Archetypes, part I - The Way of Phi in Practice -

The Hero & The Lover – Who Is Who?

Dear  friend,

My favourite psychologist, the Swiss Carl Gustaf Jung, broke new ground in the field. He introduced the concept of the Collective Unconscious, a shared realm of the psyche that unites all of humanity. Unlike his former mentor, Sigmund Freud, who viewed the unconscious as a space for repressed personal experiences, Jung saw it as a wellspring of universal patterns and symbols, or what he called archetypes.

These archetypes are entities residing in the collective unconscious. As such, they are not personal to us. However, when we encounter them, they feel deeply personal, and that is the first paradox.

Indeed, the world of archetypes is full of paradoxes, so approach it with an open mind. As Jung's contemporary and one of my favourite authors, Hermann Hesse, put it in his novel Steppenwolf, the price of entry into the transformative "Magic Theatre" is high:

FOR MADMEN ONLY—PRICE OF ADMITTANCE YOUR MIND.

This quote perfectly captures the paradoxical nature of engaging with archetypes. They exist outside us, yet challenge us to let go of our rational minds and conventional thinking to truly understand them.

In this issue of The Way of Phi in Practice, we will start looking at some archetypes.

The Hero

The Hero is the first archetype that we meet, often imagined as a conqueror or a warrior, typically a man, making it very Linear. Its story is told through the Hero's Journey, a narrative arc of facing challenges and overcoming them, yet, while the Hero's path seems straightforward, its energy has layers of depth.

Fundamentally, the Hero archetype represents courage, struggle, and achievement. We see it in the Greek god of war Ares, known as Mars to the Romans, the Norse gods Tyr or Oden, and the Hindu god Kartikeya. These figures represent the warrior side of the hero, because the hero's journey involves slaying dragons, even if they are in the protagonists inner world. This is why even a proponent of non-violence like Gandhi could be seen as a heroic figure, bravely confronting injustice with inner suffering or refinement of character. In the Christian tradition, Jesus is the hero, naturally, although for the most part, the Christian doctrine seems to have been rewritten to fit a certain narrative that isn't necessarily inviting deeper explorations of the collective unconscious.

This focus on male figures raises a fascinating question: why, in our day and age, is there a rise of female heroes? Does this shift reflect that women are becoming more like men in order to assert themselves, or could it be that society – at long last – has started to embrace traditionally feminine heroic qualities such as empathy, collaboration, and emotional resilience thus expanding our understanding of what heroism could mean? Let us hope for the latter and on that theme, click here to listen to the song Her Coming Closer.

The Lover

On the other side of the aisle, we have the Lover archetype which embodies connection, intimacy, passion, and the drive for wholeness and union. While The Lover is more commonly seen in both men and women, the energy itself is associated with the heart, with surrender to a power greater than oneself and therefore essentially Circular and thus feminine.

In the Greek/Roman pantheon we meet The Lover as Aphrodite or Venus, the goddess of love, beauty, and pleasure who embodies the desire for connection, harmony, and aesthetic appreciation. However, there is also Eros/Cupid who is a male figure who embodies the Lover archetype's passion.

In Norse mythology, Freyja is a powerful goddess of love, beauty, fertility, and desire, also associated with magic and war, showing a multifaceted expression of the Lover archetype. The same goes for Ishtar from Mesopotamian mythology.

In Vedic traditions, Lakshmi is the goddess of wealth, fortune, and prosperity, but she is also the embodiment of beauty, grace, and the abundance that arises from loving union and harmonious relationships, particularly as the consort of Vishnu. In Egyptian mythology, Hathor is a prominent goddess associated with love, beauty, motherhood, joy, music, and feminine love, often depicted with cow horns and a sun disk, symbolising nurturing and life-giving aspects.

In the Christian tradition, the Lover is usually represented by an otherworldly love for God, or the motherly love of Mary Jesus's mother. However, in more progressive readings, Mary Magdalene is considered to be Jesus's wife and thus the manifestation of the Lover archetype.

These figures, while diverse, all share the core characteristics of the Lover archetype: a deep yearning for connection, the celebration of beauty, the pursuit of harmony, and the transformative power of relationship whether with others, oneself or the divine. More than one of them are also associated with war. So even while The Lover archetype reminds us that true strength often lies in vulnerability, empathy, and the capacity for profound emotional engagement, there is also a fierceness inherent. This isn't necessarily the fierceness of conquest, but more often of profound power: the raw, untamed force of life itself. But it could also be the fierceness of surrendering all in the name of love. How many are really prepared to do that? On that theme, click here to listen to another song called Stars.

The Dynamic Balance of The Hero & The Lover

The Hero and The Lover complement each other: For the Hero to complete their journey, they must find something or someone to save, even if it is themselves. Once the quest is over, the Hero shares the bounty with the world or with a lover, whether that's newfound wisdom, emotional maturity, or physical treasures. Similarly, the Lover's longing for connection must first be firmly anchored within, allowing them to create a safe space for others. In this way, the fulfilment of the Lover becomes possible when there is someone to hold space for, intellectually, emotionally, or physically.

Archetypes and different cultures

It is important to remember that while the stories, personalities, and specific domains of the different versions of the archetypes are culturally coloured, the fundamental principles behind them are the same because essentially the archetypes reside within us.

In other words, while an archetype will look differently to people in various times and traditions, the underlying energy is relatable to all.

How well do you know The Hero and The Lover in You?

What about in others? Do you look for them in movies or books, or can you recognise the traits in people who are close to you?

Ready to Embark on The Way of Phi?

If this exploration of archetypes resonates with your own inner Hero and Lover, perhaps you're ready to start your own journey. I'm starting a philosophical masterclass soon, where we'll delve deeper into these ideas through dialogue and practice.

There will probably be one in Swedish and one in English. If you already feel that this is for you, drop me a line by replying to this newsletter. Or click here to schedule a call and find out more about your own inner landscape.

With gratitude,

Christopher