She by Robert A. Johnson

Author:Robert A. Johnson
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 1989-03-05T16:00:00+00:00

THE ANIMUS

Dr. Jung has said that the anima and animus function most effectively for us as mediators between the conscious and unconscious parts of the personality. When Eros returns to the inner world of Aphrodite, he is able to mediate for Psyche with Aphrodite, Zeus, and the other gods and goddesses of the inner, archetypal world. As we shall see, he is able to send help to Psyche at critical times in her development by using natural, earthy elements such as the ants, the eagle, and the reeds.

If a woman is to evolve past feminine adolescence she must break the unconscious domination of her subordinate, largely unconscious, masculine component which often dictates her relationship to the outer world. For her to evolve, the animus, consciously recognized as such, must take up a position between the conscious ego and the unconscious inner world where he can act as mediator, an essential help to her. He then can open up a true spiritual life for her. A woman in a state of animus possession, that is with her animus mediating between her and the outer world, is not consciously aware of her animus at all. She believes her behavior is arising from her animus and is her own ego-determined choice. In fact, her ego is taken over in these instances by the animus. When a woman lights the lamp of consciousness, she sees the animus, quite correctly, as separate from her ego. Like Psyche, she is usually overwhelmed. The animus seems so potent and godlike, and her conscious self so worthless and helpless by comparison. This is a desperate and dangerous moment for her. After she goes through the awesome shock of first recognizing her animus and being overwhelmed with her own inadequacy, she is then equally in danger of being overwhelmed by his grandeur. If she sees that she has a godlike element within the result is exhilarating, much like a peak experience. She is now in great danger of “falling in love with love himself.”

If you can negotiate this development and keep afloat between the extremes of man-as-death and man-as-god, paradise and banishment, exhilaration and despair—you can begin the truly human task of developing consciousness. The promise rings true and faithful: if you can bear to see your man for what he truly is then light the lamp which only you can provide. You will find your man to be a god—probably not in the paradise sense which you hoped for, but in the Olympian sense, which is much greater. I know no greater promise in life.

This event in Psyche’s life is something like Parsifal’s first sight of the grail castle.7 Parsifal sees a magnificent world beyond belief, but he is not to remain there. Likewise, Psyche loses Eros almost immediately upon discovering his true, magnificent nature.

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