The Magician and The Lover Archetypes of the Mature Man

Today, for the most part, I’m going to finish up the discussion on the crisis in masculine potential and the difference between boy psyche and men psyche.

Today we’re going to look at the two final archetypes of the mature man, the Magician and the Lover.

Much of this information is from the work of “King, Warrior, Magician, Lover: Rediscovering the Archetypes of the Mature Masculine” by Robert L. Moore

The Magician

Today’s man may think his technology is far beyond old myths and stories, but when he accesses technology, he accesses the powers of The Magician.

Throughout the ages, The Magician is the keeper of secret knowledge and the power to release it when necessary. “Shamans, medicine men, wizards, witch doctors, brujos, inventors, scientists, doctors, lawyers and technicians all access the same masculine energy” -1  

The secret knowledge possessed by The Magician is exhibited by men in these professions whose skills or education allow them to hold unseen power over other men for results that may or may not be favorable.

Although modern man lives in a technology age which advances math and science, there is a marked lack of The Magician in the areas of personal growth and transformation, due in large part to the lack of ritual elders in today’s society.

The fully functioning Magician exhibits the characteristics of awareness and insight but he does not have the power to act alone; his is the power of thinking. The Magician usually comes forward in times of crises when innovative thought and creativity are most needed.

The Shadow Side of the Magician

The shadow side of The Magician exhibits in The Manipulator and The Denying Innocent One.

• The Manipulator

The Manipulator maintains a safe distance from his own life because of his cynic detachment and need to manage events instead of live them. The Manipulator also feels the need to withhold the information he has even if he knows it could benefit others.

• The Denying Innocent One

The Denying Innocent One is a more passive form of The Dummy on the shadow side of The Precocious Child, The Magician’s predecessor. The Denying Innocent One wants the status of The Magician but does not want to exert the effort to truly become one by teaching, sharing and helping. The Denying Innocent One delights when others stumble because of help he has withheld.

The Lover

In contrast to this is the energy of The Lover which exhibits in all the primal hungers of human beings for sex, food, well-being, reproduction, creative adaptation to hardships and a sense of meaning. The Lover not only expresses the external experiences such as touch and smells but also the internal sensory impressions.

The Lover is also characterized as being sensual and sensitive, discerning the needs of others and responding with compassion and empathy. The Lover views the entire world aesthetically and is the source of all spirituality. The Lover is able to feel joy for all men and conversely also feels their pain.

The Shadow Side of the Lover

The shadow sides of The Lover are represented by The Addicted and The Impotent Lover.

• The Addicted

The Addicted is a victim of the senses that provide joy because he knows no limits to pleasure, either sensual or spiritual. The Addicted is overly sensitive to all stimuli and he runs from one to the other ultimately ending in chaos.  Those people who become addicted to drugs, alcohol, food and other stimulants are expressing the spirit of The Addicted.

• The Impotent Lover

When the need for connection with the world is cut off, The Impotent Lover emerges and becomes chronically depressed. In order to protect his feelings, The Impotent Lover may disassociate from his true self which causes the depression. The man’s sex life then falters because of the disinterest in all aspects of life which just propagates the cycle of depression.

The Magician and The Lover are the creators of the world and when the attributes are fully realized they are extremely powerful in their life-giving energies. However, when the shadow sides of the archetypes emerge, the consequences can be damaging not only to those around them but also to themselves.

Be aware that none of the four archetypes works well as a single entity. “We need to mix with The Magician the King’s concern for generativity and generosity; the Warrior’s ability to act decisively and with courage, and The Lover’s deep and convinced connectedness to all things.” -1

It follows also that The Lover needs the other archetypes to be fully functioning as well.

“The Lover without boundaries, in his chaos of feeling and sensuality, needs The King to define limits for him, to give him structure, to order his chaos so that it can be channeled creatively. Without limits, The Lover energy turns negative and destructive.

The Lover needs The Warrior in order to be able to act decisively, in order to detach, with the clean-cut of the sword, from the web of immobilizing sensuality. The Lover needs The Warrior to destroy the Golden Temple, which keeps him fixated.

And The Lover needs The Magician to help him back off from the ensnaring effect of his emotions, in order to reflect, to get a more objective perspective on things, to disconnect–enough at least to see the big picture and to experience the reality beneath the seeming.”  -1

Without the full realization and “integration” of these four archetypes man is at the mercy of the boy psyche and most likely the shadow side.

We see this regularly in our everyday life with the vast amount of “dysfunctional” men, that appear to be functionally normally.

One of the main emphases on The Warriors Quest is to help with the transformation and imitation into the King, Warrior, Magician and Lover.  The Kings, Warriors, Magicians and Lovers of ancient times who helped people navigate their lives are not accessible today at a time when they are desperately needed, this is why I created the 2 ½ day Warrior’s Quest.

 “The Warrior’s Quest” is a 2 ½ day intensive that will bring out the “hard wiring” or blueprints inside each man, among other aspects.  These blueprints will point a way to positive masculine persona and energy.  Find out more about The Warrior’s Quest HERE.

Reference

1 – King, Warrior, Magician, Lover: Rediscovering the Archetypes of the Mature Masculine” by Robert L. Moore