The 7 Female Archetypes: Which One Are You?
The 7 female archetypes explained + a quiz to discover your’s
When you find yourself really relating to a character in a book or movie, it’s probably because that character archetype is resonating with your own soul make up and revealing to you an unconscious truth about yourself. The 7 female archetypes express the main female identity types we see represented in life, literature, media, each other, and ourselves. And though they can feel rudimentary and limiting, we recognize ourselves in these characters for a reason. They symbolize the innate blueprints embedded in our feminine essence, and getting to know these archetypes can help you get to know yourself.
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Where do archetypes come from?
Archetypes have their origin in Greek mythology. An archetype is a universal character type that can be seen repeated throughout history, myths, dreams, and stories – like the hero and the villain. Archetypes become shaped by specific patterns in personality, behaviour, and ways of being.
In the early 20th century, Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung developed a theory about the human psyche based on the concept of archetypes. Jung determined that there is a set of archetypes present in the collective unconscious, passed on to us by our ancestors, and that these archetypes shape how we experience life. Jung defined 4 main archetypes for men and women: anima/animus, persona, shadow, and self. He believed that by understanding these archetypes, we could bring the unconscious to the conscious, the shadow to the light, and become more self aware.
Jungian psychiatrist and analyst Jean Shinoda Bolen has since expanded on these archetypes, presenting 7 female archetypes in her book Goddesses in Everywoman, that exist and play out in our modern lives. These 7 female archetypes have been embodied by divine feminine figures throughout ancient mythology, yet still ring true today, providing insight into our thoughts, actions, strengths, and weaknesses.
The shadow aspects of the female archetypes
Like two sides of the same coin, each archetype carries positive and negative aspects. These ‘negative’ aspects, or shadows, are like blindspots. They’re the parts of ourselves that we hide, repress, are shameful of, and don’t want to accept. Though people often think of their shadow traits as being dark or bad, these aspects of your personality can actually empower you. When you learn to work with your shadow, you confront the parts of yourself that are holding you back and assimilate them so they no longer have power over you.
Using the 7 female archetypes to embody your power
Understanding your dominant feminine archetype can help you realize your potential and live authentically. And when you’re able to embody aspects of each archetype, you can step into your full divine feminine power.
The 7 Female Archetypes
1. The Maiden
The maiden is the eternal child. She is innocent, optimistic, playful, and full of energy. Her youthful spirit and child-like wonder allow her to find joy and excitement in all areas of her life. The maiden trusts easily and sees the good in people, but because of this, she’s also often taken advantage of. The maiden’s lighthearted nature sometimes makes her vulnerable, co-dependent, and delusional. To prevent her from developing a victim mentality, the maiden woman needs to work on finding her own strength, independence, and autonomy.
2. The Sage
The sage woman is comfortable in her masculine energy. She’s competitive, confident, rational, disciplined, and values objectivity. Ruled by her head, the sage is devoted to the pursuit of knowledge and truth, making her an asset in academic and political settings. However, the sage woman must be careful not to close herself off entirely from her feminine energy as this can cause her to become disconnected from her body, sensuality, and creativity. The sage woman may struggle with forming meaningful relationships with other women.
3. The Lover
The lover possesses a powerful magnetism. She exudes sensual and creative energy and has a desire to connect and create. The lover woman seeks pleasure and freedom, but because of this, is at danger of being overly indulgent. The lover’s want for external validation may cause her to struggle with vanity.
4. The Mother
With her strong maternal instinct, warm energy, and big heart, the mother is often the caregiver or nurturer of the group. She’s protective, responsible, compassionate, and down to earth. The mother always makes sure everyone is taken care of, though sometimes at her own expense. Without proper boundaries, the mother too often puts others needs before her own, making her prone to burnout. The mother’s lack of boundaries makes it easy for people to take advantage of her generosity, which may cause the mother to become bitter.
5. The Queen
Naturally confident, the queen is at home in leadership roles. You’ll probably find her running a business or building an empire. The queen is ambitious, sociable, and devoted. She attracts powerful partnerships, both in work and life. However, if she feels threatened, she can become jealous and vindictive. When not exercised with caution and care, her power and dominance can come off as controlling.
6. The Huntress
The huntress is the wild woman. She’s independent, self-reliant, courageous, and free spirited. The huntress woman tends to be passionate about social causes, like the feminist movement. Fierce as she is, the huntress must also learn to embrace vulnerability and softness as her fiery nature can cause her to become emotionally unavailable and manipulative.
7. The Mystic
The mystic is focused on her spiritual path and can often be found meditating. She is introverted, introspective, intuitive, and calm. The mystic woman enjoys solitude, which gives her an air of mystery. However, her inclination toward social isolation may also cause her to become detached from the material world and emotionally withdrawn from the people around her.