What is Your Psychological Archetype?

Loosely based on the work of psychologist Carl Jung and the Pearson-Marr Archetype Indicator (PMAI), what psychological archetype is the most dominant in your personality?

One very essential part of our journeys of self-exploration is to understand the underlying motivations that drive a lot of our behavior.

We have the freedom to pursue whatever we desire, but we don't have the freedom to choose that which we desire. Have you ever wondered why you want, feel, think and behave the way you do? By analyzing your unconscious mind, you can dig to the very roots of why you are the way you are.

Psychologist Carl Jung developed a human psyche theory of "archetypes" (from the Greek words archein, which means "original" and typos, which means "pattern, model or type"), and it was in this theory that he developed the notion that our minds used "universal images" that lead to distinct psychological behaviors. These behaviors were individually acquired but also inherited from the "collective unconscious" (e.g. past life experiences).

Jung proposed that apart from the Universal Self, Shadow, Anima, Animus and Persona archetypes, there were 12 other commonly found ones. Recently, scholar Dr. Carol S. Pearson and psychologist Dr. Hugh Marr developed a system of self-inquiry based on these universal Archetypes in order to help us find ourselves and transform our paths. Pearson and Marr named their method the Pearson-Marr Archetype Indicator (PMAI).

The Sage archetype seeks the truths that will set us free. If the Sage has overcome the temptation of dogma, this can result in wisdom and the ability to see the world and others objectively. The Sage is a seeker of truth and enlightenment and journeys far in search of the next golden nugget of knowledge. The danger for the Sage is the deep seated fear that their hard-won wisdom is built on the sands of falsehood. However, the Sage has hope that through honesty, they will learn to see life with clarity.

Shadow Side: The judge. This will manifest itself in your life as the tendency to be cold, rational, heartless, dogmatic, even pompous – evaluating others in an unfair or insensitive manner.

Life Goal: Truth, understanding
Fear: Deception, illusion
Response to Problem: Study it, understand it, transcend it
Life Task: Attain wisdom
Personal Gifts: Wisdom, non-attachment, knowledge, skepticism
Personal Pitfalls: Being overly critical, pomposity, impracticality, lacking of feeling/empathy

The Lover archetype governs all kinds of love – from parental love, to friendship, to spiritual love – but we know it best in romance. Although it can bring all sorts of heartache and drama, it also helps us to experience pleasure, achieve intimacy, make commitments and follow our bliss. The Lover seeks the bliss of true love and the syzygy of the divine couple. They often show the passion that they seek in a relationship in their energy and commitment to gaining the reciprocal love of another. They fear both being alone and losing the love that they have gained, driving them to constantly sustain their love relationships.

Shadow Nemesis: The seducer. This will manifest itself in your life as the tendency to become a sex or relationship addict, and someone who is unable to say "no" when passion descends, or is totally destroyed when a lover leaves.

Life Goal: Bliss, oneness, unity
Fear: Loss of love, disconnection
Response to Problem: Embrace it, love it
Life Task: Follow your bliss
Personal Gifts: Passion, commitment, enthusiasm, sensual pleasure
Personal Pitfalls: Objectifying others, romance/sex addictions, out of control sexuality

The Creator archetype fosters all imaginative endeavors, from the highest art to the smallest innovation in lifestyle or work. Being adverse to inactivity, the Creator can sometimes cause overload in our lives with constant new projects that are never quite fulfilled. However, when properly channeled, the Creator archetype can help us to express ourselves in beautiful ways. Creators, fearing that all is an illusion, seek to prove reality outside of their minds. A critical part of their quest is to find and accept themselves, discovering their true identity in relation to the external world.

Shadow Side: Avoidance. This will manifest itself in your life by the tendency to fill your inner feelings of emptiness with many different inessential projects, challenges and new things to do. One variety of this habit is workaholism, in which you are constantly pushing yourself to create, produce and to do more.

Life Goal: Creation of new life (identity)
Fear: Abomination, failure (inauthenticity)
Response to Problem: Embrace it as part of the Self
Life Task: Self-creation, self-acceptance
Personal Gifts: Creativity, vision, individuality, aesthetics, imagination, skill, vocation