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ยป Home ยป Turning Inwards

Anima and Animus: How to Balance Divine Feminine/Masculine

by Aletheia Luna ยท Updated: Sep 4, 2022 ยท 84 Comments

Image of two hands holding fire and water representing the anima and animus
Yin yang anima animus

As poet Walt Whitman once wrote, “I am large, I contain multitudes.”

There’s a reason why this simple yet beautiful verse has reverberated across history: it contains immense truth. We all contain multitudes.

We’re all a divine amalgamation of water and fire, soul and spirit, yin and yang.


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Ultimately, when we can look deeply into the nature of everything within us, we can see that all human beings contain two types of energy: that of the feminine and masculine.

In psychology, these two polar opposite forces are known as the Anima and Animus.

What’s fascinating is that both Eastern and Western teachings promote the need to connect with, explore, and balance each of these seemingly polar inner forces to find true equilibrium and wellbeing.

Perhaps even more important than finding a sense of overall balance, learning how to connect with the feminine (Anima) and masculine (Animus) face of the Soul is a crucial part of the spiritual awakening journey.

Table of contents

  • What is the Anima and Animus?
  • The Anima Explained
  • The Animus Explained
  • Becoming Whole = Reclaiming the Inner Feminine and Masculine
  • Soul Loss and the Anima / Animus
  • Nothing to Do With Your Sexuality or Gender Identity
  • How to Connect With Your Anima or Animus
  • Sacred Balance

What is the Anima and Animus?

Image of a yin yang symbol that represents the anima and animus

First coined by famous psychiatrist Carl Jung, the terms “Anima” and “Animus” refer to the indwelling masculine and feminine energies that we all possess.

Specifically, the anima is thought to be the feminine part of a man’s Soul, and the animus refers to the masculine part of a female’s Soul. Both the anima and animus are ancient archetypes (or raw forms of energy) that every being contains.


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The Anima Explained

Image of a pink rose that represents the anima energy

Derived from Latin meaning “a current of air, wind, breath, the vital principle, life, soul,”ย the Anima refers to the unconscious feminine dimension of a male which is often forgotten or repressed in daily life.ย 

As it’s generally considered taboo to embrace one’s inner female side as a man in patriarchal society, men often fail to fully embody and embrace this fundamental energy within their Souls. Sadly, if a male does embrace his Anima, he is often criticized as being “a wimp,” “a sissy,” “a pussy,” and other derogatory names.

However, in the perspective of psychology, in order to fully step into a mature masculine role, a man must go on a quest to explore this inner Divine Feminine energy. In other words, he must unite with the other half of his Soul.

Often, this quest results in some sort of projection, that is, trying to find the ideal lover or soulmate in the form of another idealized person. But he can never embody the Anima through another person โ€“ only through his own concerted efforts.

The key realization here is that he must find this force within himself, rather than disown it onto another.

As described by Jungian Psychologist Dan Johnston, the man who has connected with his feminine Anima displays “tenderness, patience, consideration and compassion.”ย 

However, repression of the female element within males often results in a negative Anima that emerges as personality traits such as “vanity, moodiness, bitchiness, and sensitivity to hurt feelings.”

Indeed, a man who has failed to embody his Anima also tends to fall prey to emotional numbness and toxic masculine traits such as aggression, ruthlessness, coldness, and a purely rational approach to life.

The Animus Explained

Image of a cactus that represents the animus energy

The Animus, which is a Latin word that means “the rational soul; life; the mental powers, intelligence,” is the unconscious male dimension in the female psyche.ย 

Due to societal, parental, and cultural conditioning, the Animus, or male element within the woman, is often inhibited, restrained, and suppressed (just as the Anima is within men).ย 

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However, the Animus isn’t always repressed โ€“ sometimes, it is actually over-emphasized and forcefully imposed upon women. Take Western society for example. Here we have a culture that ruthlessly imposes toxic masculine ideals such as workaholism, productivity, emotional numbness, and ruthlessness as ways to excel and succeed in life.

All of these external elements can contribute towards a negative Animus, which can reveal itself in a woman’s personality through argumentative tendencies, brutishness, destructiveness, and insensitivity.ย 

However, integrating a positive Animus into the female psyche can result in assertiveness, levelheadedness, objectivity, and rationality.

Becoming Whole = Reclaiming the Inner Feminine and Masculine

Image of a yin yang symbol representing the anima and animus

In the mind of Jung โ€“ who derived many of his thoughts and teachings from Eastern Philosophies โ€“ in order for a person to be whole through the process of “Individuation” (i.e., inner evolution), a person must encounter, and work to embrace, their internal Anima or Animus (or Feminine and Masculine energy).

As Jung goes on to explain, the process of this becoming whole (or Individuation) can be described as:

… becoming an โ€œin-dividual,โ€ and, in so far as โ€œindividualityโ€ embraces our innermost, last, and incomparable uniqueness, it also implies becoming oneโ€™s own self. We could therefore translate individuation as โ€œcoming to selfhood,โ€ or โ€œself-realization.โ€

Thus connecting with our inner male or female energy โ€“ the “other half” of our Soul โ€“ is essential for the development of self-awareness and understanding, which are important components of inner work and deep spiritual growth.

Soul Loss and the Anima / Animus

Image of an eclipse

Perhaps one of the biggest signs that we’re disconnected from the “other half” of our Soul is a feeling of lethargy, aimlessness, loneliness, and overall unease.

This malaise is what I call Soul Loss, and it emerges when we’re so rigidly stuck in one mode of being (either yin/feminine or yang/masculine), that we can’t access the fullness of our sacred wild True Nature.

The longer we’re operating from this limited, one-dimensional place, the more likely we are to fall into a crisis of some kind like the Dark Night of the Soul whose function is to essentially “shake us to awaken us.”

But we can lessen the likelihood of experiencing such an extreme crisis if we learn to embrace the fact that we are multi-faceted beings and ‘retrieve’ the lost side of our Soul.

Nothing to Do With Your Sexuality or Gender Identity

Image of a white and black hand symbolic of the anima and animus

Before we explore how to reconnect with the other side of our Soul, I want to highlight something important.

Connecting to your inner Anima or Animus does not require you to become homosexual, lesbian, or possess a non-binary/trans identity, as some might think.ย And if you identify with either of these sexual orientations or identities, it doesn’t require you to become heterosexual or cisgender/binary either.ย 

Why?ย 

The Anima and Animus energy within us has nothing to do with sexuality or gender identity. Instead, it’s all about creating balance.

In essence, what we’re striving for is to balance the opposites within us to create a sense of Wholeness. In other words, what we’re practicing is a living form of spiritual alchemy. The point isn’t to give up your sexual preference or identity, but to become a more mature human being.


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How to Connect With Your Anima or Animus

Image of a man and woman dancing symbolic of the anima and animus

So how can we connect with the inner Divine Feminine (Anima) or Divine Masculine (Animus)?ย  Here are some suggestions:

For Males – Connecting to the Anima

Connecting to the Anima for males is about getting in touch with the inner feminine energy which manifests itself as passivity, sensitivity, and emotionality.ย Suggestions for getting in touch with your Anima include the following:

  • Practice the art of listening with concern and compassion
  • Rediscover your passionate side through romantic gestures
  • Take care of/nurture something (like a plant, lover, or animal)
  • Practice thoughtfulness and consideration of the needs of others
  • Express your inner Anima creatively, e.g., music, art, sculpture, poetry, dance
  • Practice mindfulness, meditation, and other ways to get in touch with, and understand your emotions
  • Expand your hobbies or interests to incorporate feminine energies in your life
  • Practice self-love and self-care
  • Find a historical female figure (or male with a strong Anima) who you admire and use them as a role model

*You can also read our article on the Divine Feminine for more guidance.*

For Females – Connecting to the Animus

For females, connecting to the inner Animus is about understanding masculine energy which manifests itself in an active, dominant, and logical way.ย Suggestions for getting in touch with your Animus include the following:

  • Practice assertiveness
  • Adopt a role or position that puts you in authority
  • Learn to take charge of something in your life
  • Discover and develop your leadership abilities
  • Read non-fiction instead of purely fiction
  • Become more self-sufficient and self-reliant
  • Learn masculine skills, (e.g., fixing car problems, learning to use a drill, fix broken appliances, etc.)
  • Gain more emotional balance by practicing mindfulness, meditation, and self-exploration
  • Find a historical male figure (or female with a strong Animus) who you admire and use them as a role model (see my archetypes article for more guidance)

*You can also read our article on the Divine Masculine for more in-depth guidance.*

For Those Who Don’t Identify With Either Gender

If you don’t identify as either male or female (e.g., non-binary/genderqueer individuals), try working with the type of energy that you feel most estranged from or uncomfortable with.

For example, if you struggle to connect with yang energy, focus on connecting with the Animus face of your Soul (and vice versa with yin/Anima energy).

If you don’t feel particularly disconnected with either, choose any you like! You might even like to work simultaneously with both energies, and journal about your discoveries to keep a record of your journey.

For Masculine Women and Feminine Men

Obviously, not all women possess traditional feminine energy, and not all men possess traditional masculine energy. I would consider myself a more masculine-oriented woman and I’ve had many yang-type female friends who struggle to “get along” with the softer face of the yin/feminine.

If you’re a masculine-oriented woman or feminine-oriented man, my advice is simple:

  • For masculine women, work with the Anima (yin) side of your Soul
  • For feminine men, work with the Animus (yang) side of your Soul

Once you’ve allowed more space for yin or yang qualities to emerge within your psyche, you’ll eventually find yourself being drawn toward the opposite energy. And like a pendulum, you’ll dance between both types of energy until more equilibrium, harmony, and inner balance is reached.

Sacred Balance

Image of a crystal ball balanced on some rocks symbolic of anima animus balance

The spiritual awakening journey is about finding sacred balance. When we lack a strong connection to either the masculine or feminine part of ourselves, we suffer. Remember that your Soul contains both sides. You deserve to have access to all parts of your inner Self.

Thankfully, all that is needed to get back into balance is simply observing your life and making some changes. First, ask yourself what side of the spectrum you’re leaning more toward, the Anima (feminine) or Animus (masculine)?

Second, introduce some simple changes into your mindsets and habits. For example, do you need to bring in more assertive Animus energy? Do you need to make space for patient and gentle Anima energy? Creating a balanced self is always contextual and will shift and change throughout your life.

What energy do you struggle to feel connected with? Why do you think this might be? I’d love to hear below.

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About Aletheia Luna

Aletheia Luna is a prolific psychospiritual writer, author, educator, and intuitive guide whose work has touched the lives of millions worldwide. As a survivor of fundamentalist religious abuse, her mission is to help others find love, strength, and inner light in even the darkest places. She is the author of hundreds of popular articles, as well as numerous books and journals on the topics of Self-Love, Spiritual Awakening, and more. [Read More]

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  1. gul kaya says

    August 15, 2017 at 3:32 pm

    It is a very helpful post for gaining awareness of our dualities inside as a human but I wish there were more details about how to get back balance of anima and animus if there was a problem about it. Also, I want to recommend a book about this topic to find more ; Women Who Run With Wolves, Clarissa P. Estes

    Reply
  2. Maria Eduarda Souza says

    June 29, 2017 at 9:24 pm

    Hi, I really enjoyed your post. I am now doing a Masters in Ecology and Spirituality and currently writing an assignment on the subject of anima/animus. I would appreciate interviewing you and also learning where are the references and books you used, more specifically when you quote some texts. Would you be available for a quick chat? My contact info is: duda.souza@gmail.com.
    thank you. Maria Eduarda

    Reply
  3. Layla says

    December 15, 2016 at 8:56 pm

    I was wondering, If a man or woman practiced on balancing there feminine and masculine energies, would they want to be in a relationship still? IF so, what kind of relationship would they want? Friendship, marriage, twinflame? I think both men and women suppress there masculine or feminine energy so that there lover expresses that. Which your article is saying is basically unhealthy , correct?

    Reply
    • Aletheia says

      January 06, 2017 at 10:34 am

      Hey Layla. Of course! Balancing your male/female energies actually makes you better equipped to form and maintain healthy relationships. Men and women suppress the yin and yang energy because it is conditioned into us since birth to play a certain role. When we step out of that role, we make ourselves available to become more whole and complete beings.

      Reply
  4. Pij says

    August 29, 2015 at 2:01 pm

    As a homosexual & empath male myself, I keeps experience intensely both positive and negative anima and animus from time to time which makes me so hard to reach a stable self, commitment to a life routine and keeping a stable-self partner. Is there any advice for me to work on that?

    Reply
  5. Chetan says

    August 19, 2015 at 11:11 pm

    I started reading the Jung’s book which talks about anima and animus. After finishing the first two chapters I came to lonerwolf to see if there are any blogs on this. This blog has been quite useful to understand the topics plainly.

    Reply
  6. Renee says

    April 14, 2015 at 1:23 pm

    Thank you for a great article!

    Reply
    • Aletheia says

      April 16, 2015 at 10:53 am

      My pleasure Renee! I’m glad that you got something out of it. :)

      Reply
  7. Greg says

    December 19, 2014 at 4:56 am

    In all the readings I’ve been exposed to, Jung indicates that shadow work should be worked on, first, before the integration of the Anima(us). The integration of the ego/shadow would then facilitate the integration of the ego(shadow)/anima(us). If I remember correctly, Jung’s sequence of archetypal integration was established because he believed that it was easier to identify shadow projections, withdraw, them by reclaiming and accepting them and, thereby, integrating them within oneself. But, what the article suggests isn’t difficult to do, so, perhaps, my information may be outdated.

    Great article! I would love for you to provide an article or series of articles that speak to the integration of our psyche. Maybe, the articles could be directed as a means of doing what needs to be done by us to try and achieve wholeness. I would be ecstatic if I could sufficiently integrated ego/shadow and anima(us)/persona to experience the higher consciousness of the self. Just a suggestion.

    Reply
    • Aletheia says

      December 22, 2014 at 6:59 pm

      I welcome all suggestions, so thank you Greg! I will make a note of that for the future. At the moment Sol and I are planning on releasing a series of practically applicable articles to achieve greater wholeness and self-realization which we hope to publish next year sometime.
      Appreciate the comment!

      Reply
  8. Julio says

    August 28, 2014 at 12:04 pm

    I suppose that many finnish women posess this Animus quality.

    Reply
    • Aletheia Luna says

      August 28, 2014 at 6:51 pm

      I wasn’t aware that Finnish women were so masculine Julio. :P

      -Luna

      Reply
  9. Marina says

    July 04, 2014 at 10:21 pm

    I think my energies are quite balanced, I just lack the authority thing. :)

    Reply
    • Aletheia Luna says

      July 06, 2014 at 5:28 pm

      Assertiveness you mean? That can always be improved with time and persistence. I wrote an article about assertiveness a while back which you may be interested in reading: https://lonerwolf.com/how-to-be-quietly-assertive/

      Thank you for reading Marina :)

      -Luna

      Reply
  10. Isabelle says

    June 20, 2014 at 2:55 am

    Great article. Really insightful too! I’ve always been aware of the masculine/feminine traits I had as I grew up, but could never put a name to it. Now I hope to find a balance :)

    Reply
    • Aletheia Luna says

      June 23, 2014 at 9:41 am

      That means a lot to me – thank you Isabelle. :)
      All the best with finding a balance within your life,

      -Luna

      Reply
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