Long live the King!
It’s early May and there is something slightly regal in the air! I thought for this month I would consider all things King related in terms of psychological symbolism.
In pretty much every society, there exists a crowned head of the people, be it king, queen or chief etc. This crowned head embodies the beliefs and principles of the community and holds qualities of sovereignty and majesty. The king can bestow praise and blessings onto his subjects (like our modern-day King’s honours (OBE, MBE and CBE)), often chosen as they have mirrored king like qualities themselves.
When a society is without a king, say it’s in the middle of a transition from the old king to the new one, often the kingdom becomes chaotic and unruly. Having a king in place, brings a sense of order.
The king archetype
Marie-Louise Von Franz, a Swiss psychologist, explains Carl Jung’s concept of the king archetype. The king has magical qualities whose health and wellbeing determines the prosperity of the society over which he rules. The king represents the divine but in mortal form. He is appointed to reside between the mortal world and the divine.
Jung saw the king as a symbol of the self, a symbol of the self-regulating system on which the psyche relies upon for its welfare. In terms of the king as archetype, psychotherapist, John W Perry described king as “the central archetype around which the rest of the psyche is organised.” When the centre is missing, the rest cannot be held.
If the King is frail or ill, the psyche suffers too, the kingdom begins to decay and die. Von Franz explains that for society to remain in contact with the flow of life, the king needs to be constantly renewed. The king is meant to symbolise vigour and fertility.
Tarot
Another reflection of the King archetype is included in Tarot with the major arcana card of The Emperor. This card represents the cosmic father holding qualities of authority, order and regulation. He is a strategic thinker who provides structure and rules to society. The emperor protects and commands and always rules with fatherly compassion, acting in the best interests of his kingdom.
For us to manifest our inner king, we need to locate qualities of integrity, security and stability, and experience our world with a firm but kind approach. To be our own king, we make clear and well thought out decisions, whilst maybe others struggle to stay calm and grounded.
Orb and Spectre
The emperor is often shown in tarot holding a sceptre in one hand and an orb in another (like King Charles III will be holding during his coronation this month). The spectre represents the king’s right to rule whilst the orb symbolises the kingdom over which he rules and serves. During Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral last year, these physical symbols of majesty were placed on her coffin, along with her crown. During the coronation, numerous items will be offered and accepted by the King Charles as symbols of his kingship. I find these meanings and traditions fascinating and was tempted down numerous rabbit holes whilst researching for this piece. In brief, during the ceremony this month, Charles will be first anointed with holy oil, clothed in coronation robes, then handed objects including the orb and two spectres (one with a cross (reflecting the ruler’s temporary power) and one with a dove (representing their spiritual power)) before finally being crowned as king.
Alchemy
The king, in an alchemical process, is often paired with the queen to symbolise the perfect union and the conclusion of individuation where the unconscious and conscious marry. This union is directed by a mediating spirit often seen as a dove (also shown on the physical spectre). This union marks a dawning of a new order psychically following a process of immersion, burning and decay. The new king emerges.
An aging king
I am intrigued that through my research there is a recurrent theme on the importance of the constant renewal of the king to ensure the health and vitality of the society at large. The king energy should not be attached to the fate of a mortal. The king is dead, long live the king! I can’t help but notice that our new king is in the autumn of his life. King Charles III is 74 years old, the oldest person to be crowned in this country. Interestingly, back in 2018 a national survey found that just under half of Britons wanted Charles to abdicate immediately and pass the crown onto his eldest son, William. However, since his mother’s death, Charles popularity has soared, suggesting a softening attitude towards our aging king.
I do wonder what an elderly king may symbolise for our society. Should we pay attention to Jung’s warning that an ill or old king could imply a detachment from the flow of life in our society at large?
With all this said, I will enjoy the coronation of King Charles III this month for all its pomp and circumstance. Our fascination with royalty (even by those who don’t like admitting it), allows us to connect with a lost part which they still preserve and symbolise. A part which is something greater, a connection between the mortal and the divine.
Photo by Pro Church Media on Unsplash
Compass Counselling 