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Of Dragons, Warriors & Princesses
Jul. 15th, 2006 11:47 amI found the following quotation about two of my favorite archetypes and the complementary nature of their energy in On the Warrior's Path, by Daniele Bolelli. As usual, the energy associated with yang energy is denoted with a masculine pronoun, and the yin with a feminine, but the qualities transcend gender, and - Bolelli asserts (and I agree) - are both found in a balanced person.
Those who don't know how to be Warriors cannot help but surrender to the problems barring their way, and are left powerless to watch their dreams being crushed. It takes a Warrior to have the power and will to step up and challenge the Dragon. The hero of this story (and of countless legends) is a Warrior because being gentle and kindhearted is not enough to defeat the monster keeping us from our goal. The Dragon doesn't move just because we say 'please.' The hero must be an expert in the art of war in order to win this conflict. The hero is pure yang energy. Assertiveness, strength, bravery, an indomitable will, and the skill of a god in the midst of battle are the Warrior's tools. These are the qualities that separate him from the common man. And without them, no one could free the Princess.
. . . . If the Warrior is a concentrate of yang energy, the Princess is the absolute yin. The Princess is not a secondary character in the story, and is not simply an excuse for the Warrior to show off his fighting ability. Her role is not any less important than that of the Warrior. She is everything that the Warrior doesn't have. Sensitivity, creativity, sweetness, a capacity to dream and gain joy from every facet of existence. If the Warrior is the master of war, she is the artist of peace. The Warrior saves her from the Dragon, but she is the one who brings happiness to the Warrior's life, because the Warrior knows how to fight but she knows how to live. Contrary to popular perceptions, Warrior and Princess are not separate energies, but energies that complement each other. Balance in a person, man or woman, is achieved when there is harmony between these opposites.
I think this also speaks to the mutual attraction between Warrior and Princess. While having things in common is what draws people together on the level of everyday interactions, on the archetypal level, our energies seek their complement, their balance.
Those who don't know how to be Warriors cannot help but surrender to the problems barring their way, and are left powerless to watch their dreams being crushed. It takes a Warrior to have the power and will to step up and challenge the Dragon. The hero of this story (and of countless legends) is a Warrior because being gentle and kindhearted is not enough to defeat the monster keeping us from our goal. The Dragon doesn't move just because we say 'please.' The hero must be an expert in the art of war in order to win this conflict. The hero is pure yang energy. Assertiveness, strength, bravery, an indomitable will, and the skill of a god in the midst of battle are the Warrior's tools. These are the qualities that separate him from the common man. And without them, no one could free the Princess.
. . . . If the Warrior is a concentrate of yang energy, the Princess is the absolute yin. The Princess is not a secondary character in the story, and is not simply an excuse for the Warrior to show off his fighting ability. Her role is not any less important than that of the Warrior. She is everything that the Warrior doesn't have. Sensitivity, creativity, sweetness, a capacity to dream and gain joy from every facet of existence. If the Warrior is the master of war, she is the artist of peace. The Warrior saves her from the Dragon, but she is the one who brings happiness to the Warrior's life, because the Warrior knows how to fight but she knows how to live. Contrary to popular perceptions, Warrior and Princess are not separate energies, but energies that complement each other. Balance in a person, man or woman, is achieved when there is harmony between these opposites.
I think this also speaks to the mutual attraction between Warrior and Princess. While having things in common is what draws people together on the level of everyday interactions, on the archetypal level, our energies seek their complement, their balance.
