Leaning Into the Natural Tendencies of Your Cycle: Feminine Archetypes
August 15, 2024
What is an Archetype?
Archetypes are qualities, patterns, energies, and behaviors that are universally recognized. Archetypes are often found in the forms of art or literature but are also found in nature and cycles. A few examples from literature are the hero and villain. The concept of these two archetypes is understood globally. They go beyond the boundaries of time and culture through the generations.
What are the Feminine Archetypes?
The four main feminine archetypes are Crone/Wise Woman, Maiden, Mother, and Wild Woman. They are represented in each woman’s monthly cycle pairing with the menstrual cycle phases often used in Western culture: menstruation, follicular, ovulation, and luteal phases. However, archetypes go much deeper than describing whether a woman is ovulating or bleeding. Women are cyclical beings by nature, and the archetypes pair with each phase of the cycle, giving a character to describe her. Each archetype has positive and negative elements, some are more widely accepted in our culture than others. For example, the Crone/Wise Woman archetype gets a bad rap in our society because it views women as weak and dirty. But when the Crone/Wise Woman is understood as intuitive, tuned into her body, and ready for self-reflection and decision-making, she is powerful even through a time of physical rest which her body needs.
Why do they matter?
Fighting against the archetypes denies a woman the wholeness of her being and creates an imbalance. When women learn to lean into their archetypes they will benefit physically, physiologically, and as a whole. There is power in tuning into the body’s natural cycle and honoring the archetype for what she is.
Understanding the Four Feminine Archetypes
- The Crone / Wise Woman
The Crone / Wise Woman is the wisdom keeper, in tune with her intuition, introspective, reflective, contemplative, and sensitive. In Western culture, the Crone / Wise Woman is the menstruation phase of your cycle. Working with the Crone / Wise Woman archetype is a great time to rest intently, retreat, do inner/shadow work, stillness, listen, and make big decisions. Additional support includes embracing a cozy space, drinking warm drinks, eating nourishing foods, and taking warm herbal baths. This archetype is similar to a time of postpartum where rest and nourishment should be a priority. In this archetype it is not a good time to be very social, put yourself out there, travel, stay up late, fast, or skip meals. Herbs that support her and the female reproductive system are red raspberry leaf, nettle, ashwagandha, ginger, turmeric, chaste berry, lavender, dandelion, and lemon balm.
- The Maiden
The Maiden archetype is youthful, ecstatic, blooming, adventurous, joyful, open-minded, courageous, social, a dreamer, and energetic. In Western culture, the Maiden is the follicular phase of your cycle. Working with the Maiden archetype is a great time to start new projects, set new goals, be detailed and plan, and engage in simple pleasures. Use your creativity, and curiosity, take time to play, and let go of previous pains. In this archetype, it is not a good time to finish up long projects or things bogging you down, overcommit to things later in your cycle, or be critical and reflective. To support her, drink detoxifying beverages like lemon salt water, and fire cider, or take activated bamboo charcoal supplements. Herbs that support her and the female reproductive system are stinging nettle, red clover, primrose, burdock, red raspberry leaf, rosebud, dandelion, and violet.
- The Mother
The Mother archetype is electric, sensual, creative, open-hearted, self-expressive, social, overflowing, devoted, protective, and committed. In Western culture, the Mother is the ovulation phase of your cycle. Working with the Mother archetype is a great time to be in nature, create and express, host events, brainstorm new ideas, heal old wounds, have hard conversations, and finish projects. In this archetype it is not a good time to be locked into detail-oriented planning, having excessive mundane checklists, deep cleaning, or organizing. She is more free-flowing, airy, and expressive in doing new tasks. Herbs that support her and the female reproductive system are cacao, hibiscus, calendula, lemon balm, cinnamon, mint, St John’s wort, linden, rose, and elderflower.
- The Wild Woman
The Wild Woman archetype is powerful, intuitive, wild, raw, honest, chaotic, emotional, judgemental, self-critical, and analytical. In Western culture, the Wild Woman is the luteal phase of your cycle. Working with the Wild Woman archetype is a great time to journal, reflect, review priorities, listen to the inner critic, clean, and find a creative outlet. She tends to be darker, expressing herself in more dynamic and wild ways. Additional support includes creating a cozy space, drinking warm drinks, eating nourishing foods, and yoni steaming. In this archetype, it is not a good time to finish projects, be very social, or over-commit. Herbs that support her and the female reproductive system are passion flower, ashwagandha, Shatavari, rose, peppermint, chamomile, chaste berry, dandelion, maca, ginger, lemon balm, and oat straw.
Conclusion & Further Research
Every woman’s cycle is unique to them but the theme of archetypes remains. Furthering your understanding of the different feminine archetypes can be helpful to give you a greater understanding and insight into each phase of your cycle. To be a woman is truly a gift and worth digging in deeper to understand the intricacies of how God made her. There are other great resources and courses available online that you can use to further your research.