The Warrior: Part 4
Introducing the Inflated Warrior
Having explored the archetype of the Healthy Warrior, we now turn to our Inflated Warrior. I have several names for him, including the Bully, the Berserker, and the Fighter.
This Too Much Warrior is the Warrior archetype that has become inflated beyond its healthy purpose. He has taken the Warrior qualities that are genuinely valuable—strength, courage, discipline, decisiveness, protection, boundaries and action—and exaggerated them to the point where they become destructive.
Being in this pushy archetype can mean that we get a great deal done and that we work extremely hard. However, there are a number of costs that can damage and undermine the very work we are trying to achieve.
This Warrior is in survival mode. Deep down, he believes that if he does not work this hard, everything will fall apart. Relentless hard work becomes his answer to everything. But living in survival mode is stressful and exhausting.
Like a Warrior in battle, our Survivalist Warrior has his feelings in check, except for his anger. He is likely to be angry often, but has little access to compassion or tenderness. He pushes away his sadness and overrides his fear.
He struggles with relationships and can come to see love and sex as transactional—something to be earned, exchanged or used to meet a need.
He is not as effective as he could be. He charges ahead with little planning and therefore does not always use his considerable effort in the most effective way.
He can hurt himself and overstretch his body, sometimes pushing so hard that he ends up unable to work at all.
He overreaches to the point of burnout. He keeps pushing long after his body and mind have told him to stop.
Many of us men try to keep working like this into our older age. We do not heed the signs from our bodies. We do not notice that the time of our striving Warrior is over, and that it is time for our Sovereign to lead us into a more loving life, one in which we are intimately connected to ourselves and to those we love.
Plunging ever forward, we can end up missing the last beautiful phase of our lives
So, what should we do with this part of us?
If you would like to find out, come and join us on our next Sovereign’s Journey zoom workshop session at 7 pm on Tuesday 22nd September.