The Metal Archetype

A good image for this archetype is the medieval knight, with his shiny sword and metallic suit of armor. Like knights, metal people are known to be naturally brave, honest, upright, and honorable. However, when they get out of balance they tend to become overly self-righteous, convinced that they are totally correct or morally superior even when they are not. Just as metal is structured and geometric, metal people like to be organized and prefer regular schedules. On the other hand, they can quickly become rigid in their ideas or overly focused perfectionists, obsessed with details, or micromanaging their employees too much. Metal people are also good at "cutting to the chase," getting right to the central point, so they excel at problem-solving, teaching, and counseling. However, they can also be too frank, hurting others unintentionally with their piercing observations.

 

The predominant emotion of the metal archetype is grief, giving them a tendency to focus on past hurts and pine for things that have been lost. This can make it hard for them to bond with others, a gap they tend to fill with material possessions. As for their body type, metal people generally have straight hair, square faces, and flat abdomens, with small heads and shoulders, and their skin tone is pale. The season of the metal archetype is fall when the energy starts to contract back to the earth after its peak in summer, so they prefer smaller, more select groups of friends over large crowds.

 

Since the main organ of the metal archetype is the lungs, they have a tendency toward respiratory issues like asthma, seasonal allergies, and chronic lung congestion. For metal people, some keys to staying in balance include regular aerobic exercise to strengthen their lungs, deep breathing exercises for relaxation, and processes that can help them let go of the past, like counseling and journaling. As for diet, foods that are high in minerals, like nuts, beans, and leafy greens, are especially nourishing, as are white foods like radishes and mushrooms.