Anima and Animus

Jung's concept

Jung observed that in dreams of his male patients there usually appeared significant feminine figures (mother, lover, mysterious woman) that did not correspond to real women but to inner aspects of the dreamer himself. In dreams of female patients, masculine figures appeared with similar function. He named these inner figures anima (Latin: "soul" — feminine) and animus (Latin: "spirit, breath" — masculine).

According to Jung, every human is psychically androgynous: each one carries within both polarities. The conscious self develops a "main gender" identity, but the opposite is not absent — it operates from the unconscious as anima or animus. The relationship of the conscious self with these unconscious figures is fundamental for psychic maturity. Failed projection of the anima/animus onto external partners explains many obsessions, idealisations and disappointments in love. Conscious integration of one's own anima/animus is part of the individuation process.

Stages of evolution

Jung described four levels of evolution for the anima of every man and the animus of every woman, from less integrated to more integrated:

Anima — 4 stages: 1) Eve (purely instinctive feminine, biological mother); 2) Helena (idealised feminine of erotic love, the muse, the lover); 3) Mary (spiritualised feminine, the holy mother, virtue); 4) Sophia (feminine wisdom, the integrated soul, the wise woman who guides). The man matures by going through these stages of relationship with his inner feminine.

Animus — 4 stages: 1) Tarzan / Hercules (purely physical masculine, brute force); 2) Romantic warrior (the hero, the romantic, the man of action); 3) Word (the wise teacher, the priest, the one who speaks the truth — typical Jungian Logos); 4) Hermes / Wisdom (spiritual integrator, mediator between worlds). The woman matures by going through these stages of relationship with her inner masculine.

Working with your inner contrasexual

Practical work: 1) Notice on which figures you project your idealisations and disappointments — those external figures speak about your unintegrated inner anima/animus. 2) Pay attention to dreams with characters of the opposite sex — they are often messages from your anima/animus. 3) Active imagination (Jungian technique of dialogue with inner figures): write dialogues with the anima/animus, listen to what it has to say. 4) Cultivate consciously the qualities of the opposite gender that you have neglected (a man cultivating his receptivity, sensitivity; a woman cultivating her assertiveness, decision). The integrated couple is internal first.