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As we continue our journey within the archetypes in Tarot, we are now going to look at The Persona, which is defined as ‘the way we present ourselves to the world’.

Our inner world has many dimensions. However, our outer world can also have several layers. All of those different layers make up the Persona of an individual.

Lets have a look at how this archetype has been expressed within the images of the Tarot cards.

The word ‘Persona’ has been derived from the Latin word ‘persona’ that means ‘mask’. According to Jung, the Persona is the face that an individual presented to the world. He likened it to a mask that was designed not only to impress other people, but also to hide the true nature of that individual. [Source: Wikipedia’s Page on The Persona.]

The Persona

the persona archetypeThe Persona is a very natural evolution of the growing up process of an individual. It is the way we present ourselves to the world. As such, it is a representation of our self, but on a very surface level of our personality. You can even call it the outward facing personality of the individual.

The Persona of an individual goes through several changes during his / her lifetime, growing, changing and developing as an individual experiences different aspects of life.

You might even say that the Persona is an amalgamation of what an individual thinks about himself / herself and what other people think about that individual.

Naturally, during the process of Individuation, the individual needs to get to know what his / her Persona is, and then alter it so that it becomes a truer picture of who and what he / she really is. Thus, the Persona won’t remain a mask that the individual puts on and takes off as and when he interacts with the world, but becomes a more correct depiction of his true self.

The Symbols of the Persona

masks

Based on the definition of the term, one can clearly say that the Persona is easily symbolized by the image of the mask – especially the kind of mask that actors wear on stage.

The Persona archetype therefore can even come to symbolize the different personalities that individuals take on based on their social scenario. For example, at home a person may present himself as a loving father and a patient husband, but in the workplace he presents himself as a very demanding boss, while among friends he shows himself as a jovial and fun loving person.

These type of changes are not often considered to be unwelcome, which is probably the one factor that works against the process of Individuation.

Rigid Personas can also often hamper the growth process of an individual, or might even create personalities that appear very superficial.

Tarot Cards – The Persona Archetype

Within the Tarot cards, the Persona archetype has been very subtly expressed. Here are my thoughts on the Major Arcana cards, The Magician, The Hierophant and The Chariot, where I feel that the Persona archetype has been very cleverly expressed.

The Magician

The MagicianThe Magician is a very clever Persona. Here we see a man standing by a table, surrounded by interesting tools, and performing magic! However, if we look deep into the image, we realize that he is merely a channel for the energies of the Universe, and that he isn’t the one who is creating. He is merely the facilitator, albeit a knowledgeable one, but he isn’t one who is actually making the magic happen.

In the outer world, such people are often perceived as good leaders and managers, and yes, even creative people. However, the reality is that this is their Persona. This is what they show to the world, to awe the world and to lead the crowd of followers.

This Persona makes it easy for them to achieve the results that they desire. And with the personality of the Magician, they can ensure that they direct you to achieve that goal for them!

The Hierophant

The HierophantThe Hierophant card has often been considered to be representative of the Society, or of an Institution. The Pope, in this card, therefore has such a Persona. He is the face of the Society, the School or the Institution. The people or the students that he leads follow the laws laid down by this Persona.

In fact, in the image of this card, we see that he blesses the two priests, who are his students and gives them the keys to knowledge. He, as a teacher, can show the students the path to the knowledge, and can guide them, and give them the books to read. But he can’t make them knowledgeable simply on the basis of that. The student himself must have some capability for understanding, grasping and utilizing the knowledge so gained. Yet, the teacher, the society at large get all the credit for any positives that might happen along the way.

The Persona hidden within the layers of the Hierophant can easily be seen in the personalities of such leaders of society and its sections.

Archetypes in Tarot – The Persona

Thus, we can see that the Persona archetype in Tarot is a picture of the manifestation of the masks that get imposed upon people, and then become the symbols of those people over a period of time.

Carl Jung, in his study of the Persona said that it would be dangerous if people became identical to their Personas. However, one of the goals of the process of Individuation was the development of a realistic, flexible persona that will help an individual during his interactions with society, but won’t clash with his true self. Thus the Persona will become a true representation of that individual’s inner individuality and his outward sense of self.

Your Thoughts…

What do you think? Does this article make sense to you? Do you see the subtle hints of the Persona archetype in any other cards in the Tarot deck? If so, please do share your thoughts in the comments section below.

 

Let me ask you…

Do you want to learn how to leverage the power of the powerful Tarot Archetypes to figure out the tough (and sometimes not so tough) parts of your life?

Would you like to have your own personal Guide / Guides in the form of these powerful Archetypes that you can reach out and connect with, and ask your questions any time you want to?

If yes, then my Ask the Tarot Archetypes course is just perfect for you!

Ask the Tarot Archetypes

Ask the Tarot Archetypes Web Course is designed to familiarise you with the core archetypes present within the Tarot Card imagery. Then, you learn the different methods to access their wisdom and insights. This web workshop is designed to be short, to the point, and informative for those of you who are looking to form & deepen your special bond with your Tarot Cards.