In this Active Imagination exercise,
We're going to explore the influence of the father archetype in our lives.
Our understanding of parenting and the nuances of our relationships with our parents are often coloured by this archetype.
The process of individuation and becoming who we really are involves recognising our parents as individuals,
As well as representatives of deeper archetypal patterns.
This process requires us to acknowledge the gifts and the care they have given us,
While also confronting and reconciling with their limitations,
And what's more,
Ceasing to hold them to an impossible ideal.
By fostering a relationship with the father archetype,
We can move beyond personal histories and connect with a broader understanding of authority and guidance,
Helping us to both see ourselves and our parents more clearly,
And to embody the father archetype in a healthy manner both towards ourselves and others.
So just beginning this exercise in the usual way.
You can do this either seated,
Lying down,
Or standing up.
Close your eyes,
And take a couple of deep breaths,
Allowing the breath to return to a natural rhythm now.
Just keep your attention on the sensation of the breath,
Wherever you happen to feel it the most.
Whether it's the sensation of the air moving through the nostrils,
Or the rise and fall of the chest or abdomen.
If at any point during this exercise you get distracted,
That's no problem.
Just bring the attention back to whatever it is you're doing.
And now,
Imagine yourself standing in a place where you think the father archetype might reside.
An open outdoor space could work well for this.
You could even use a place that you know.
Just use the place that seems right to you.
And in this place,
A symbol begins to form.
This is the father archetype,
As viewed through the lens of your own conscious mind,
And influenced by your personal history.
However,
If your actual biological father,
Or any other living human should appear,
Just politely ask them to change form into something more symbolic.
This image may appear as a being,
Or a person,
A mythical creature,
Or a symbolic object.
Just allow it to form naturally,
No matter whether it seems almost too obvious,
Or strange and unexpected.
Just allow it to be there.
And now pay closer attention to the symbol.
Take notes of its various details.
Is it moving,
Or static?
Does it have any particular expression or demeanor?
And what comes up for you in its presence?
You're now going to engage in a two-way interaction with this symbol of the father archetype.
So first introduce yourself,
And then one by one,
Ask each of the following questions.
And simply see how the symbol responds.
How do you perceive our relationship currently?
In what ways are you reflecting back my relationship to the father?
What do you see as the main challenge,
Or challenges,
In our relationship?
How can I better embody your leadership and authority in my dealings?
What can I do to cultivate and continue to deepen our relationship?
So having asked these questions,
And noted the symbol's responses,
You're now going to engage in a free-form interaction with the symbol.
Use this time to resolve any conflicts that have emerged,
To ask any more questions you need to ask,
Or simply just spend some time with the symbol.
Get to know it,
And continue to deepen a relationship to this archetypal father energy.
So take the next minute or two to engage in a free-form interaction with this symbol.
So as you come to the end of this interaction,
The father archetype hands you a symbolic gift in the form of an object.
And as before,
Just allow this symbol to form naturally.
It may or may not make sense to you consciously,
But know that your psyche understands the symbolic language.
As you prepare to leave this space,
Take one last look around,
And notice how the father archetype appears differently from how it did at the start of the exercise.
So saying goodbye to the symbol now,
Thanking them for their wisdom and guidance,
And just allowing the scene to fade.
And remember you can repeat this exercise any time,
As part of continuing to engage with and deepen your relationship with the father archetype.
So just bringing your attention back now to the space around you,
Noticing any sounds or sensations,
Taking a deep breath,
And opening your eyes again in your own time.
