Reading List, September 2023

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This reading list explores published ideas, artistic expressions, characters, and business channelling the Lover archetype in adbūtam rasa.

Tell us how these stories made you feel, and where they lead your thinking. We’d love to know.

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Archetype → Lover

Rasa → Adbūtham

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September 2023

Artistic expressions channelling archetype in rasa

• The Lover’s gaze: Leonardo da Vinci - "Mona Lisa": Leonardo's masterpiece, the "Mona Lisa," is often seen as an embodiment of the Lover archetype. The subject's enigmatic smile and gaze have captivated viewers for centuries, representing a sense of mystery and emotional depth.

• Lover’s journey: "Rest Energy" (1980): In "Rest Energy," Abramovic and Frank Uwe Laysiepen, AKA Ulay held a taut bowstring with an arrow pointed at Abramovic's heart. The tension and risk in the performance evoke themes of trust and the deep emotional connection between the two artists.

  • "The Lovers" (1988) was another performance (Abramovic and Ulay) that started at opposite ends of the Great Wall of China and walked toward each other, meeting in the middle after three months. This epic performance can be interpreted as a representation of their enduring love, dedication, and the emotional journey they undertook together.

  • 30 years later, when Marina Abramović was performing “The Artist Is Present” at the MoMA, a performance in which she stood still, staring for one minute at one person from the audience, in total silence, Ulay showed up. A band called How I became the bomb wrote a song about the intense love story between the famous performer Marina Abramović and Ulay.

• Connection to the divine: Michelangelo - "The Creation of Adam" - The iconic fresco depicts the moment when God breathes life into Adam. The tender touch between God's finger and Adam's hand can been interpreted as a symbol of the Lover archetype, representing the connection between humanity and the divine.

• Harmony of Opposites: The composition of "The Kiss" involves a balance of opposites - the masculine and feminine, the earthly and the divine. This harmony of opposites is a characteristic of the Lover archetype, which often seeks to unite contrasting elements and find completeness in the beloved.

• Vulnerability of connection: Bon Iver - Perth (Stripped): The intense emotional connection in both the visual and audio elements aligns with the passionate nature of the Lover archetype. The candid, heartfelt footage of Heath Ledger, evokes a sense of love and loss, and the attempt to connect with someone or something no longer present. This significant emotional theme, in conjunction with Heath Ledger's tragic death at the time, demonstrates the vulnerability of the lover.

• Devotion and commitment: U2 - I will follow - The Lover's deep emotional attachment and passion can be channelled to signify loyalty and hope. This intense emotional commitment resonates with the passionate nature of the Lover archetype. In this case, the live performance was broadcast using one of the largest satellite link-ups of all time, capturing the moment and showcasing music's power to unite a massive global audience for a humanitarian cause.

• Sensuality: Pamplem'House - Remembrance - Deep house music often relies on emotive melodies, soulful vocals, and stirring harmonies to create a strong emotional connection with listeners. We often find it incorporates sensual and seductive elements in its sound, such as smooth rhythms and hypnotic beats. Mixed with ethereal and otherworldly soundscapes through synthesizers, ambient textures, and reverb effects; the Lover archetype can be tuned to evoke a sense of wonder and amazement.

• Contemplative beauty: Yusef Lateef - Love Theme From Spartacus - The piece is known for its deep emotional resonance. The composition has a sensual and romantic quality, with the saxophone melody and the lush orchestration creating a mood of intimacy and connection. Lateef's performance and the composition's arrangement have a transcendent quality.

• Self-acceptance: Peter Tosh - I Am That I Am - The lyrics of the song convey a sense of deep emotional connection and love for the self. The philosophical depth of the nature of identity can evoke a sense of wonder and amazement in the listeners. The process of self-realization and acceptance often leads to a sense of wonder and enlightenment.

Published ideas of archetype in rasa

• Rasa theory; In Indian aesthetics, a rasa literally means "nectar, essence or taste". It is a concept in Indian arts denoting the aesthetic flavour of any visual, literary or musical work that evokes an emotion or feeling in the reader or audience, but cannot be described. It refers to the emotional flavors/essence crafted into the work by the writer or a performer and relished by a 'sensitive spectator' or sahṛidaya, literally one who "has heart", and can connect to the work with emotion, without dryness.

• Connection to nature: Silent Spring by Rachel Carson, published in 1962, is a groundbreaking book that embodies the Lover archetype's deep connection to the natural world and evokes a sense of wonder about the environment. She (Carson) expressed her admiration for the beauty and complexity of ecosystems, and questioned the ethics of prioritizing profit over the environment's health. 

• Transcendentalism: Transcendentalism, a philosophical movement of the 19th century, emphasized the inherent goodness of people and nature, as well as the importance of individual intuition and experience. Transcendentalists like Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau encouraged a sense of wonder about the natural world and the interconnectedness of all things.

• Eastern Philosophies (Buddhism and Taoism): Eastern philosophies like Buddhism and Taoism emphasize the interconnectedness of all things and the importance of love, compassion, and wonder. Buddhism, for example, encourages loving-kindness (metta) and compassion (karuna) as central virtues.

• Aesthetics: As a branch of philosophy, it (Aesthetics) explores questions related to beauty, art, and appreciation. Philosophers like Immanuel Kant delved into the wonder and subjective experience of beauty, and their ideas intersect with the Lover archetype's appreciation for the beautiful and the sublime.

Characters channelling archetype in rasa

• New lover: In Baz Luhrmann's 1996 adaptation of Romeo and Juliet, the love between the two are portrayed as youthful and impulsive lovers. Their love transcends social boundaries and familial conflicts, emphasizing the depth of their emotional connection, which is a central aspect of the Lover archetype. Luhrmann's decision to set the story in a contemporary, urban backdrop adds a sense of freshness and wonder to the classic tale. The juxtaposition of Shakespearean language with modern visuals and technology creates a unique and extraordinary atmosphere. The film also explores the theme of fate, which plays a significant role in the lovers' tragic destiny.

• Innocent lover: Edward Scissorhands demonstrates an extraordinary ability to create intricate and beautiful sculptures with his scissorhands, which  reflects his passion for art and beauty. His artistic talents contribute to the sense of wonder in the film, as they showcase his unique perspective on the world. He also forms a deep connection with Kim another main character in the story; his love for her is genuine and unwavering. Like many Lover archetype characters, Edward's story has a tragic dimension. His inability to fully integrate into society and his sense of alienation contribute to the bittersweet nature of the character.

• Perpetual optimist: Amélie is a whimsical and introverted character who finds wonder in the small pleasures of life. Her acts of kindness and her ability to see the extraordinary in the ordinary are central to her character as a Lover archetype.

• Hopeless romantic: WALL-E is a sentient robot left to clean up a post-apocalyptic Earth. He discovers wonder in the artifacts of human civilization and in the form of a plant. His longing for companionship and connection with EVE adds depth to his character.

• Genius lover: 

  • Lionel Wendt: Photographer, pianist, filmmaker and critic from Sri Lanka. The photography of Lionel Wendt is heavy with moods and tends to induce visual poetry or music in viewers. Looking into Lionel’s history, this is not surprising. Being a brilliant pianist trained at the Royal Academy, Wendt’s musicality undoubtedly penetrated his photographic works. With his mastery in light and shade and against the backdrop of the 43 Group that led the modernist movement in Sri Lankan arts, Lionel always seemed to capture the serene opulence of this island in a way only someone deeply in love with this world could. We see it in many of Lionel’s works with perfect metrics of shimmering waters or glistening skins, elegant distributions of black and white or halftone gold that he masterfully captured.

  • Matty Matheson: Chef, TV personality, and restauranteur is the zealous Lover that doesn't hold back in what he does. Matheson has an interesting duality between both Lover and Humorist archetypes. However, the Lover in him is very much what fuels the humour of his shows; because Matheson is so into his food that it becomes funny to watch him pour pounds of butter and all other kinds of delicious goodness into his food, along with an obvious love for culinary crafting. Fantastic food seems to be his love language and what underpins his genius. His delivery is often a mix of hāsyam rasa (humour) and adbūtam (wonder).

  • Leonardo da Vinci was a Renaissance polymath known for his extraordinary talents in art, science, and invention. His deep fascination with the natural world, his artistic creations like the "Mona Lisa" and "The Last Supper," and his innovative designs for flying machines and other inventions reflect a sense of wonder and boundless curiosity.

• The merciful prophet: Prophets often exhibited deep spiritual love, devotion, and awe for the divine, as well as a profound sense of wonder about the mysteries of existence. Their teachings often emphasized love, compassion, and a deep connection to God. In most religious traditions, the prophets exhibited qualities of the Lover archetype, including love, devotion, and a sense of wonder about the divine and the mysteries of existence. Anandamayī is a perfect example of the merciful Lover prophet.

Channelling the archetype in rasa for business

• Poetry in commercial stories; Poetry maps a story that can only be felt rather than be ‘understood’ through information. Some businesses use poetry to convey subtleties like value and desirability. The sari store Rithihi and fashion brand The Summer House.

• Emotional Resonance: Coca-Cola's "Share a Coke" campaign used the Lover archetype by featuring personalized Coke bottles with people's names. The emotional connection of sharing a Coke with a loved one was a central theme, creating strong emotional resonance.

• Storytelling: The "Love Has No Labels" campaign by Ad Council featured a kiss cam at an NFL game, showcasing diverse couples and families sharing kisses. This campaign told a powerful story about love's inclusivity and acceptance.

• Loyalty: Apple's annual holiday commercials often feature heartwarming stories of families and friends coming together during the holiday season. These ads reinforce brand loyalty by associating Apple products with emotional moments.

• Sensory appeal: Perfume and fragrance advertisements often rely on the Lover archetype, using sensual imagery, music, and visual aesthetics to evoke desire and emotional connections with the product.

• Self love: Dove's now iconic "Real Beauty" campaign aimed to humanize their business by celebrating natural beauty and encouraging self-love. It featured real women and their personal stories, promoting a sense of authenticity.

• Emotional connection: Airbnb's "We Are Here" campaign focused on authentic travel experiences and emotional connections between hosts and guests. The campaign emphasized genuine interactions and relationships forged through travel. Identifying audience emotions and understanding them is key to succeeding here. With Pepsi we find this classic example of an ad that went catastrophically wrong in its story message. This story suffered severe backlash because it completely misplaced the emotion behind the sentiment its audience had. 

• Intimate messaging: Jewelry and luxury fashion brands often tailor their Lover archetype-based messages differently for couples planning to get engaged (romantic love) and for families celebrating special occasions (love within a family).

• Cultural differences: In global campaigns, brands must consider cultural differences in the expression of love and affection. What is considered romantic or appropriate can vary widely across cultures, so messaging needs to be culturally sensitive. See how the failure to incorporate cultural differences in expressing the Lover’s vision fell short of communicating the message in this attempt by a young protestor in Sri Lanka to hand a flower to a police officer. A red rose is an unusual symbol to South Asian culture to identify with friendship or universal love, where it’s a symbol of, specifically, romantic love. A cup of tea or the mango symbolizes friendship in South Asia.

Making the impossible real; understanding the Magician archetype

As we get to know this world with more and more access to information, instances, where we can return to childlike wonder, are rare. The Magician archetype can fill this void, and help people find wonder against the everyday drear. 

Carl Jung, the Swiss psychiatrist and founder of analytical psychology, wrote extensively about archetypes, including the Magician. These archetypes are found in myths, dreams, literature, and art across different cultures and periods to evidence their universal nature. There are twelve archetypes in total; they trigger near-unanimous emotions and ideas in people. We use them for storytelling. We created a more detailed guide to understand archetypes; it’s recommended as a supporting read to understand why Jungian archetypes provide a great framework to typify business personas.

Among these, the Magician archetype embodies transformation, power, and the ability to manifest change. Universally, the Magician archetype is a potent symbol of deep knowledge, intuition, and skills that enable influencing their surroundings in surprising ways. They are associated with unusual insight and making the impossible happen.

In this short guide on the Magician archetype, we cover;

How businesses embody the Magician archetype

Stories for Magician brands

What makes the Magician

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How businesses embody the Magician archetype

Businesses that adopt the Magician archetype can use it to emphasize the brand's ability to make surprising outcomes, transform, and bring about change in its industry or for consumers. With the Magician being a symbol for unconventional thinking in the collective mindset, it also helps to channel a business’ unique approach to solving problems or meeting customer needs. We mentioned how the Magician is a symbol of deep knowledge; this is particularly useful for businesses that want to highlight their expertise, wisdom, and unusual or lesser-known insights that set them apart from competitors. The Magician, as a symbol, also bears a subconscious link to wielding power. In our experience, this can be used effectively by businesses that create products, services, or content that empower consumers and help tap into their own potential.

Any business that has natural parallels, like explained above, can project the Magician archetype. However, some industries and lines of business are highly conducive to the Magician archetype by the nature of their work alone. We’ve observed many companies in the tech sector, especially those pushing the boundaries of what's possible through cutting-edge solutions and AI, embrace the Magician. Coaching, or personal development services, as they empower individuals to transform and improve, are also common projectors of the Magician. Other commonly observed Magician archetypes are; brands focused on holistic well-being and alternative medicine; cosmetics and beauty brands that emphasize personal transformation and self-confidence; environmental sustainability organizations promoting possibilities for a sustainable future, highlighting the transformative power of eco-conscious choices; psychology professionals who help individuals tap into their inner potential and overcome obstacles; and marketing or event management agencies that specialize in creating compelling and transformative works.

Among our clients, we’ve also observed consultancies and studios in design where deep knowledge and transformation play key roles; educational institutions that catalyze learning or offer unconventional teaching methods and companies in entertainment that aim to create awe-inspiring and transformative works, like films or virtual reality experiences.

When we work with Magician brands, we help them communicate how their work acts like a catalyst in transforming customer lives by explaining the inner workings, processes, tools, or knowledge of the business. We find this type of demystification is particularly important for Magician brands to balance their aura of mystery with real, pragmatic information that builds credibility and trust. See this example of how we maintained the trustworthy, credible nature of a client through a story that highlights her in-depth knowledge on the subject; it balanced the sense of wonder evoked by the Magician archetype in her business persona.

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Stories for Magician brands

When the magician archetype is applied to a brand, we begin with its values and characteristics to build on story ideas. In a business context, Magician archetype stories often emphasize pushing the boundaries of what's possible. These stories usually revolve around breakthroughs in process, cutting-edge technology, products or services, and a commitment to constant improvement and evolution. We also direct stories to help magician brands demonstrate their deep knowledge and unconventional thinking that leads to surprising or win-win solutions. When Magician archetype brands want to form solid connections with their audience, we recommend stories that allow them to empower customers to tap into their own potential; providing tools, resources, and guides for personal and professional transformation.

Emotions are one of the most reliable ways to build significant connections. This is why we always consider the emotions that the stories would trigger in the brand’s audiences. 

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Read: Using emotions to connect brand stories to audiences

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Image: Lionel Wendt, 1937

The Magician archetype is naturally conducive to one of the most popular emotions according to data from our subscribership; this is wonder. Even beyond our subscribership, we find there is a growing appetite to feel wonder. Perhaps, as we get to know this world with more and more access to information, instances where we can return to childlike wonder are rare. Magician brands have the ability to fill this void, and help their consumers find wonder against the everyday drear. 

When we create stories for Magician brands, we help them communicate their transformative abilities, and how they harness networks, opportunities, tools, materials, knowledge, or technology to change things for the better. For a Magician brand client that was a networks and connections consultancy based in Canada, we created a strapline and brand statement that communicated this ability to wield possibilities and transform customer lives; for a vegan café that embraced the Magician persona, we created this logo and colour combinations for its visual storytelling. As you can see, the Magician archetype can be expressed in many different ways, especially when combined with the other archetypes a business has in its persona. If you think your business has a persona with a Magician archetype that channels catalytic powers, an unusual display of instinct and win-win solutions, get in touch with us to have it expressed through your stories.

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What makes the Magician

In his book "Archetypes and the Collective Unconscious," Jung wrote: "The figure of the magician expresses the desire to know and control the mysterious forces that lie hidden in the recesses of the unconscious. The magician is a symbol of transformation and mastery over the hidden aspects of oneself and the world.”

The magician archetype is associated with a set of key personality traits and characteristics. It's important to note that these traits can manifest differently in each entity—whether an individual or a brand—as archetypes are universal patterns that can be expressed uniquely. 

"The magician archetype shares many characteristics with Hermes, the messenger of the gods and the guide between the realms. Both embody the principle of mediation and the ability to traverse boundaries. The magician archetype signifies the potential for transformation and the integration of opposites." The Spirit Mercurius, C. Jung.

Magician archetypes are typically characterized by a thirst for understanding the mysteries of the world and possessing insights into hidden truths and esoteric knowledge. Magicians rely on their deep intuition and inner guidance. This archetype has a knack for perceiving hidden connections, patterns, and possibilities that others may overlook. Their insights can be instrumental in problem-solving and decision-making. Magicians are skilled at traversing boundaries and navigating different realms. They may bridge the gap between the conscious and unconscious, the material and spiritual, or the visible and invisible worlds. Because the Magician archetype has a strong association with change, both within themselves and in the world around them, it is particularly useful in representing transformative entities. This is why they lend well to brands in the businesses of consultancy, strategy, forecasting, technology, health and wellness, personal coaching, design, creativity and even education. While these are some of the most common characteristics, the Magician archetype may have certain subtleties depending on cultural and personal contexts.

Like all archetypes, the Magician archetype also has a shadow side, representing the negative aspects that can come about when the archetype's strengths are misused. The shadow side of the Magician archetype is associated with a lack of integrity, manipulation and deception; obsession with control and dominance, destructive or negative transformation and intellectual arrogance are the most common shadow Magician archetype traits. We don’t normally bring in shadow traits in commissioned stories for brands. But, when making fictional stories for our subscribers, we take creative liberties to delve into the shadow side of archetypes; like this story of a woman tapping into her shadow Magician.

 "The alchemist and the magician represent the archetype of transformation and the ability to tap into hidden powers. They seek to transmute base matter into gold, both literally and metaphorically. This process mirrors the psychological journey of the individuation process, where the individual seeks to integrate and transform their unconscious elements." Psychology and Alchemy, C. Jung

Monthly Story, November 2022

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Image → Inna Rabotyagina

Archetype → Utopian

Rasa → Adbhutam (अद्भुतं): Wonder, amazement. Presiding deity: Brahma. Colour: Yellow. Śṛṅgāraḥ (शृङ्गारः): Romance, Love, attractiveness. Presiding deity: Vishnu. Colour: light green,

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The crisp brush of his white cotton shirt on my skin.

The smell of the sea on his skin.

That immortal place where everything is at rest, and even the coconut palms leaned comfortably into the call of gravity.

I’ve always known that inside every person, there is a place. Inside my father, there was a place thick with wild lagoon fear and intermittent bays of total abandonment—a lot like the village that he grew up in. In my mother, there’s a clear, cold, calculating lake. In my grandfather, there were rocky mountains with grey peaks; unchanging, silent, intense, and watchful. Inside me, is an abandoned old city, with worn walls bathed in a warm night that would never birth a dawn. Each place was different from the other as we were from one another; but, they were also similar in how all our places shared some form of torment.

But, inside Sunil, there was a place that I dared to call paradise. It was a sunlit ocean shore shaded with tall palms waving in the breeze. You could perhaps even see a little house between the faraway palm groves where the beach curved in the distance—well beyond earshot. Ahead, it blazed hot gold along the stretch of sand. But, under his palms, it was always cool, and the air was free of the sun’s noon frenzy. When my eyes adjusted to the shade, I could see that the sea was no longer made of glimmering diamonds, but a clear blue. I’ve never seen a place quite like Sunil’s shore. It had no shadow of hunger, hurt or fear that I felt in everyone else. On Sunil's shore, I would always sit down and forget to leave. He was where I liked to fall asleep.

I remember the way he thought about it carefully when I asked what his name meant. ‘Sunil? Hm. Clear, cool, water. Something blue...’, he said after much thought.

I’ve now given up trying to forget the way he talked about the sea; how he said he loved to go fishing and swimming in the mornings because the sea nurses a sense of danger that is natural, gentle and latent—something he liked to be reminded of every day. It was such an honest and subtle flirtation with death that it wasn't morbid in any sense. “Everything began in the sea, and everything will end in it,” he’d say in his placid blue voice. When I asked him how he learnt these things, he looked puzzled for a second. “You just watch and you see, isn’t it?”

I haven’t visited the seaside south for four months now; half out of being unable to bear the pain of remaining just a guest and not part of that dream; half out of the fear of looking Sunil in the eye after the things I’ve imagined through the nights in my apartment. But, the voice in my head telling me to resign from the firm and move to the south never rests now.

Today I went to the beach near my city; just to smell the salt air again. Although it was small, dirty, and full of people, I still found traces of Sunil in the smell, sound and sight of the sea. The salinity cleansed me of greyness—and I could long for him again without breaking.

I remember his weight on me. A clear, clean, blue airborne sensation entered at the tips of my hairs and swam all the way through me, making cool sea moisture on my skin. His memory came to rest in me, as apparent, as distant, and as real as the horizon.

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The story, all names, characters, and incidents portrayed in this production are fictitious. No identification with actual persons (living or deceased), places, buildings, and products is intended or should be inferred.