Jean Shinoda Bolen – Liberating the Gods Within You

From babyhood on, certain archetypes may be welcomed in boys and suppressed in girls and vice-versa. Consciousness-raising is changing “who” we can become, as the range of human potential — in which we activate certain archetypes within us.

In Jung’s psychology, everyone has both male and female qualities. However by his definition which was consistent with the era in which he lived, the masculine element in women, called the “animus,” and the feminine in men, the “anima,” were inferior masculine or feminine attitudes or attributes — less conscious.

A woman could be “animus- possessed” a man “anima-possessed.” Wherever the stereotypical roles are the only acceptable way of being a woman or a man, the contra sexual elements are less developed and less conscious, and are often unacceptable and therefore suppressed.

When our outer roles express our inner archetypes, then there is depth and joy in what we do, but when expressing and developing male archetypes that would be sources of meaning are suppressed as “unfeminine,” we cannot come into our wholeness.

When archetypes cannot be lived out, we are likely attracted to people who are outer representatives of the inner male god-archetypes. In adolescence, we are growing into becoming who we can be: this is responsible for “hero worship” and “crushes,” which lose fascination when we develop them in ourselves. At various stages of our lives, we project what is unconscious but close to the surface in us, onto others, only more discreetly.

More than any time in history, women and men can develop and integrate male and female archetypal qualities into their personalities. At different stages in life, shifts occur in our psyches, as we are drawn toward wholeness, psychological, and spiritual growth.

Hestia was present in the temples of every god and goddess. She was the sacred fire that illuminated and warmed the premises. In their temples, the gods personify the positive qualities of the archetypes that connect to the Self. Each also had shadow qualities.

In this session, you’ll discover:

• An overview of the gods and their elements, which you can integrate them in your heart, mind, soul, and body — instead of projecting these archetypes onto others
• How Zeus, Apollo, and Hermes — the gods of the mental world — can thrive in you
• Two important archetypes of embodied or expressive emotions — Ares and Poseidon
• The ecstatic or mystical experience of Dionysus
• The inner world of Hades as the introverted source of reflection, imagination, and reconnection with cut off parts of ourselves

The sky realm is of spirit and mind. If you’re someone who’s decisive, can easily see the big picture, knows what you want and has the capacity to go for it, and also gets over loss easily, then you have qualities of Zeus.

Zeus was the chief and most powerful of the gods. Ruling from Mt. Olympus, he imposed his will and exercised power — using lightning to punish. His energies within you can bring light or darkness, snuffing out lifeforce or inspiring you as a giver of light.

You may recognize Zeus in your father or boss — as one standing in power or acting as a generous provider. Zeus may also rear his willful head within you, causing you to sway too far from the feminine by being too rational or controlling or “living in your head” and denying your heart.

Zeus’ symbols are the thunderbolt and the eagle. He’s the ruling archetype in patriarchal culture as well as of the dynastic father and today’s CEOs, kings, and alpha males.

In this session, you’ll discover:

• The myth of Zeus and his rise to power, which involved diminishing goddesses and devaluing women. (Is this archetype playing within you and keeping you small?)
• An overview of Zeus’ positive qualities of decisiveness, will, and ambition, and how you can uncover and activate them within yourself
• What it means if you’re attracted to or in a relationship with a “Zeus man”
• How you can learn to navigate Zeus’ challenging characteristics in others by awakening the empowering aspects of this god within you
• How developing and integrating the decisive mind and entrepreneurial energies of the Zeus archetype can help you achieve your goals and be successful in the world.

As psychological realms, the sky realm is intellectual, mental, hierarchical (superior/inferior), judgmental, and the exercise of will through power. Poseidon as God of the Sea, ruled the psychological realm of emotions and instincts, which he expressed with spontaneity and immediacy; he could erupt with rage or jealousy, hold a grudge and be vindictive.

Moods are metaphorically like oceans, which can be turbulent or placid and peaceful. Moods — evoked by this archetype — become more intense and out of control when alcohol is added.

Hades’ realm was the underworld which is the introverted, inner world of memory and the unconscious realm of images. This is the realm of personal and collective unconscious, dreams, spontaneous images, fantasy, reverie, archetypal connections.

There are inherent predispositions built into us — our psychological typology: extroversion or introversion, thinking or feeling, intuition or sensation which will dovetail with specific god-archetypes. What is devalued by those whose judgments carry weight has the effect of devaluing or not-developing qualities in the psyche of children and adults.

They may be actively suppressed by shame and humiliation such as “Boys don’t cry,” leading men to be cut off from feelings and emotional responses. Women who are natural leaders may have been told they were “bossy” and “nobody will like you.” The messages is “Don’t be yourself.”

In this session, you’ll discover:

• How patriarchy and alpha-male judgments elevate the mental realm
• How the emotional realm of Poseidon is devalued as feminine and suppressed in boys (makes wholeness more achievable in females)
• How women are expected to be extroverted feeling, even when this is not their typology
• How the invisibility of Hades — the inner world, introversion, imagination, reflection needs the protection of solitude
• Which might be your typology, and which of these realms do you naturally inhabit?

Apollo, Hermes, Ares, Hephaestus, and Dionysus are second-generation Olympian gods. These archetypes can shape and define men or the masculine aspects in women, or be the “types” to whom women are attracted to or idealize. These are archetypes that fare well or badly in patriarchy.

Apollo and Hermes are both are at home in the mental realm of Zeus, and where competition and capitalism value acquisitions, recognition, and prestige — in schools where grades and accomplishments, entry to prestigious colleges matter, these are the usual active archetypes in both women and men who are on the road to achievements.

Apollo was the God of the Sun, the Lawgiver, the archer with the golden bow and arrows. He drew the chariot of the sun across the sky, can be counted on to be on schedule. At home in the sky realm, he was an emotionally distant god and archetype. He was the favorite son, the “fair-headed” god of the Greeks. His twin sister was Artemis, Father Zeus, Mother Leto, a Titan.

Hermes was the Messenger God, who could freely travel everywhere, including to the top of Mt. Olympus or the Underworld. He was the communicator, known as the friendly god, he was a traveler, a trickster, and also the guide of souls. He was a son of Zeus and Maia, a minor goddess.

You’ll discover:

• Two archetypes that help women and men get ahead in the world
• How Poseidon and Hermes are associated with emotional distance and mental activity
• The gifts of these 2 archetypes, including the ability to communicate through words, which can be highly useful in negotiations and commerce
• That Poseidon and Hermes had neither a wife nor a consort; if these archetypes are strong in a woman or man marriage and relationships tend to be less central in their lives

The sons that Zeus rejected did not use their mind or words. They both expressed themselves through physical action. Both were embodied and manual — rather than mental. Both were motivated by emotions and expressed their feelings either directly (Ares) or indirectly through what he created with his hands (Hephaestus). They were rejected by both their parents.

Ares, God of War, was the embodiment of aggression, but also of the dancer and the lover. He was the least respected and honored of the 12 Olympians by the Greeks, because he was irrational. In marked contrast, known as Mars by the Romans, he was held in high regard.

As an archetype, Ares is present in passionate, intense reactions. A surge of emotion is likely to evoke an immediate physical action. Ares predisposes women and men to be in touch with in their bodies’ feelings — passion which often leads to lovemaking or aggression-brawling.

Hephaestus, God of the Forge, archetype of the Craftsman or Craftswoman, Inventor, Loner personifies a deep human urge to make things, to create objects that are functional and beautiful. Rejected and thrown off Mt. Olympus, Hephaestus was not appreciated in the sky realm, where power and appearance matters. Instead he worked alone in his forge under the earth.

His attributes are similarly devalued in patriarchy as manual work; he is introverted in an extroverted world, communicates through what he makes, not words. He was the least blessed by attributes and most unhappy of the Gods.

With his club foot Hephaestus is the archetype of the wounded writer, artist, or craftsman. He was known as Vulcan by the Romans. The fire of his forge was volcanic fire.

In the lives of contemporary women, Hephaestus often does not emerge until the second half or last third of life when she takes an art class and discovers this hidden part of herself.

In this module, you’ll discover:

• The wounded artist-writer-inventor or craftsperson, whose creativity emerges out of the metaphors of volcanic fire (anger and passion).
• Beauty and expressiveness which would otherwise remain buried inside is liberated through creative work that gives tangible form to these hidden aspects.
• Union of Hephaestus and Aphrodite: the “wedding” of beauty and craftsmanship
• Union of Hephaestus and Athena, which enables creative work to be valued in the world — can represent inner marriage of these two qualities or as with some artists, a spouse that is a business manager

Dionysus represents the full spectrum of human emotions — from pain to ecstasy — and is the archetype for the wildness within us that extends to all of nature. Embodying both life and death, the ethereal and earthly, he creates conflict within our psyches and societies.

Worshippers of Dionysus were predominantly women, who celebrated and communed with this god in orgia (orgy), induced by frenzied music and intoxicants. The drug-induced ecstasy associated with the free love period of the 1960s in America was a Dionysian movement.

Yet, this male archetype is so much more, inviting you into communion with the Divine… deepening your experience of Oneness.

Dionysus is also representative of enthusiasm and emotion, which are in opposition to Apollo, who represents form and rational thought. This tension of opposites can help create a healthy balance of the masculine and feminine within your psyche.

You’ll discover:

• How Dionysus can nourish your understanding and experience of Oneness
• How your personal myth can be nourished through Dionysus’ rescue of his mortal mother from Hades, making her immortal
• How Dionysus can help evolve the patriarchal Zeus, into a loving, nurturing cultural archetype
• Dionysus as a sacred guide for communing with others and the Divine
• Insights into the shadow aspects of Dionysus, and the role of conflict and madness in his mythology
• The ways Dionysus’ energies threaten (and balance) Apollonian standards in our psyche, family, and the patriarchy
• The qualities of Dionysus which connect you with your own wildness, nature, and the Divine Feminine
• How to unleash the creative power that arises in the tension of opposites between Apollo (lawmaker) and Dionysus (ecstatic reveler)

In this session, we sum up the ways the pantheon of the Olympian gods and goddesses are potentials in us all, and how a centered woman or man with consciousness and choice is able to discern, embody, act, and grow through them.

Mythic insights will guide us. For example, Procrustes and his infamous bed show us what it means to be “dis-membered” or cut off from parts of ourselves that were not welcomed.

And the god which Zeus feared would emerge from Metis — is feminine wisdom and love. Our personal and collective evolution hinders on the principle of choosing love rather than power.

In this module, you’ll discover:

• The healing power of compassionate understanding
• The power of gratitude in learning to trust
• The meaning of the “god with an all-loving heart” within us
• The marriage of feminine wisdom and compassionate authority
• The symbolic meaning of the circle with a sacred center, the yin-yang image, and the vesica piscis
• That each of us is on a soul journey: What did we come to love? What did we come to learn? What are we here for right now? These are questions only we can answer for ourselves

Fire as a feminine aspect is the central image of this audio workshop with Jungian analyst and author Jean Shinoda Bolen. Fire takes many forms in our imagination, dreams, metaphors, and in our life experiences. Fire as a feminine quality is about spirit, energy, and intensity, about warmth and illumination, about rage and outrage. Inner fire is reflected in our work, in our relationships, and in the activist and feminist stances we take in the world. Using poetry and a guided meditation, Jean guides us in discovering how fire symbolically ignites within us.

This video from Jean is the Opening Keynote address of the 2012 Women of Wisdom Conference. Jean covers lots of ground in this talk including teachings about pilgrimage, crossing to Avalon, and the labyrinth path. She also weaves into her talk discussions about the numinous qualities of life as well as the human quest for finding meaning.

In this presentation for the Analytical Psychology Association of Dallas, Jean shares what led to the writing of her book Gods in Everyman which provides a large part of the content for this course. This work is the companion to Jean’s book Goddesses in Everywoman. Jean thinks the two books go together so well they could be combined into a 2-volume set called Goddesses and Gods in Everyone.