It’s very important to note that archetypes aren’t good or bad. They’re neutral.

Archetypes aren’t angels or beings. Rather an archetype is a distinctive symbolic pattern, and it can be expressed positively in your life, or negatively. When we recognize an archetypal pattern in ourselves, then we can notice whether we’ve put a positive or negative spin on it: 

• Am I a Gambler who runs great risks to the point of compromising my life?

• Or am I a Gambler who hedges a bet and engages with life from a winning perspective, knowing where to draw the line on wins or losses without sacrificing self?

Using archetypes is a means of discussing strengths, weaknesses and individual personality attributes, and encourages us to take an impersonal look at how we behave toward ourselves and in relationship with others.

The study of archetypal patterns helps us recalculate how we engage with other people—from both positive and also not so positive angles. We can choose intentionally to maintain healthy behaviors, or revise actions that aren’t working!

Archetypes inspire specific projects and unravel the blocks that shut down active creating. Aligning with your archetypal team means you are never alone. The uninitiated may scoff and refer to archetypes as your twelve imaginary friends, but once archetypes are understood symbolically you will value this approach to creativity, and wish everyone could speak the language!