[FEATURE] “Understanding the Archetypes and Finding Your Life Purpose (Part 1)”

(Disclaimer: This will be a long ass series of posts full of ribet psychoanalytic mumbo jumbo, read and skim
at your own risk)

Have you ever feel like life’s meaningless? Have you ever feel like you’re just wandering around in this
world with no places to go and no sense of direction? Have you ever feel stressed or depressed?

No? Never? Not even once in a great distress or from an intense traumatic event? Seriously?

Anyway, *cough* regardless of whether you’ve been in such a position or not it’s quite useful to understand
your self, both the conscious and the unconscious self, and how it can help pave your life’s path. But to do
that we need to understand two advanced theories that complement MBTI: Cognitive Functions and
Archetypes (Beebe’s and Jung’s). We’ve already covered these in the past, just search
#CognitiveFunctions101 and #MBTIFoundationalTheory

Since I assume you already know much about cognitive functions (we’ve covered it A LOT), I’m gonna
jump to The Archetypes right away just to refresh your memory, since this is a theory that we rarely talked
about.

[The Archetypes]

Archetypes are basically defined as “a way of organising human experience that gives it collective
meaning”. The collection of images, memories, and emotions surrounding an archetypal core, but unique to
ourselves.

You can see above there’s an image corresponding to 8 cognitive functions that each type has in a
clockwise order (the image is for a man; for a woman the archetypes change gender, except for the 7th and
8th functions). Above the line are the 4 functions we naturally use, which is the conscious part of our
psyche, and below the line are 4 shadow functions which lie in the unconscious part of your psyche. Our
Self is composed by 4 functions that we use in our daily life, while our Larger Self is composed by all the 8
functions (both conscious and the unconscious).

So, let’s meet our conscious functions first, seen as their archetypes.

1. Your 1st/dominant function is the [Hero] in you. You were born with this function fully available and it is
often seen by the others as “your gift”. Everybody is good at something – that is their first function. If you
don’t know what are you good at, you were probably forced by the education you received to develop and
use a different function. It is imperiously important to know your heroic function because it is only through it
that you will achieve success in your life

As "operating charters", the emotionally positive sense of heroically solving a problem would best be
captured by the rational mind through the following perspectives:

- Se (ESxP): The environment must be scanned for tangible or practical experiences

- Si (ISxJ): Life must be familiar to my individual storehouse of practical data
- Ne (ENxP): The environment must be scanned for alternative hypothetical possibilities
- Ni (INxJ): Life must be "filled in" by my individual [subconscious] impressions
- Te (ExTJ): The environment must be efficiently organized [mechanically correct]
- Ti (IxTP): Life must make technical sense ["correct"] to my individual understanding
- Fe (ExFJ): The environment must be socially friendly ["good"]
- Fi (IxFP): Life must be humanely congruent ["good"] to my individual values
2. The 2nd/auxiliary function is the [Parent]. It is less developed, but usually once you reach an adulthood
it’s fairly well mastered. The majority of the people you meet on the street use only the first 2 functions
(sadly); the Hero takes care of one’s life and the Parent takes care of the others’ life. It’s typical for the
Parent to be absolutely idiot when it comes to looking after oneself. This is your Auxiliary function.

The emotionally positive sense of authoritatively supporting others is best captured by the rational mind
through:

- Se (ISxP): Aiding others in practical experiences

- Si (ESxJ): Teaching others according to what's familiar
- Ne (INxP): Showing others alternative hypothetical possibilities
- Ni (ENxJ): Showing others underlying significance of things from our hunches or visions
- Te (IxTJ): Directing others to efficiently organize the environment
- Ti (ExTP): Teaching others according to logical truth
- Fe (IxFJ): Instructing others on group ethics or values
- Fi (ExFP): Teaching others by one's own personal relation to situations

3. The [Child] is the 3rd/tertiary function. It is the first seriously weaker function. It gets exhausted easily,
just like a child who plays a little and then it gets bored. It’s like a fire made from hay: burns fast and fades
away. It also tend to “inflate” itself, aiming to appear full of “wisdom and maturity” and be equal to the
dominant or auxiliary of others.

The emotionally positive sense of child-like relief is best captured by the rational mind through:

- Se (ENxJ): Looking to be led by others in practical experiences

- Si (INxP): Nostalgic enjoyment of memories, especially childhood
- Ne (ESxJ): childlike exploring of alternatives, hypothetical possibilities
- Ni (ISxP): childlike exploring of underlying significances
- Te (ExFP): Finding relief in organizing the environment
- Ti (IxFJ): Childlike exploration of logical frameworks
- Fe (ExTP): childlike when connecting with others
- Fi (IxTJ): Find relief through internal harmony; personally relating to situations represents innocence

4. The 4th/inferior function is [Anima]. It’s the weakest natural function and needs constant training. If
you’re an idiot in your life, it is probably because you lack balance, and you achieve balance only when you
use your inferior function. Also, when you lack energy and enthusiasm, it’s because of the same thing: you
don’t use your Anima. The inferior function is used rarely and you will never achieve the same degree of
mastery compared to the first three natural functions. As it is your sense of inferiority, it will always be your
weak spot and you will constantly have to take care of it and train and develop it.

Possible drawbacks from the emotionally freighted sense of connecting with life:

- ISxJ's Ne might feel inferior in new possibilities.

- INxJ's Se might feel inferior with current practical, tangible experience.
- IxTP's Fe might feel inferior in humane (personal, "soulish") matters (including one's standing in social
groups).
- IxFP's Te might feel inferior in technical (impersonal) matters in the environment, such as regarding
logical organization.
- ESxP's Ni might feel inferior (spaced out) by hypothetical frameworks from the unconscious, such as
archetypes and symbolism.
- ENxP's Si might feel inferior when it comes to a storehouse of tangible acts, such as learned order
- ExTJ's Fi might feel inferior on an individual "humane" level, including personal integrity.
- ExFJ's Ti might feel inferior regarding individual technical (impersonal) knowledge, such as regarding
logical understanding.

I’ll talk about the shadow functions archetypes in my next post, just stay tune

--INTP
#MBTIAnalysis
#CognitiveFunctions101
#MBTIFoundationalTheory

References:
http://www.erictb.info/archetypes.html
https://cezarspace.wordpress.com/2014/12/03/archetypal-energies/

[FEATURE] “Understanding the Archetypes and Finding Your Life Purpose (Part 2)”

(Disclaimer: This is a long ass series of posts full of ribet psychoanalytic mumbo jumbo, read and skim at
your own risk)

In my previous post (just scroll down using the hashtag #MBTIAnalysis) I’ve talked about 4 functions which
composes our conscious self. Now I’m going to talk about the rest of the shadow functions, which
comprises of:

5. The [Opposing Personality] is our first shadow function. We have a love-hate relationship with it. It is
everything we always wanted to be… but we aren’t.

How it manifests subconsciously:

- ISxJ's Se Think that living in the moment is irresponsible.

- INxJ's Ne Probably think that multiple possibilities are absurd. The patterns point to one right conclusion.
- IxTP's Te Think that agreed upon logical rules are stupid and a waste of time.
- IxFP's Fe Think that agreed upon ethics do not get to the real needs of people; affect them negatively,
etc.
- ESxP's Si Memorized rules and such are stupid and limiting of freedom.
- ENxP's Ni Taking only one possibility derived individually instead of the multitudes from the environment,
is stupid and limiting.
- ExTJ's Ti Breaking things down into [individually assessed] trivial detail is stupid, inefficient and a waste of
time.
- ExFJ's Fi Tailoring everything to individual personal needs is too much trouble.

6. [Senex] is often experienced when our Parent becomes stressed. It encases the feeling of negative
emotions connected to extreme crankiness, as like an authoritarian figure whose position is negated, and
then become "critical and disgruntled". Basically, it’s your critical parent.

How it manifests subconsciously:

- ISxP's Si Avoid past rememberances, except to blame, and will make them critical if others dwell too
much: “I'M the authority on factual data, and you have dwelled too much on the past and should move on [I
feel bad about the past, and project it onto you]”

- INxP's Ni Interpret everything in terms of a "big picture" in which the worst will happen, and blame those
around them: “I'M the authority on concepts and inferences. What you're doing fits (implies, points to, etc.)
a negative pattern I see, and I'm going to stand against it. [I feel the patterns are against me, and project it
onto you].”

- IxTJ's Ti Will often angrily hit others with logical "truth" or principles: “I'M the authority on logical order.
You are being totally illogical! [I subconsciously know my logic is not very deep with my external focus, and
I project this onto you].”

- IxFJ's Fi Can angrily hit others with individual personal or universal ethical "truth": “I'M the authority on
ethics! Your behavior shows a lack of personal integrity. [I feel I'm not living up to the personal (internal)
side of ethics with my external focus, and I project it onto you].”

- ESxJ's Se Very critical about the way things look, which they easily spot to find fault with (I call them
"hawks"): “I'M the authority on tangible reality (e.g. how things look). What you're making is ugly. [I feel
deficient in this area, and project it onto you].”

- ENxJ's Ne Might attack people for bombarding them with alternative possibilities and meanings,
especially if they do not have any "authority" to do so: “I'M the authority on hypothetical ideas. Your ideas
are totally ridiculous! [I cannot handle emergent possibilities from the environment and project this onto
you].”

- ExTP's Te Will fight, compete and one-up others over the way things are ordered: “I'M the authority on
logical sense. You are being totally illogical! [I subconsciously know my logic is not readily practical to
others with my internal focus, and I project this onto you].”

- ExFP's Fe will authoritatively chastize those perceived as disrupting social harmony (and end up
disrupting it themselves), and will reference standards imposed upon themselves: “I'M the authority on
ethics. You're displaying bad social behavior [I go against external values when they conflict my internal
standard, yet my conscience bothers me about this, and I project it at you].”

7. The [Trickster] always creates havoc. It can be a creative force but also delusional. Think about the
jesters that used to live in the middle age castles. Both evil and smart, both grotesque and ingenious. If you
behave as a clown or the others appear to you as clowns or fools, you’re experiencing the 7th function.
Where the Child tells us what we want to hear, the Trickster tells us what we don't want to hear! We feel
"bound", and then, in a rebellious fashion, try to turn the tables by using it for deceiving, double-binding,
trapping others. In severe trauma, the Self uses it to try to keep information out of consciousness, and bind
a person from taking action that might expose the ego to more damaging content.

How it manifests subconsciously:

- ISxP's Ne Might feel 'conflicted’ by alternative hypothetical possibilities

- INxP's Se Might feel 'conflicted’ by tangible reality (physical things, etc), and then it seems to become the
perfect vehicle to try to turn the tables on others with, or to be silly with.
- IxTJ's Fe Might feel 'conflicted’by aspects of social values, and use them to trap others into behaving or
conforming
- IxFJ's Te Might feel 'conflicted’ by external logical order, and make mistakes trying to implement it
themselves
- ESxJ's Ni Might feel 'conflicted’ by unconscious images or inferences, and use them to trap others into
confirming their worst fears
- ENxJ's Si Might feel 'conflicted’ by memorized facts that go against ego, and use them to trap others
- ExTP's Fi Might feel 'conflicted’ by a focus on individual personal values, and use them to trap others
- ExFP's Ti Might feel 'conflicted’ by variable logical principles and use them to trap others or be silly

8. The total chaos happens when you encounter your 8th function – the [Demon]. The Devilish function can
totally change your viewpoint. Remember what the Devil did: he opened our eyes to what is good and what
is bad, but also caused us to be thrown from Paradise. Same goes for our nightmares: they scare us but
also teach us if we’re ready to learn something from them. I mean, if we don’t understand something and
keep persevering, we probably need a nightmare to scare us to the core in order to wake up and pay
attention to some aspects that have been overlooked for a long time.

How it might play in our subconscious mind:

- ISxJ's Ni see hypothetical frameworks as crazy, yet use them under stress in an overblown fashion ("dire
predictions with detailed certainty"): “Your abstract dreamworld makes me feel totally lost [so I project this
onto you], so I'm going to use negative inferences to make you feel threatened.”

- INxJ's Si When really stressed, they may waste time reviewing the impact of the past: “You're trying to
destroy me with my past, [I feel threatened by stored facts (which I see as irrelevant as it is) used against
me, and project it onto you], so I'm going to use your past to destroy you!”

- IxTP's Fi Might become very envious and resentful at people seen as morally self-contented, and want
nothing more than to upseat and expose them. They come across as evil hypocrites wearing a "good guy"
mask. They then end up coming off as self-righteous themselves in trying to outdo these others. Also, self-
destructive in expending time and energy passionately engaging in all-so-"important" personal causes
against these objects of envy: “You're trying to destroy my humanity to the core (internal), so I'm going to
destroy yours! [I really want to self-destruct from my need for internal logical "sense" and external personal
validation being violated, and I project this onto you]”

- IxFP's Ti Logical analysis is cold and evil, and they'll use it to demolish someone else's analysis: “Your
impersonal analysis makes me feel totally depersonalized [and I project this onto you], so I'm going to
destroy your logic”

- ESxP's Ne: emergent conceptualization (fromt he environment) makes me feel totally lost and you're
taking advantage of this: “[I "over-read 'between the lines'" and project this onto you by "misinterpreting the
meaning of someone's actions and attributing negative intentions where there were none" (Berens)], so I'm
going to react accordingly.”

- ENxP's Se "zero in on isolated details, hastily acting on them in a chaotic disjointed way": feels undone by
emergent tangible experience not under control of conceptual knowledge, and projects by trying to destroy
others with rash impulsive reactions

- ExTJ's Fe: Others are socially destructive, and are out to get me; I'm doing SO much for others, and not
appreciated: “You're trying to destroy me from the inside out (e.g. "my integrity"), so I'm going to destroy
your standing on the outside [I really want to self-destruct from my need for my external logical image and
internal personal validation being violated, and I project this onto you]”

- ExFJ's Te: Others' disorder is making me crazy; frenzied rush to clean and fix everything or order the
other person: “Your lack of orderliness totally destroys my sense of [humane] harmony [I feel gravely
overwhelmed in the logical aspect of external oder, and project it onto you], so I'm going to destroy your
mess (or become highly irritable as I clean the area).”

In short, the four basic positions can be summed up as

1st (Hero) & 5th (Opposing Personality): ego's identity and advancement
2nd (Parent) & 6th (Senex/Critical Parent): ego's authority over others
3rd (Child) & 7th (Trickster/Bad Child): ego's submission or deference
4th (Anima) & 8th (Demon) ego's connection to life, aspirations