God Archetypes - A Thread

My goddess archetypes thread was loved by many so I decided to do the same for masculine archetypes. Every once in a while, I shall post some notes about a specific male deity. Most of it will be based on Jungians such as Jung, Campbell, Shinoda etc.

When we categorise male archetypes, often we can place them in two categories and those are "fathers" and "sons". Fathers are patriarchal, strong, power-driven gods who seek authority and rulership. Sons are the creative, complex types, who often seek self expression.

Please note that whenever patriarchal or matriarchal is used in these contexts that it is not a value statement but rather describes male or female archetypes who are motivated to seek authority. Father gods are not brute tyrants, which we will see as we go through each of them.

There is, however, often the archetypal story present in the father - son dynamics. Father gods can be distant or authoritarians (the mythic stories of Cronos, Zeus who often kill or sabotage own sons), who their creative sons (Apollo, Hermes) will often try to challenge or defy.

- The Mystic Lover: Dionysus -

The god of vine, wine, fertility, ecstasy, ritual madness, theatre, Dinonysus is the one who brings frenzy. Often banished and forbidden, he with his wand wound with dripping honey and ivy would defeat his enemies and come back.

His power is primordial, ancient and old - and no religious or moral system ever truly kills him. When he is repressed, he is destructive. He steals away the good girls to make them mad Maenads, he will sneak into a holy man's heart and make him secretly fantasise of orgies.

The man who is Dionysus is sensual, erotic, artistic, and chaotic. He seeks ecstasy and intense sensual experience. He is the man who spends most of the time in his body - garage does not interest him, he would probably rather spend time in kitchen where he smell & taste

This man has two modes that dominate his psyche - that of the divine child and that of the eternal adolescent. He may notice very early he is not like other boys or men, that his interests in mostly feminine areas may alienate him from other men.

By recognising he is different, Dionysus develops the divine child mode - he seems himself as unique and different and gifted with unique destiny and purpose. He believes his role is great & mythic. As eternal adolescent, he is always youthful, charismatic & enthusiastic.

Just like the god's main followers were women, so does the man have special relationship with the feminine. He develops the image of the Great Mother and he may often seek the sensual, earthy, qualities in women. Because of his youthful spirit, these women often care for him

Women are also drawn to him. He is sensual, erotic, of intense emotions, a troubled artist, a rebel and he may often awaken a woman's desire to "save him". Sexual experience with this man may be especially intoxicating for a woman as he is a natural lover for who sex is a ritual.

But just like the god has destructive qualities, so does the man. The dominated by him may often experience strong polarity of emotions - strong love and detachment, great sorrow and great happiness. At his worst, he is a murderer, a criminal. Charles Manson is a famous example.

The religious ecastasy and experience is also what this man seeks. He may often be found in religious roles and once again he may take onto extremes. If he is part of religious tradition that denies the erotic, he may take part in flogging, self-harm as a punishment.

This man is also prone to alcoholicism & substance abuse. It is hard for him to be committed to anything as he lives entirely in the present. The way for this man to grow is through developing Zeus, Hermes or Apollo archetypes who can balance the emotional Dionysus.

Zeus was a loving father to the god, and by developing this, he may find stability within himself, Hermes can teach him to go back and forth between highs and lows without attachment and Apollo can bring clarity and objectivity to Dionysus' ecstasy and subjectivity.

This man also has to learn to connect to women personally rather than relating to the Great Mother and the devouring feminine through them. These men, unless they conquer their demons, often suffer from depression and may often be suicidal. Jim Morrison is a famous Dionysus.

- The King of Sea: Poseidon -

When god of the sea appears in human men (or in a woman as a part of her animus), he appears as one of the most complex individuals we may observe. Poseidon is among the fathers, not sons, it means he is motivated by pursuit of power and authority.

However, despite wanting and being motivated by the pursuit of power and authority, both power and authority may be difficult for the Poseidon man to obtain. Most cultures see the rational Zeus as the ideal King and not the emotional, intense & often destructive Poseidon.

Poseidon has three important symbols surrounding him - sea, horses and, trident. Sea represents his intense, deep emotions, horses his raw power and instincts and trident represents his fertility - he is tied with Mother Goddess/Earth which he fertilizes.

Poseidon the man is emotional, intense and powerful. He is the man of strong emotions and instincts that often outpower him. Because of his emotionality, he may often be mocked & have a hard time succeeding in traditionally masculine pursuits which he often takes on.

Even though Poseidon is often rejected by the world of Zeus, he feels entitled to positions of power, and he may react with strong emotions. He especially may feel enraged if he sees a woman having a dominant position over him. This is also reflected in Athena vs Poseidon myth.

In the myth, Athena and Poseidon compete over the city of Athens. Athena, being rational and focused, is capable of figuring out what the situation calls for, while Poseidon, lacking Athena's clarity of mind, loses. Real life Athena women are usually more successful than him.

Poseidon's emotionality can manifest as his need for revenge. He makes Odysseus' journey home very difficult because the hero has blinded the god's son. This man can often be blinded by his need for revenge - to the point he forgets to take care of the child.

Poseidon is not only the overly emotional & often abusive man. He has capacity to develop other capabilities. For this to happen, Poseidon the boy must have good parents - parents who will both accept his emotions but also prepare him for the world which may not be as accepting.

In the myth, Poseidon tries to force himself onto his wife, Amphitrite. Poseidon man's sexuality is often forceful and instinctual, it is not Dionysus' sensual play or erotic exploration, it is rather an expression of pure power. However, Amphitrite rejects him.

Amphitrite was not someone Poseidon just lusted after, rather he fell in love. So in order to persuade her, he sends a dolphin. Poseidon the man, through "sending the dolphin", learns how to communicate with people, to negotiate without the instinctual force.

The Poseidon man who has learned not to allow his emotions to outpower his "I" is powerful and authoritative, yet nurturing and soothing like the water. He is no longer at the mercy of tidal waves but can control how he responds and can use his emotions in a constructive way.

The evolved Poseidon is wonderful with children as he both has kingly firmness and emotional depth. He may also be a great musician or do well in a career in which he can express his deep emotions instead of bury them down. If he develops Hermes, he can also be a great writer.

Besides keeping a good sense of "I", using the dolphin and creative expression, Poseidon the man can grow by developing other archetypes - Apollo and Zeus among masculine archetypes, and Athena as part of his subconscious feminine psyche, may be useful to him.

- The Warrior Lover: Ares -

He is in many action films - an one of his archetypal moments in cinema is almost everyone's favourite - when a fighter, seemingly defeated and beaten up, gets up on his feet, and then on pure instinct and impulsivity, beats up his enemies. Alone.

Unlike his warrior sister, the strategic and rational Athena, who was greatly loved by their father Zeus - Ares was rejected and hated by his father. Locked in a jar, judged for his impulsivity and pure physicality, he was at the very bottom of the Greek pantheon.

Ares the man is like the god from the first moments - he is very expressive when he is hungry or when he is wet. He learns not through book and intellectualism but through physical experience. He is lively, loves sports, and loves physical affection, especially hugs.

However, the young Ares' physical, curious, passionate and impulsive nature is often met with criticism or in the most extreme situations, just like the god, he may be locked in a jar and not allowed to express his archetype in a meaningful way.

Ares the man is individualistic, physical, passionate, and earthy. He is, unless there are other gods present, not a philosophical man. His intense emotions need a physical outlet and they are usually reflected physically even when he is not consciously doing it.

His impulsivity may often get him in trouble - if someone provokes him on a street, his first reaction is to respond by fighting. Despite his impulsive reactions, as a warrior, Ares is loyal to his oaths - the promises he gives to those he considers important, are holy to him.

Before he was taught battle, Ares was taught dance - in many cultures, dancing before battle was part of the ritual. Ares men, are often good dancers - suggesting that physical and emotional is deeply connected for them. Physical activity is crucial for this man's mental health.

The bond between emotions and physical makes him manifest as lover as well. Ares has a long relationship with Aphrodite, which gave them four children. Both of them had other lovers and affairs, but their relationship remained stable intact. Ares is a passionate lover.

For Dionysus sexuality is a mystical experience, for Poseidon, it is expression of his force, for Ares sex is a pure sensual experience - he simply loves how it feels. He is attracted to sexually non-conservative women, puritan or virginal images do not attract him.

As Ares is not a planner, he often gets in relationships without a plan, and he may make a woman "accidentally" pregnant and then marry her. His passion makes him prone to affairs, but he is capable of remaining loyal if he is deeply in love. He is usually an involved father.

He may feel judged and repressed around a conservative woman, the archetypal pairing often reflects in life though and Ares men often find their Aphrodites - this relationship usually allowing expression for the amoral attitude towards sex that they both tend to have.

Ares men are friendly with women but they rarely consider women their best friends. They like to be around other men - their sports club, their soldiers or just a group of friends. Ares is often found in these professions too - he may be a soldier, dancer, singer or athlete.

If his parents were abusive, Ares may become abuser himself. Life often imitates archetype and the Ares man has distant or hateful Zeus as a father, and Hera as a mother. Hera identifies as a wife, not the mother, so she may project the rage she feels for Zeus, on Ares.

Ares matures when he learns to see beyond the moment and can control his rage, by developing Hermes he learns how to resolve conflict with words, Apollo, the archetpye of long-range targets, emotional distance and discipline may also help him.

As a guide of warriors, Athena may greatly help to. During the Trojan War, Achilles, her favourite, was about to kill Agamemnon, but the calm Athena intervenes: "I have come to stay your anger - but will you obey me? Come then, do not take your sword keep clear of fighting."

By accessing his own Athena (in his anima), the Ares man can learn to reflect before acting. When he thinks like this, the voice may feel like "other" within himself, a counselor. It is often a feminine voice, who acts as a Sophia/Lady Wisdom and guides him just like Athena does.

- The Golden Son: Apollo -

Only Zeus was more revered than his golden son - Apollo. Handsome youth with golden locks openly claims his mission and it is to "reveal to mankind the exact will of Zeus".

In the collective, it is almost impossible to avoid the Apollo archetype - he, together with his sister Athena, are still what the Western culture consider to be symbols of civilisation. Apollo is in academia, in mastery of craft, in orchestral music, in law, in space missions.

Apollo the man, like the god who rules him is rational, focused, ambitious, extroverted, hard working and competent. He is the perfect, golden "son". He is the man who while in school or college has perfect grades, plays music instruments, and never makes problems.

Despite his ability to achieve and accomplish, Apollo is the son, not the father. This means that he seeks approval from the archetypal Zeus - be it is biological father or the man in authority who is above him. Apollo is successful but rarely in Zeus positions.

Getting admiration or approval is not difficult for the Apollo man. His natural ability to excel, to be composed and rational, brings him respect and opportunities. Problems may occur when the Apollo man is not getting recognition. He may then develop anxieties.

Whatever anxieties Apollo may experience, he is capable of getting over them as he, just like the god Apollo, looks at the things objectively, from a detached perspective. He is capable of observing the situation without emotions.

The other thing that helps him rise above anxiety is expressed in symbols of archer and musician. Just like his twin sister, Artemis, who is also an archer, he is capable of aiming for his future goals. As a musician, he knows what is necessary to achieve excellence.

When it comes to women, Apollo is attracted to independent, intelligent, and attractive women. His relationships may often have the brother-sister dynamic like he has with Artemis. Sometimes his anima may get him to be attracted to intuitive, mystical, and emotional women.

Apollo is seemingly a perfect partner (dependable, reliable, hardworking), yet in the myth, and often in life too, he is the rejected lover. He is the rejected lover because his detachment makes him be more concerned with form of relationship, and not its depth.

Apollo sees relationships rationally - they are a building block of society, and something that is expected of him to do. If a woman seeks emotional depth & intimacy, she may feel lonely with Apollo. A woman who seeks a reliable provider, like Demeter, will enjoy him.

If Apollo is in a homosexual relationships, they once again often resemble the myth. Apollo had a male lover Hyacinth. Hyacinth is his mirrored self and relationship with him for Apollo man is the symbol of self-acceptance.

Not everything is golden about the golden boy. Apollo had both swans and ravens. Apollo may often suffer from narcissism, arrogance, and often ruthlesness in punishing those who have offended him. His unemotionality allows him to do it without much remorse or regret.

Apollo may grow by developing his Dionysian shadow and allowing for emotions, spontaneity, and ecstasy to take place in his life. This helps him connect to his own emotions, body and passions. He can also grow by freeing his anima, the feminine aspect of his psyche.

- The King of Shadows: Hades -

Hades is a complex archetype that can be understood as both a place, and personal archetype that appears in someone. As a place, Hades is the realm of Underworld or Shadow - that place in which we hide memories we thought we forgot, shame & fear.

For this thread, I shall focus on the Hades in a person. Hades is of the father archetypes, which means he is motivated by power & authority. Hades is different from his brothers, Zeus & Poseidon in him being internally focused. Hades is introverted, quiet, in his own realm.

One of the names used for Hades "Plouton" - the giver of wealth. So when we speak of Hades, we must look at aspect of him as Pluto - his less gloomy aspect. As the giver of wealth and holder of conrucopia, this man excels at quietly amassing wealth, burying it in the underworld.

However, Hades is not concerned with being visible as Zeus or Poseidon kingly archetypes may be. He is content knowing he has power from the shadows. One good fictional example of this archetype is Tommy Shelby in "Peaky Blinders", where he is the king of the "shadow" world.

As a young boy, Hades is internally focused and unresponsive to his surroundings. He may not respond to his mother's affections. A father who expects his son to play sports or flip pages of an erotic magazine, will be disappointed with a Hades son.

Hades boy may often get feedback that there is something wrong with him for being introverted. He doesn't care to socialise except witih the few he respects. His internal focus makes him sensitive to people's energies, he may also be good at detecting lies & real intentions.

How Hades will be when he grows up depends on how he adapts his highly internal nature with the outer world. If he learns to reach outward & gains power, he will feel confident in himself, if not, he may still seek power but often through manipulation, isolation, crime.

Unhealthy Hades may spend life living in hotels, going out into the world only to have a short power trip - gambling, prostitutes, then return to his fortress once again. He at his worse is abductor, rapist, incestuous father. He's dominated by his underworld and acts on it.

Hades is monogamous, his only lover being Persephone. He abducts Persephone, but for her this is also an important moment in which she finally leaves mother and becomes a queen. For a Hades, finding Persephone/his anima may be just as important & transformative.

Just like Persephone takes pomegranate out of underworld, so can a woman help Hades "exert" his thoughts & intuitions into the world. She may be a strategic ally if she is more socially capable than him & help him cut through the world of small talk & chatter.

Many women may feel threatened by Hades deep internal focus & his ability to see through pretensions. As a father, Hades is usually emotionally distant but supportive - he is the type who will support his children's niche interests and hobbies.

To grow, Hades has to develop a persona - a mask that allows him to go live in the external world. Hermes, who is between the two worlds, makes men dominated by Hades into great psychologists, writers, film directors. Fellini's films are an expression of Hades Hermes interaction.

Hermes, Persephone, Hecate, Hades & Dionysus are necessary archetypes if we care to find what subtle energies push us and motivate us. We are all visited by Persephone & Hades every time we go through a great sorrow, through small deaths, rebriths & transformations.