The archetypes of the self in Carl Jung

The ego archetypes, also known as “higher” or “main” archetypes, They are unconscious representations that have a great influence on the development of the human psycheaccording to the analytical psychology of Carl Jung.

In general terms, Archetypes are universal patterns that are part of the collective unconscious. In other words, unconscious traits common to all humanity that determine specific ways of being.

Carl Jung used religion and mythology to define these patterns and models. In this way he came to the definition of a large number of archetypes. However, Within them there would be five that are of special importance. These are known as ego archetypes.and are next.

Anima

The anima is one of the archetypes of the self in Carl Jung. The concept comes from Latin soul and would correspond to the image of the eternal feminine in the unconscious of a man. It is linked to the principle of eros and defines or reflects the nature of the relationships that a man establishes with women.

For Jung, this archetype has four phases of development, or four levels of evolution:

First grade. It corresponds to the basic biological function of the feminine, whose role is that of that which must be fertilized. The basic archetype would be Eve or Gaia.Second grade. The basic instinctive acquires new nuances that bring it closer to the beautiful and the romantic. The essential archetype would be Helen of Troy.Third degree. Spiritualization or spiritualized motherhood. It corresponds to the model of the Virgin Mary.Fourth grade. The wisdom or wisdom of the eternal feminine. It corresponds to Sofia, the Greek goddess of wisdom.

Animus, one of the archetypes of the self

The animus becomes the counterpart of the anima and corresponds to the image of the eternal masculine in the unconscious of a woman. Ánimus refers to the concept of “spirit” and is governed by the principle of logos. He is linked to the world of ideas and the spiritual. Both in this case, as in the previous one, the unconscious identification with the respective archetype causes a feeling of disappointment in the opposite sex.

This is another of the archetypes of the self that, according to Jung, has four levels of evolution:

First stage. It is the representation of physical power, the athlete. The paradigm would be Hercules.Second stage. Initiative and drive, represented in the mythological figure of Apollo.Third stage. The virtues are transformed into words and then the priest or teacher appears.Fourth stage. The highest manifestation of the masculine. It is the one that reconciles the conscious and the unconscious. It is represented with the figure of Hermes.

Person

Within the archetypes of the self proposed by Jung, this represents the unconscious area of ​​oneself that one wants to share with others. It would be something like “the public image”, which is made up of unconscious elements, but which are harmonized with conscious elements and that is why they want to make themselves known to others.

Likewise, the archetype of the person coincides with the Latin root of that word, which in its original meaning means ‘mask’. Therefore, The person as an archetype has to do with the social self and the multiple facets it adopts depending on the circumstances.. It is governed by the principle of adaptation.

Shade

The shadow would be the opposite of the person. Jung defines it with these words: ‘the image of ourselves that slips behind us when we walk towards the light.’ It is one of the most interesting archetypes of the self and corresponds to the hidden part of an individual, his “other face”, that of oneself that is hidden in the eyes of others, but also in those of oneself.

The shadow is that dark area of ​​the personality to which not even oneself has access.. In fact, the traits present in that unconscious area are not recognized as their own, even though they are. These contents are rejected unconsciously, but if they gain strength, they become antagonists of the self. It is governed by the principle of chaos.

Itself

For Jung, The self is the essential archetype of the collective unconscious. It represents the totality, or maximum expression, of the human being: “the union of opposites par excellence.” It would be something like the last step in the process of evolution of man or, as Jung says, of the process of individuation.

The totality to which this archetype refers manifests as transpersonal power. It understands the center of the psyche, that which governs a person and the destiny towards which they are directed, whether they are aware of it or not. It is determined by the principle of coherence and structure that shapes balance.

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