Feminine Archetype for Month One: The Maiden

In an earlier blog post, we touched on Jung’s concept of the collective unconscious or the idea that we are not born with a blank state. Rather, we are unconsciously hardwired with memories of the experiences of our ancestors and others who came before us. Jung describes this phenomenon using the archetype framework.

Archetypes are mental images or representatives of the unconscious memories that exist within all of us. A blueprint of sorts. The body has DNA, which is passed down from one generation to the next, and your soul has archetypes that reveal the impulses you have deep inside. You can look no further than the familiar themes in myths or fairy tales for examples.

Disney portrays the archetype of the helpless women or damsel in distress through characters such as Snow White, Cinderella or Sleeping Beauty. She might be asleep, waiting for a kiss from her handsome prince to awaken her, or locked in a tower, hoping to be rescued by her hero.  These same themes are repeated in modern-day movies where the ingenue is waiting for a man to save her.

Like some of the Disney characters we read about or watch in movies, we too may be metaphysically asleep or helpless in our own lives and unaware that there is another path. So, a key part of the Rebirth Journey is to wake up and be aware of what else is possible. We will do this by exploring a different feminine archetype each month.

While we are beginning with the well-known Maiden Archetype that often pervades myths and fairytales, we will not stop there. We also will be exploring the Mother, Wild Woman, Lover, Creatrix, and Priestess archetypes – each associated with a particular chakra. At the end of our journey, we will have insights into how to embody all the faces of the goddess.

For now, let’s dig deeper into the Maiden Archetype. While we may associate her with someone young and innocent, she is not necessarily a reflection of our age. Some women stay in maiden energy their entire lives. They are dependent on their father and later their husbands to take care of them. They may fall into a pattern of trying to be a “good girl” or cling to destructive relationships for fear they can’t go it alone. In her book Sacred Contracts: Awakening Your Divine Potential, Caroline Myss describes the shadow aspects of The Maiden this way:

“The shadow side of this archetype mistakenly teaches old patriarchal views that women are weak and teaches them to be helpless and in need of protection. It leads a woman to expect to have someone else who will fight her battles for her while she remains devoted and physically attractive and concealed in a castle.”

While I am not suggesting that we reject our male heroes or their assistance, we can stay in a receptive mode without becoming a damsel in distress. We also can break out of the good girl persona and embrace our untamed side as we will do in Month Three when we explore the Wild Woman archetype.

For now, though, I encourage you to begin by exploring the lighter side of the Maiden Archetype. Tap into her innocent childlike nature that thrives on creativity, fun, adventure and play. While she may be more contained than the Wild Woman, she is liberated in her own way. View the world through her fresh eyes and do your best to break patterns associated with the shadow side.

Let’s wrap up Month One by looking at both the shadow and the light of this archetype so we can be open to every face of the goddess:

Shadow: Co-dependent, obedient, perfectionist, people-pleaser, impressionable, powerless, puritanical

Light: Childlike, innocent, creative, enthusiastic, carefree, trusting, curious, playful, optimistic, open, spontaneous, joyful

Which parts of the Maiden Archetype are you embodying? Share your experiences in the comments below.