The Sage Archetype
A Brilliant Strategist, Consort of Heroes and Example of Female Leadership
In a previous article, I discussed the importance of archetypes and how they help women in their journeys of self-discovery. In today’s essay, I will be writing about my archetype, The Wise Woman/Sage archetype. To understand who the Sage woman is, we must first understand the Greco-Roman origins of the sage archetype.
Athena: The Original Wise Woman
Athena is the Greek Goddess of Wisdom and Crafts, known to the Romans as Minerva. Athena was known for her strategic, wise, and practical solutions. She is a stately warrior goddess who protects her chosen heroes and the city that she presides over. Athena was the goddess that provided battle strategy during wartime and ruled over domestic arts during peacetime. All the activities regarding Athena require planning and execution.
Similar to Artemis (Goddess of the Hunt) and Hestia (Goddess of the Hearth), Athena is a virgin goddess. These three goddesses personify the independent aspects of the female spirit. They all represent the female desire to pursue desires, work on interests, compete with others, problem-solve, and express their fullest self to the world. A woman who is dominant in one of the virgin archetypes is “one-in-herself". This woman is self-possessed and motivated by her priorities. Unlike other Olympian goddesses, Athena wears armor: the visor of her helmet pushed back to reveal her beauty, a shield over her arm, and a spear in her hand.
Athena does seek company with men because she seeks to be next to power. When Athena was pictured with another figure, that other was invariably a male. For example, she was seen next to a seated Zeus, in the stance of a warrior standing guard beside her king; or she was placed behind or beside either Achilles or Odysseus, the major Greek heroes of the Iliad and the Odyssey.
The Sage Woman: A Brilliant Strategist
The Sage is the mythical archetype endowed with wisdom and knowledge. This archetype is captivated by the desire to learn. A Sage woman is clever, calculated, cool, and confident. Women aligned with the Athena (Sage) archetype are ruled by their heads and not their hearts. She is more inclined, than other archetypes, to be focused on her priorities and goals than the needs of others. A woman endowed with the Sage archetype has the gift of words. She arms herself with knowledge and uses her keen understanding of the world to advance her socio-economic and political agendas. There are Sage women everywhere. Here are just a few:
Sage Women In Recent History
Sage Women In History
Fictional Sage Women
We see the sage in all aspects of life. In Greek mythology, she is exemplified by Athena. In regular life, we see her in the leaders, political correspondents, tv hosts, and speakers. Sages in real life include Hilary Clinton, Benazir Bohoto, Condoleezza Rice, Candace Owens. In media, Sage women include Olivia Pope from Scandal, Princess Carolyn from Bojack Horseman, Jessica Pearsons, and Donna from Suits
Sings That You Are A Sage Woman
Do you enjoy being in major cities/centers of commerce and politics?
As a child, were you a self-taught reader?
Do you enjoy methodically planning?
Do you enjoy competition?
Do you make sure to present your best self to the world daily?
Do you enjoy repetitive hobbies such as sewing, weaving, or needlepoint?
If you run a household, do you run it like a manager?
In your romantic relationships, do you envision being partnered with your companion/friend instead of your passionate lover?
How Sage Women Thrive
Sage women thrive when they are working in service of a self-prescribed goal. Create a detailed list of your values, create goals based on those values and work on those goals.
Move to a major city or center of commerce/trade. Sages thrive when they are close to power.
Start learning something challenges. Sage women armor themselves with knowledge.
Buy clothes that are tailored to your specific measurements and allow you to present your greatest self to the world.
Pick a physically intensive sport such as running and add it to your routine.
Pick a hobby that requires planning and repetition, such as knitting, sewing, pottery, etc.
This essay is also available in podcast format: