Tools for Navigating Adversity and Hazards
The reason Archetypal developed the human journey card deck is to help people navigate adversity and risk, supported by the deepest possible reason “why?” There is no more important work than developing our capacity to gain consciousness and take control over our impulses so, that we can respond effectively to the challenges we face. This provides a high level “why?”, when engaging with adversity, hazard-filled work, or risk recreation. It is self-evident, that responding to consequential situations with high level values, results in better decisions. The human Journey Card Deck offers a clear practice of elevating our engagement, so that actions and decisions come from a platform of sound values.
To know and understand how to use The Human Journey Card Deck we must begin by understanding two concepts: The first is what an Archetype is (and an understanding of the archetypical journey). And secondly, to understand the transcendent process of Alchemy.
1) Archetype
An archetype is a fully formed image, and understanding of a character like, a coward, narcissist, actor or a hero, caregiver, or sage. An archetypical journey is the process where an individual moves from embodying a shadow archetype like coward, narcissist, or actor and elevate their way of being into a luminant archetype like hero, caregiver, or sage. (See Archetype Key Below) We all embody this process in small ways unconsciously. Every time we succeed at doing something that initially terrifed us, we move from coward to hero. When we stop thinking only about ourselves, and effort to help others we elevate from narcissist to caregiver. Every time we find the courage to tell the truth we elevate from actor to sage. This is the first use for the cards. They provide insight about how we might be showing up to a situation. The dragon side of the card is whatever shadow archetypal behaviour that is being embodied, and the image side of the card is whatever luminant archetypal behaviour is being embodied.
Archetype Key
Shadow and Luminant Power Archetype
Denial / Acceptance Addict / Alchemist
Faint-Hearted / Courage Coward / Hero
Isolation / Connection Isolate / Everyman
Insignificant / Self Aware Wall-Flower/Explorer
Hubris / Grace Narcissist / Caregiver
Deception / Truth Actor / Sage
Intellectualize / Intuition Charlatan / Visionary
Chaos / Peace Troll / Monk
2) Alchemy
Alchemy is a transformation. It is a process of changing how we may be showing up to a situation or even how we perceive a situation. How we show up is a result of whether or not we are reacting or responding to the circumstances. A reaction is an unconscious impulse where we are likely to embody a shadow archetype. (This can happen more readily when we are in the grip of adversity.) A choice is a conscious response where we are likely to embody the higher level values of a luminant archetype. Alchemy is exercising a choice we have of elevating the archetype we are embodying; The conscious movement from actor to sage or coward to hero is alchemy. When we use alchemy to elevate the archetype we are embodying in a situation, we improve the platform from which we are making decisions. How we perceive a situation can also be transformed. Being able to recognize and embrace the good in adversity, or the lessons from a tragedy is alchemy and it mitigates adversity and improves the platform from which we make decisions.
Values Based Human Hazard Management Model
To help us along in our understanding of how we can show up to situations, the card deck also includes the Human Hazard Management Model. (See Above) This model articulates the idea that there is a progression of shadow or limiting archetypes and a progression of luminant and expansive archetypes. Situations either become progressively more limiting on a path to chaos or progressively more expansive on a path to peace. Awareness of limiting or expansive energy helps us discern which path we are on and invites us to make adjustments if we are engaged with limiting behaviours. The purple circle reminds us that anything taken to the extreme can be detrimental. The middle path, right between shadow and luminant is where we will find flow. The circle represents wholeness. Courage tempered with a little bit of faint-heartedness is the sweet spot, which is true of all of the other pairs in the model.
Strategies For Working With the Cards
Individual Processing of an Anticipated or Currently Challenging or Previous Event
Use the deck as an intentional reflective tool. Pick out the section of the deck (colour) that resonates with your anticipated situation, your current situation or your previous experience. Work with that colour for a week.
1) Answer the questions on the back of the card if they relate to how you have tended to show up to the situation you anticipate, have been exposed to or have engaged with. The deck will help you elevate your engagement to a response.
2) Work with the images. What pops into your head when you look at the images and how can this help you in your reflections of an anticipated event, event or your present situation?
3) Remember, (and this one is hard) this is about your journey, and not anyone else’s. The hard, and sometimes more honest work is making the process ours, and it is a process or a practice, not an arrival. Once you have completed that colour for the week-long reflection, pick the next colour group and repeat the above process.
Randomly Select a Card
Sometimes it is the things we don’t want to look at, that can be the most problematic in our lives. By randomly selecting a card we may expose ourselves to more difficult issues to reflect and ponder upon, and then take action. Shuffle the deck and pick a card with your eyes closed so that you cannot see the colour. Reflect upon the image and the question (s) on the back. You can also deepen your process by following through with the remainder of the same coloured cards. This you will be sure to do if you choose a title card.
1) Answer the questions on the back of the card as they relate to how you have tended to show up to the situations you have been exposed to or have engaged with. The deck will help you elevate your perception of and your response to the events you are engaged with.
2) Work with the images. What pops into your head when you look at the images and how can this help you in your reflections of an event or your present situation?
3) The content is a process that I captured after using it to heal from the avalanche event. Remember, (and this one is hard) this is about your journey, and not anyone else’s. It is very easy to reflect upon how someone else needs to develop. The hard, and sometimes more honest work is making the process ours, and it is a process or a practice, not an arrival. Once you have completed that colour for the week-long reflection, pick the next group of the same colour and repeat the above process.
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