As I've learned along the years, personal-anecdotal evidence holds as much importance for an individual as any external theory of the mind. Without a doubt, Jung's framework of the anima and shadow are crucial knowledge for anyone, as without them, one is left perplexed in the face of the sudden psychic forces that inevitably surface in any serious psychoanalytic endeavour.
One might, however, be uncertain as to which exact framework to choose, whether to follow individuals like Jung, Heidegger, or some random internet guru; ultimately it does not make a difference, as long as the model comes second - in other words, one should first and foremost pursue inner authenticity prior to looking for external explanations, and only subsequently seek outside models insofar as they align with the already established internal phenomenology. If the model does not correlate with what's being experienced, it's not of the anima's (or the Self's) fault, but that of the model's. It's all too easy to fall into pre-existing frames in the contemporary era. This is becoming increasingly evident as more and more people find themselves lost in the modern, self-perpetuating world of hauntology that refuses to offer real solutions or move forward. Any tumultuous time is ripe for false prophets (as is the age-old pattern), and our time is no different. Unfortunately, real spiritual work is difficult, strenuous, time-consuming, exhausting, and even dangerous. There are no outside solutions to be had, and it all comes from rigorous isolative introspection. Then, and only then, when enough time has been spent in said isolative introspection, should one go seeking for models to apply their findings onto, to see whether there's guidance to be had in form of old texts or teachings of gurus. If yes, then all the better for the individual. If not, then at least one has not been falsely led by outside forces, and inner work may continue - albeit in an unfortunately sorrowful solitude. Anyway, this post was to be of my anecdotal example rather than an incoherent rambling of the state of society, so here goes. I was both fortunate and unfortunate to find a correlating model within Jung's theories of the anima. Fortunate in the sense that at least eventually I stumbled upon a codified system, on findings of a esoteric psychologist who had delved into all this far further than any man prior - and, as I suspect - ever will. Jung recognized, in his model, the anima as an interfacing force between the Self and the ego, which can neatly be understood as an opposite to the persona's role as an interface between the ego and the outside world. Since most of the early work is done with the shadow, it roughly equally influences both the persona and the ego (and thus is more "visible"), then, later anima-work correspondingly deals with the Self and the ego. This is where things get strange, and, for the lack of better terms, haunting & eerie. This process can only be furthered with what I've come to call a "dialogue" with the autonomous force that often takes the shape of a woman (or multiple women... but that's an another story) - hence Jung's famous "inner woman" as well as the well-known artist's muse. Now, I cannot possibly know how other people go on about their dealings with such profound forces, but fortunately I need not know, having a relatively strong intuition guiding the process. Not to say that this process is perfect, far from it, as it often involves a great deal of uncertainty and outright paranoia - mostly directed at the process itself. What is the right path, ultimately; what practises to follow, what thoughts to examine, what feelings to highlight - and most importantly, how much to meddle into it all with conscious thought? Almost any conscious activity has the potential to poison the authentic connection - but without conscious thought, nothing gets done, no word written nor painting completed. Thus, it ends up being a never-ending dance on a blade's edge. What word to choose, what brush to hold... and in the midst of that is the ever-present glare of the anima, judging and reprimanding for not being technically proficient enough, not being fast and efficient enough. There's always more work to be done than both time and mental reserves allow. For, after all, the story should've been finished today, the painting completed yesterday. No rest for the wicked.
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A.K
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