Archetypes of Consciousness
Consider the possibility that our lives as humans are influenced on deep, unconscious levels by various archetypal forces which operate largely in realms beyond the time/space dimension. These timeless archetypes seem to be reflections of deep emotions and beliefs held in the collective consciousness of humanity. They are expressed and explored in our world through individuals and groups who resonate with the various archetypes. Though their form of expression changes and is refined with the passage of time and the evolution of humanity, the core essence of the archetypes seems to have changed little in the recorded history of our planet.
It appears that each of us are somehow both consciously and unconsciously aligned with a certain constellation of these archetypal forces, which then operate through us and interact with us to play a vital role in manifesting our unique sojourn through life. The more conscious we are of the archetypal forces with which we are aligned, the more choice we have in how we interact with them to better support growth and transformation.
Among all of these many forces, I’ve found that two of the key underlying archetypal forces affecting humanity on Earth are the yin and the yang – the feminine and masculine. A key aspect of the yin or feminine archetype is that it largely is focused on service to others, like a nurturing mother in service to her family. The yang or masculine archetype is more focused on service to self, as in the hunter/breadwinner competing with others to climb to the top of his game.
Men and women either consciously or unconsciously tend to align themselves with one of these two aspects. Though the majority of men are aligned with service to self, some are more aligned with the feminine aspect of service to others. And similarly, though most women are aligned with service to others, some more resonate with the masculine aspect of service to self. And we all to some degree tap into both of these in our journey through life.
When practiced with a high level of integrity and consciousness, both service to self and service to others can lead towards greater connection. Yet when integrity is compromised or unconscious choices are made, they can also cause greater separation. When service to self is acted upon to the harm or detriment of those around us, it leads to separation from others, which in turn can cause separation from self. In a similar manner, when service to others places others above self, it tends to lead to neglect of and separation from one’s self, which in turn can cause separation from others.
There is an alternative to the choice between service to self and service to others. Service to all is inclusive of both service to self and service to others. By living in service to all beings, to All That Is, one can avoid the common trap of slipping into duality and polarization which can result by overly focusing on either service to self or others.
In choosing service to all as a primary life intention, I’ve found it is much easier to stay on course towards ever greater love, growth, and transformation. Living in conscious service to all naturally encourages a greater awareness of the bigger picture and embraces and nurtures all aspects and archetypal forces within both ourselves and the universe in our dance with life. My favorite saying along these lines is “I give all that I am into the service of All That Is.”