Recognizing the Shape-Shifter

The shape-shifter archetype is a slippery archetype to define. One signature way to know you are in the realm of the shape-shifter is when you have a hard time figuring out who someone is. Just when you have them pegged, they surprise you and show up as someone completely different.

If you have this archetype it is likely that you easily slip into the skin of other archetypes. You probably struggle to define yourself because you feel you are all of the archetypes. All you have to do is think about an archetype and you all of a sudden are it.

In the shadow, the shape-shifter archetype causes unconscious shifts. Like a chameleon that changes from brown to green by simply walking off a brown branch and onto a green leaf, the shift happens without thinking. The shape-shifter’s body, her energy, shifts without her permission and without necessarily any reason behind it. The shape-shifter in the shadow has her matching, melding, merging with her environment naturally and without thought. This is not a bad thing. It just is.

The shape-shifter is detrimental when she wants or needs to know herself and she can’t. It is harmful when she tries to reflect on who she is and what she wants. For the shape-shifter archetype, feelings of hopelessness creep in. She can wonder if she is anyone at all. This is not about a sense of unworthiness or powerlessness. It is about not being able to pin down who she is and, thus, making the conclusion that she is no one.

The Visible Expression

The shape-shifter can manifest visibly as a person who completely changes her persona and look on a continual basis. We all undergo big transformations on occasion, or “make-overs” as the TV shows call them, but the shape-shifter has upwards of five make-overs a day. This is the person that you can’t recognize from one day, or even one hour, to the next. She doesn’t have any particular style. She changes hair color often or wears her hair straight then curly then wavy. The shape-shifter may change outfits three times in a day. Her appearance is constantly shifting to match current trends. She may look taller or wider or bigger or smaller on any given occasion.

Invisible Shape-Shifting

Not everyone with the shape-shifter archetype changes physically. This archetype can also express invisibly. Without any shifts to outward appearances, the shape-shifter can modulate her energy field to such an extreme degree that she literally feels like a completely different person.

The friend that felt warm and welcoming yesterday is cloaked, cold and unreadable today. Last week she was scholarly and well read and this week she’s childlike and naive. For those of you without the shape-shifter, being in relationship with someone who is can feel like a constant betrayal because you think they aren’t being honest. Until you are able to understand that the shape-shifter archetype is what is driving the change, not necessarily a desire to deceive you, you may take things too personally.

Shape-shifters also can move between different layers of thought, reality, and consciousness. This intellectual morphing is even more confusing to by-standers. It may seem like the shape-shifter can’t make up her mind, but really she doesn’t know her own mind. She is of the mind of whatever atmosphere is around her.

A truly adept shape-shifter is able to wield the power of visible and invisible shifting that results in a complete transformation into someone, or something, else.

Shape-Shifter’s Association with Animals

Mythology surrounding the shape-shifter archetype most often has to do with shifts between animal and human forms. There are countless stories throughout history and across all cultures of people turning into animals. In Native American tribes in the central and eastern U.S., there are myths about “Deer Women” who either shift back and forth between a woman and a doe deer or are a hybrid of the two (http://www.native-languages.org/deer-woman.htm).

In her book, Women Who Run with the Wolves, Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estes tells the story of “Sealskin, Soulskin” from northern Inuit tribes. The main character is a selkie, a seal that can turn into a woman by shedding her seal skin. She was kidnapped by a man. He trapped her in human form by holding her sealskin captive. Dr. Estes likened the sealskin to the true, authentic “soulskin” of the woman. The woman forgot herself until she was reunited with her own skin. This is a beautiful reminder for everyone with the shape-shifter archetype that there is a skin that is the true, wild and free self.

Other classic mythical examples of the shape-shifter archetype are mermaids and werewolves. In countless stories, people are cursed and turned into any type of animal imaginable. Sometimes they are able to break the curse and return to human form as with the Princess and the Frog.

Relationship to the Shaman Archetype

The power to shape-shift, either literally or energetically, has long been associated with the shaman archetype. Shamans go into a shamanic journey trance and morph into the form of their spirit guides. A common practice in shamanism is to shape-shift into spirit animals while in a journey trance to receive healing and guidance for oneself and for others. In many cultures, it was believed that shamans were able to literally shift into animal forms.

Overlap with Other Archetypes

Due to the nature of the shape-shifter and her ability to take on other forms, stories about her often overlap heavily with other archetypes such as the trickster archetype, magician archetype, god archetype, enchantress/enchanter archetype, and spy archetype. It is easy to trick someone when you appear in a different form. The ability to shape-shift does appear to be a magical ability. Gods and goddesses, being all powerful, often used their power to change forms. Many shape-shifters are able to enchant and seduce people when in disguise. And, it is especially easy to spy on others when in an inconspicuous skin.

People Pleasing and the Shape-Shifter

In the shadow, the shape-shifter archetype can give up who she is and what she believes in to make other people happy. She can be a classic people pleaser. She may take a form that helps her be loved and liked, and to get what she needs from others. However, the shadow shape-shifter changes form for any number of reasons, not just people pleasing. She does so to go unnoticed and be noticed, to please others and to stand up to them, and to get what she wants and to be generous. Her shape changes just for the sake of changing many times.

The Shape-Shifter Today

The shape-shifter archetype is alive and well in popular culture these days. There doesn’t seem to be a fantasy movie or book around that doesn’t have at least one character that posses the power to shape-shift. The examples are far to many to list here, but I’ve collected a few to give you an idea.

In the movie Ladyhawk, Michelle Pfeiffer’s character is a hawk by day and woman by night while her lover, actor Rutger Hauer, is a man by day and wolf by night. In J.K. Rowlings’s Harry Potter books there are magicians that can shift into animals or that can altar their human appearances. In the Throne of Glass fiction series by Sarah Maas the form of magic that allows a person to shape-shift between different human and animal forms is considered the most dangerous of all magic. In Shana Abe’s The Smoke Thief, people are able to shift into dragons. The character Mystique in X-Men shifts between human forms. The robots in Transformers change between vehicles such as cars and planes to giant, armored robots in human form.

Animals that are examples of the shape-shifter archetype are: ladybug, dragonfly, frog, and butterfly.

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The Liberator Archetype

There are countless stories of the liberator archetype throughout history. Look for the prominent revolutionaries turned world leaders that set an entire population free from oppression.

Primary models of the liberator archetype are Nelson Mandela, Malala Yousafzai, and Ghandi. Hundreds of years ago in the United States, numerous liberators were at work to abolish slavery. More recently, Martin Luther King Jr. marched for freedom from the oppression of segregation.

There is something about the human spirit that cannot stand enslavement. We long to be free. It is a part of human nature. However, not every human has it in her nature to rise up with such force as to be able to redirect the course of an entire nation. The liberator archetype in its fullest expression is a powerful, charismatic, compelling, and ruthless force.

The Themes of Liberation

In the beginning, the liberator archetype is able to open her eyes to the oppression she and her people experience. Her awareness expands. Then, right as she is ready to open the way to freedom, she hits a major roadblock. The liberator experiences horrific injustices, is imprisoned and/or is exiled. Her story of brutality inspires a large-scale campaign to overthrow the oppressor. The liberator may travel to other countries to gather international support. Next comes a release of the tsunami that takes down the despot once and for all. Lastly, the oppressed assume power and the liberator steps into governing.

Awareness

In the light, the liberator archetype brings a vision of equality and freedom for all that is unmatched. She births this vision while away at university or when traveling beyond her homeland. Education helps the liberator expand her awareness beyond the cage walls of the oppressive system. By freeing her mind she sees how to free her people.

The liberator archetype isn’t just about leaders of epic revolutions, she also works on a personal level. Your fears, illusions, dogmas, and dependencies hold you captive. These are born of ignorance. The liberator inspires you to become educated, so that you can see the truth.

Buddhism speaks of naked awareness, an ability to see things as they actually are. Cultivating naked awareness paves the way to inner freedom. To become enlightened by naked vision is to be liberated.

Imprisonment and Exile

The next theme involves a devastating setback. For Nelson Mandela and Ghandi this was their literal imprisonment. For Malala, this was being shot in the head by a masked gunman and her exile from Pakistan.

The ruling authority acts in great force to squash the rebellion and target the leaders of the rebellion directly. This turns some liberators into martyrs when their death by assassination occurs, further fueling the revolution.

When working with the liberator archetype within you, your initial push to break free is met by a stronger opposing force that clings to the status quo. Self-abusive thoughts can be relentless. You tell yourself to quit daydreaming and to deal with things as they are. The busy mind haunts you day and night.

You might be tempted to stay in the cell in your mind, and give up. The old family stories, cultural myths, and past traumas hold you hostage. They prey upon your fears. The cage door is open, but you can’t walk out.

You don’t have to be literally locked in a jail cell to know the power of the liberator. There are fears and conditioning that keep you from living your full potential. This can be the most disheartening phase because you may think you’re failing before you even begin. If the masters have taught you anything, know you need to keep going. As Mandela’s autobiography is titled, it is a “Long Walk to Freedom.”

When the liberator in the light sticks to her mission, the autocracy loses the taste for holding the liberator hostage. The sentence is up and the liberator walks free.

Campaign

Once the liberator is out, she doesn’t turn her back on the inequality and brutality others are experiencing. Her personal, regional fight for freedom broadens to a larger population. She campaigns tirelessly for freedom and tells everyone about the plight of oppressed people.

Malala Yousafzai, Nadia Murad, Nelson Mandela, Ghandi, and the Dali Lama – each and every one of them traveled internationally to garner support for their causes.

When working with the liberator personally, you campaign by talking with others (friends, therapists, spiritual directors) about the atrocities of the inner oppressor, your panic attacks, and worry. You campaign to receive support from others in your quest for inner freedom, and you plead with your soul for a better way of life.

Revolution

During the revolution, you are in the shadow of the liberator archetype if you focus on using force to overthrow the oppressors. The shadow liberator loathes the people in power and uses vengeance and hate to rally support. If you are acting out of anger, you risk becoming what you abhor. Violence, terror, and victimization are tools the shadow liberator uses under the guise of liberation.

The liberator archetype in the light motivates the masses with ideals. The goal becomes bigger than ousting the few at the top, it is a desire to change the human race for the better. Peace, liberty, justice, and freedom for all are what the struggle is about. The evolved liberator archetype lives by the same ideals she wishes to see manifest – kindness, generosity, patience, and pacifism. She looks to change the system by first transforming her hatred into compassion.

Liberator as Government Leader

When the revolution is successful, the liberator moves into office to instate a new world order. Some of the greatest liberators have made great leaders, but many liberators turn into tyrants.

A contemporary to Nelson Mandela, Robert Mugabe also fought against apartheid. Both men succeeded, but here their paths diverge. Mandela lead the new South African government for one 5-year term and resigned as promised. The next South African president was chosen via a free and fair election. Mugabe held on to power for over twenty-five years, and he became known for acts of brutality, political corruption, and denigration of civil liberties.

Establishing a new ruling body is a challenging time for the liberator because he knows how to shake systems up, not establish them. However, he knows that his leadership as a symbol of freedom is necessary for a time to convince the people that true change has come.

This stage of the liberator archetype is the most critical, for the actions here will determine whether the cycle of oppression will begin over again or be broken.

The Liberator and You

The shadow liberator is intolerant of people who refuse to leave their cages. She’ll force them to leave their caged yet comfortable lives whether they want to or not. She insists everyone embraces her vision of freedom. A tyrant, she forces her will on others. The shadow liberator does not trust free people to make the right choices, so she dictates their actions.

The enlightened liberator archetype values free will above all else. She honors the choices of others. The liberator in the light helps people see truth at their own pace, stretching their comfort zones with grace. She treats her former oppressors with the same compassion as those who suffered beside her. She endeavors to be an example of virtuousness and generosity in her vision of an equal and free society.

As for you, remember not to replace the old fears and demands you made on yourself with new ones. Work to keep faith in the ideals you’ve fought so hard to embrace. Live your life by a living ethos instead of rigid rules. Be more than tolerant. Be compassionate towards all sides of yourself, even the cruel ones. And, help others on the road to both outer and inner freedom.

“To be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.” – Nelson Mandela

 

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The “Purifier Archetypes” Online Class

All three archetypes clear out the status quo to make way for an expansive, naked awareness. They purify us along the spiritual path and address the fears we encounter. The exorcist transmutes demons into allies and separation into union. The destroyer embraces the cycle of destruction to unlock hidden potential. The liberator uses wisdom to free us from attachment and suffering.

 

 

The Networker Archetype

Meet the one who conceives connections and fosters communication. The networker archetype works the web upon which society and life itself depends. A social media junkie in the shadow, the ultimate expression of the networker archetype is divine. Her ability to conduct like an orchestra the interrelatedness of all things is a gift to us all.

Extroversion vs. Introversion

The stereotype of the networker depicts her as the social butterfly at the cocktail party. She is the one who knows everyone and is a talented conversationalist. She owns the room. Unfortunately, this is an extremely limited picture of the networker.

You may be surprised to learn that there are as many quiet, socially modest, and introverted networkers as there are brash, talkative ones. This is what I mean when I teach about the difference between a stereotype and an archetype. Archetypes are not personality traits like introversion and extroversion, but are universal patterns of human behavior. 

A quiet, reclusive networker may foster connections and communities from behind a computer screen. She might build networks one intimate meeting at a time. Networkers don’t have to have a lot of friends or many acquaintances.

The networker isn’t just connecting people. She can network financial investments or healthcare support teams. An interfaith pastor tends to the ties between different belief systems. Scientists, who are often stereotyped as shy, study the ecological networks of forests, oceans, and deserts.

The networker archetype associates ideas, projects, and the archetypes in her own interior.

Why Network?

There is networking to make an honest living, networking for the joy of it, and networking to increase the ego. The information, resources and power the networker passes around are inherently valuable, but how that currency is spent is up to the conscience and awareness of the networker.

Do you network for free or for a fee? What are the hidden costs of the connection and do you hope to benefit from it somehow? Do you volunteer up names and resources for friends? What happens when they don’t do the same for you?

The empowered networker realizes that engaging in the act of sharing information inherently means she is also in the network. She knows that when she offers someone a lead that they may not be able to repay her in kind. But, she trusts she will receive assistance down the road from someone else when it’s needed. In essence, she doesn’t keep score.

Symbolism of the Net

A net can be seen as both positive and negative. Think of the life-saving safety net. This is the collection of family, friends and community that are there for you when tragedy strikes. It is the web of investments and savings you have in place in case of disaster.

The safety net allows you to take risks, jumping from one trapeze to the next. If you fall, you will survive to try again. A safety net gives you a chance to make mistakes and live life full on. It staves off the crippling fear of failure. The networker archetype in the light aspect utilizes and shares the power of the safety net.

On the other hand, there is the net that ensnares you. With too many people in your network, you can find yourself overwhelmed and trapped by public opinion. Nets can limit your movement and options. Relying too much on a given network or networker can render you powerless to find your own path.

The Shadow Networker

The shadow networker consists of two extremes. The first is believing oneself to be wildly popular – a classic world revolves around you stance. The second is forgetting that your presence is needed to hold strands together, thus mistaking the resources you share as more important than you.

Despair comes for the networker when she is overwhelmed by all the possibilities. She may obsess over trying to control and know all the strands. She can give up when her network just seems too big to manage. The network can take over her life.

The shadow networker assumes many forms, especially name dropping. Have you ever met someone and the first thing they do is tell you who they know? The shadow networker also obsesses over how many friends she has on Facebook, followers on Twitter, and subscribers on YouTube. She doesn’t understand genuine connection, but fame. Any attention is good attention.

The solitary networker expresses the shadow by hiding behind the people or resources she connects. She disappears in the vast web she weaves and loses sight of her own value. Eventually, she becomes blind to the role she plays and falls through the net she was holding.

Mystical Law of Interconnectivity

The common thread for everyone with the networker archetype is the constant tendency to find, draw and foster connections. Wherever the networker goes she finds a web of interrelatedness between people, systems, animals, and things. She sees how everything is connected to everything else.

The net of energy that ties the cosmos together sparks a deep awe in the networker archetype. At the highest level, she is a scholar and practitioner of the mystical law of interconnectivity. For her, divinity is in the interconnection of all things.

Indra, the Hindu god of thunder and lightning, is said to have hung a net in the sky. At each intersection resides a mirror-like jewel that shines like a star. Look into the jewel and you’ll find every jewel stretched in every direction, a web within a web within infinite webs. This speaks to the vast awareness that comes via the networker archetype. This is power that comes when you find that you are one of the jewels reflecting the beauty of the people and life around you.

Mediator vs. Networker

Both the mediator and networker archetypes foster alliances. The difference is that the mediator deals in polarities. She is ever resolving conflict or at least finding herself in the middle of it. She performs best when there are two sides to manage. Her position is to have no position. The mediator finds working with many needs and voices to be a hopeless affair.

The networker doesn’t find herself in such black and white situations. She often is in the mix of a group of different viewpoints that overlap, contrast, and go in many directions. The networker acknowledges that she is one opinion among many. Her life is a melting pot. She excels at coordinating numerous perspectives, and even enjoys it.

 

Be sure to read about Mother Spider – the networker of the animal kingdom!

 

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The Queen and King Archetype

Both rulers of the kingdom and royal court, the queen and king archetype are two sides of the same coin – the sovereign archetype. On the surface, they simply play different gender roles. However, the expectations and inclinations of the genders are varied enough that we see completely distinct patterns of behavior and disparate mythologies arise out of each archetype. Before delving into the distinctive details, let’s first consider the commonalities.

The king and queen archetypes are first and foremost the singular authority over a set territory. Everyone in that land answers directly to them. When a country or kingdom has a pair of a king and queen, the primary authority doesn’t depend on gender. A queen who is in the line of succession can be the supreme leader regardless of whether or not she marries. Either way, the line of authority is clearly defined. A person with this archetype is likely to assume they are in charge.

Royal Blood

Kings and queens are born into power, it is their birthright. A king or queen that poses a rivaling claim to the throne and wins is a usurper, which is another archetype all together. What we see with a true king or queen is the promise from birth that their royal blood will put them in the seat of power. They are often the favored child expected to inherit the empire and go on to do great things. On the other hand, we do have stories of the occasional ruler that ends up there unexpectedly. This happens when the deaths of earlier successors, especially siblings, makes it so.

Royal blood makes the childhood of the queen and king different. He or she is sheltered from the world, surrounded with lavish things, and educated specifically for his/her upcoming role. In essence, he/she doesn’t have a normal childhood. Think of childhood stars like Michael Jackson, the king of pop. When considering if this is one of your archetypes, these actual life circumstances are not necessary but metaphoric parallels must be. Even a longing for or obsession with a privileged life can fit here.

The experience of living a privileged life and not being able to connect with the subjects of the kingdom is another important element. The queen or king either embraces her/his role as being divinely ordained or struggles with wanting to live a “normal” life. He or she may vacillate between acceptance and resistance of the crown. It is, of course, lonely at the top.

Symbols of the Royal Rulers

Within these archetypes are important symbols. The throne is the seat of power. The person (or thing) of paramount importance goes on the throne. What are you placing on the throne in your kingdom? Is it your need to be in control of everything and attain power? Or your chance to spread compassion and facilitate stability?

The crown indicates the supreme authority as bestowed by God. There is no mistake that the queen and king wear a crown on the crown chakra. The belief is that they are the direct authority of the divine. God speaks through them. If this is one of your archetypes, be mindful of your assumption that you are always right. Clearing your personal agendas is critical to ensuring you wield your authority for the good of all.

Every king and queen has a royal court. Who do you go to for advise? Friends? Family? Employees? And, who waits for your decrees and does your biding? You can’t have this archetype without considering the court and your relationship to them. A monarch cannot rule without the assistance of others. If the members of the court are trustworthy or not is an important sticking point for those of you with this archetype.

And lastly, the kingdom. What do you consider your domain? Is it the office, your home, or your interior? The king and queen both need territory, whether literal or symbolic, to rule over.

The King Archetype

According to Robert Moore and Douglas Gillette, authors of King Warrior Lover Magician, the king archetype provides the gifts of ordering, fertility/blessing, and mediation. The king archetype helps order the kingdom by setting and enforcing law as well as being the central figure around which everything and everyone revolves. In a realm with a good king, calmness and stability reign. The king ensures security and contentment of the land by producing offspring to inherit the throne and distributing blessings and/or wealth to his subjects. The king is the direct mediator between God and the people, serving as a conduit for the Divine.

The Shadow King Archetype

In the shadow, the king archetype is the tyrant, despot, or dictator squashing any doubt of his authority, forgetting the welfare of his subjects and ever hungry for more power. The shadow king may be the conqueror looking to increase his territory, treasury and reach by overthrowing other kings. He is no longer the conduit for God, but God himself, the supreme ruler. He wipes out the advisers of his court and replaces them with mindless guards and submissive military captains. This king wants an empire, not just a kingdom.

The king archetype in the shadow can also become the mad king who becomes psychotic and turns on his own people. His unpredictability breeds fear in the populace. On the other side is the weakling king who hides behind the throne (i.e. his position or title) afraid to confront his adversaries in court or on the battlefield. In the Game of Thrones series, Joffrey and Tommen Baratheon are perfect examples of the tyrant and weakling.

The Evil Queen

Oftentimes, women choose the queen archetype for her shadow qualities. This is one of the few instances where I see a wicked pleasure come out of choosing an archetype for the shadow. Most of the time the shadow is seen as shameful, but in this case the authoritative “off with their head” brazenness of the shadow queen is a point of pride.

The shadow queen can be the evil, wicked queen who’s lost her own head. She runs wild in an effort to uphold her power and dominate her subjects. She rules through cruelty and aggression. Her emotions of defensiveness and/or vengeance take over. These rages stem from the sense that her personal power is under threat.

The evil queen doesn’t have control over her own inner realm, let alone her outer kingdom. There is a deep seated fear that she will lose her power. This is foreboding is self fulfilling because the evil queen has already lost power over herself, so her fall from power is imminent.

The other face of the shadow queen is the ice queen who has worked so hard to not let her emotions dictate her actions that she shuts down completely. The ice queen is not able to connect with those she’s in charge of. Thus, she does not care properly for her people.

The queen archetype has a tougher go of things than the king in many instances. In our patriarchal society women are not inherently believed to posses qualities of leadership. The members of the court, not believing in her leadership, often seek to influence, undermine or even circumvent the queen’s actions. The people surrounding her often are at odds. She feels alone in her decisions with no one to confide in. She will have to confront betrayal with swift consequences or lose her throne.

The Benevolent Queen Archetype

In the light aspect, the queen brings forward the feminine qualities of compassion, receptivity and inclusivity. The benevolent queen is able to feel her way through what her subjects need and deliver balanced proclamations. She rules with a firm kindness that has zero tolerance for malice but judiciously hands out mercy. She accepts her lonely station with grace, demonstrates great courage, and is like the tree that bends in the wind but does not break. The benevolent queen receives her power through the adoration of her people. They serve her because they want to and the whole kingdom accomplishes great things.

Examples in Movies & TV

As the preeminence of the king and queen has waned in politics over the last few centuries, the archetypes have resurfaced with great fervor in pop culture. This shows our collective, eternal draw to these universal symbols. There is no way to list all of the recent movies and TV shows that feature the king and/or queen, but here are a few of my favorites that are great studies of these archetypes: The Crown (Netflix), Game of Thrones (books by George R.R. Martin and HBO), The Musketeers (BBC), The Tudors (HBO), The Last Kingdom (BBC), The Lord of the Rings Series (books by J.R.R. Tolkien and movies) and Queen Ramonda in Black Panther. In many of these examples you can find the imposters to the throne as well as those characters that truly posses the royal archetype.

 

 

Addict Archetype

We all have at least a little bit of the addict archetype in us. Sometimes it features more prominently than we’d like. We all have cravings, we all go overboard, and we all struggle to learn discipline. The shadow of the addict archetype shows up to help us numb depression, self-loathing, overwhelm, shame and other unfavorable emotions. When we feel an intense desire for control we do exactly the opposite, lose it.

The most obvious addictions are to mind altering substances – alcohol, weed, pain killers, etc. We can also be addicted to another person, an abusive situation, or a compulsive behavior.

Whether you are deciding if the addict archetype is a major player in your life or if you’re simply confronting addictive behaviors, it is always a good idea to know your inner addict better. To start out – what are your cravings? Please go way beyond surface cravings like chocolate and potato chips.

What cravings habitually decimate the balance in your life? What secret desires are you ashamed to admit? How are your relationships, sanity, income, and security negatively impacted by your addictive behavior?

Voice of the Addict Archetype

The quickest way to identify the voice of the addict archetype in your head, look for the word “deserve”. Deserve shows up in two different ways. First, as the influence of the shadow addict starts to amp up in you, you will talk more often to yourself about what you deserve. You will also start asking “what about me?”

Then, just as you are about to go wild with whatever substance, person or action that gives you a buzz, you’ll tell yourself how much you deserve it. Reasons such as you’re working too hard, people expect too much from you, or you are due for a break are a few among many rationales.

The addict archetype in the shadow is telling you that somewhere you are lacking. She tries to fill the void artificially for you.

Control and Chaos

The addict archetype has a special relationship with the cosmic forces of order and chaos. Typically we fear chaos and value order. We like the world and other people to be predictable and consistent. We also prefer to be in control. When we feel in control, we believe we have the power to mitigate the threat of chaos that may blow through and destroy our lives.

The addict seems to work contrary to this logic. Just when life gets back to normal and things are going predictably along, the addict jumps in and stirs up a mess of chaotic consequences with her behavior. The shadow addict apparently does not like order, and will go to great lengths to disrupt it.

The interesting thing is that from the perspective of the shadow addict archetype, she is exerting control by taking over. For the woman who feels drained by the constant demands of work, family and home, the addict takes back control. For her, the addiction is a form of empowerment. It is a way to exert order in her world.

The Addict’s Power

This woman will likely lie to her loved ones, but the true deception is to herself. She tricks herself into believing that by indulging the craving that she is putting herself first and taking the power back in her life. Unfortunately, the power goes to the addiction. Or, in archetypal language, the shadow addict archetype is in control. The first of the 12-steps is to admit that “we are powerless over our addiction.” The 12-step program developed by Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob Smith works because it is a careful study of the patterns of the addict archetype.

So, even if you don’t consider yourself an alcoholic or narcotics addict, a careful study of the Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotic Anonymous 12-steps program is advised. It may be hard for some of you to get past the reference to a seemingly patriarchal God, but learning to read the steps symbolically and see the deeper meaning behind them can help bring great insight.

To evolve out of the shadow of the addict archetype, some form of spirituality or belief in a greater purpose, offers a valuable wellspring of faith. Faith is needed to get out of the deep pit of the shadow addict.

Gifts of the Addict Archetype

The addict archetype is almost entirely identified through the shadow. In fact, most people have a hard time believing that there is such a thing as a light side to this obviously destructive, malicious force. However, all archetypes have both a light and a shadow side, even this one.

The gifts of the addict archetype include a strong inner ability to break free of destructive habits. Any time you say “no” to a seductive dark craving, you are employing the power of the addict. Saying “no” can bring a deep sense of empowerment that reinforces the truth that you are stronger and bigger than the addiction. Self-discipline is the main benefit of the addict in the light aspect.

The addict in the light aspect is humble. Her humility cultivates a living sobriety that makes every day brighter and more awe-inspiring. The humility of the addict helps her be less judgmental and more compassionate towards the imperfections of others.

She knows her position in the world and lives in alignment with Divine will. The addict in the light understands that she has faults. She keep an eye on her dark self. She is fearless in taking inventory of her wrongdoings and making amends when she errs. The light side of the addict holds the grace of absolution. The grace of absolution is the power to release both herself, those who’ve harmed her, and those she has harmed from their shortcomings. 

Rather than reinforcing a sense of lack, the light side of the addict helps nurture feelings of satisfaction with the life you’ve been given. The light aspect of the addict can help you find the wonders of your life that fill and light you up naturally.

 

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NOTE: My work and writing here is to help you understand the archetypal forces symbolically and spiritually. This article is not meant to help you diagnose or treat a serious mental health condition or addiction. When in doubt, please contact your medical professional.