Archetypes and Your Soul Contracts Courses

What is an Archetype?

An archetype is a universal pattern or symbol which all humans experience in some form. It is recognized and understood by the image that comes to mind when we encounter a particular archetype, and serves as a symbol to us.

Archetypes have been present from the earliest civilizations; these universal projections belong to what the depth psychologist Carl Jung called “the collective unconscious”: the structure of the human psyche that autonomously organizes human experience through universal vs personal symbols.

Each of us perceives an archetype differently in accordance with our personal backgrounds. For example, the archetype of the “Mother” or “Father” brings up distinct individual images for everyone based on their experiences of a parent. Some archetypes represent a concept such as “Marriage” or “Death”, which also brings to mind individual beliefs and images.

As well, the astrological signs of the zodiac and planets embody various archetypes that represent aspects of the ego/personality. Here the astrological model adds significance in the way that archetypal patterns work themselves into our lives.

The archetypal journey towards self-knowledge involves recognizing ways in which particular archetypes function within each of us; through this understanding, we can identify patterns and beliefs that remain hidden or denied and more fully realize ourselves.