Correspondences of the Archetypes

 

This is modified from a version published on my old generations blog. An older version was published on these pages, but I have since rethought some of the correspondences, as well as added a line for the four medieval humours. The correspondences with the subtle bodies of the human form come from the theories of Amit Goswami, and those with the modes of consciousness are from Carl Jung. The correspondences with the elements connect the theory of subtle forms with the levels of consciousness as described by the Qabbalah and by the Bardo Thodol. The elements and seasons were the hardest for me to line up and I still am not certain of them.

 

  HERO ARTIST PROPHET NOMAD

Character

Civic Adaptive Idealist Reactive

Element

Air Water Fire Earth

Tarot Suit

Swords Cups Wands Pentacles

Qabalistic World

Formative Creative Archetypal Manifest

Body

Vital

Mental

Supramental

Physical

Mode of Consciousness

Feeling

Thinking

Intuiting

Sensing

Phase of Life

Childhood Old Age Young Adulthood Midlife

Season

Spring Winter Summer Autumn

Humour

Sanguine Phlegmatic Choleric Melancholic

Paradigm

Cooperative Communicative Judgmental Opportunist

Realm

Accomplishment Expertise Values Survival

Social Ideal

Duty

Love

Righteousness

Respect

Political Ideal

Fraternity Equality Justice Liberty

Need

Power Empathy Vision Realism

Ability

Loyalty Compassion Wisdom Courage

Danger

Conformity Pity Fanaticism Indifference

Ethos

Good behavior

Constructive activity

Implement values

Community

Self-fulfillment

Compromise

Caution

Find balance

Bad behavior

Destructive activity

Question values

Us vs. Them

Self-determination

Competition

Risk-taking

All or nothing

Role in Pre-History

Young tribe members required community and a sense of purpose to fulfill their roles of hunters, warriors and mothers. Older, experienced humans were an important resource for arbitrating social conflict once the tribe reached a critical size. The few early humans who lived to old age were the tribe’s venerated source of wisdom and justice. Disaster could quickly destroy a tribe; only the cunning and courage of the survivors gave it a second chance.
Adapted from the The Fourth Turning Broadway Books, 1997.


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