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always there; it compliments the conscious ego; a wise person will
understand, accept, and consider (but not give in to) the shadow's
needs.
Jung also believed we all inherited both an archetype for being
masculine, called animus, and an opposing one for being feminine,
called anima. These masculine and feminine tendencies not only
influence how we behave but also what we expect from and how we
see others. The anima part within a young woman may cause her to
"think like a woman" and see her new boyfriend, who might only be
interested in sex, as being sensitive and caring. At another time, her
animus part (thinking more like a male) may arouse her suspicions
that a guy is "on the make" when he really wants love.
For Jung, the self is that part of us that defines our highest
potential. It is our unique, genuine, and best qualities. Self-realization
is difficult to achieve, however, because there are so many conflicts to
resolve inside us that we are, at best, middle-aged before we reach
selfhood. As the self learns about the archetypes, the persona, the
shadow, the anima and other parts of our unconscious, it provides
more and more stability and balance among the opposing forces within
our personality. If and when we do become more self-actualized,
according to Jung, the self takes over control from the ego (Ryckman,
1978).
Another use of personality "parts" or "traits" is made by Jean Bolen
(1985), a Jungian analyst, in The Goddesses in Everywoman. Her idea
is that the characteristics of Greek gods and goddesses are in all of us.
Examples: women especially have the potential of drawing upon the
strengths possessed by these goddesses:
Name
Goddess of
Strengths
Artemis
the hunt and
moon
Strong, able to reach goals,
independent
Athena
wisdom and
crafts
Smart, practical problem-solving,
logical
Hestia
hearth and
temple
Spiritual strength, comfortable alone
Hera
marriage
Devoted, committed for a lifetime
Demeter
grain
Maternal, nurturing, generous, giving
Persephone
the underworld
Can accept new ideas and ways
Aphrodite
love and beauty
Sensual, enjoys beauty & pleasure,
creative
Women (and men) can learn to recognize, enhance, and utilize
these strengths. These parts need to be developed before an crisis
