can be stuck in the head; overly cautious and careful, corrected with mindfulness to take appropriate risks, supported by the Warrior. Associated with Fear (Anxiety & Worry) when navigating inevitable risks; assessing fears that hinder living and taking measured risks, supported by the Warrior.

The Sovereign

Leader of the realm; makes choices for the realm and its relationships. Can make unhelpful/destructive decisions when weighed down by grief, anger, or fear, corrected with mindfulness and guided by the advice of the Lover, Warrior, and Magician. Associated with Joy when seizing life’s opportunities; practicing gratitude, valuing positive choices, and celebrating success.