# Albedo, Anima And Animus

In Jungian psychology, there is "psychological alchemy" called
individualization. Why it is psychological alchemy is that alchemy
is an exemplar of the theory.

Individualization means achieving Self -- the synthesis of the
conscious and the unconscious. The One & The All. To do that, you
have to go through the alchemical stages.

1. Nigredo: Shadow
2. Albedo: Anima & Animus
3. Citrinitas: Collective Unconscious
4. Rubedo: Self

And I'm going to write about Albedo here.



There are contrasexual unconscious archetypes in male and female,
Anima and Animus. Anima is the unconscious feminine part of male.
Animus is the unconscious masculine part of female. Those correspond
to Eros and Logos.

But also, by projection those are what people see or pursue from
the opposite gender. Those also appear in dreams and imaginations.
And the development of Anima and Animus is Albedo, psychologically.


## Development (Albedo)

### Anima

1. Eve: Desire.
2. Helen of Troy: Competency.
3. Virgin Mary: Virtue. Can't be unvirtuous.
4. Sophia: Wisdom. Has both virtues and flaws. No more an object.


### Animus

Female has variations of Animus image compared to male.

1. Tarzan: Physical power.
2. Byron: Action & Romanticism.
3. Lloyd George: Professor. Reason. Logos.
4. Hermes: Spritual guide. Meaning.


So for example, a female with a low developed Animus pursues mere
physical power from men. But a female with highly developed one
pursues the meaning of life from men. And a love at first sight
occurs when a person see own Anima/Animus from a stranger.


There are ways of development. And I think the best way is "identifying
with people of the opposite gender's feelings". To be honest, I'm
writing this post mostly because I wanted to write about this.

People of the opposite gender are usually considered "Others". Both
for male and female. And that's the same with Anima/Animus for the
conscious.

A goal of alchemy is The One meeting The All. The unity of the
opposites.

People of the opposite gender are just another "fellow sinful human
beings suffered by life". Not only them though. Countless problems
occur in this world because people don't realize this. Instead they
do projection and fantasizing.

Note that "sinful" doesn't mean that they lack of virtues. The
sufferings do not mean that there can't be joy at all.

And that existential sympathy was considered the foundation of the
ethics by Schopenhauer. Will as thing-in-itself is the same for
all. It is the same origin of the sufferings of life. Although I
don't accept his ontology, I can truly understand what he meant.

In the end, it will result in the unity of the inner self too.



By the way, Anima has its Animus in it. And vice versa. Realizing
that makes an alternative to the Wise old man & woman archetype of
the next stage, Citrinitas.