Your Archetype is...
The TEMPTRESS
"Men have jobs, while women have Roles: Mother, Wife, Goddess, Temptress, etc. That's probably why it's so hard for women to rewrite the rules. You're not just changing a job description, but an ancient myth. You're revising the Bible, Poetry, Legend and Psychoanalytic Scripture.”
- Caryl Rivers
Regardless of your unique personality or stage of life, studying archetypes can give valuable insight into your own strengths, challenges, and subconscious beliefs. Archetypes can hold up a mirror to our inner workings, allowing us to understand things on a deeper level, and finally take charge of our own destiny. You may notice that you naturally hold up the pattern of a particular archetype in your work life, or in your romantic life. You may also notice that you have an archetype or two that only become dominant in certain situations. You likely also have preconceived ideas or judgments about some of these archetypes, and these learned biases may also influence your behaviors. Working with this psychological philosophy can be very eye-opening!
Mysterious and sexually free, the temptress archetype is an essential part of the psyche. While she may be scary at times, without her gifts, we would never truly evolve. Death and destruction are imperative, in order to be reborn or to create something new. Death, whether that be a physical, emotional, mental, or spiritual death, is a type of liberation, and the temptress seeks to free us all. In much of archaic religious texts, however, the temptress was the embodiment of sin, and to engage with her meant damnation and failure. You may see this theme in some stories, but from a holistic and empowered standpoint, the temptress was actually the keeper of our salvation.
The Temptress at a Glance
If your archetype is the Temptress, the following characteristics apply to you:
- youthfulness
- independence
- innocence
- a sense of freedom
- optimism
- courage
- hope
- growth
- joy
- curiosity
- playfulness
The Magic of the Temptress
Associated with the colors of black, red, and purple, the element of fire, and the lower two chakras, the temptress archetype is the ultimate alchemist. She is a kind of shapeshifter, appearing as whatever is most tempting to the onlooker. Like the harpies and sirens of folklore, the temptress calls our attention away from our daily lives, our ruminations and to-do lists, and asks us to journey outside of our comfort zones. As a personality type, the temptress can be powerfully magnetic, charismatic, and mysterious, but can be insecure and vengeful on the inside.
About Archetypes
Deep within our collective subconscious lie certain patterns of belief and behavior. These patterns, or archetypes, are the universal symbols of our innate, unlearned human experience. Most of us carry a bit of all of them, and these archetypes may ebb and flow throughout our lives, offering unique wisdom that is useful for situations we find ourselves in. We also tend to advance through some of these archetypes as we age. It was Carl Jung who brought the concept of archetypes into the practice of psychology, offering that all of us travel through archetypal experiences in life, echoing the rhythm of the collective unconscious.
Can You Imagine a World Without our Unique Differences?
As women, we often find ourselves put into boxes by our culture. Other people may try to stuff us into certain stereotypes, more so than they might for a man.
One example of this is the classic “Madonna-whore complex,” which pits women into either being saintly and respectable, or sensual and fun. Many women find themselves caught in this false dichotomy, which can be disempowering, and fails to recognise the value and presence of all archetypes within each woman.
None of the feminine archetypes are “better” or “worse” than the others; each has their own power and their own strengths, which we can fully embody as we study them.
All women have a complex inner world, while also operating as a part of the overall feminine consciousness.
The Power of Knowing your Archetype
In Jungian psychology, there are 12 archetypes, and you can find many variations of these in other philosophies, including goddess mythology, ancient spirituality, and other practices.
In the Soulwoman Circles we study 12 archetypes as they pertain to the feminine experience. You will likely resonate with many of them, and be able to see them in other women too. We explore the following archetypes, get to understand what they have to teach us, and how to embody their energies in an empowering way:
-
Maiden
-
Lover
-
Queen
-
Muse
-
Warrior
-
Earth Mother
-
Wild Woman
-
Sage
-
Huntress
-
Healer
-
Priestess
-
Temptress
Each of these archetypes represents a certain aspect of the collective personality, and each archetype carries its own basic human motivations, its own set of values and desires, and its own weaknesses. When we can truly understand the inner workings of each archetype, we can finally come in tune with our own behaviors, and the underlying drives that we feel. When we can see each archetype for what it is, and identify their motivations, we can get some space from our own thoughts and anxieties. This offers clarity and peace, and a roadmap of sorts, showing us the way through our current situation.
It can be fun to play with archetypes too; you’ll notice them show up as characters on your favorite show, or in a book you’re reading. You’ll notice them in your friends and loved ones. And of course, you’ll notice them in yourself, as you explore your subconscious workings and find your unique path to personal power.
In the temptress' fire, we can experience pain- the pain of loss and longing, and the initial pain of detachment, as we are being cleansed. We can tap into this temptress archetype when we’re ready to surrender to the cycles of life and death, or when we desperately need liberation from bad habits. This archetype shares some similarities with the sage/crone, and the warrior as well, bearing weapons of destruction, steadfast in her convictions, and guided by a greater spiritual truth. She works her magic when it’s needed the most- to keep us focused, or to free us from things that no longer serve. Your inner temptress can be a mirror for the shadow work of others around you, as well as yourself. She glides effortlessly into your awareness, waiting in the wings, ready to take you to new levels of freedom.
For more information on your Archetype, remember to download the eBook!
Click for more information on joining the Soulwoman Membership
Meet the Soulwoman Sistas!
Sisters by Chance, Best Friends by Choice...
Dr. Mia Rose is a registered psychologist in Australia and author of the prize-winning book, Awaken to Love. She is the founder of the Soulwoman Circles, and holds the Space of Transformation for women who yearn for connection in the warm embrace of a supportive sisterhood.
Karen, Mia's biological sister, is the Creative Muse and Chief Cheerleader in the Soulwoman Circles. Her commitment is to support women to create a blissful, purposeful life for themselves by aligning with Self, Spirit and Mama Earth.
Mia and Karen lead women in Circles and on sacred retreats worldwide to help them step into their own power and say YES to life.
