Using Archetypes to honor all parts of You!
Whore, Jezabel, Slut, THOT? More like Queen, Muse, and Mother!
– Tiffany Shelton, M.A. is a psychotherapist and consciousness expert. Her passion to elevate consciousness goes beyond the message of self-care or wellness, but instead consciously adds to these movements by demanding awakening and insight. Learn more about Tiffany Shelton by clicking here.
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Degrading terms like whore, slut, THOT, and jezebel have a long history of demeaning women and serve only to take away our power. A system and culture of oppressing women’s sensuality, keeps men in power and leaves women’s sexual expression in the hands of men. It perpetuates rape culture and objectifies women as insatiable objects that have no rights. Even writing this article, it was impossible to find a positive word that describes a sexually desirable woman. This article was was originally titled “Free Your Inner Vixen” until I researched the term vixen and found out it means a female fox or ill tempered woman. As sexual beings that keep the human race going, embracing our sexuality and sensuality does not make us animals or ill tempered. I propose elevating our consciousness and embracing terms that endear the desirable woman instead of objectify her. Using archetypes can help us do exactly that.
The movement, #ICanBeBoth , is strong example of women standing up for our rights to honor all parts of ourselves. Be unwilling to shut off your sensuality in the face of ignorance. Every person got to this earth because their mother had sex, and it is imperative to refuse any notion that shames a woman for doing so. Your sexuality and sensuality should be celebrated and only calibrated by you. Your divinity includes regality, fertility, inspiration, and desire. Honor all parts of your womanhood.
I have written, researched, and taught extensively on how to use archetypes to counter the harmful effects of stereotypes. You can think of an archetype as universal symbols of various characters within our collective psyches. A stereotype on the other hand, takes an archetype and adds oppression like racism, sexism, or homophobia to distort that image/symbol. The harm comes when these stereotypes are accepted as norms. It is harmful when divine and well rounded symbols in our unconscious are turned into rigid and oppressive stereotypes in our reality. It’s like taking a Picasso, marring it with feces, and depicting it to the world as an original.
As women we must stand up to the shit that is thrown on us for simply being works of art and sexual beings keeping this human race alive. We are not whores, we are not Jezebels, we are not sluts, and even in the face of a fresh terms we are definitely not hoes over there (THOTS)!
Research shows that counter-stereotypical images help reduce the bias and discrimination. (Read this NPR article for more information on this research). In a developing theory, I propose using archetypes as the counter-stereotypical images to reduce the harmful effects of discrimination.
Ready to learn how using archetypes can help us gain our power back? Stand up as a woman right NOW by embracing the divine archetypes that live within us all.
Here are 3 Archetypes that will help you free your inner sexuality and honor all parts of you!
And the next time you hear someone oppressing female sensuality remember that we are queens, muses, and mothers. And remember, in the words of Feminista Jones: “Sluts don’t exist.”
Queen Archetype
A queen is ancient symbol that lives in our collective unconscious and embodies regal power and grace. The Queen archetype is desired by many, and represents feminine power and authority. Typically adorned in prestigious garments and coveted apparel, she reflects high status and class. Embodying this archetype in everyday life may show up as you navigate being Queen of your home, family, or workspace. The Queen evokes feelings of entitlement, uniqueness and power.
The shadow aspects of the Queen archetype include her proneness to be used in other’s strategies. Also overidentification with this archetype (Queen Complex) may include being overly defensive, afraid to lose power, aggressive, and arrogance. If oe is able to balance the Queen that lives inside her she is able to use her power to help others, and protect those close to her.
Muse Archetype
The Muse archetype is the image in our unconscious that inspires creativity, new ideas, and works of art. She embodies freeing sexuality as she knows her body is a vessel of divinity. Furthermore she is able to confidently use her body in creative ways (i.e yoga, dance, and martial arts) to inspire. More than just a visual inspiration the Muse energy propells us to all aspects of beauty including poetry, culinary arts, writing, making music, and much more. The Muse is an archetype that cannot exist without the artist, a simultaneous image that lives in our collective unconscious. The Muse is constantly inspiring the Artist in you and the Artist is constantly creating in reverence of the Muse in you. In her majesty, embodying the muse allows you to see the beauty in everyday life.
Because the Muse can be thought of as an “inspirational divine figure” she is desired by many, and can find herself being misinterpreting. Unrequited love and misinterpretations of her beauty can be projected onto her. This may result in jealousy, and a desire to diminish her light from others. In today’s times, many women that embody the Muse archetype are harshly criticized an condemned for their sexuality and beauty as way of taking away her power. If the Muse archetype is integrated, one can determine the artists from the haters and focus on divine creativity instead of misguided envy. In order to do this a woman that embodies the muse archetype must begin to accept her power as a Muse and invite the reciprocal relationship of beauty and creativity.
Mother Archetype
The mother archetype embodies fertility and nurturance. She is the epitome of sexuality, bringing forth life from her divine body. She is balanced in the way that she embodies self-sacrifice but also self-care as she steadily cares for herself during pregnancy. The Mother archetype is revered in most cultures, and is also the object her much desire. She embodies mother earth energy and similar to the muse she also embodies creativity. With the ability to create life in her womb, the mother archetype is a beautiful combination of desire, sex, creativity, and self-sacrifice.
The shadow side of the archetype can be seen when a woman over-identifies with her nurturing role. Some women who carry the mother complex may find themselves giving until they are depleted, and would benefit from a healthy dose of self-care. Also in today’s society the mother archetype has been robbed of sexuality and replaced with an asexual and impractical image of a mother. As a result many mothers that embody the very sexuality that gives life, they are condemned and shamed as sluts or unfit mothers. As women, it is time that we reclaimed this archetype and embraced all parts of the mother archetype including her fertility and sexuality.
– Tiffany Shelton, M.A. is a psychotherapist and consciousness expert. Her passion to elevate consciousness goes beyond the message of self-care or wellness, but instead consciously adds to these movements by demanding awakening and insight. Tiffany owns a conscious lifestyle brand called Conscious Life Shop. Learn more about Tiffany Shelton by clicking here.
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References:
Carolyn Myss: https://www.myss.com/free-resources/sacred-contracts-and-your-archetypes/appendix-a-gallery-of-archtypes/
Kathy Ryndak and Gord Riddell:
Venkatesh Rao:
http://www.tempobook.com/2012/03/01/the-second-most-important-archetype-in-your-life/
Photo Sources:
Picture of Girl in Yellow Bathing Suit https://www.instagram.com/2020photography3/
Picture of Queen http://descruellaella.tumblr.com/post/142252165974/sirakante-create-your-own-kingdom
Picture of Mother
Picture of Muse – Picture of Misty Copeland taken from Pinterest
Let me know how using archetypes has helped you raise your consciousness!
