The other day, I asked Google how many feminine archetypes there are. And it seems there are as many answers to that question are there are people who are inclined to answer it. Seven is a number that stood out to me—there seems to be something of a consensus around that number—although, some estimates went as high as 50+. I don’t know that there are 50 women in me. That seems like a lot. And yet, I know there are more than seven. Indeed, this post is my seventh self-fashioning narrative, and I haven’t even ventured into the strong, fiery, bold side of femininity yet: feeling sexy, feeling like a woman, wanting to be wanted (or wanting to command desire), etc.

So, I asked myself, “Does it matter?” Does it really matter how many feminine archetypes there are? My answer: “yes” and “no.” But mostly, “no.” It’s helpful to have a framework. It’s helpful to understand which patterns repeat themselves over and over in female consciousness, but I think at some point, trying to come up with a definitive number becomes counterproductive. 

Why? Because actualizing the archetypes in a manner that is personally meaningful is really what matters. And when you do that—as through self-fashioning narratives like this one—you are going to end up with different numbers for different women, though, inevitably, the same patterns will emerge in varying combinations. That is how the goddess expresses herself poetically.

Take the short narrative that follows, for example. Is there a “Free Spirit” archetype? Conventionally speaking, I’m pretty sure the answer is “no.” And yet, I know there are women who will be able to relate to this narrative. The Free Spirit, as I experience her, is something like a cross between an explorer-wanderer, wild woman, and mystical bohemian hippie witch. She is one of the more dominant forces in my personality, and I love to walk in her energy. If I were to take the Free Spirit apart and write about an explorer, a wild woman, a mystic, and a witch, she wouldn’t mean anything to me anymore. And that would be a counterproductive exercise if ever there was one.

That said, I hope you enjoy this narrative. I was recently out of town for a few weeks, and today is the first day since returning home last Wednesday that I’ve been able to finally make time for my collage practice. So, I will be spending the rest of the day cutting paper and hope to have new artwork to share with you soon. Thanks for reading!

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The free spirit is not bound by convention. She is wild, untethered, and has a deep love of personal freedom. She is a seeker and an adventuress. She belongs to no one.

Her spirit is one of rebellion, of daring and of ease. She lives according to her own inner law. She knows how to flow effortlessly through life’s changes, how to embrace unpredictability, and be open to new experience. She knows when rules deserve to be broken, and she is not afraid to destroy old forms in order to give birth to something new.

Hers is a peaceful, yet defiant spirit. She is deeply connected to the earth and to her own feral femininity. She derives strength from the pursuit of meaning and universal truth. She is highly intuitive and connected to her own rhythms. The free spirit is not afraid to let her hair down and dance in the rain. She feels herself to be a powerful spiritual being.

As a young woman, I was a bit too much of a free spirit. As I’ve matured, the free spirit within has tamed and become decidedly more balanced. 

My mature free spirit serves as an ever-present reminder to follow my intuition, especially when it means breaking with convention in order to create something new. Indeed, I never would have created self-fashioning without the urging of my free spirit. She invites me to accept new challenges, to embrace change, to remain fluid, open, and receptive to life. She also reminds me to value my freedom—to use my inner freedom to actualize my talents, to grow and develop throughout my life, to continue to view life as an adventure and stubbornly refuse to stagnate.