Three Types of Self-Awareness in Somatic Archetypal Work

Somatic archetypal work integrates bodily awareness with frameworks like the Enneagram, Internal Family Systems (IFS), and Jungian analysis. At its core are three types of self-awareness: interoception, exteroception, and proprioception. These forms of perception help us build awareness of how archetypes and Enneagram types live in and move through us, laying the foundation for growth and integration.

In somatic therapy, these types of awareness are used to build connection and nourishment within the body, notice how stress and emotions manifest physically, and support a deeper integration of mind, body, and environment. When applied to archetypal work, they provide tools to explore how Enneagram types and universal archetypes can be held, noticed, and embodied in everyday life.

1. Interoception: Sensing the Inner Landscape

Interoception is the ability to notice internal sensations like your breath, heartbeat, or the tension in your muscles. In somatic therapy, interoception is a key skill for becoming attuned to your body’s signals, understanding how emotions show up physically, and creating space for regulation and self-awareness. It forms the foundation for connecting to the body’s subtle wisdom and responses.

When applied to archetypal work, interoception helps you tune into how archetypes and Enneagram types are held in your body, allowing you to notice their patterns and begin to connect with their essence.

How It Works:

• Enneagram: Start by noticing how your primary type is held in your body. Do you feel tension, warmth, or stillness in certain areas? How do these sensations shift when you reflect on your type’s essence as compared to its habitual patterns? Over time, explore how other types feel in your body.

• Internal Family Systems: Interoception supports building awareness of different parts. Where do you feel certain parts in your body? Are they tight, heavy, or light? This awareness allows you to hold and connect with parts without judgment.

• Jungian Work: Archetypal energies, like the Warrior or the Mystic, can also be felt physically. What sensations arise when you consider the Warrior’s strength or the Lover’s openness? How does your body respond?

Practice Tip: Take a moment to sit quietly and tune into your body. What sensations are present when you reflect on your primary archetypes? What happens when you shift your focus to the essence of another type?

2. Exteroception: Noticing the Outer World

Exteroception is the awareness of your environment through your senses—what you see, hear, touch, taste, and smell. In somatic therapy, exteroception is used to ground and orient yourself in the present moment, building a sense of safety and connection with the world around you. It balances the internal focus of interoception by encouraging outward engagement.

When applied to archetypal work, exteroception helps you notice archetypal energies reflected in the external world, connecting your inner experience to your environment.

How It Works:

• Enneagram: Notice how your primary type influences your perception of the world. Are you drawn to certain sensory experiences, like order, creativity, or connection? Over time, practice noticing qualities of other types around you.

• Internal Family Systems: Exteroception supports parts work by connecting inner experiences with external stimuli. What sounds, textures, or sights resonate with specific parts of you? How does engaging with these sensory experiences affect your inner world?

• Jungian Work: Archetypes often appear in the environment as symbols or patterns. Where do you see the Protector’s stability or the Creator’s innovation? How do external representations of archetypes enrich your connection to them?

Practice Tip: Pause during your day and notice your surroundings. What catches your attention? How might it reflect your primary archetypes or an archetypal energy you are working to embody?

3. Proprioception: Embodying Through Movement

Proprioception is the awareness of your body’s position and movement in space. In somatic therapy, it is used to develop a sense of grounding, balance, and embodiment, helping people reconnect with their physical presence and access new ways of moving through the world. Proprioception can also help shift habitual patterns by exploring new postures or movements.

When applied to archetypal work, proprioception allows you to explore how types and archetypes can be embodied physically, making their qualities more tangible and alive.

How It Works:

• Enneagram: Notice how your primary type shapes your posture and movement. Do you stand rigidly, move quickly, or hold yourself softly? Explore what happens when you embody the essence of your type or experiment with the physical qualities of other types. How does your body shift when you embody Type 8’s groundedness or Type 4’s creativity?

• Internal Family Systems: Movement can help parts express themselves physically. How does a cautious part want to move? How does a confident part hold its posture? Proprioception creates a somatic pathway to connect with and honor parts of yourself.

• Jungian Work: Archetypes come alive through movement and posture. How does the King or Queen stand? How does the Seeker walk? Proprioception helps you embody these energies, accessing their wisdom in a physical and experiential way.

Practice Tip: Reflect on your primary archetypes and notice how your body holds their energy. Try adjusting your posture to embody the archetypes healthy essence. What changes in your inner state or sense of connection?

Building Awareness

These three types of self-awareness—interoception, exteroception, and proprioception—are essential tools in somatic therapy for reconnecting with your body, balancing internal and external focus, and exploring how archetypes and types are held and expressed.

When applied to archetypal work:

• Interoception helps you notice how your primary archetypes and other archetypes are held within.

• Exteroception invites you to see archetypes reflected in your surroundings.

• Proprioception allows you to embody archetypes physically through movement and posture.

This practice is about building awareness and curiosity, creating a foundation for deeper engagement with archetypes and types.

Invitation: Begin with your most prominent Enneagram type, IFS part, or Jungian archetype. How does it feel in your body? How does your environment reflect its qualities? How does it move or hold itself in the world? As you deepen this awareness, expand to explore other types and archetypes, allowing their energies to enrich and transform your experience.

By cultivating these forms of awareness, you build a somatic connection to archetypes and types that is both practical and transformative.