Anima And Animus

The anima and animus are two major archetypes of the unconscious in analytical psychology which was developed by Carl Jumg. An archetype in Jungian analytical psychology is a symbolic underlying identity or dream that all humans share which represents fears or ideas we all experience. The anima represents the feminine psychological tendencies in the male unconscious. The animus represents the masculine psychological tendencies in the female unconscious. The male unconscious archetype expresses and identifies with the anima while the female unconscious archetype expresses and identifies with the animus. The anima and animus are strengthened by the collective unconscious (which is the unconsciousness shared by all humans) and influence by individual experiences.