The last three archetypes Matthew Fox enlists for his project of a healthy masculinity—as developed in The Hidden Spirituality of Men—are all connected to the heart and compassion.
The eighth archetype in the book is the Blue Man. This is a true archetype in the Jungian sense, meaning that it has been visualized by people at great geographical and historical distances, and interpreted by them as having basically the same meaning. For example, Hildegard of Bingen saw a man in sapphire blue, which she interpreted as the Christ who radiates the glory and the compassion of God. But also Krishna is the blue deity who appeared to Muktananda as his own compassionate Self (see DM June 6, 2019).
Essentially, the Blue Man is that kind of expanded consciousness which overcomes limitations, and for this reason achieves universal compassion. The Blue Man, writes Fox, effects consciousness as play, that is, creativity. But this is the kind of deep creativity which issues in compassion. To meet the Blue Man is to meet the basic power of the Universe, a power of playful creativity, the power of Wisdom at work and play.
Fox insists that men are not whole without the Blue Man. Our work is not whole without it. With it, we are in a world bigger than our own. We become instruments of forces bigger than those we can control or manipulate. With it, we can sing and dance and tap into our own wildness. We can give our gift to the world… When we become the Blue Man, we become the compassionate hands of God, putting into practice our compassionate hearts.
The ninth archetype is that of the father, or rather the fatherly heart. Men can be biological fathers or symbolic fathers — such as priests in some denominations — but, aside from that, they can also become true fathers when they develop a fatherly heart. Many of us have known cold and distant fathers, either in our families or in churches. The authentic father is just the opposite.
He incorporates all the previous archetypes expounded in the book and delivers to his community. He is caring, encouraging, protecting, affectionate, generous, a listener, and somebody who sees the big picture. He is also a wisdom teacher and stands strong when everything around is in chaos.
Ultimately, the father becomes the grandfather. This biological fact is deeply symbolic and archetypal as well. The grandfatherly heart is the fatherly heart squared, writes Matthew. In these critical times, elders are more important than ever. They can be caretakers and guides, as well as wise critics of greed and human selfishness.
Embodying the grandfatherly heart is more than the previous step — even though the fatherly heart in itself is a huge archetype — for many reasons. One is the expanded consciousness that comes from facing death directly. Another is the ability of mentoring, which is so essential to our species, and yet today goes unrecognized — and I would say it is even rare.
Matthew makes it clear at several points in his book that none of what he writes in it is intended to exclude women or any kind of gender expression or sexual identity. He also makes clear that the mystical marriage* between the male and the female archetypes is, in the end, the only recognizable image of the whole human.
Moreover, he is aware that the ten archetypes that he develops as pertaining to men can also be applied, with the necessary modification, to women. I find it important, however, that a male author who is a recognized authority in the field of spirituality writes about masculinity in his own personal voice. And that he does not try to do the same for women.
I think that any person can find something useful for themselves in this book, but all are invited to meditate deeply on the treasures thay find in it. It is not a book of rules, but rather a warm invitation to expand and grow and be.
Experience the mystical marriage of anima and animus in the upcoming pilgrimage led by GG and the Mistica Evolutiva Team, with Matthew Fox: HIEROS GAMOS: The Sacred Marriage Within, June 17–24, 2027. Learn more HERE.
Banner Image: The Blue Man in the arts: “Miles Davis” by D. Thompson, 1993. From Matthew Fox’s private collection.
Queries for Contemplation
What resonates in your life experience about the ten archetypes discussed in the book The Hidden Spirituality of Men, and especially in the last three? Can you think of any man in your life who embodies to some extent some or all of them?
Related Readings by Matthew Fox
The Hidden Spirituality of Men: Ten Metaphors to Awaken the Sacred Masculine
Creativity: Where the Divine and Human Meet
Illuminations of Hildegard of Bingen
Confessions: The Making of a Post-Denominational Priest
Charles Burack, ed., Matthew Fox: Essential Writings on Creation Spirituality
The Beloved Will Guide You: St. John of the Cross and the Triple Dark Night of Our Times
3 thoughts on “The Blue Man and Fatherhood”
I see some similarity between human psychological archetypes and the seven crystal structure types (cubic, tetragonal, etc.). That similarity includes the assumed crystal energetic archetypes like “nurturing,” “mystic,” “protector” and more. Such classifications and concepts are valid attempts by the human mind to define reference points in the vast ocean of Being. However useful such concepts may be, we should nevertheless remember that “the spoken Tao (Verb, Way, God, Path, etc.) is not the experienced Tao (Verb, Way, God, Path, etc.),” i.e. that the map is not the journey.
I understand the explanation of the fact that the ten archetypes developed by Matthew Fox to foster the too often hidden spirituality of men are masculine figures, the same explanation applies to the human tendency to anthropomorphize the divine.
We must all balance and integrate the male and female energies of Our LOVING Source Co-Creator in Our inner/outer lives on Our spiritual journeys towards the Wholeness of Our Loving Diverse ONENESS with Our Beautiful Sacred Mother Earth/Evolving Cosmos, including all physical/non-physical Spiritual dimensions/Beings, in the Sacred Process of the Eternal Present Moment….
When I reflect on the book, the primary archetypes that are most active for me right now are the father and the green man/black Madonna sacred marriage.
My husband and I have two children, 17 and 19. I was 42 when the youngest was born. A large part of my energy these days goes towards holding space for them to emerge into their adult selves. It isn’t easy – there’s a lot working against them – but I have faith they will find their paths. The trick seems to be holding them tightly from a distance. Because of my age now I definitely feel like I’m tapping into some grandfather energy too, even though I don’t actually have grandchildren.
The green man/black Madonna merger has been loud and proud in my spiritual realms for a while now. I’ve always had some green man, but the black Madonna is new to me just this past summer. She’s wasting no time making herself at home and becoming a significant part of my everyday existence.
The blue man is struggling to emerge. I have kept him locked in a closet for nearly 40 years. However, in a couple weeks I’ll be attending a “Covening” which will involve a great deal of singing, and I’m inviting him to sustain me through that experience, and to emerge again from the shadows.
Looking at my schedule for the next six months, I’d say there are activities supporting the energy of all the archetypes in the book. I’m looking forward to savoring each one!