Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Confusion about these positions

Lately there has been some confusion about the numbering of the 8 functions and what these positions are all about. Often times people feel that this number indicates a hierarchy, 1 then 2 then 3 and so on. While there is some sense of that and looking in a very simplistic way you can use it that way, these 8 functions are so much more, especially when you look at them as below, in their archetypal positions.

Having started out this way I will tell you that in a very real sense, the 1st and 2nd position, or your Hero and Good Parent Archetypal functions are usually the most developed functions of the group. I also find that the 3rd and 4th are often times the next most developed. I do not believe this is due to a time frame of development as some say (although time and experience plays a role in this). Instead it is simply that these functions tend to reside in the conscious mind of an individual and therefore these individuals will use them to their advantage more than some of the others but not as often as they may use their Hero or Good parent functions. There is a comfort level here that comes into play in all these functions and that comfort level more than anything else I have come to believe will tell us which functions we are able to work in with some enjoyment.