The King is in your Head. Long Live the King

The King archetype exists in the collective unconscious. That means that you have the symbol of “King” inside your head and so does everybody else. It means something similar to all of us. Words that come to mind for me are: Regal, Ruler, Masterful, Virtuous, Distinguished, Respected, Gracious and Potent.

The King is a more specific form of Jung’s “Ruler” Archetype, sometimes called the “Sovereign”. It holds a conceptual space in our minds and the shared psyche as a powerful leader who we all “look up to”. The King is “up there” above us. He is “watching over us”.

We project the King out into the world and we look for something that can match and catch that majestic energy. Jesus on high is often the recipient. He is the “King of Kings” and the “Lord of Lords”. God the Father is a type of King. So is Donald Trump. We have this spot for a King baked into the back of our minds and we look around the world to find something that matches.

When a person embodies the King, he stands on the “central mound”. The one that appears in so many myths and legends. We see Mufasa standing on Pride Rock overlooking his realm and telling Simba this will be his one day. We see Saruman in the Tower of Isengard looking over his treacherous claim with Gandalf below looking up with disdain. We see an old man bearded God sitting on a cloud…