Archetypes and Dreams

The Feminine and Masculine

Principles

It is important to remember the difference

between masculine and feminine

principles and masculine and feminine

roles. The roles have been determined

by aspects of the culture: the economic

needs, political development, ethical and

moral progression, social and spiritual

beliefs and, of course, by biology.

Women bear children; men do not. All

the consciousness raising of the modern

feminists cannot alter that fact.

Mythology, however, utilizes masculine

and feminine principles in a Jungian

manner by considering that within every

human there is an energy – the animus

and anima to use Jung’s terms – that

gives impetus to human behavior and understanding. The animus is the masculine

found in both male and female psyche, and the anima is the feminine found in both the

male and female psyche.

Since the moon has obvious connections with the female fertility cycle, primitive cultures

concluded that the moon was feminine and vital to the growth of plants, the fertility of

animals and humans, and, of course, because it appeared only at night, to be

associated with darkness and death. Fertility, birth and death were all given feminine

affiliations. By association the sun, the solar principles, was considered masculine.

There is a recognition in all cultures that both masculine and feminine principles are vital

to creativity: male and female must work in harmony to allow the creative processes of

life to flourish. In many cultures the role of the priest and prophet or shaman is to

mediate between these principles and develop rites and rituals that will enhance the

experiences of human life. Mythologist Joseph Campbell refers to the ultimate merging

of these principles as transcendence, that is, the ability to transcend the limitation of

masculinity and femininity to a consciousness of the unity of all things.

The Feminine Archetypes

According to Jungian psychology the archetypes of

the collective unconscious are manifested in similar

mythological motifs which are universal, that is,

they are similar among all peoples, in all places

and in all times. One of the most universal

experiences of mankind is the relationship with

mother. Being totally dependent for all things on

someone else can create an all-powerful image, so

it is not surprising to find that many of the world’s

prehistoric religions were centered around the

worship of the feminine principle – the “Great

Mother.” She was the life-giving force. She was

the symbol of fertility; she was both revered and

feared. If the “Great Mother” smiled her blessings

upon you, your family, your crops, and your flocks

would prosper. If she frowned, your enterprises

would all fail. Thus the great mother archetype can be beneficent- the nurturing,

protective, loving mother or maleficent – the dangerous mother who can withhold both

food and love and threaten one’s very existence. As Erich Fromm, a twentieth century

psychologist, points out in his book The Art of Loving:

Mother can give life, and she can take life.

She is the one to revive, and the one to destroy.

She can do miracles of love-

And nobody can hurt more than she.