The Innocent is actually a strong archetype for me, although it tends to manifest in the invisible "shadow" aspects. When I experience an environment as being toxic or unsafe in some way, my warrior self kicks in to slay the dragons, I isolate myself from people, avoid confrontation, then make plans to "escape" to the next environment that is a more hopeful prospect of meeting my needs. It may be my process. . . .lol. . . .but I didn't say it was a helpful process :) But one of the reflective questions at the end of this section asks about friends or other people we can identify as having a stong Innocent archetype, and I immediately remembered the story of Sharilla. . . .
Once upon a time I lived in this wonderful little house in Riverside just down the street from one of my very best friends, ever. And one day Tikki stopped by with Cody (her dog) asking if Shadow and I wanted to go for a walk. So I saddled up Shadow, and the four of us went for a walk around Fairmount Park (which was just a few blocks from where we both lived).
It was a beautiful day, and as we made our way on the far side of the lake with the dogs we noticed a swan just off the shore that was calling out to us for help. (Keep in mind that it was actually only a pekin duck, but to us on that day's adventure, it was definitely a swan :) So we were immediately engaged with the swan as she made her way toward us, telling us her tragic story as she struggled to paddle on her own. Tikki and I were able to help the wounded swan out of the water, and I took hold of the dogs' leashes while she carried Sharilla. (And, yes, the swan told us that her name was Sharilla :)
Sharilla was an amazing swan who actually shed a single tear of gratitude in Tikki's arms as we made our way around the lake, but she had been injured in some way that we never really found out why, so Tikki and I unquestioningly accepted our roles as Sharilla's guardians charged with the delivery of her to safety. And so began the mystical adventure of the day, as we also made our way through the dragons and obstacles that impeded our efforts to save the frightened, but grateful Sharilla.
What happened on that amazing day was that our predominant archetypes had been activated. Tikki was amazing. She glowed with the purity of innocence, and almost floated rather than walked as she carried Sharilla around the lake. Me? My warrior self was definitely activated, and I served as the defender and protector of both Sharilla and the graceful innocence of Tikki's archetype.
Before we found the park ranger, we encounted a very shady character that to me appeared as a thug-like bad-guy that I was ready to kick his ass. . . .lol. . . .but Tikki walked right up to him and asked him for help with the pure innocence of a child. I was actually angry with her for what I felt had put us both at risk, but we survived just fine. We eventually found the park ranger who was very helpful, and he allowed us to take Sharilla with us to the animal rescue place that Tikki knew of somewhere down in San Diego.
Our friendship survived just fine the conflict generated by the different archetypes that were activated that day, and we still talk fondly about the day we saved Sharilla from certain demise. But what I see tonight is that Tikki embodied the pure essence of The Innocent that day, completely and absolutely trusting every single person we came in contact with, and trusting that we would be both protected and supported in our charge by Sharilla the enchanted swan.
I actually really love this quality about my dear friend, even if I don't always understand this nature about her, as I get irritated with her when she goes to that place of absolute trust and archetypal innocence. . . .lol. But I get irritated precisely because my initial reaction is not a stance of trust, but rather to prepare for battle with the dragons that surround me as I flee the kingdom in flame and ruins :) And I may never develop the kind of absolute trust the way that Tikki does so automatically, but I do think that it would be a very good thing for me to empower the more productive aspects of The Innocent. . . .
. . . .but trust is not something that comes naturally or easily for me. . . .which is why this kind of work is called work :)