Queen of Tarot

Archetypes in the Tarot: Wise Old Man / Senex

Tags: archetypes, wise-old-man, senex

One of the archetypes that Carl Jung identified as being present within the collective unconscious is the Senex. Also called "The Wise Old Man," the Senex is a figure who appears in tarot readings to remind us of prudence, guidance, and wisdom. Depending where he appears in a reading, his presence may indicate a person who acts as a guide in your life, or he may represent wisdom and its appearance in your life.

The most obvious example of the Senex in the tarot is The Hermit, but The Emporer may also represent the more power-oriented aspect...

Archetypes in the Tarot

Tags: archetypes, tarot-analysis, anima, animus, child, trickster, spirit, senex, shadow, father, mother, hero, persona, maiden

Carl Jung proposed the concept that much of human experience originates in what he calls the "Collective Unconscious." He described the collective unconscious as functioning much like a part of the human mind. One of the features of the collective unconscious is its tendency to organize people and situations in familiar terms — so much so that it forms well-formed character-like figures that the human mind associates with a set similar qualities. These figures are called "Archetypes," and they appear frequently in art, fiction, film, and dreams. They also appear in the tarot.

The following is a selection of archetypes that...