General concepts

Archetype

An archetype is a recurring, universal pattern of character, situation, or energy present in myths, symbols, and stories across cultures — a concept popularized by psychologist Carl Gustav Jung.

In astrology and tarot, archetypes help capture the essence of a symbol in a simple, universal way — the Magician card and the planet Mercury, for instance, both draw on the same "messenger" archetype, regardless of which system they come from.