The Ruler - Jungian Archetype Explained

In many stories, the hero seems like an ordinary person who faces many challenges. But in the end, they find out they are actually a prince or princess. Heroes in old stories often grew up without parents and were raised by ordinary people. This helped them learn to be humble, understand others' feelings, and know what life is like for regular people. These are important qualities for a good leader.

Goal: A harmonious and prosperous kingdom (life)

Fear: Chaos, loss of control

Response to Dragon/Problem: Find its constructive use

Task: Take full responsibility for your life; find ways to express your deeper Self in the world

Gift: Sovereignty, responsibility, competence

The hero's journey is like training to be a leader. In some old stories, like the Fisher King tales, the land is in bad shape because the king is sick. A young hero goes on an adventure, fights a dragon, and finds something special that helps the land get better. When the hero comes back, the land is healthy again, and the hero becomes the new king. If we forget this story and think that being a leader is just about learning skills, our leadership won't be as good. To be a great leader, you need to go through your own journey of growth.

Today, being a Ruler means being fully in charge of our lives. This includes how our thoughts and feelings affect our actions and how our actions affect our family, friends, and community. If we get too comfortable and stop trying to improve, our life can feel empty or boring. We need to let a new part of ourselves grow and start a new adventure.

The Ruler represents being complete and showing our true self to the world. This can change our life inside and out. The Ruler combines the wisdom of being young and being old. When this balance is lost, we need to go on another journey to find something new that can make our life better again.

The Ruler includes both young and old, and both male and female qualities. This mix shows that we've completed a big change in ourselves. In alchemy, separating gold from other metals is like the hero's journey, where we move from just thinking about ourselves to understanding deeper spiritual things. The last part of this journey is shown by kings, queens, gold, and the sun. It means we can show our true self in the real world.

A good Ruler makes their life peaceful by being peaceful inside. This idea that our inner world affects our outer world is also in stories about the Holy Grail, where the king's health affects the land.

The Duties and Prerogatives of Royalty

When we act like a Ruler, we feel complete and ready to be in charge of our life. We understand that our life reflects who we are inside. For instance, if our life feels empty, it might mean we feel empty inside. If we have a lot of problems, it could mean we need to be stronger and protect ourselves better.

If our life is tough and unkind, it might mean we need to be more caring. On the other hand, if our life is going well, it shows that we are doing well inside. In stories, when a king marries the land, it shows how the Ruler's inner self connects with their outer life. This also means connecting our spirit with the physical world, since the Ruler is about having a good life materially.

So, the Ruler has to accept the world as it is and work to make it better. Their job is to create order, peace, and wealth. This includes having a good economy, fair rules that people follow, a place where everyone can grow, and using resources wisely.

The Ruler is best at dealing with the real world because they don't shy away from everyday problems. When we feel like a Ruler, we feel comfortable in the world and in control of ourselves. We like showing who we are through our work, home, money, and things we own. We also feel sure that we can take care of our needs.

Responsibility

Rulers have to be realistic and not fool themselves. They need to understand how power works and sometimes use it. They can't ignore dangers or bad things in the world. Good Rulers know that their inner self affects their outer life, so they have to be honest about their own flaws and deal with them.

We are each in charge of our own life. This doesn't mean everything is our fault, but it does mean we have to take action to handle whatever comes our way. Just like countries, our lives can be different—some are easy, some are hard. But as the Ruler of our life, we have to take care of everything, good or bad.

Sometimes, we have to admit that we've become too strict or hurt, and that's why our life feels empty. We need to change or heal ourselves. In these situations, we need to stop trying to control everything and let new ideas or feelings come out.

Power and Wisdom

The Ruler is about using our power, which can be good or bad. Some people are scared of powerful ideas like the Ruler because they can cause harm as well as help. When we realize that we shape our own life, we also understand that our life will only be as good as our thoughts and feelings.

Since we're not perfect, our life won't be perfect either. But if we don't use what we know, we're letting others decide what happens to us. Long ago, ideas about how to change and grow were hidden in stories and other things. Only a few people were thought to be able to go on this journey and become leaders of their own lives.

People made sure that only those who were ready could understand these ideas. For example, some old books were written in a secret way so only trained people could read them. People thought only special individuals could be in charge of their lives. Long ago, they believed kings and queens were chosen by God and knew secret things, so everyone else should just follow them.

When we feel like a Ruler, we can see ourselves as the boss of our life and work to make it how we want. But some leaders in the past were bad because they were selfish. If we act like good leaders from long ago, who learned deep wisdom, we won't just do what we want; we'll think about what's best for our true self. When we live based on our deepest understanding, our life changes, and this affects the people around us too.

Being a Ruler means we can shape our life as we wish, but it's different from being a Creator. When we're Creators, we're trying new things without worrying too much about how it affects others or the future. A Ruler doesn't make a new life but takes care of the one they have. Good leaders think about what's best for everyone, not just themselves. They balance their own wants with what others need.

If we don't want to be bad leaders who only care about themselves, we need to think bigger. We should consider how our actions affect our family, friends, coworkers, and even the whole world, so that when we make our life better, we're also helping others.

This usually means looking at our life so far and seeing what we've done well and what we haven't. We need to own both our wins and losses. Then, we should imagine what we want our life to be like and plan how to make it happen. No good leader works without a plan! Also, it often means working with others who are in charge of their own lives and might want different things.

When you're acting like a Ruler, remember that sometimes things just work out on their own. Because our life reflects who we are, we don't always have to force changes. If we have a clear idea and start working towards it, other things often happen to help us.

Mastery and Limitations

When we start to think like a good Ruler, it means we've learned to handle things in the real world, like work, money, and everyday tasks. This doesn't mean you're rich. It means you're okay with how you handle money. Whether you live with a lot or a little, it's your decision.

Being a Ruler helps us find a way to have enough to be ourselves fully. This might mean having a lot of money, but it could also mean feeling special with very little. Think of someone like Gandhi, who didn't have much but was still a great leader and inspired many people.

Being a Ruler makes us face how much power we have and what we can't do. Even kings and queens can't do everything—they're limited by money, support, and their own skills. When we act like a Ruler and see that our life reflects our inner self and the help we get from others, we also see what we can't do.

Being a Ruler shows us that blaming others for our problems makes us look bad. If we're broke, weak, or people don't respect us, we have to look at ourselves. It's better to admit our own mistakes and try to fix them than to blame others. This way, we keep our self-respect.

Rulers know what they have to do and don't argue about it. For us, this means accepting what we can and can't do, and understanding that we're human and have limits. If we're good at being a Ruler, we don't waste time wishing things were different. We do our best with what we have to help everyone.

We know that we can't always solve every problem. Sometimes things are too hard, and we lose. But a good Ruler doesn't complain. Instead, they think about what they could have done better and learn from it.

When we feel like a Ruler, it's time to take charge of our life and make sure we're doing what we love and can support ourselves. We need to balance what we want with what we can do and think about how we can help others and the world. Good Rulers make decisions that mix what they want with what's possible, so they're realistic. They're also kind.

At the best level, Rulers know that what's good for them can also be good for others. If they succeed by hurting others, it’s bad for everyone. If they stick too much to their dreams without being realistic, it’s also bad. We all make mistakes as Rulers. That's why there's a story about a hurt king who needs to be healed.

The Shadow Ruler

When we feel like we have to control everything and can't let things happen naturally, that's the bad side of the Ruler taking over. We might want control just to feel powerful or important, not to make our life truly better. When the bad Ruler is in charge, we lose touch with our better feelings.

Bad Rulers act like mean kings who think there's not enough for everyone, so they have to take from others. They try to make everyone do what they want and get angry if they can't. If someone stops them, they want to punish that person.

Really bad leaders show all the worst parts of the Ruler. They're selfish and want revenge. They might be lazy or very strict. We can act like this too if we can't balance having fun with working hard or thinking about ourselves and others.

Sometimes, the bad Ruler becomes really evil, like in movies. You might start trying to find your true self, but something bad happens, and instead, you find evil power. Most people face a choice: to use their power just for themselves or for good. If we choose badly, we might feel empty inside.

If we're using our power badly or not using it at all, that's the bad Ruler controlling us. To fix this, we need to change our ways. The bad Ruler shows up not because we have too much power, but because we have too little. Sometimes, we try to control others instead of finding our own strength.

A Ruler should use their power to make life better for everyone, not just to be famous or rich. If we act like a small-time boss or just buy fancy things instead of living a meaningful life, we might start to feel bad inside. The bad Ruler will cause pain, and hopefully, that pain will make you realize you need to take control of your life.

In a book, a character says that heaven and hell are here on earth. Hell is when we live in fear, and heaven is when we follow our dreams. When the bad Ruler controls us, we're too scared to go after our big dreams, so we settle for small things. But we can always change.

Toward a Harmonious Kingdom: Stages in the Ruler’s Journey

Good Rulers are careful with resources. They use everything in the best way possible. This makes their life rich and strong because nothing goes to waste. In a story, a frog who thinks he's a prince talks to a dragon and gets it to burn garbage instead of houses. Everyone is happy with this solution.

Levels of the Ruler

Shadow: Controlling, rigid, tyrannical, and manipulative behaviors; the ogre tyrant

Call: Lack of resources, harmony, support, or order in your life

Level One: Taking responsibility for the state of your life; seeking healing of wounds or areas of powerlessness that are reflected in scarcity in your outer life; concerned primarily with your own life or your own family

Level Two: Developing skills and creating structures for manifesting your own dreams in the real world as it is; concerned with the good of whatever group or community you belong to

Level Three: Fully utilizing all resources—internal as well as external; concerned with the good of society or the planet

The Ruler part of us looks for how to help people use their talents well. The Ruler also cares about keeping things orderly. Our life can't be its best unless there's peace. This means helping people see the good in others who are different.

But when we're just starting out, the Ruler part isn't very smart yet. We’ve always been in charge of our lives, even if we didn't know it. As we grow up, we feel more responsible for ourselves and others. We learn to give up some things for the greater good.

In a play, a prince loves a poor girl, but when he becomes king, he has to leave her and marry someone else. He has to do his duty as a king. This story shows that when we take charge of our life, we might have to give up some things we like.

This means accepting what we have to do, not just what we want to do. When we take control of our life, we have to give up some freedom to do what's really important. In another play, we see what happens if a king tries to avoid his responsibilities or only thinks about himself.

Being a Ruler can be great, but it also means always being responsible for your life. At this stage, life can feel tough, and doing the right thing might be hard. We might blame people who are weak or bad, instead of trying to understand them.

At the next level, when we're on a journey to find our true self, we might feel lost for a while. During this time, we just want to keep things from falling apart. But feeling powerless helps us learn to use our power well by healing ourselves.

At this stage, we don't want to boss others around because we know we're not perfect. We stop trying to do everything alone and try to live in harmony with the universe. For some, this means following a higher power. Whatever it's called, it changes our life from pain to happiness.

In fact, they often feel so strong that things seem to work out magically. This might be because they care so much about the good of everything. At the highest level, we understand that everyone needs to use their own power for the whole to be good.

The Ruler, the Court, and Continual Renewal

Rulers can become stuck in old habits and hurt their life. To avoid being a bad leader, we need to keep learning and growing. Also, it's good to have other ideas to balance the Ruler. In old courts, there were the Magician, the Sage, and the Fool.

We see these types in our dreams and in our life. Being the Ruler of our life is a big achievement, but it's not the end. To stay strong and do well, we need to also use our inner Magician, Sage, and Fool.

Exercises

Give some thought to when, where, how, and how much the Ruler expresses itself in your life.

1. How much or how little is the Ruler expressed in your life? Has it been expressed more in the past or present? Do you see it emerging more in your future? Is it expressed more at work, at home, with friends, in dreams or fantasies?

2. Who are some friends, relatives, co-workers, and others who seem influenced by the archetype of the Ruler?

3. Is there anything you wish were different about the expression of the Ruler in your life?

4. Since each archetype expresses itself in many different ways, take some time to describe or otherwise portray (e.g., draw, make a collage, use a picture of yourself in a particular costume or pose) the Ruler as it is expressed or could be expressed in your life. What does or would it look like? How does or would it act? In what setting does or would it feel most at home?

Daydream

Imagine that you are literally the King or Queen of the realm (your life). Let yourself imagine that you can change virtually anything you want, since you are totally in charge. There is, of course, a political process to consider; you may need to convince your “subjects” of the wisdom of your dictates, but begin simply by thinking of what you would like to decree. Start with your domain—your home, your private life, the part of your work life that is within your control. Then imagine yourself writing the new laws, or writing a speech explaining the new policies to your “subjects,” and negotiating with the Rulers of nearby kingdoms to gain their cooperation.

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