Soul Excavation: Working with Archetypes
- Savannah
- Apr 21
- 6 min read
We carry many selves.
Some buried deep—forgotten, silenced, or abandoned.
Versions of us that once believed they couldn’t survive what we’ve endured.
But look at us now.
Blooming anyway.
Not in spite of the pain, but because of it.
Every scar, every silence, every shadow—it shaped the soil where we now stand rooted.
These patterns live within us—
calling back the hidden parts,
offering maps for the journey inward.
They help us grow.
Grieve.
Transform.
This is soul excavation.
An offering for anyone seeking meaning, depth, and the courage to reclaim themselves.
“Your vision will become clear only when you can look into your own heart. Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes.”
(Carl Jung)
What are Archetypes?
I tend to think that archetypes exist both independently and as part of our own souls. Or, the archetypal energies that live within us also serve as a bridge to the collective energy. If you are a tree, then archetypes are the deep roots and intertwined mycelium connecting your existence to the earth itself.
Archetypes are also tied to stories and narratives. One of the most famous archetypes is the Hero, as explored by Joseph Campbell in The Hero's Journey, and seen personified in literary works from across the world.
Why Work With Archetypes?
Connecting with archetypes connects to the idea that stories are a powerful way of reaching the deepest recesses of the psyche. Stories can often bypass the mental barriers of logic and analysis that keep us from deep inner connection. Archetypes can be seen as the bridge between stories as entertainment and stories as healing.
Stories are medicine...They have such power; they do not require that we do, be, or act anything—we need only listen. The remedies for repair or reclamation of any lost psychic drive are contained in stories. Stories engender the excitement, sadness, questions, longings, and understandings that spontaneously bring the archetype, in this case Wild Woman, back to the surface.
(Clarissa Pinkola Estes, Women Who Run with Wolves)
Archetypes can be a portal to a deeper exploration of your inner world. There might be a time that you feel stuck with your current practices, that they are not taking you as far as you want to go. Archetypes align very well with shadow work and any kind of practice where you are trying to dive deeper than your current comfort zone.
I also believe that awakening our creative spirit is an essential element of inner work. Archetypes can be a really beautiful pathway into cultivating imagination and creativity. For me, it lends enough structure to give purpose and direction to your practice, while also providing flexibility and freedom to follow what feels right for you in the moment.
Archetypes can be really helpful when you are ready to bring more aspects of yourself to the surface. When it feels like there is wild life quietly growing under the surface, waiting to be released into the world, archetype work might be a good way to explore and bring those facets online.
How do I Work with Archetypes?
Before you begin
The more that I work with archetypes, the more I realize the power and insight they provide. I recently had an experience where I used the cards in a way that I realized later was not respectful or with a clean energy, and immediately regretted it.
I believe you get out of a practice the same energy that you put into it. So as you approach working with archetypes, make sure you bring a grounded and intentional energy. For me, I try to eliminate all distractions and interruptions in my physical space. I have a specific playlist of music for when I’m doing inner work, so I will just sit for a few minutes listening to my music and making sure I am centered and clear.
I typically combine this with journaling, so have a notebook and pen nearby if that speaks to you. If you are artistically inclined, an archetype might be a gentle prompt for artwork that it brings to the surface for you.
What archetypes to use?
There are lots of resources for this, but a common starting point are the 12 Jungian Archetypes.
If you are unfamiliar with archetypes at all, then maybe spend some time just reading about the 12 Jungian archetypes.
The key here is being aware of your emotional landscape, primarily through asking yourself questions.
Which ones speak to you?
Which ones evoke a “yes, this is me” response?
Which ones do you like the least?
Do you have a strong sense of revulsion or judgement towards one? Perhaps this is a sign of some unresolved inner wound or limiting belief. What is that response telling you about your inner world?
Is there an archetype that you feel drawn to, as a longing or resonance? Explore that perhaps this is an energy that you need to be intentional about cultivating.
But what has really resonated with me is the Archeo personal archetype deck from Nick Bantock (amazon link). If you feel inspired to purchase a deck, just take the time to find one that feels right for you.
One practice here with a deck is to do a 5 or 9 card spread, similar to ones listed in the guide book included with the Archeo deck. But then as you’re sitting with the cards, ask some of the questions I shared above. Archetype work is a very active practice. For me, it is like having a conversation. If you just sit and stare at someone, you're probably not going to have a very rewarding conversation. But if you are curious and open, willing to participate, then you will find a greater depth of insights.
Another practice is to do a daily card draw. This is something I do as of right now. I will draw a card in the morning and spend some time with the energy to see what comes up for me. I use this as a launching point for sharing daily posts online as well, sharing the insights, questions, and inspiration that speak to my soul. This could be done at any interval that feels comfortable for you, such as drawing a card weekly.
How does this look in real life?
Some of this can seem a bit abstract, so I will share an example from my own experience to make it more concrete.
A few years ago during a session with my therapist, she suggested that I spend some time connecting with the energy of an inner warrior. At the time, I was struggling to hold clear emotional boundaries and had a pattern of allowing myself to be hurt over and over. This Warrior energy was an aspect that I had not been able to access yet, but felt like my life experiences were calling me to bring this to the surface.
But to explore this, I started exploring what the idea of a “warrior” meant to me. What characters embodied this energy? What kind of images did it bring to mind? I built a playlist with songs that evoked this feeling for me and changed my phone wallpaper to a themed image. It also gave me an opportunity to discover what was blocking me from accessing this energy before. What kind of fears and limitations came up? What made me uncomfortable with being my own warrior? In what ways had I been taught that this was bad or unsafe? What was a small action or mindset shift I could make that would embody this energy of a warrior?
This was before I was really familiar with archetypes—in fact this experience was part of what led me to explore the practice more—so the starting point was a suggestion from my therapist, rather than a prompt from a card or list. There is another gentle entry way to archetype work if you're not sure where to start. You could think about characters from books, movies, or TV shows that really speak to you. Why are you drawn to these characters? What archetypes are they strongly aligned with?
For example, in my early 20s I was very much obsessed with Doctor Who (yes, I am definitely a nerd, lol). At the time, it was the Eleventh Doctor who just seemed to speak to my soul in some way. For me, it wasn't just a fun TV show, it was a source of light and hope to my soul. Looking back, I can see that this particular version of the Doctor had strong elements of a Dreamer archetype, and to this day, that is a very special and powerful archetype for me.
What Now?
If you want to see what it looks like on a daily basis to explore an archetype, follow me on Threads.
If you want to receive occasional emails related to archetype work or future archetype guides, you can join my mailing list.
If you’re curious about archetypes but just feeling stuck, feel free to reach out through my site or on social media. I’d be glad to chat more about how you could approach this work. I am deeply passionate about archetypes and will always gladly have a conversation about it!
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