Empowering Women Through Archetypes

In 2018, in the Coffee House Theatre at CalArts, my acting mentor, Marissa Chibas, pulled out a deck of tarot-like cards. I was deep into rehearsals, working on a scene from Mala Hierba by Tanya Saracho, playing a drug lord’s daughter from Texas—bold, reckless, and unfiltered. For the cocaine, I used baby powder and corn starch, which, in hindsight, wasn’t the wisest choice (it did clog my nose!).

Marissa asked us to pick a card intuitively, one that felt aligned with our character. Out of 74 magnificent Archetype cards by Caroline Myss, my fingers landed on ‘The Vampire’—a figure that drains energy. At first, I resisted the choice. Why not ‘The Addict’ or ‘The Bully’? But years later, I understood—this character didn’t just consume substances; she consumed light, optimism, and hope. My body had recognised it before my intellect did. That’s the power of archetypes—our intuitive intelligence knows them before we do.

Who is your hero? Who is the villain in your life?
‘She’s a real fool!’
‘They’re quite the rebel’.

Hero, Villain, Fool, Rebel—these are not just labels but ancient archetypes, embedded in myths and cultures across the world.

“Jung saw archetypes as the quintessential navigation tool of the psyche, providing a gateway between the conscious mind and the unconscious mind that could help us in becoming integrated human beings.” – Caroline Myss.

Simply put, archetypes are patterns of behaviour that shape who we are. They influence the way we speak, dress, make decisions, and lead. Robert Moore and Douglas Gillette’s book King, Warrior, Magician, Lover, explores the masculine psyche through these four archetypes. My mentor, Chibas, in her book Mythic Imagination and the Actor, states that archetypes are the opposite of stereotypes—they are fluid, adaptable, and accessible to any gender. We all know women who are Warriors and men who are Caregivers.

Caroline Myss, in her book Archetypes: Who Are You?, explores ten archetypes that define modern women and their power struggles. This is where my interest lies.

How do we, as women, lead with authenticity and strength? How do we step into our full potential without apologising for it?

These archetypes, as Myss says, are “…the creative engines of your psyche and spirit.” Identifying our dominant archetypes—whether it’s the Visionary, Advocate, Executive, Athlete, Caregiver, or Artist—allows us to harness our strengths and own our voices unapologetically.

Society thrives on women’s insecurities, keeping us forever apologetic and second guessing ourselves. Imposter syndrome throws a party in our heads. But what if, instead of letting self- doubt win, we leaned into our archetypes?

Think of the part of you that you revere. The trait you celebrate. When we embody our archetypes through theatre and movement, we don’t just intellectualise them—we feel them, inhabit them, and transform from within.

Recently, a loved one told me, “You are very informal and friendly, so people don’t take you seriously.” My first instinct was to push back. My dominant archetypes—the Artist, Poet, and Rebel—reject formality and thrive in authenticity. But they had a point. My warmth builds connections effortlessly, yet in professional spaces, it sometimes blurs boundaries. The answer isn’t to change who I am but to step into my Queen/Executive archetype when needed. Not by forcing it, but by trusting my body’s intuitive intelligence to guide me.

Using theatre, movement, and embodiment, we can tap into our greatest strengths while addressing our blind spots. This isn’t about ‘fixing’ ourselves. It’s about expansion—about stepping fully into the vast potential that already exists within us.

As a facilitator, my role is to create a space where exploration feels safe yet transformative. Through movement and theatre, we engage the body—using gestures, actions, imagination, and voice—to step into the embodiment of an archetype and experience the world through its traits. But this isn’t about abandoning who we are; it’s about accessing parts of ourselves that may have been overlooked or underused. For example, a Visionary might benefit from tapping into the grounding presence of the Warrior, allowing her ideas to move from inspiration to execution.

Through theatre, we don’t just intellectualise these concepts—we experience them. And in that experience, something profound happens: we realise that we are not confined to one way of being. We are fluid, adaptable, and capable of holding multiple truths at once. This work allows women to reclaim their presence, step into their power, and lead from a place of authenticity and confidence.

As Myss wisely says, “Don’t waste time underestimating yourself. Dream big. Use your archetypes.”

This International Women’s Day, let’s do exactly that.

Reach out to us at syngrity@syngrity.com to know how we can empower the women in your organisation by unlocking the power of archetypes today.

Vidushi is an active theatre practitioner with over 12 years of experience and roots in Mumbai, Delhi, and Los Angeles. She holds an MFA in Acting from the California Institute of the Arts, specialized training in Shakespearean acting from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London and has also completed a short course in Organizational Behaviour at the London School of Economics. She has a strong interest in the psychology of management and enhancing individual well-being. Vidushi has been a visiting faculty member at the National School of Drama in Delhi and Drama School in Mumbai and has conducted countless workshops across India. Her approach is not just about technique but also about nurturing the spirit, fostering authentic connections, and empowering individuals to discover and embrace their true selves.