Archetype

From Astrowiki-en

The term, which originates from the Greek arkhetypon (original image), played an important role in ancient philosophy. It refers to basic ideas and principles that exist on the spiritual plane and shape everything that comes into concrete existence.

C.G. Jung reintroduced the term into modern language. He considers archetypes to be psychic patterns in the collective unconscious which are passed on through inheritance or formative experiences in childhood. They influence human experiences, perceptions and actions before the process of individuation has begun. They are above all concerned with general themes such as birth, relationships, illness and death. Fairy tales and myths express archetypal themes and on a personal level they can find expression in dreams.

Modern astrology which is influenced by Jungian depth-psychology considers the 'energies' of the planets and signs of the zodiac to be archetypal expressions. This is particularly the case when referring to the horoscope to understand the psychic structure of an individual. For example, the archetype associated with the planet Pluto is connected to birth, sexuality, transformation, death and decay. However, this wide variety of associations connected to the archetype of Pluto does not tell us how it will manifest in the life of a particular individual. In order to understand how the archetype of Pluto might manifest in a particular individual's life we need to know its sign, house position and any aspects it makes to other factors in the horoscope. Transits can 'activate' the archetypal patterns for a particular period of time.