Interview with the Saboteur Archetype

This interview with the Saboteur Archetype is based on Caroline Myss's book, "Sacred Contracts."

In this self-help/self-healing book, Ms. Myss uses her own theory of archetypes to build on the work of Carl Jung, who is "generally credited in the modern world as having introduced archetypes, although the idea had originally been espoused by Plato." Using her book for guidance, I found the work to be fascinating, enlightening, and helpful.

I shared my breakthroughs with people and they found them so helpful to their own work that I decided to post them on my website so others might benefit also.

In this book, Ms. Myss introduces the archetypes and then has the reader choose the archetypes that resonate most strongly for them (although she chooses the first four as she believes these four are universally embodied.) She then guides the reader through exercises that guide you to a greater self understanding.

The exercise that I share here are the "Interviews with the Archetypes." Every interview begins by naming the archetype, explaining its primary importance in our lives, and a very general description of the archetype. Every interview consists of the same questions, although I added some in a few of the interviews.

I hope you enjoy.

Saboteur Archetype -- Guardian of Choice

-- The Saboteur Archetype is a neutral energy within you that usually makes itself known through disruption

-- The Saboteur Archetype is the mirror that reflects your fears of taking responsibility for yourself and for what you create

-- Intimately connected to your ability to survive in the physical world

-- You can silence the Saboteur with acts of courage and by following your intuition

-- It serves you brilliantly as a gut instinct to direct you to take action based on hunches rather than on rational thought

-- The core issue for the Saboteur is fear of inviting change into your life, change that requires responding in a positive way to opportunities to shape and keeping your spirit

Historical Questions

"Why did I choose you?"

Saboteur Archetype: How you chose me was by choosing to be afraid to move forward, to be afraid of your natural greatness, to be afraid of stepping out into the unknown or beyond the known and familiar boundaries of your life. Once you chose those, I stepped in to help you.

"Where have we met before?"

Saboteur Archetype: We have known each other through eternity -- always loving and supporting and enjoying each other. In this life, you have become aware of my presence each and every time you decide to be afraid of stepping into your next natural step.

"How does your shadow self influence me?"

Saboteur Archetype: Like the others, I am not shadow; I am one aspect of Pure Light. I reflect back to you the shadow parts of yourself which you project on to me. You project onto me your insecurities of being good enough, smart enough, and powerful enough to carry that which God has deemed you perfect to carry, that which He has given you.

"What do I least like about you?"

Saboteur Archetype: That which you least like about yourself -- your supposed imperfections and inadequacies; your unwillingness to move forward with your inspirations.

"Which opportunities in my life are connected to your energy?"

Saboteur Archetype: The supposedly "lost" opportunities. I say "supposedly" because no opportunity that God gives can be lost. He knows what He is doing. So having said that, all the opportunities to create from joy and happiness are the ones connected to my energy. You were just reading today how joy and peace are your inheritance. Any opportunity that God/Intuition gives you will be joyful to create and fulfill, it will be exciting for you while bringing you great peace. You are so concerned about whether they are possible or not that you many times talk yourself out of them or else it takes you so long to accomplish them, it is neither peaceful nor joyful. And you are left believing things come to you with great difficulty. Stop holding on to them so tightly, trying to control them. Just follow your inspiration -- it is so much easier.

Personal Questions

"Who are you most connected to in my life? How has this connection contributed to our spiritual development?"

Saboteur Archetype: Business partners. Have you noticed how many times in your life your choice of business partners has started the business going great and then it ended tragically? This is your own energy reflecting your own fears of growing beyond your perceived capabilities. You label yourself a rebel, a firebrand -- which is true. You are a visionary. But it is your insecurities cloaked as rebelliousness that sabotage your efforts just when they reach critical mass. Your insecurities were projected onto your partners and the business collapsed. They had their part in this in that their part is important to their spiritual development and your part in it is important to your spiritual development. They projected their insecurities onto you also. Perfect in its unhealthiness, isn't it? Those relationships look like hate and loathing to an unaware eye and a jaded heart. But at some level, each of you accepted the position of receiver of the scornful projection of the other so that it can be held up and seen -- very similar to what I do for you. This act is really an act of love. Isn't it nice to know that you are both so loving and so love?

"How do you help me fulfill my Contracts with people?"

Saboteur Archetype: I facilitate the meetings. I'm almost like a matchmaker -- I recognize the energy of the beliefs you have about yourself and then I scour through all the potential suitors (and you have many -- isn't it nice to know you are loved so abundantly?) and pick out the one that will most lovingly help you learn your deepest fears about yourself. Your ex-wife is an example. You both have projected so much anger and denial onto one another yet at the same time you have also given each other your beautiful daughters. Each of you, knowing deep down were going to be connected to so much hurt in the other, also wanted to give each other the gift of great love -- your daughters. If you would both see your relationship from this viewpoint, forgiveness would replace blame and anger and you both would be able to move forward in your spiritual development in leaps and bounds.

"Who in my life do I associate with your power?"

Saboteur Archetype: it is your power and I have answered this in the previous two questions.

"Who are you connected with from my past that I still have unfinished business with? In what way can your influence helped bring closure to each of these relationships?"

Saboteur Archetype: Your ex-partner has been worked through quite well, although not completely. Your article on that experience was commendable. Your ex-wife we just touched on. You are doing well in this regard too, leaving blame behind relatively quickly and moving on to a "bigger picture" view. You will work through them much more quickly now. We shall not mention each individually. What I will say, though, is that you are much less willing now to blame others for your choices and much more willing to see your current reality as a function of your personal power, whether the current reality would be interpreted as either good or bad. From there, it is just a short step to surrendering your will to God, which is your ultimate goal, the final goal. Once this is attained, goals become pointless.

Energy and Intuitive Questions

"How do I know when your energy is influencing my thoughts or actions?"

Saboteur Archetype: Although I reflect back to you your own fears of becoming great and remarkable, I am actually working more subtly. I work behind the chaos and disruptions that the saboteur brings forward. I am standing just behind the saboteur. While he is screaming at you to turn around and go back, telling you there is nothing but trouble and humiliation on this path, just mute him for a minute and look over his shoulder. I am just a few yards down the path, beckoning you on, offering you the promise of joy and peace. It is up to if you trust the voice of Chaos, disruption, and fearful consequences or instead trust the voice of adventure, joy, and fulfillment. Move beyond the fear -- the saboteur will release his grip on your arm, mind, and heart soon enough and his rantings will soon become lost in the sounds of birds, songs, and laughter. Now I ask you: whose beckon will you answer? Whose promise do you wish kept?

"How do you present your energy to me through the dream state?"

Saboteur Archetype: You recently had a dream of just getting in your car and driving aimlessly, with no destination in mind. You found yourself in a small waterfront town called Prosperity. You liked to the name; you liked the water; you liked that there was an abundance of nice, attractive, single women to choose from. This was my dream for you. Choose freedom (represented by a car) to guide you to a place where all your dreams will be realized. This place is not found on a map but instead inside of you within the abundance you already inhabit. Do not be afraid your desire for freedom is a siren song. Freedom is everyone's true inheritance. You do not experience true freedom now. To experience it, some things must change. So do not be afraid to change yourself, thereby changing the world outside of you. This is the cruelest lie of the saboteur energy: a promise that you can have a better life while at the same time telling you that change is scary, that the time is not yet right, and that you are neither good enough nor yet prepared to venture onto the journey that change necessitates. I say again: look past the rantings of fear -- I am right there, waiting to take your hand and guide you to your rightful place in freedom, peace, and love.

"In what ways does your influence enhance my sense of personal power?"

Saboteur Archetype: I offer you a different yet more empowering view of yourself: one of dignity, trust, peace, generosity, and love. This question is a good one because I cannot enhance that which is unlimited; I can only enhance your sense of it.

"Do you have a negative influence on my self-esteem or on my behavior or attitudes?"

Saboteur Archetype: No. I merely offer you a better way to see yourself.

"What have I learned lately that comes directly from you?"

Saboteur Archetype: That change is necessary and that if you surrender the change to Spirit, change will come in ways better than you can imagine.

"When and where in my life have you communicated with me most directly?"

Saboteur Archetype: I am always with you, much in the way that the ancient saying promises there is an angel for every blade of grass, urging it to grow. I am always whispering that to you. You want this for yourself, I know that. But because fears voice comes in so quickly, urging you to be safe and wait, you have mistakenly believed that two voices were one. You now know the truth -- Bravo! Now it is your choice: in which voice will you place your trust?

"What do you make me afraid of?"

Saboteur Archetype: Nothing. How could the Intelligence that knows there is nothing to fear make you afraid of anything?

"What positive characteristics do I have that you enhance and help me with?"

Saboteur Archetype: Your creativity, your boundless love, your beautiful energy, your sweet disposition, your generosity, and your great sense of humor. Like I said before, I don't enhance these things. You already have all of these and more in infinite supply. I simply offer my help in your choice to become more aware of them.

Spiritual Questions

"What is your central contribution to my spiritual development?

Saboteur Archetype: That you are Spirit at your center. And I'll show you the way and it is a way you already know.

"What are the most important lessons you have taught me?"

Saboteur Archetype: So far: your wildest dreams are not only possible but they are your natural inheritance. The lessons that are yet to come are far more interesting: Self discovery.

" What immediate guidance can you give me in this present moment?"

Saboteur Archetype: Ignore the voice of fear and all its insane rantings. Walk past its roadblock (you will see it has no power to stop you, regardless of its threats to the contrary), take my hand, and we'll go for a little walk in the countryside.

" How you help me work with my agreements and contracts?"

Saboteur Archetype: By surpassing all limited and limiting contracts so you may live by the only agreement and contract worth upholding -- the one you have with God. In the contract you have with God, you have everything; it is given to you with nothing desired in return or as payment. According to this agreement, you will fully enjoy what is already given you which is everything worth having: infinite peace, joy, happiness, and love.

" What is the most immediate personal change connected to your influence that I can make that would best empower me at this point in my life?"

Saboteur Archetype: Only listen to the Voice for Love.

"How do you cause me to block personal change?"

Saboteur Archetype: Now that is funny! How can that which is promising you change also block personal change? Don't confuse the voice of fear, who counsels you that conflicting thoughts and goals are in your best interest, with the Voice for God, who promises a simple choice that provides you with infinite results.

"What do I fear most about your influence?"

Saboteur Archetype: That I will make promises to you that I have no intention of keeping and that I will ignore and forget you once you sign on the dotted line - that is, once you commit yourself to the journey I offer. Because you confuse fear and love, you have a hard time discerning one from the other. You feel to follow me will lead you to a cliff just like the voice of fear did. You project the shadows traits on Love. We are the opposite. Fear promises you a path that it then blocks you from taking; fear tells you it loves you and then points out your shortcomings; and fear promises salvation but provides only chaos. Love, on the other hand, promises you a journey, then whisks you down the path; Love tells you it loves you, then shows you you are Love; and Love promises salvation and then gives you your Inheritance. Know the differences and place your trust in Love. Reside in Love, where fear has no place at the dinner table, no pillows on which to lay its head, and no toothbrush in the glass. Do you trust that fear cannot exist where Love resides? Fear is healed and transformed so it can be called by its rightful name -- love. That is the power of the influence of Love. Trust Love, embrace Love, follow Love. In a word -- love Love. And your only possible experience will be the joy, happiness, peace, and an abundance that Infinite Love provides. What else can Infinite Love offer but infinitely loving outcomes, outcomes where EVERYBODY wins? Choose the quiet voice and you will quickly see that you can trust the influence of Love.

Thank you for reading this interview. If you enjoyed this interview and would enjoy reading interviews with other archetypes, please click on Saboteur Interview and you will be able to do so.

Thank you!