Archetype Cards: An 80-card Deck with instruction booklet

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This Archetype has an “appetite” for the pleasurable aspects of life, from good food and wine to sexuality and sensuality. As scientific reserach has shown, pleasure can improve our health and extend our lives and needs to be part of a balanced life. Indulging the self is central to the psyche of this archetype, whether treating oneself to a health spa or learning the nuances of lovemaking. That the Hedonist is generally thought of as someone who pursues extremes of self-indulgence is more a reflection of our Puritan heritage than of the archetype itself. In positive terms, it inspires creative energy in the psyche to embrace the “good” things in life. It also challenges in a positive way the collective archetypal fear of being seduced and losing control in the physical world. The shadow Hedonist may manifest as pursuing pleasure without regard for other people or one’s own good health. Religion/Myth: Circe (in Greek myth, a sorceress/seductress who could turn men into animals with her magic wand); Potiphar’s wife (in the Hebrew Bible, when her attempt to seduce Joseph failed, she had him thrown into captivity. Her name is Zeleikha in Islamic tradition); Tapairu (Polynesian nymphs who inhabit the waters that lead to the underworld. The goddess of death employs them to seduce men away from the earth); Lorelei (in Teutonic myth, a beautiful maiden who drowned herself after being spurned by her lover, and was then transformed into a siren whose hypnotic music lured sailors to their death). Gambler The Court Jester or Fool is the manifestation of the Clown in a royal setting. Since no one can possibly take a fool seriously at the physical level, he is allowed entry into the most powerful of circles. While entertaining the king with outrageous behavior, the Fool is actually communicating messages that the king trusts. Political satirists often have dominant Court Jester archetypes, revealing the motivations of the highest officials in the nation in a manner that is generally granted freedom from the legal retribution that might be leveled against an ordinary citizen making the same comments. From Little Orphan Annie to Cinderella, the Orphan Child in most well known children’s stories reflects the lives of people who feel from birth as if they are not a part of their family, including the family psyche or tribal spirit. But because orphans are not allowed into the family circle, they have to develop independence early on. The absence of family influences, attitudes, and traditions inspires or compels the Orphan Child to construct an inner reality based on personal judgment and experience. Being a biological father and family man clearly isn’t enough to include this archetype in your intimate circle. You will need to uncover a life-long attachment to the role of family patriarch, however you conceive of that family.

Do not ask a question that requires a yes or no answer, especially regarding your health, such as, “Do I have cancer?” or “Should I get an MRI?” Don’t phrase your request in a way that supports the victim in you: “Why were my parents so mean to me?” or “Why is my spouse lying to me?” Instead, ask for guidance to help you understand your relationship with your parents, or ask for insights into your relationship with your spouse or partner. And by all means avoid asking about what’s going on in another person’s psyche, such as, “Why is my child acting distant toward me?” or “What does Joan really want from me?”

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The King is an archetype of major proportions, representing the height of temporal male power and authority. Both benevolence and cruelty in their extreme expressions are associated with this archetype. (Classic to the cruel King is the collective hope of his kingdom that he should fall from his throne.) The King is associated more with the royal blood and inheritance, whereas an Emperor can arise from common society, as did Napoleon. The bloodline connects the King to the Prince archetype and to attitudes of “entitlement,” one of the shadow characteristics of archetypes associated with rulership. A resistance to criticism, questioning, and challenges in decisions about controlling his kingdom. is also part of the King’s shadow.

You might begin exploring the meaning of each archetype-to-house partnership, for example, by listing any immediate associations and thoughts that occur to you. Even if you feel resistance to some of the partnerships, don’t suppress any responses that come to you. You are learning a new, multi-dimensional way of perceiving your life, and it may feel awkward at first. For instance, say you matched the Prostitute to your seventh house. You might write: “My Prostitute archetype is in the house of relationships. This means that the fears that cause me to sell myself to the highest bidder generally have more to do with my relationships than with my professional life. I don’t tend to sell out in business dealings, because I have a strong sense of self-esteem in that realm. Yet my fear of rejection leads me to cling compulsively to relationships that don’t serve my spiritual needs.”Her research led her own to develop the discipline of energy anatomy, which links emotional, psychological, physical and spiritual stress with diseases. Her work in this area eventually led to the publication of the book, The Creation of Health, in conjunction with Norman Shealy. The shadow aspect of the Nature Child manifests in a tendency to abuse animals and people and the environment. Included is an instruction booklet explaining how to use the cards to help determine which Archetypes are most active in your psyche, and how they can lead you to achieve greater insights into your life.