This article was inspired by Anima And Animus: How To Harmonize Your Masculine And Feminine Energies
If you wish to learn about the concept of Anima and Animus put forward by Jung, continue reading and learn how to harmonize your internal feminine or masculine energies.
Ying and Yang, as dictated by Chinese philosophy, describes that opposite forces attract each other and are interdependent in the natural world. This ancient belief is widely accepted in different cultures in many different ways: heaven and earth, light and darkness, life and death and so on.
In our case, it is the perfect representation of Carl Jung’s Anima and Animus, which he uses to refer to female energies present in males, and male energies being present in females.
In this article we will exemplify how to have both energies operating in perfect harmony inside our bodies.
Opposing Energies: Anima and Animus
Anima refers to the latent and unconscious feminine element that is present within a male. This part of a male can often be forgotten or repressed due to societal norms and conditioning.
However, to achieve greater psychological progress and internal balance, it is necessary for a person to recognize this aspect of their being and embrace it in its entirety.
Similarly, the Animus is male energy present in the female psyche, which can get repressed due to cultural conditioning or upbringing. An imbalance in this opposing energy can lead to personality issues such as argumentative tendencies and insensitivity.
However, integrating Animus in the female psyche leads to internal harmony, resulting in strength and rationality.
Individual Wholeness
Carl Jung, who had been influenced by Eastern Philosophies, believed that for an individual to be whole, they must encounter and embrace their internal opposing energies, i.e. Anima or Animus.
He explains the process of becoming whole and harmonious as a natural process where an individual embraces their inner uniqueness or in other words individualization or self-realization.
Hence, it is essential for our inner growth to become attuned with our male or female — Anima and Animus — element for self-awareness and self-understanding, both of which are vital components for achieving Involution or the higher-self.
Before we venture on, it is important to understand that these opposing energies have nothing to do with our sexuality, meaning a man reconnecting with his inner feminine self doesn’t require him to become a homosexual. These energies have more to do with our passiveness and aggressiveness.
So, in essence, we are simply attempting to achieve an internal androgynous state on a spiritual and personal level.
For Men: Connecting with the Anima
Rekindling our connection with the Anima for men is simply about understanding the feminine energy that resides within them.
This energy can manifest in emotionality, sensitivity, and passivity. The following are a few suggestions that might help you achieve that:
- Familiarize with the art of listening and find compassion within it
- Rediscover your sensual and passionate side through romantic gestures
- Experience the joy of nurturing someone or something
- Developing empathy by being more thoughtful and being considerate of other’s needs
- Expressing your creativity such as dance, music, art
- Experiencing mindfulness through meditation and getting in tune with your inner emotions
- Adopting self-study, which would help achieve greater consideration for your internal need for fulfillment and love
For Women: Connecting with the Animus
For women, connecting with their inner Animus is about exploring their masculine energy, which can manifest in the form of being active, logical, and dominant.
The following suggestions will help you in your question of reconnecting with the animus:
- Consciously practice being assertive
- Adopt certain roles or positions that put in a position of dominance or authority
- Start taking charge of important matters in your life
- Discover your leadership abilities and develop them through conscious effort
- Switch your non-fiction readings with fiction readings
- Strive to be more self-sufficient and self-reliant
- Learn skills commonly associated with masculinity such as fixing broken appliances, fixing the car, etc
- Attaining emotional balance through meditation
It is also possible for a person to possess more of their opposite energy such as a woman possessing more Anima than their female energy. Thus, they would need to reestablish the balance by getting in touch with the Animus and vice versa for men.
Creating a balance is extremely important and might help you achieve harmony in ways you could never imagine.
Image by Adriana Aloschi
This article was inspired by Anima And Animus: How To Harmonize Your Masculine And Feminine Energies, which was written Aletheia Luna. She is the co-founder, editor and author of popular spiritual website LonerWolf.com. As a transformational mentor and holistic writer, she has helped to guide thousands of people throughout the world on their paths of self-acceptance and wholeness. You can follow her work and private updates on Facebook.
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