Jane Wheelwright on the role of the Feminine in the forthcoming Age

Jung seemed to say that the new era can come through only by means of the feminine principle (through Eros) and that is not only in the man’s experience of his anima.

It obviously has to come primarily through women.

No man’s anima can compare to a real flesh-and-blood woman.

It can, however, give the man some respect and belief and liking and trusting women that can help forward the movement.

On this note I would like to end, because it refers to Jung’s farsightedness and to his specific contribution to the future.

Without it I feel there would be far more delay in the understanding of women.

It also is another example of how Jung’s broad vision did in the long run constellate for me specifically my need to strive towards being a free modern woman with my roots planted deeply in the soil of archaic woman.

The more Jung’s concepts of the animus and anima are understood and the more Jung’s insistence on the conscious realization of these concepts, the sooner the woman’s movement will bring about the necessary changes in our society. At least I think so.

I wish therefore to honor Jung as having made an enormous contribution to this next step in our social evolution. ~Jane Wheelwright, J.E.T., Pages 96-97.

Carl Jung on Masculine and Feminine in The Red Book

In Greek mythology, Heracles is synonymous with Apollonian masculinity.

What about masculinity?

Do you know how much femininity man lacks for completeness?

Do you know how much masculinity woman lacks for completeness.

You seek the feminine in women and the masculine in men.

And thus there are always only men and women.

But where are people?

You, man, should not seek the feminine in women, but seek and recognize it in yourself as you / possess it from the beginning.

It pleases you, however, to play at manliness, because it travels on a well-worn track.

You, woman, should not seek the masculine in men, but assume the masculine in yourself since you possess it from the beginning.

But it amuses you and is easy to play at femininity; consequently man despises you because he despises his femininity.

But humankind is masculine and feminine, not just man or woman.

You can hardly say of your soul what sex it is.

But if you pay close attention, you will see that the most masculine man has a feminine soul, and the most feminine woman has a masculine soul.

The more manly you are, the more remote from you is what woman really is, since the feminine in yourself is alien and contemptuous.~Carl Jung, The Red Book, Page 263.