Are You an Alchemist Too?
A Sunday Short Post
February 21, 2025 update
Hello and Welcome! Thanks for being here reading these words.
Please enjoy the below, which is my most appreciated post.
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NOV 26, 2023
Good morning beloved reader,
In the class I’m taking (which I wrote about in my post Your Story Matters) our last session on Zoom was all about archetypes too.
Dr. Carl Jung first wrote about archetypes to address the human psyche:
The concept of archetypes is a key aspect of Carl Jung's theory of the collective unconscious, which suggests that there are universal experiences that are inherent to the human experience. The existence of archetypes can be inferred from various cultural phenomena, such as stories, art, myths, religions, and dreams.
Perhaps we all have within us aspects of all the various archetypes, it’s just that we resonate more with some than with others. But the “aha” I took away from this class, was that by identifying our own primary archetype, we writers can become aware of how we most often write from the voice of our primary archetype. And readers who resonate with our writing, are often readers who resonate with that same primary archetypal energy.
Perhaps this is a key to finding more readers who are a match for my writing? Who knows, but I can certainly hope😁
For example, I learned my primary archetype is the Alchemist, so the highest conscious expression of the Alchemist archetype is to write about my own journey of transformation — utilizing my “capacity and willingness to take something in my life that weighs me down and transform it into something sparkly and precious.”1 In theory, the stories I write will then resonate with readers who want that journey of alchemical transformation too. (So I’m right on target as the next chapter of my book I’m serializing here on Substack — Chapter 34: Dark Night of the Soul — is a journey that I was fortunately able to transform with the help of a skilled therapist!) (update - you can read that chapter here.)
In the class I’m taking called Your Story Matters, they outlined 12 top archetypes, but many, many archetypes have been identified and written about. The author and spiritual teacher Carolyn Myss’s book Sacred Contracts has an appendix with 59 pages of “The Gallery of Archetypes.”
The Oxford English dictionary defines archetype as: the most typical or perfect example of a particular kind of person or thing.
Words often associated with the Alchemist archetype include: Transform, Transmute, Alchemy, Magic, Ritual, Visionary, Innovate, Shaman/Healing/Healer, Mystic/Mystical, Intuition, Flow.
The Outer Journey / higher conscious / evolving expression of the Alchemist Archetype: Constant growth, change and transformation. Unification of opposites. Bringing magic into the world, and new possibilities that haven’t been seen before. That’s how Alchemists operate on autopilot, but when they look inside, they may find they need to own their own power.
The Inner Journey / lower unconscious / primitive or shadow expression of the Alchemist Archetype: Alchemists often need to overcome fear of their own power and learn how to use it effectively for the benefit of all beings. (I love how Thich Nhat Hahn asserts in his book, The Art of Power, that the one right use of power is to lessen suffering first in oneself and then in others.) There may be a rejection wound with Alchemists, and those who identify with the Alchemist archetype may have witnessed a misuse of power. They heal and transmute cultural shame about magic, wisdom and power, and they’re often able to do this from being the “black sheep” in their families, schools and/or religions.
Gifts of the Alchemist Archetype: Transformation, Change, Innovation, Magic, Metamorphosis, Renewal, Visionary, Making dreams come true, Becoming one with the universe, Finding new solutions from curiosity, Creating something out of nothing, or a miracle from a mess, Accessing what can’t be seen by all to create new possibilities.
The Alchemist archetype transforms or creates often through a seemingly magical process. They exist to bring more magic into the world and often have a talent for transforming energy. They also transform lives and stimulate the evolution of human consciousness. Those whose primary archetype is an Alchemist, resonate with conscious creative pursuits.
So I’m curious, my dear reader, if you resonate with the above description of the Alchemist archetype too?
Hi Camilla. I got goosebumps reading all this! Where can I find out more about the archetypes please? And the Alchemist... YES, this really resonates with me. But really curious to find out more about the other archetypes too ☀️
What a thought-provoking post, Camille. I'm going to check out Myss's Sacred Contracts and try and define my own primary archetype. Fascinating! Btw, are you presently taking any similar classes? They sound incredible, thanks.