The "Unveiling Archetypes" and the Jungian Dimensions

Eight Core Power Archetypes Correspond with the Psychological Types

The previous post presented the basic diagram for the Unveiling archetypes. Here it is again, for easy reference.

Congratulations - You've Found One of the Top Blog Posts in The Unveiling Journey

Congratulations!

Whether by luck or by design, you've come to the third most popular blogpost in The Unveiling Journey since the blog was started in 2007. (The six "most popular" blogs are selected by statistics current as of October 22, 2013.)

Since then, we've moved the entire blog series to a new location.

Here are some great reading choices:

• The Unveiling Journey - the most recent blog (we keep getting better!),
• Six Top Blog Posts for The Unveiling Journey - top six as of October 22, 2013 - gives links to this blog post plus five more (including the one I'd recommend the most), and
• The Unveiling Archetypes and the Jungian Dimensions - Eight Core Power Archetypes Correspond with the Psychological Types - the rest of this post (the one that you started reading here just now).

 

Why the Transition to a New Blog Site?

• Better Intralinking: You'll find related blogposts easier (look at the end of this post on the new site for good links),
• Better Categories and Tags: Interested in a related topic? Want to see what else is covered? Look in the right-hand sidebar on the new site - check out the Categories (main topics) and Tags (people, books, events, and sub-topics), and
• Improved Resources: Look for a Resources Page (main header menu); it will give you a different kind of access to related topics - from the antecedents (books inspiring this ongoing work) to future directions.

 

See you over there - and thank you!

 

Alay'nya (Alianna J. Maren, Ph.D.)

 

Post edited and content moved to The Unveiling Journey website, specifically to the The Unveiling Archetypes and the Jungian Dimensions - Eight Core Power Archetypes Correspond with the Psychological Types blogpost on Tuesday, October 22, 2013. Original post December 29, 2011.

The Eight Core Power Archetypes

Mapping the Eight Core Power Archetypes to the Jungian System

The "eight core power archetypes" - our personal "V8 power-car engine."

One of the key points in Unveiling: The Inner Journey has been that we need all eight; we can't be rigidly stereotyped into just one. This is a significant departure from the line of thinking first popularized by the Myers-Briggs Type Inventory, which suggested that not only were we predominantly in just one of these archetypal modes, but that we stayed there all our lives.

 

Congratulations - You've Found One of the Top Blog Posts in The Unveiling Journey

Congratulations!

Whether by luck or by design, you've come to the second most popular blogpost in The Unveiling Journey since the blog was started in 2007. (The six "most popular" blogs are selected by statistics current as of October 22, 2013.)

Since then, we've moved the entire blog series to a new location.

Here are some great reading choices:

• The Unveiling Journey - the most recent blog (we keep getting better!),
• Six Top Blog Posts for The Unveiling Journey - top six as of October 22, 2013 - gives links to this blog post plus five more (including the one I'd recommend the most), and
• Mapping the Eight Core Power Archetypes to the Jungian System - the rest of this post (the one that you started reading here just now).

 

Why the Transition to a New Blog Site?

• Better Intralinking: You'll find related blogposts easier (look at the end of this post on the new site for good links),
• Better Categories and Tags: Interested in a related topic? Want to see what else is covered? Look in the right-hand sidebar on the new site - check out the Categories (main topics) and Tags (people, books, events, and sub-topics), and
• Improved Resources: Look for a Resources Page (main header menu); it will give you a different kind of access to related topics - from the antecedents (books inspiring this ongoing work) to future directions.

 

See you over there - and thank you!

 

Alay'nya (Alianna J. Maren, Ph.D.)

 

Post edited and content moved to The Unveiling Journey website, specifically to the Mapping the Eight Core Power Archetypes to the Jungian System blogpost on Tuesday, October 22, 2013. Original post December 28, 2011.

Moore and Gillette, "King, Warrior, Magician, Lover" - 2 1/3 Out of Four Ain't Bad!

Moore and Gillette's "Archetypes of the Mature Masculine" - Most (Although Not All) of the "Mature Man"

I'm enormously grateful to authors Robert Moore and Douglas Gillette for their in-depth and fascinating work, King, Warrior, Magician, Lover: Archetypes of the Mature Masculine. They do a great service to all of us - women and men alike. And as this book is a prequel to a further set of four books (addressing each of these specific archetypes in the masculine context), I suggest each of them for further reading.



I particularly like and appreciate that in their introduction, authors Moore and Gillette identify that the reason that we have a hard time cultivating mature masculinity in our culture is a combination of three factors: (1) The breakdown of family, in which we all too often have a weak or absent father, (2) Current lack of an effective "initiation ritual" so that boys can become men, and (3) A "patriarchal system" that really is based on an immature, rather than mature, masculinity - and is thus wounding both men and women in our culture.

Their insights and exemplars are excellent; well-thought-out, well-worked, and well-explained. Their work can help men of all ages - and women as well as men - understand masculine psychology in depth.

What is missing? Only one of the core masculine power archetypes - and a somewhat "bundled together" set of the three core feminine power archetypes.

 

Congratulations - You've Found One of the Top Blog Posts in The Unveiling Journey

Congratulations!

Whether by luck or by design, you've come to the fifth most popular blogpost in The Unveiling Journey since the blog was started in 2007. (The six "most popular" blogs are selected by statistics current as of October 22, 2013.)

Since then, we've moved the entire blog series to a new location.

Here are some great reading choices:

• The Unveiling Journey - the most recent blog (we keep getting better!),
• Six Top Blog Posts for The Unveiling Journey - top six as of October 22, 2013 - gives links to this blog post plus five more (including the one I'd recommend the most), and
• Moore and Gillette, King, Warrior, Magician, Lover - 2 1/3 Out of Four Ain’t Bad! - the rest of this post (the one that you started reading here just now).

 

Why the Transition to a New Blog Site?

• Better Intralinking: You'll find related blogposts easier (look at the end of this post on the new site for good links),
• Better Categories and Tags: Interested in a related topic? Want to see what else is covered? Look in the right-hand sidebar on the new site - check out the Categories (main topics) and Tags (people, books, events, and sub-topics), and
• Improved Resources: Look for a Resources Page (main header menu); it will give you a different kind of access to related topics - from the antecedents (books inspiring this ongoing work) to future directions.

 

See you over there - and thank you!

 

Alay'nya (Alianna J. Maren, Ph.D.)

 

Post edited and content moved to The Unveiling Journey website, specifically to the Moore and Gillette, King, Warrior, Magician, Lover - 2 1/3 Out of Four Ain’t Bad! blogpost on Tuesday, October 22, 2013. Original post December 13, 2011.

Hero or Hierophant? Warrior or Wise Man? (Part I)

Heroic Journeys: A Part of Our Growth Path (But Certainly Not the End!)

A dear friend and colleague - someone who is already successful with her own business - is on a Heroine's Quest. She's forming a new business - one that is much more in line with her core heart's desire - and one which has potential for being solid and profitable. Yet it will not take advantage of the government regulations, her advanced degree, or the well-identified corporate needs that give her current business such a solid and stable base.

Nevertheless, she feels impelled towards her new calling, and launching her new business.

Another colleague - someone whom I love and respect dearly - is at the peak of her career with a major organization. She has respect. She has influence. She is comfortable with, and intimately knows how to "work," her current organization. She is financially - and organizationally - secure. Yet she is also preparing to leave her "nest" and start a new business.

Anytime that we leave the comfort of our known, safe, and familiar surroundings to take on a new venture, we are "questing." And in order to find the strength and courage to leave known, safe, and familiar, we have to posit ourselves as Heroes (or as Heroines - this blog is gender-indifferent).

There's a huge amount of emotional charge that we get by identifying ourselves as a Hero on a Quest. This defines our role, and gives us ego-identification. It pulls us out of being a "cog in a machine." The sense of difficulty and danger becomes galvanizing and even energizing. We know who we are in the sharp crispness of taking on an "impossible dream" - which perhaps even involves conquering certain "forces of evil."

Heroic Quests are alluring - and they are necessary. Without them, we would never find the courage to buck the status quo, to step out from the norms, and to do - very literally - "great things." All the great adventures of humankind have sprung - one way or another - from such Heroic Questing.

Yet there is a danger hidden within the addictive nature of such quests. We can use them as a means of repeating life-stages through which we've already gone, and often with great success.

One man whom I know, let's call him Theo (yes, the same "Theo" from Unveiling) had a brilliant military career, from his youth to retiring - with high rank and numerous accolades. He then had an equally stellar career with a well-known company, and then - with a band of comrades - started his own company, which became very successful. Theo's unique insights, his tenacity and will, his total dedication to his cause, was a significant element in his company's growth.

Theo has had a great career; a culmination of Heroic Quests.

And yet, there is an Achille's heel to such exploits.

Ponder on it. (I'll take this story up in the next blogpost.) But ask yourself: Is there a potential downside to repeating a known "success pattern"?

The "Lord of the Rings": A Classic "Inner Journey"?

Frodo the Ring-Bearer, selected to convey the Ring of Power into Mordor where he can cast it into the fire, is weary on his journey. He is not yet into the dark lands, but already the responsibilities of bearing the Ring of Power wear heavily on him. Frodo and his band, the Fellowship of the Ring, spend their last moments traveling together as guests in Lothlorien. There, they meet the Lady of the Woods, the Lady Galadriel.



Lady Galadriel welcomes the group of travelers, and gives each a special gift along with an Elven cloak. To Frodo, she gives the Phial of Galadrial, which provides light during their journey. More than that, by touching the vial, Frodo can ease the corrupting power-thoughts induced by the One Ring. Similarly, the light from this vial (Phial) frightens away the voracious spider Shelob, whose web would ensnare him after he's entered Mordor.

The Phial of Galadriel also seemed to inspire both Frodo and his companion Sam to call out in the Elvish language. Frodo, in particular, called out a reference to Earondil the first time that he used the Phial against Shelob.

Just two days ago, I chanced to watch a segment of The Fellowship of the Ring, the first of The Lord of the Rings movie trilogy directed by Peter Jackson and released in 2001. This was the segment in which Frodo was brought before the Lady Galadriel. He was mesmerized by her ethereal beauty, and awed by her gift to him.



Rachel Pollack, in her book, The Seventy-Eight Degrees of Wisdom, describes this first stage of our adult life-journey as the Worldy Sequence. This is the time in which we come to know, access, and integrate each of our core power archetypes. Two of these are like "reserve batteries," and I don't discuss them in Unveiling. The remaining six are our "power modes": we need each of them to gain our full adult powers.



If this is the case, the Frodo might be a stand-in for each of us. This is not surprising - each of us feels a bit "smaller" than others, and we are each daunted by life's challenges from time to time. And let's recall that the purpose of these "heroic" stories is to exaggerate contrast. We are not simply trying to introduce a new process or product into our company, we are saving truth and freedom by delivering the ring to Mordor and sundering the forces of darkness!

So what does Frodo's encounter with Lady Galadriel, the Lady of the Woods, mean to us? She would have to be one of the three feminine archetypes of our six core power archetypes. This means that she could represent the High Priestess (wisdom and inner knowing), the Empress (or Isis, love and nurturance), or Hathor (the goddess of pleasure and sensuality).

Really, there is not much of the "pleasure and sensuality" aspect in The Lord of the Rings! Hathor, as a choice for the Lady, is clearly out. Also, the Lady is a somewhat remote figure. She is not about warmth and nurturance. When we connect with our "inner Lady Galadriel," we are not getting the oxytocin feel-good surge that we get when we curl up with our dog, cat, young child, or our "special someone."

No, there is only one role for the Lady: she represents the High Priestess, or inner wisdom. And her gift to Frodo is precisely related to her role in his life; she gives him light, the ability see - and also to repel dark forces using this power of light.

This is reinforced with an earlier scene, in which the Lady pours water into a silver mirror-bowl, and invites Frodo to look within and see. This, very literally, is the role of the Lady in each of our lives. Our inner High Priestess is that aspect of us that gives us wisdom; she helps us "see rightly."

When we access our own inner High Priestess - our own Lady of the Woods, we gain not only vision and clarity, but also wisdom. Read about her in Unveiling: The Inner Journey, Chapters 7 & 11.



P.S. Who, in The Fellowship of the Ring, would represent the other two female power-archetypes? There are really only two other women of note that the Fellowship encounters during their travels; Goldenberry and Arwen. As a little test for yourself, why not research each of these two - and think them through in terms of the remaining two feminine core-power archetypes: the Empress (or Isis, in Unveiling terms), and Hathor. Which is which? And why? And do we need them? What roles did each play in The Fellowship of the Ring? What would the story be like without them?

Are "Hierophants" Really That Important? (McDonald's Thinks So!)

Why Do We Need Hierophants?

Gandalf the Grey (later the Gandalf the White), Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda, and Professor Albus Dumbledore are all Hierophants. Mr. Miyagi, of Karate Kid fame (whether the first or second film release), is also a Hierophant. With this established, is a Hierophant something (or someone) that we really need - or is this just a nice artifact for certain film and story genres?

McDonald's, a Fortune 500 company, certainly thinks that Hierophants are important.

A Hierophant is more than a teacher, coach, mentor, or guide - although he (or she!) is typically all of those roles. The "more than" is that the Hierophant is the means by which the traditions, "secret knowledge" (whether of spells or corporate plans), and values are transmitted from one leadership generation to another.

According to a Robert P. Gandossy and Nidhi Vermma, in "Passing the Torch of Leadership", the implicit role of Hierophants is essential in ensuring that strong companies maintain their competitive edge. Quoting a study carried out by Stanford University researchers James C. Collins and Jerry I. Porras, as described in their best-seller Built to Last, these two researchers found that companies maintaining a stellar performance and managing 20th-century endurance had one essential ingredient: a culture of succession management. In other words, internal Hierophants trained the next generation of leaders.

Further, as described by Collins and Porras, and summarized in this article:

Organizations that embrace a formal, ongoing, top-to-bottom succession process that is a fundamental part of the corporate fabric--what we call best-in-class succession management--have developed a key ingredient for long-term success, as Collins and Porras demonstrated.

Is this sound advice? McDonald's, a Fortune 500 company, certainly thinks so. In a Fortune article on Why McDonald's wins in any economy (August, 2011), author Beth Kowitt describes a culture instituted by CEO Jim Skinner, who created "Hamburger U," McDonald's management training facility. According to Kowitt:

This push for talent development may be Skinner's greatest legacy at the company, which has 700,000 employees in the U.S. alone...

His push for in-house talent development creates a substantial pool of leaders-in-training:

[Skinner] requires that all executives train at least two potential successors -- one who could do the job today, the "ready now," in McDonald's parlance, and one who could be a future replacement, the "ready future." ... Every year the executive team, including Skinner, reviews the top 200 positions in the company and the feeder pool, which means it ends up looking at about 400 people. "We talk about all of them," says HR chief Rich Floersch.

This is an excellent example of the Hierophant notion internalized into corporate values and training. We pay attention to that where we put our money. Clearly, McDonald's is putting both attention - and money - into internalizing the Hierophant role within its culture.

Who - and What - Is a "Hierophant"?

Hierophant - Leader of Leaders, and Teacher of Teachers

Those of us who've been following Unveiling: The Inner Journey - both reading the book and this blogpost - have probably wondered about this notion of a Hierophant. We never hear the term in any of our "leadership books." The subject of "hierophants" is not covered in the Harvard Business School, or in the military's leadership academies. So how can this notion possibly be important? And - perhaps most essential - how can it be one of our "core six power archetypes"?

For the longest time, the idea of a Hierophant puzzled me also. In fact, it was still something of a puzzle as Unveiling was going to press. I still hadn't figured it out! But here, in a sort of "post-Unveiling epilogue," a lot of the concepts I'd worked on earlier are becoming much more clear. And surprisingly enough, it was the work on the Hero's Quest (and the Heroine's, as well - see Chapter 6 in Unveiling, on that theme), that made the notion of a Hierophant much more clear.

Let's start with one of the classic Hero's Quest examples from Chapter 6; Mozart's opera, The Magic Flute. The young hero, Tamino, seeks initiation into a "higher order." He undergoes trials of initiation, overseen by the High Priest, Sarastro. At first, we might not have a good "felt sense" of Sarastro's role, other than that he seems to be a necessary figurehead. But let's move on!

Our next example (also from Chapter 6) is Luke Skywalker from Star Wars. Young Luke also goes through trials, much as does Tamino. He trains first with Obi-wan Kenobi, and later with Yoda. In Star Wars, this stage of training - of both learning and proving himself - is essential before the young hero takes on his true, defining challenge. But in the early stage, a teacher is essential. As a similar example, Mr. Miyagi is the necessary teacher in the Karate Kid movie series.

The same is true of young women, facing their Heroine's Quests. Young Dorothy, in The Wizard of Oz, has Gilda, the Good Witch of the East, to guide her.

But is this consistent? Is this something necessary?

Let's look at a few more Hero's Quest stories. The Lord of the Rings is a great one. We have young Bilbo Baggins first in The Hobbit, and later Frodo and his hobbit-companions, together with warriors from men, elves, and dwarves. But throughout, we also have a certain special character - not Aragorn (who really is a Hero, joined in Quest with Frodo and the others). No, the character who deserves our attention is Gandalf. That's right; Gandalf the Grey, later Gandalf the White.

One essential component of the Hero's Quest - since it is really the Hero's story - is that the Hero needs to be guided by his teacher, the Hierophant, in the early stages. Yet later, he needs to confront challenges on his own. Usually, the Hierophant is killed in this process - in order to make the Hero's isolation during his final challenge most real and concrete.

During crucial portions of The Lord of the Rings, Gandalf is unavailable to Frodo and his companions; he sacrifices himself while fighting the ancient and fearful Balrog. Similarly, Obi-wan Kenobi sacrifices himself in a duel with Darth Vader, allowing Luke and other to escape. We're seeing a pattern here; can we find another instance?

One of the greatest "mythological sagas" of our time is the Harry Potter series. We meet young Harry when he is only twelve years old, and is whisked away to Hogwarts to study magic. He meets the Headmaster, Professor Albus Dumbledore. In a manner similar to that of Obi-wan Kenobi and Gandalf the Grey, Professor Dumbledore dies in the last book - forcing Harry to have his final confrontation with Lord Voldemort on his own.

We see that the Hierophant is a powerful figure. He is essential to the growth and training of a young Hierophant. Often (but not always), the Hierophant sacrifices himself, although this is usually a plot device - and not a necessary Hierophant characteristic!

Our culture focuses on the drama of the young Hero/Heroine, in their respective Quests. We see, now, that the Hero or Heroine does not gain skill, insight, or understanding on their own. Before they go on to their "great challenge," they must undergo training. The Hierophant is their teacher; their guide.

So in your own life, are you being a Hero/Heroine, or a Hierophant? Learning to see this distinction in yourself, and in those around you, will be the subject of the next blogpost!

The "Hero's Quest" and the "Hierophant" - Part 1

The Warrior's Road to Wisdom: Going from the "Hero's Quest" to the "Hierophant"

In Star Wars, Luke Skywalker, beholding the devastation that once was his uncle's farm, has no choice. Not only is there no "going back," there is nothing left to "go back to." He seeks out his new teacher, Obi-Wan Kenobi, more out of desperation than desire to go off "adventuring." Yet, as his training and his travels unfold, he finds himself on a Hero's Quest; one of the grandest sagas of our time.

Princess Isabelle, in a "The Embryo Goddess and the Morpho," a short story written by Nicole Cutts, Ph.D. (in Many Paths, Many Feet, edited by Phyllis Wilson), leaves the safety of her Queen Mother's love and her King Father's castle, and ventures off to reclaim a portion of her father's lands and restore the kingdom.

The young Tamino, in Mozart's The Magic Flute, undergoes the trials of initiation into the priesthood of the Sun God worshippers. In The Karate Kid, young Daniel simply wants to survive the daily humiliations of martial arts-skilled school bullies.

Is there something is common to all these stories, and to many other stories of heroic adventure?

As it turns out, they share a great deal in common - so much so that the great Joseph Campbell identified the underlying story-structure of all of these as the monomyth. As he described it, there is only one great story or grand saga. It has a consistent structure. And it underlies all the great stories of human "becoming." The monomyth describes the journey of Jason and his Argonauts, as they searched for the Golden Fleece. This monomyth similarly underlies many of our current "grand sagas" - both in myth, movies and books, and in our personal lives.

The reason that certain monomyth retellings achieve huge cultural resonance (Star Wars-like resonance) with us is not just the quality of the movie or the book. Rather, it is that the movie, book, or even someone's personal history faithfully adheres to the core monomyth storyline.

Monomyths are compelling. They pull us along; they sweep us away. When we go through our own Hero's Quest or Heroine's Journey, we undergo a profound personal transformation. We have left the warmth of nurturing love, and the security of a known environment. We even give up our "identity."

Think of Aragorn, in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Yes, the monomyth there is being largely carried out by the young hobbits. However, Aragorn as much as the hobbits is on his Hero's Quest. In classic heroic manner, he travels - not as a prince of the realm, with servants and retinue - but under an assumed name, as the Chieftan of the Rangers of the North. He has relinquished identification with his "true name" and "true heritage" until he has successfully concluded his Heroic Quest; reuniting the kingdoms of Gondor and Arnor.

We have many Heroine's Quest stories as well; Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz is an early prototype. Sarah in the Labyrinth, and Lyra in The Golden Compass are other young heroines. Each of them steps into their quest to rescue someone whom they know and love. Dorothy wants to rescue her dog Toto, and Sarah seeks to rescue her baby half-brother, Toby. Lyra searches for her friend Roger, and for other children taken by the Gobblers.

Heroic Quests can take on many forms and guises. Consistent to all of them - Hero's Quests and Heroine's Quests alike - is the moment when the young Hero/Heroine leaves safety, security, and a well-defined (although limiting) role.

Similarly, we each take on a Heroic Quest - often many times in our lives! When we leave home to go off to college, or join the military, we are beginning a personal Heroic Quest.

When we start a new business, leaving behind the safety, security, well-defined structure, comforting companionship, and certain role of corporate life, we are beginning a new Heroic Quest.

We can undertake Heroic Quests within a corporate structure as well. If we champion a new product or idea; whenever we go into Warrior mode, we are questing.

Questing, although arduous and dangerous, is exciting, More than that, it is self-defining. It is the process by which we individuate; become our own person. We find courage, step out from our parent's home, or the security of a corporate paycheck, and forge our own pathway. It is through this forging - which may take many years, and require severe and lengthy training (think Luke Skywalker; think Aragorn) - that we become that which we were meant to be. The higher the calling - be it Jedi Knight or Ruler of the united Gondor/Arnor kingdoms - the more difficult, lengthy, and perilous the journey.

Because it is so intense and so self-defining, with such a clear end in sight, we might think that questing leads us to our final goal; that it is the "single defining journey" of our adult lives.

Surpisingly, not so. In fact, even if we undertake successive Heroic Quests, there is still a realm beyond. So suppose that we leave home to go to college, and then get an advanced degree. That's one Quest. Suppose that we get a corporate job, and spearhead a new initiative within the company. That's another Quest. Suppose that we then strike out and form our own company; yet another Quest. We can go questing all our lives.

But there really is more. There is indeed a "life beyond the Heroic Journey." And it is not at all staid and boring! Rather, the journeys of a mature adult, while often more "inner" than "outer," have just as much challenge as our youthful, self-defining questing - perhaps even more!

A Heroic Quest is obvious. Everyone - including ourselves - knows what we are doing. We are re-uniting the severed kingdoms, getting the "Ring of Power" into Mordor, writing a dissertation, climbing a mountain, or rescuing someone in distress. Our goal and our focus is clear. Further, we shape who we are in the process.

In contrast, the "journeys" that we may undertake as mature adults - something that we may do after we've successfully completed a Heroic Quest (or two or three) can be much less overt. Those around us may not even know that we undertaking some sort of "inner journey." In fact, we ourselves may not even know it - until we come through the other side and say to ourselves, "I really have changed!"

So how do we know the difference? How can we tell if we are on a Heroic Quest, or doing something different? What lies beyond questing? And are there signposts or guides, so that we can know what we're doing?

That will be the theme of the next blogpost - and perhaps a few more afterwards!

In the meantime, if you have a copy of Robert Moore's King, Warrior, Magician, Lover - take a look. There's an error in the basic premise. See if you can discern it. (It will help if you've read Chapters 7 and 11 of Unveiling: The Inner Journey.)

More to be revealed in coming posts.

To your health, and the success of your journeys!

Alay'nya


P.S. There's a clue - and it's in the title of this post. What's the role of the Hierophant? How does the Hierophant relate to our Heroic Quest (if at all)? See if you can figure this out before my next posting!

Your Six "Power Archetypes" - What Happens When One Doesn't Function?

Six Core "Power Archetypes" - The Key to Personal Power

Imagine that you're John Wayne, with the thundering power of six galloping horses under your control, as he had in the movie Stagecoach.

Such stirring, viscerally exciting stagecoach "powerhouses" still exist; and are still drawn by six powerful horses. There are still people who are excited by real stagecoaches and the power of their six-horse "engines."

Now, imagine that you're in the driver's seat, thundering along at full speed. Your "six horses" are in fine form, as you cover dusty plains, heat-seared deserts, and mountainous terrain. You know each member of your team; each is integral.

And suddenly - one of your horses takes a stumble; he breaks a leg, and you no longer have that essential horse on your team. That crucial "balance of power" that enables you to move at top speed, easily covering the most difficult terrain, is broken. Now, lacking just one of your integral "powerhouses," you are much more vulnerable - to attacks by Indian war parties, to raiders and bandits, and even to rivals who will beat you to the next town with important news.

The value of archetypes?

You are the stagecoach. Everything that you are, that you value, that carries you through life, is your "stagecoach." It's your job, and the skills and abilities that enable you to perform on your job. It's your special interests, and the skills that you've built up over a lifetime that lets you cultivate your interests. It's your role in your community, your church, your family, and society at large.

Your archetypes are your horses. Each is different, and you need each one.

 

Congratulations - You've Found One of the Top Blog Posts in The Unveiling Journey

Congratulations!

Whether by luck or by design, you've come to the single most popular blogpost in The Unveiling Journey since the blog was started in 2007. ("Most Popular" is the vote current as of October 22, 2013.)

Since then, we've moved the entire blog series to a new location.

Here are some great reading choices:

• The Unveiling Journey - the most recent blog (we keep getting better!),
• Six Top Blog Posts for The Unveiling Journey - gives links to this blog post plus five more (including the one I'd recommend the most), and
• Your Six "Power Archetypes" – What Happens When One Doesn’t Function? - the rest of this post (the one that you started reading here just now).

 

Why the Transition to a New Blog Site?

• Better Intralinking: You'll find related blogposts easier (look at the end of this post on the new site for good links),
• Better Categories and Tags: Interested in a related topic? Want to see what else is covered? Look in the right-hand sidebar on the new site - check out the Categories (main topics) and Tags (people, books, events, and sub-topics), and
• Improved Resources: Look for a Resources Page (main header menu); it will give you a different kind of access to related topics - from the antecedents (books inspiring this ongoing work) to future directions.

 

See you over there - and thank you!

 

Alay'nya (Alianna J. Maren, Ph.D.)

 

Post edited and content moved to The Unveiling Journey website, specifically to the Your Six "Power Archetypes" - What Happens When One Doesn't Function? blogpost on Tuesday, October 22, 2013. Original post September 15, 2011.

Book Review - "The Survivor Tree" by Cheryl Somers Aubin

"The Survivor Tree," by Cheryl Somers Aubin, and beautifully illustrated by Sheila Harrington, has warmed, melted, and deeply touched my heart. The core message of this book is that "survivors can heal" - and that even though those of us who survive any kind of life-ordeal may be scarred and damaged, we can still be beautiful.

The illustrations are exquisite, and touch me deeply - they perfectly complement the story.

A delightful You Tube video interview with Cheryl shares how she was inspired to write this book, succinctly captures the story line, and shows several of the deeply moving illustrations.



This is a book that I will give to friends who have undergone any kind of challenging life-ordeal, from which they emerge as "survivors." It has a reach well beyond those impacted by 9/11, to the broader community of those who "survive" harrowing experiences. It will deeply help their healing process.

Mastering the "Power Archetypes" - Essential for CEOs and Strategic Leaders

Using the Six Core Power Archetypes - A Leadership Essential

Why are successful CEOs paid so much more than other key members of a leadership team? It's not just the responsibility; the "buck stops here" factor. It's not just business experience and ability to "perform." Rather, there is a skill required in leadership situations - a very special skill - that very few have. So few people have this skill, really, that those that do command the most prestigious jobs. They have the most influence and leverage. While each of us creates a "ripple effect" in the world around us, those few people who have this unique skill have a "ripple effect" that can travel around the world (multiple times), and persist long after the person is still in place, carrying out his or her role. In some cases, the impact of these people lasts for centuries. They create true legacy.

This skill, I'm convinced, is not just the ability to deal with complexity, but something more complex in itself.

Imagine that you - or anyone whom you know - works within an "imaginary room." There are different "walls" in this room. Each "wall" represents a kind of interaction that is required for the job.

Suppose that someone has a relatively simple job, in terms of "interaction complexity." They might be doing a very highly skilled task - such as programming a complex system. But their "interaction complexity" is limited to just a few "walls." This person has their boss or team leader, their co-workers or those who are providing inputs to the system design, and - of course - the "system" itself. This person may be paid a great deal, depending on the complexity of the system that they're programming, and the level of insight and skill that they bring to the task. But there is a "cap" on their salary - and on their growth within the organization. This "cap" relates to the complexity of the "room" in which the person lives. In this case, their "room" has just three "walls"; team leader, co-workers, and computer system.

Now, think of yourself in a CEO (or similar leadership) role. Your job requires you to live in a "room" with very many "walls." There is your Board and the Board Chair, your direct reports, your clients, and - of course - the product or services that your company offers. Within the realm of "direct reports," there is further complexity. Marketing, for example, is a very different "wall" than is finance, which is different from operations, etc.

What makes your job both interesting and demanding is the need for you to "switch gears" as needed. Your job environment is the Swiss Alps race track; as described in a previous blogpost on Your V8 Power Car Engine.

The most effective, and successful, CEOs manage by calling on their different power modes as appropriate, and as needed.

One good example of this kind of power mode integration is described by author Michael F. Andrew, in his book, How to Think Like a CEO and Act Like a Leader. One of his first points is to "treat issues coldly and treat people warmly." This is direct advice to combine two power modes; your Emperor (your logical, facts-and-figures, results-oriented mode), and your Empress/Isis (your caring, feeling-oriented, relationship-building mode). These are entirely different modes of being. Successful leaders use both - and four others as well! (They also, for "filling their well," draw on their two reserve modes also.)



I know of several people who do this kind of "gear shifting" very well. Two well-known luminaries are current Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, and former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright. (They are both profiled in Chapter 11: "Switching State" of Unveiling: The Inner Journey.

Closer to home, Maestro Dingwall Fleary, Musical Director for both Reston Community Orchestra and the The McLean Symphony, is an excellent example of a leader who can "shift roles" as need be. He finds this ability essential to his success in leading people and in bringing out their "best possible performance." And just as as business offers quarterly profits as immediate and direct feedback on the CEO's skill, a symphony's performance is a direct feedback on the conductor's skill. It's partly the quality of the musicians, and it's mostly what the conductor can get out of them.

For more, read Chapter 11: "Shifting State," in Unveiling: The Inner Journey.

Integration - The "Final Step" (of Your "Power Journey's" First Stage)

Integration Equals Mastery - The First Challenge of Your Adult Life Journey

Before you begin any difficult overland travel, the first two things you want to know are:

• Where am I going?, and
• What's the map?

Makes a lot of sense, doesn't it? We need to know our destination. As Steven Covey, author of 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, states: "Begin with the end in mind."



Similarly for us. Our goal is total fulfillment of our human potential. The nature of this "potential" is unique for each of us. However, we share a common high-level roadmap in our adult life-journey.

Just as no child matures without going through the "terrible twos," and no teenager becomes an adult without some sort of angst; some sort of "identity crisis," as adults we face similar life-challenges. And the truth is, these are as well-known (in some circles) as are the "childhood development stages" first elucidated by Piaget.



As adults, we have similar growth challenges. The ancient Kabbalists understood these, and charted them as twenty-two pathways. These 22 paths became identified with letters of the Hebrew alphabet, and also with the Major Arcana in the Tarot. The first of these paths is the entry point. It simply means, "This is where you start." (More on this later.)

The remaining twenty-one paths or steps are grouped into three sets of seven. Each set of seven paths is a major adult journey. We need to take these in order; we really can't do the third "journey" until we've completed the first and the second.

For now, we focus on the first adult journey; integration.

"Integration of what?" you might ask.

Integration of your internal V8 power-car engine. (I introduced the V8 Power Car - analogy for life-mastery in the August 4, 2011 blogpost.)

The thing about this engine is: it doesn't well unless you can get each of the power-car "cylinders" (archetypes) to fire when and where needed.

The ancients understood the idea of eight powerful archetypes, all drawing one person towards a compelling goal. The Greek god of the oceans, Poseidon, was said to have a "chariot of the gods" drawn by eight immortal horses.

Goddesses also rode chariots drawn by powerful horses; Eos - the Goddess of the Dawn - is shown in a chariot drawn by two gorgeous Pegasi. (Reproduced with permission.)

Our cultural history is replete with this compelling image; a person driving a chariot pulled by two, four, or even eight powerful beasts - each with a determined mind of its own!

Our goal; the "end" that we have in mind at our "beginning," is to identify and harness and use each of these "beasts" or archetypes successfully. This is the completion of our first adult life-journey.

This goal - integration - access to and power over each of our core archetypes - is not trivial. In fact, it is one of mastery. However, it is one where we must succeed - if we are to progress further. This is the "end" that we must "keep in mind" (following Stephen Covey's prescription) as we begin our first adult life-journey.

(Reproduced with permission.)

Unveiling: The Inner Journey takes us through our core power archetypes. Both women and men need to learn, access, and use each of these archetypes - although we may individually do so with different proportions and emphasis.



In particular, two Unveiling chapters- Chapter 7: "A Real Woman's Path (Really Does Exist!)" and Chapter 11: "Shifting State" - describe these archetypes in detail. Succeeding blogposts will follow through with this theme.

Playing with Colors - and Indulging My "Inner Hathor"

As of today, Unveiling: The Inner Journey has been available for a tad over a month. In fact, a month ago, today, was Amustela's Jewels show at Vespucci Italian Restaurant in Fairfax - a great show, and the first public release of Unveiling.

Just the day before, Nicole Cutts, who organizes women's Vision Quest Retreats and other life-transforming success-coaching and events for women, hosted a private party with a dozen of her close friends - all "Powerful Women." I had a chance to make a first introduction of Unveiling then - what fun!

Since then, I've had a chance to do book signings at Star*Nuts Gourmet Cafe in McLean, at McLean 1910, and at Anahid Sofian's 5-Day Workshop Intensive in NYC. (I was there for this last Saturday's session, taught by Eva Cernik - great insights into developing drum solos!)

And just last night, was at the benefit held to support our dear Shadiyah, which was hosted by our much-loved Gerson Kuhr, aka "The Fitness Pharaoh". I was tremendously impressed by the dancers Monday eve, especially our dear Caleena Tarantino, who did an awe-inspiring dance, and our very special Nimeera, who came in for the (nearly) last dance of the night, and managed to outlast the musicians - who were at their finest and into really long sets! Impressive, both of you!

In the midst of all of this - actually near the beginning - I had a chance to meet (very serendipitously) Carole Jackson, author of Color Me Beautiful, which I reference twice in Unveiling. Carole kindly gifted me with a copy of her now-famous book, and bought a copy of Unveiling for herself. (Thank you, Carole!)



So right now, I'm applying the "Color Me Beautiful" principles. I'm an Autumn, and have a gorgeous royal blue silk charmeuse skirt with matching silk cami. Gorgeous pieces, wrong colors. Trying now to take them into a more "teal" direction, with a dye bath I've just mixed up. (And am blogging and FB'ing between turning the fabric pieces so they get consistent color.)

Getting our colors right is a really important step. I write about it in a couple of different chapters in Unveiling.

Your "V8 Power Car Engine" - Accessing Each Core Archetype

Using Your "Power Archetypes" for Career Direction and Life Focus

Recently, I visited with a friend who is (as many of us are) in the midst of a life-change/career-change. (How often these two are combined!) She consulted with a "career counselor" (good step), who advised her to take a questionnaire that would help her figure out her "personal archetypes." (Again, a good step.)

The problem was - the selection of the available archetypes was skewed. They contained some that were "spot on" for being "power archetypes." They contained some "disempowered archetypes." And they contained some "transitional" ones as well. And - what makes questionnaires such as this difficult to use as a life-course-charting tool - there was no real "underlying model" that generated the archetypal set. (Although they were drawn, somewhat hit-or-miss, from the archetypes presented in Carolyn Myss's Sacred Contracts and related works.)



This mix-up of "which archetypes are what" is understandable. That doesn't mean that it's good. And it certainly does not mean that all archetypes are created equal!

I found a similar problem in historical works. When the Tarot became popular (starting around the late 1400's), several different Tarot decks were produced. Now the Major Arcana in the Tarot system are - if anything - the most central archetypes of our culture. All of our "big ideas" about the meaning of life - important events, life-stages, huge transition points in an adult's search for meaning and wisdom - these are all contained within the Major Arcana.

And, as I found during research for Unveiling: The Inner Journey, the first six Major Arcana are all "personal role archetypes."



The "six power archetypes" that I describe in Unveiling (see Chapter 7: "A Real Woman's Path (Really Does Exist!)") are six of the eight "core archetypes" that define or describe our human psyche. Unveiling, following the logical model of the Major Arcana, focuses on six of the eight. (The remaining two are like "archetypal battery packs" - they help us recharge and regenerate our "inner juice." They help us get grounded when we have become too disconnected, or too stressed. But they are not our power archetypes. And Unveiling, as with the Major Arcana, focuses on the "power modes.")

There's a reason why there are eight total "core archetypes"; not ten, not twelve, not twenty. There's a reason that they are exactly the ones that they are, and not some hob-scobbling together from a grab-bag of god and goddess personas, or modes that emerge from our damaged or weaker or "transitional" states.

And there's a reason that six of these eight are "power modes." These are the means by which we attain higher consciousness.

Sound strange?

Maybe, at first.

But I didn't invent these "power archetypes." The earlier Renaissance developers of the Tarot decks didn't invent them, either. (That is, the ones who produced the "accurate" decks. There were a lot of different, individualistic interpretations and made-up decks, just as there are today. But those were one-time offshoots, not the "real thing.")

The "inventors" - if we want to call them that - were the persons who "invented" the Jewish Kabbalah, and understood the "Tree of Life." That meant that they were scholars and mystics, seers and sages. They had rigorous minds, and subjected themselves to challenging "inner journeys" that led them to standing in the presence of God, and knowing their oneness with the Divine.

They understood how to get to this state. They expressed it as the "pathways" in going from one center (Sephiroth) to another within this cosmic "Tree of Life." And they taught their students how to do the same. This is what resulted in the Kabbalah (later the Qabalah).

They expressed this "journey" as a series of 22 steps. One step was the starting point - a person identified himself or herself as an "aspirant." It was like asking for initiation into a Masonic guild. (This tradition, of course, is where the various esoteric schools and "orders" have supposedly received their knowledge.)

Once a person identifies that he or she is starting on an "inner journey," there are three major stages of growth, and seven steps to each stage. (That gives us 21 steps, which combined with the first one, gives a total of 22. Twenty-two cards in the Major Arcana, twenty-two Sephiroth, and twenty-two letters in the Hebrew alphabet. And yes, of course they're all related.) These 21 steps (after identifying that we're on a journey) comprise our adult life stages.

Most of us know about "growth stages" in children, such as the "terrible twos." If we're more familiar with childhood growth stages, we understand that each one is a distinct stage of cognitive and personal development. Much of this was elicited by Piaget, and has helped us with current childhood development theory.

We also understand that there are "adult life stages." The "mid-life crisis" that men and women alike experience is a good example. (Although it's fairly simplistic, and when we start working with the "real" life stages shown to us by our archetypes, we get a much better handle on things.)

As taught by the ancient Kabbalistic masters, each "life stage" had a distinct purpose in an adult's growth as a human being. The first of these three "life stages" was that a person had to come to know - and gain mastery of - each of their six "power archetypes." (They figured that they didn't have to teach the remaining two; they assumed that people innately understood and could use their own "battery pack" archetypes as needed.)

Six power archetypes. That's what we're after now. that's what the "aspirants" were after then. After gaining understanding of each of their six power archetypes, they moved on to the seventh step; integration.

The goal then was the same as it is today. Master each of six different "power modes." Use them at will. Use them all, together, as needed.

So - what are these "power archetypes"? I'll write about them soon - and also the "disempowered" ones, and the "transitional" ones as well. And I'll explain how each has an important role in our life; they're like magnetic "points of attraction." Part of our inner journey is to release the less powerful (and less fulfilling) ones, and access the ones that help us be more powerful, functional, happy, and fulfilled.

And then, of course, a big part of our inner journey is that we learn to use each archetypal mode as appropriate and necessary, and to combine them at will.

Knowing, and accessing, each of the six power modes, and having your two "reserve modes" to back you up - that gives you a total of eight modes. It's like being your very own V8 engine.

Suppose that you were a V8-engine racing car, and you were going to take on a tough Swiss Alps road course race, involving dangerous turns through mountain passes.

You wouldn't set off on your journey if one of the cylinders in your engine didnt' work, would you?

Our life is our road course race. We need each of our "power modes."

Want to learn how?

Read Unveiling.

You can order it now:

• For a signed, dated, and early-numbered copy: Order through Cleo's Closet,
• For fast delivery directly from the "print shop": Order through CreateSpace,
• For easiest ordering - with a vendor whom you know and trust: Order through Amazon, by going to the image below.

"Unveiling" Book Signing Saturday, August 6th, 3-5PM, Star*Nuts Gourmet Cafe, McLean, VA

First McLean-Area Book Signing for Unveiling: The Inner Journey

McLean-based author Alay'nya will offer the first free, open-to-the-public book signing of her newly-released Unveiling: The Inner Journey at Star*Nuts Gourmet Cafe on Saturday, August 6th, from 3-5PM.

The book signing will include a mini-reading, and Alay'nya's famed "60-Second Geek-to-Gorgeous" Transformation," which will help any woman look as though she has gained an inch in height, lost 10 years and 10 pounds, and added a sublime element of "gorgeousness" to her personal "arsenal of allure"!

Unveiling: The Inner Journey is available through Amazon.com, and also through CreateSpace.com. For those who want a signed copy, but who cannot make it to a McLean-area signing, signed, dated, and numbered copies are available from Cleo's Closet.

The "Master Teachers" of Unveiling (The "Best of the Best" - in the World!)

The Master Teachers of Unveiling: The Inner Journey

Beginning today, I'm introducing - and thanking - the "personae dramatis" of Unveiling: The Inner Journey; the "cast of characters" who've made it all possible.

Each person whom I'll acknowledge - in today's and several forthcoming posts - actually is mentioned in the "Acknowledgements" of Unveiling. So continuing with the "personae dramatis" analogy; each of these persons will be "cast" (Master Teachers, Wise Men and Wise Women, Heroes, Heroines, and Healers, and many others), or they will be the "support team" - the production crew, the people who helped make it all happen. So just as you read a stream of rolling credits at the end of a movie, we'll have "rolling credits" for Unveiling, starting today.

unveiling inner journey

The two Master Teachers whom I reference the most throughout Unveiling are Anahid Sofian and Elena Lentini, both based in New York City.

And now, since one of the great joys and privileges of running my own blog (and company) is that I can plug those whom I believe deserve extra-special attention: Anahid is hosting her 5-day intensive in New York City later this August, from Weds., August 17 - Sunday, August 21st.

A brief run-down of the topics that she'll teach (with two special guest teachers) is:

• Zill drills & techniques,
• Oriental "port de bras" (positioning of arms; VERY important and too few teachers give a structured foundation in this; Anahid is one of the very best),
• Classical Arabic dance (Awalim),
• Drum solo strategies,
• The "Art of the Veil" (an Anahid-specialty; I love how she introduces and builds on various "veil patterns",
• Turkish cabaret karshilama, and
• Classical & contemporary Persian ballet (taught by Special Guest teacher Sharzad Khorsandi).

Guest teachers will include Eva Cernik (whom I adore, and who is also mentioned in Unveiling), and Sharzad Khorsandi (Persian style) - I think she's teaching on Saturday(?).

There will be a gala performance event Friday evening, August 19th, at the Lafayette Grill in downtown Manhattan.

The price for the entire 5-day intensive is only $375, and daily rates (space permitting) are available.

For more information on Anahid's workshop, go to the Anahid's website or contact her via email; sofiana (at) tiac (dot) net.

"Unveiling" is Finally Here!

Unveiling: The Inner Journey Released July 19, 2011

Dear Ones -

Fabulous, fantastic good news!

Unveiling: The Inner Journey is finally here. And you can get order your copy today through any of three different e-stores:

• For a signed, dated, and early-numbered copy: Order through Cleo's Closet,
• For fast delivery directly from the "print shop": Order through CreateSpace,
• For easiest ordering - with a vendor whom you know and trust: Order through Amazon, by going to the image below.

unveiling inner journey

The Risks in Practicing "Unveiling" (And Yes, They're Real)

I had coffee this morning with a young colleague; a woman who is truly brilliant; an "out-of-the-box" genius-level thinker, and who is also the mother of a very active son. I showed her the proof copy of Unveiling.

"Weren't you scared to write this?" she asked. "After all, you're saying everything in this book."

"Yes," I told her. I was scared, and I still am. I wrote and rewrote, figuring that I was going to be ostracized by the scientific community forever. "The only solution," I told her, "was that I had to go big and bold. I couldn't hold back."

I came home, and after a bit, went down to the "Diva Den" to watch a movie and stretch out. It turns out that Agora, the story of Hypatia of Alexandria, was on. I nearly wept as I watched it, already knowing Hypatia's story.

She was a brilliant mathematician and astronomer. And she was murdered by a mob of Christian monks, who stripped her naked, skinned her alive with potshards, dragged her body through the streets, and finally burned her. (Accounts vary as to whether or not she was burned alive.)

Hypatia was brutally murdered not just because she was an intellectual leader and an abstract philosopher, and not just because she didn't convert to Christianity, but because she was a woman.

Yes, it is very scary for all of us women to reclaim our inherent wholeness, and with this, our intrinsic power.

From Unveiling: The Inner Journey, Chapter 9, "A Real Woman's Path - Really Does Exist" (p. 128):

It is not that we expect to be burned at the stake for taking time for our inner selves. However, history is replete with examples of women who have been burned at the stake, for crimes ranging from knowing their own sexuality, to spending time with animals, to having healing wisdom and knowledge of herbs.

The famous Venetian "honored courtesan" Veronica Franco was persecuted by the Inquisition. Although she survived, the experience broke her spirit (and ruined her financially), and she left Venetian society. She died in poverty some ten years later.

The Miletan philosopher Aspasia was renowned for her intellectual leadership as well. She influenced Socrates and other leading thinkers of her time. She was put on trial for "impiety."

One crucial thesis of Unveiling is that Oriental dance is a women's body/mind/psyche/energy integration pathway. And since our dance form is intrinsically sensual, we are denigrated for practicing it. If we were doing karate, we'd be respected. That is, if we did a martial art, we would get respect; if we do a "Venusian art," we are trivialized.

And yes, I'm coming out with a book that puts all of who I am on the line. My scientific identity and my "dance" persona; my research into esoteric practices and my latest "discoveries." All in one big (544, but easy-to-read) volume.

And yes, I'm scared.

Your thoughts? Your comments?

Unveiling - Chapter 17: "We're Worth the Effort"

"We're Worth the Effort" - Lessons from Unveiling

A lot of Unveiling is about deconstructing - and re-constructing - our lives. The two go hand in hand. For example, when we clean out our closets, or even a drawer, we "de-construct" a situation of messiness or chaos, or we move out those things that no longer fit. Then, we're open to bringing in something new; something that suits who we are just a little bit more. We can't do one without the other.

Author's Sidenote: There are some who try. One gentleman was very concerned about keeping the "what he had" in his company, even while he moved out to conquer new ground. He didn't want to let go of any aspect of his personality, or his creation. Not a healthy attitude, and not (really) a healthy person. You'll read about him in the Introduction to Unveiling; he's "Mr. Jack." (He's "30-second Jack," to be specific. And yes, the reference means exactly what you think it does. Just read the Intro.)

Back to the Main Topic: The biggest practice that we can undertake, as we start to develop ourselve from within, is to regard ourselves as being sacred and holy. (See Chapter 17: "We're Worth the Effort.") And this literally does mean "sacred" - in the sense of being "set apart." (Go look up the etymology of "sacred" - it refers to the sacrum - which is the central element of all of our dance techniques - and also is the generative word for other words - such as sacrifice.)

We also become "holy"; whole-unto-ourselves.

This is a powerful root life-practice.

And we implement it in very simple, straightforward practical terms.

Right now, it is Friday afternoon, almost 4PM. I've been cleaning house all day; all the myriad little chores in closing out the work-week, and getting ready for the Sabbath. I try to keep Saturday as a "Sabbath," not so much out of a religious orientation, but because I've learned the necessity of regular, scheduled down-time. And Saturday has become my day.

And to approach our Sabbaths with a calm, clear mind - a peaceful state of being - it helps if our surroundings are clean and clear. So I've spent the morning, with two housemates, deep-cleaning and "fluffing" the downstairs dining areas. Now, I'm taking a quick break from doing laundry, cleaning out the sewing/design area, and completing lots of little pre-Sabbath chores. Even down to making a pot of chili, so that there's good food to eat and I don't have to worry about finding something when I'm hungry.

All these "little things" mount up.

Bit by bit, I'm circling around and nibbling the edges of the "paperwork giant" that sits on the table near my desk; the overwhelming, intimidating pile of "get-back-to's." Even that is getting diminished.

All of these "little steps" are a part of creating my life, just as you create your own life.

And the way in which we best create our lives is to treat ourselves as something very special; as the beautiful, glowing jewel in the heart of the lotus. We imagine everything in and about our lives as a gorgeous Faberge egg, and we are the central jewel, nestled within, and shown off in all our gorgeous splendor!

And even though I've written about this (See Chapter 17 in Unveiling), and am now even blogging and telling others about this (see this morning's FB post), I still need to apply what I've learned and written to myself. Hence today's little "mini-journey," being carried out as a house-cleaning.

Think simple, practical, and specific. Respond to what bothers you the most; a pile of unanswered letters, a dresser top that needs to be cleaned and re-arranged, extra clothes that need to be taken out of the closet and dropped off at Goodwill. Respond to your inner nudgings, and note what you're doing in your journal or day-planner.

A few months from now, a year from now, you'll look back - especially if you keep your journal to prod your memory - and marvel at how much cleaner, lighter, and overall juicier your life has become - and how the people, things, and events in your life are working so beautifully well for you!

And if you haven't ordered your copy of Unveiling yet, go to www.createspace.com/900001121, and order your copy with the fastest delivery method possible. Join me in going through it. I have a "Seasonal Study Guide" posted, and am using it myself; go to http://www.theunveilingjourney.com/seasonal_study_guide.htm. We're in the middle of Chapter 18 ("The Ritual - And Why We Need It") and Chapter 19 ("A Sacred Time, A Sacred Space"). Read along with me, and comment on this blog!

Unveiling "Unveiling" - It's Finally Here!

It’s not yet 5AM. But the news is so good that I can’t wait to share it with you.

Yesterday, for the first time (in the history of the universe!), Unveiling: The Inner Journey became available on the web. You can now order it directly from CreateSpace, the production house within Amazon. To do this, go directly to the Unveiling page in the CreateSpace e-store. This is a regular e-store; you can place your order, select your timeframe for delivery (slow = cheap, fast = expensive), and have your own Unveiling as soon as you desire!

And if you have PRE-ORDERED, please bear with me – I’ve ordered my copies to send to you (some will be sent through Cleo’s Closet), and you’ll get them as soon as we can get them into the mail.

But truly and finally, you now have options. You can be one of the first to get your hands on the book that will, ultimately, sweep the world.

Consider how we woman have evolved in our thinking:

• Relationships: Early 1990’s – 2000’s – We all read John Grey’s Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus. (This book sold over 13M copies, worldwide). We were focused on men, and our relationships with them. In addition to Men are from Mars, we read books like Feldhahn’s (2004) For Women Only: What You Need to Know About the Inner Lives of Men.
• Empowerment: Mid-1990’s – Late 2000’s – We read Steve Covey’s Seven Habits (1989, over 15M copies sold), and stayed with the “how to live our lives successfully” theme through Rhonda Byrne’s The Secret (2006, several M copies sold).
• Wisdom: 2010’s onward – We’ve already read Dr. Christiane Northrup’s Women’s Bodies, Women’s Wisdom, Suzanne Somers’ books (think The Sexy Years), and even The Female Brain, by Dr. Louann Brizendine. Each of these has sold over 1M copies, and have been working their way steadily higher. By now, we understand men (and relationships). We have become “empowered”; we are living our lives “successfully” and we’ve even mastered the “Secrets.”

What we’re reaching for now is a new level of “wisdom.” We know about our bodies. We know how our hormones change, and even how our lives change. We understand that the transition point, beginning sometime in our mid-to-late 40’s, is not just about menopause and the children leaving home. Instead, it is a time of growing, deepening, and ripening. And, it is a time for accessing a potent new form of energy, our “vital energy” or ch’i. (We may no longer have the bouncy sexiness of youth, but we can and do access something very new and different!)

What we want, what we need in our lives right now, is a sense of inner wisdom and direction. A means for “setting a course” for the next stage of our life-journey.

When we were younger, it was easier to “set course.” We “got our degree.” We married (or not), had children (or not), and followed a fairly typical, well-known path of career and family.

But as a friend said to me, “It’s not ‘What’s next?,’ but rather: 'What now?’"

Really, What NOW?”

Is there a roadmap? Is there guidance? Is there a “path to follow” once we start having enough time in our lives to actually do some inner digging and “follow” something?

It turns out that a “roadmap for wisdom” really exists! And for all that I’m a scientist and inventor (my “day” trade; I have four patents to my credit), I didn’t “invent” this.

In fact, I didn’t even “discover” it.

If anything, I was led to rediscovering the secrets.

And yes, there really ARE secrets.

What I learned, in the course of researching, writing, and (the “big” secrets came late!) even rewriting Unveiling – was that there really was (and still is, I’ve just unearthed it) an ancient pathway for self-knowledge.

My job has simply been to find the pieces and re-assemble them.

It’s been a lot like finding an ancient artifact, or a magnificent statue, that had been broken into bits. My job was discovery: find pieces, see how they fit together.

A segue: The lifetime of work that I’ve had up until now – as a scientist, a researcher and an inventor, and even my personal studies in a wide range of “esoteric” disciplines (from chemistry to alchemy, from T’ai Chi to yoga to Oriental dance; the list goes on), have all formed the “substrate” that let me do this. If I hadn’t spent years of study, in such a wide range of areas, I wouldn’t have recognized the “pieces” when I started to pick them up. It would be like walking through an area with lots of fossils. Only a trained eye can discern that a piece of rock is a fossil, not just a hunk of stone. And only a specially-trained paleontologist would know that she (or he) was looking at a brand new fossil, versus the many expected ones in an area.

Similarly, by the time that I was wrapping up Unveiling, I had enough scientific background (and background in other areas) to know that when I found a new clue, I was on to something interesting. Something very unexpected, and a whole new set of insights. We can say that the initial insights came as hunches, or perhaps a form of “guidance.” However they came about, they took a lot of work to follow up; to trace sources and verify. Writing this book was a lot like doing field archeology – albeit in written form!

This is why Unveiling took fourteen years, just to produce a rough draft. And then two years of nearly full-time work, just to go from raw draft to finished manuscript. (Two years, including some major “re-discoveries.” The extra research, the writing, the “making sense of it all” and putting it into Unveiling; all this took time.)

So, dear one, Unveiling is not about “belly dance.” Rather, it is about who we are as women; our becoming; our emerging into a very new stage of our lives.

And after fourteen years of writing, two more of further research, re-writing, and editing, and after four major proofing rounds, and two rounds of cover art – it’s finally here.

You can order your copy today, and be reading it by this weekend. Go to the Unveiling page in the CreateSpace e-store. And settle in for the best summer read that you've ever had, ever!

Transitioning from "Writing" to "Communicating"

For Introverted Authors - The Transition from Writing to Connecting with People - In Person, and on the Web

To all my friends, business colleague, and even random strangers with whom I strike up conversations - I encourage everyone who has a "knowledge resource" to write, publish, and somehow make their "knowledge resource" available as a "product." There are many reasons for this, and I've discussed them in previous blogposts. (You may want to see some of my postings from both this blog and my other, "scientific/technical/business" world.)

In short, whether you write a book, produce a DVD, or offer any kind of unique knowledge - the one where YOU are the expert - I encourage you (and all others "like" you) - to make a stand-alone product.

With a "product" standing behind you, you become more recognized as an "expert." Also, your "product" becomes a "personal surrogate." It can train many others on your behalf; this means that you can reach many people, much more effectively over time. People all over the world - those who could never make it to your regular classes, private coaching sessions, or even your occasional workshops, can order your product, or download your DVD, and connect directly with you.

You reach more people. And you shorten their learning curve.

These are two huge benefits - for them and for you.

However, there is a huge upfront cost involved. In order to produce a product, of any sort, you have to pull back from connecting with people and doing your "regular business," and focus on product creation. You can get a lot of this done at night, on weekends, during vacations, and during various other "slow times" in your life.

But there comes a time, when in order to guarantee - to yourself more than anyone else - you must pull back from your "regular life" and focus exclusively on product creation. This can be a short timeframe - a few weeks, perhaps. Or it can be months. Or, it can take years.

A "big product" takes a long time for completion.

It's like growing a garden. If you grow a simple "salad garden," you'll have a bumper crop of lettuce, radishes, and baby carrots within 60 days. And it's easy; plant, water, harvest. But healthy though salads are, we do not live on salads alone!

We need heartier fare as well. Even from a farmer's garden, we need things like fruits and nuts.

And fruits and nuts grow on trees.

Trees take a much longer time to grow than lettuces. The time-to-produce (or "product development time") is measured in years, not months or weekends.

So to build a more powerful, more effective product, takes comparably more time.

All logical so far, and no surprise to any of you.

But I'm working my way up to the crucial, main point.

Some of us have the tenacity, the focus, and pure, sheer endurance and will-to-succeed that it takes to produce a major product, such as a book.

But during this time of "product creation," something happens. We become - necessarily, and through an absolute requirement of focusing on getting the product done - very introverted.

We do what we have to do to succeed, and this means pulling back from many social interactions.

The result is that we move into a prolonged introverted state; a state-of-mind that is characterized by intense focus on a single objective. Think of it as becoming "laser-like."

Very, very effective for getting a book written.

And absolutely horrible for getting out, connecting with people, marketing, schmoozing, networking, staying active on Facebook and other social media -- and all the other things associated with promoting (whether you're promoting yourself, or your book).

So -- this is exactly the situation in which I'm finding myself right now.

And a main, MAJOR reason that I write this blog is NOT JUST to share the actual "Unveiling message," but to share with you what it is like to actual DO the process. Not just write a book, but now, to transition from writing to marketing.

And this is a "sea change." It's HUGE.

It's going from introversion to extroversion.

It's going from tight, laser-like, mono-manaical focus to extremely broad spectrum.

But what it is NOT (I'm learning this right now) is going from long-range rifle to "buckshot." Going from product-completion to marketing is NOT going into a "scattershot" mode.

Instead, the NEW approach has to yield maximal results for your time.

There are secrets to this, and I'm devoting much of my time to learning, and implementing them.

And I'll share them with you, from time to time.

And of course, I'll continue to reveal - and discuss with you online - the "secrets of Unveiling"!

To your health, wealth, happiness, and personal fulfillment in every way -
my very best wishes --

yours - Alay'nya

It May Seem Silly, But ...

How to "Reward" Yourself for Task Completion

In my blogposts yesterday, I wrote about using the Unveiling archetypes to help refine our Franklin-Covey Day Planner roles. Using our roles, in the context of a Weekly Compass, is a great way to organize tasks and priorities.

By the end of a multi-hour planning session yesterday, I had July's tasks and priorities laid out, a full column for each of six different roles. (one of them, High Priestess, doesn't require much "doing.") But the total set of tasks was overwhelming!

So I'm reclaiming one of my old little psychological self-motivation tricks. It may sound silly, but: I use stickers.

That's right, stickers.

The kind of stickers that little kids use.

I use little sparkly "stars" (multicolored, or gold) for completing each "task" on my to-do list. I use them on my task lists, so that as I complete the tasks, the total number of little, sparkly stickers mounts up, and I get motivated to get as many as possible. These are a lot more "rewarding" than simply checking off the tasks!

I use different kinds of "heart" stickers on my calendar page for each time I work out. That way, simply by glancing at my calendar page, I know whether I've been keeping up with my workout goals for a month, or if I've been distracted (or simply slacking off).

And I use "rainbows" for major achievements, such as performances or big presentations.

All this may sound juvenile. But we each have a "little kid" inside ourselves, and this "kid" can get overwhelmed by the prospect of a month of hard work. Sometimes, acknowledging that our "kid" needs a "reward" is just what it takes to get our "inner adult" motivated to carry through!

Unveiling "Archetypes" and Franklin-Covey "Roles" - A Useful Synergy and Connection

Using Your Unveiling Archetypes to Clarify and Build Your Franklin-Covey Day Planner (TM) Roles

For years, I've been a fan of the Franklin Covey Day Planner (FCDP) system. I've found it especially useful when I've juggled (as many of us have) multiple roles, competing priorities, and "to-do lists" that simply run off the page.

In particular, I've enjoyed the synergy - within the FCDP system - of using the Day Planner itself, the Monthly Priorities right after each monthly calendar page (it takes me an extra page, front and back, to list all my "priorities" and "tasks" - but at least they're on paper, and not jamming up my mind), and the "Weekly Compass Cards."

It's this last tool that is particularly significant. This is because the "Weekly Compass Cards" ask us to look at each of our "roles" in life (wife, mother, team leader at work, etc.), and identify a few "most significant" tasks supporting that role for the week ahead.

Connecting our "roles" with our "priorities" and "tasks" gives us a lot of clarity and self-definition. It's a way of creating some boundaries - and a bit of focus - for each of the roles which we inhabit.

What I've found particularly useful is to take this one step further.

In Unveiling, I identify six core archetypes. These are the six different "power modes" that we can - and should - access and integrate to achieve maximum personal effectiveness. In fact, identifying, knowing, and cultivating each of these distinct "modes" is the first challenge on our mature adult life-journey. Integrating these roles or modes is something that we do as a personal "capstone project" - the culmination of this stage of adult personal growth. (We generally do this sometime in our mid- to late-forties.)

Here's where it gets interesting. Each of our archetypal roles puts us into a different state. We are in very different states when we are in our Hathor (playful, sensual, fun-loving) role, versus when we are being an Emperor (building and maintaining structures and order). In practical terms, we are in very different states when we are preparing to go out on a fun date, or for an outing with our girlfriends, than when we are doing a monthly progress report at work.

Now, these archetypal roles are not something that I've made up. Rather, they were identified hundreds - and possibly thousands - of years ago, by the seers and sages who developed the ancient Kabbalah, or "Tree of Life." There is a huge mystical underpinning to the Kabbalah, which I won't address here. Suffice to say - these different archetypes are very formally derived; they're not picked at random. And there's a connection between them and the Major Arcana of the Tarot (which I develop substantially in Unveiling) and also with the Jungian Psychological Types, which most of us understand via the Myers-Briggs Type Inventory, or MBTI. (So if you think of yourself as an "Introvert" or an "Extrovert," you owe that thought to the MBTI. If you understand yourself to be someone who would rather "Feel" than "Think" your way through a life situtaion, ditto.)

Now, here's where it gets interesting. Male or female, every one of us needs each of the six core archetypes. But we individually and uniquely combine these archetypes in different ways in order to fulfill our life roles.

For example, one of my evolving roles is to be a salonniere. This is a combination of three archetypes; Hathor (pleasure, for myself and others, particularly intellectual stimulation), Isis (nurturing - by bringing people together and providing a warm and convivial environment), and Magician (a "masculine" archetype - creating "magic," or making something from nothing). Organizing Salon involves connecting with people via phone, email, and regular surface mail, as well as a host of organizational tasks. But because the focus is on a particular kind of experience, all the relevant tasks get grouped into supporting a certain role, and I can characterize that role as invoking three different archetypes.

In another role, I am strictly in one of my Amazon modes. And not just any, ordinary Amazon mode, but specifically in my Emperor mode. When we're in our Emperor mode, we are rational, logical, and task-oriented, with a goal of building or maintaining structures and systems. These can be managing a project at work, planning all the children's activities for the summer, organizing a church event, or as simple as balancing our checkbook or making up a grocery shopping list. The key to our Emperor role is: rational, task-focused, and project-completion focused, with an emphasis on building or maintaining structures.

This helps me put all of my "life maintenance" tasks under a single role, whether they are financial, logistic, communications, or even computer-cleanup. They all support building the "structure" of daily life.

The challenge - for each of us - is to identify our seven dominant roles. (More than that and our minds start to wobble.) Then, to figure out which of our core archetypes we are invoking in each role. Then we can do a more complete - and satisfying - job of identifying which priorities and tasks we have within each role.

A year ago, I didn't need to use the FCDP system quite so much. To the exclusion of almost everything else, except the barest level of survival and life-maintenance, I had only one role: I was a writer. My entire life was focused on writing (and re-writing), editing (and re-editing), proofing (and you get the idea ...) Unveiling.

Well, now Unveiling is done. It should be available to you within two weeks. (And you can pre-order now, through Cleo's Closet - the ONLY way that you'll confidently get signed, dated, and numbered copies - I think the numbering is around 130 right now, and growing fast.)

Instead of focusing on just one role (writing), I now have many roles - marketing, teaching, preparing talks, fundraising for various non-profits, organizing and hosting salon - and oh yes, research and writing. And performing. (More on that shortly.)

Transitioning from a "one-role" mindset to a "many roles" mindset is a big job. I've started using the FCDP in earnest once again. But to clarify my different roles, for the first time, I've had access to the Unveiling archetypes, and they're helping me make more sense of which role requires what kind of energy or "modality."

I spent last Sunday morning working through my roles-and-archetypes association. It felt a bit strange at first, but made sense after a while.

This morning, I started filling out my Weekly Compass Card for the this week, as well as the monthly Priorities and Tasks for July. Using the archetypes to help clarify what tasks go with which roles is helping a lot! (And yes, I'm using a bit of white-out as I move things around, but the mental organization is helping me to create more structure, more order, and more sense - being very Emperor about how I'll fit some Hathor (pleasure), Isis (nurturing), and High Priestess (prayer and meditation) time into my life!