Oh my Deborah! I love all the synchronicities that are bouncing around today. Like I’ve shared I’ve never done a deep dive with Jung yet I’ve lived all around the edges. In the creases. I love your journey. Kind of sounds like a fool’s journey. A soul journey. A Cuoreodyssey lol 😉. This echos Katerina’s post today as well. Let me know some of the female examples of those archetypes too. As I’ve said before I’m tired of the old men of knowledge. Bring on the witches!
I’ll lean into this a little bit deeper . I’m still waiting for your books. I love where this goes in that dance between seen and the unseen. I love how there’s no map. I love how there’s a whole bunch of doors. They all lead to the inside. There’s a field out between right and wrong, good or bad, I’ll meet you there 🙏❤️
This is a long, deep read, Jamie. My advice is leave it, wander off, come back, read a little, leave again. Return later, much later, read a little more, leave again. As it needs to land, burrow deep within mind, body, spirit and soul. Lol, 'bring on the witches!', did make me cackle out loud!
In essence, whether we're a man or woman, we all have a masculine and feminine side and when they're out of kilter, out of balance, so are we. I introduced this idea to my clients nine years ago and I've been on a remarkable healing journey with them for many years now. Naturally, I go into more depth and detail in my book (I hope you ordered this one too!) but felt gently nudged by Katerina to share more of my archetypal journey today.
Yes, it's most definitely a Fool's journey, a Holy Fool skipping around that field waiting for the Fools and Witches to come out and play! Is that not what poets and dreamers are? Oh how exciting, my books will be with you this week then! I really, really hope you enjoy them. 🙏❤️
Oh, never fear I read these over and over again. It’s funny how I go back and find a new a-ha with every read. I can never tire of this kind of writing. You better believe I ordered all the books. Thanks for letting this young fella hang around some witches. Glad you already know us poets are witches to. We are all priests and priestesses of the invisible. Cackling all the way to the centre of this labyrinth. 🌀🪄❤️
What a delicious reply! Thank you so much, Jamie. I’m ab-soul-utely thrilled that you ordered this book too! In part three of my Animus Diet series, I unpack a beautiful dream I had with David Bowie and explore his love for all the ‘Jung’ Dudes (couldn’t resist!). Documenting my ‘diet’ and ‘dreams’ during those years has been one of the richest, most rewarding experiences of my life.
Something that might amuse or inspire you is the workshop exercise that clients love the most. I ask them to look for images of their anima and animus - their masculine and feminine sides - and bring them to session. Some get creative and draw their images, while others bring pictures of actresses, musicians or athletes to help clarify how their inner man and woman appear to them. It’s a wonderful way to explore what balance looks like and how to move closer to it.
The most fascinating part of the creative soul process is seeing how, at the end of therapy, their anima and animus evolve and harmonise. It’s transformative work - perhaps this is something you’d enjoy trying for yourself if you ever felt inclined to dive deeper into your archetypal journey. 🌀🪄❤️
Yes, Bowie made Mott the Hoople famous! Jung dudes indeed. I love what you’re describing and it sounds like something I do every day at 5 AM with a coffee in one hand and a pen in the other. If you ask me who I am, I will tell you I don’t know. If you ask my poetry, she will tell you. 🙏❤️
Naturally, my animus is a poet. My anima, a green witch! It wasn't always this way, once upon a time my animus was 'Brutus' and my anima 'Olive Oyl' (think Popeye, hence the cartoon with a huge animus in comparison to a tiny anima!). You're read all about them soon. I usually start writing at 6am myself but the clocks recently changed so I'm currently waking later. I'll soon switch back I'm sure. 🙏❤️
Dammit my anima is a poet and my animus is a green witch too lol! Or is it a wizard? Or how about Zorba the Greek? Lol. Anyway, I think we’re talking about the same thing. I enjoy sharing with kindred spirits. Poets. Creators. HeArtists. And being challenged. I am fascinated by those that help me to keep growing with a little bit of a new lens into the unseen. Being aware of being. Am not so much a seeker anymore. Am not counting followers. I don’t read a lot of folks here on Substack, but the ones I do -I really do dive deep. So thank you for being here. Thank you for being a green witch. Thank you for meeting me in the spaces between language and silence. Poetry is a spiritual practice for me as is nature. I look forward to reading your books and if it’s OK asking lots of questions! Growing. Becoming. A Fool. You are contagious. I like your energy and what you stand for. Your honesty and vulnerability. The journey also finds us people along the way. Thanks for sharing your journey. Ripples. Bless you Deborah 🙏❤️
Oh, Deborah, I LOVE this! Thank you for sharing your vulnerabilities with us all.
Girlfriend, you have to love yourself, RIGHT now, RIGHT where you are. That is the sexiest thing you can and should ever do for yourself and yourself alone!! Go to the mirror and tell yourself something you love about yourself. Do it over and over and over, until you believe it because, I swear, you are just perfect!!! It is awesome to have a balance of feminine and masculine energies, but I personally think there is not a damn thing wrong with leaning to the feminine side more often than not. Write yourself affirmations, text yourself love messages, thank your body. It will love you back!! XO
Oh, Danielle, thank you so much for your beautiful and uplifting words! Your energy and encouragement are ab-soul-utely contagious!
You’re so right, loving ourselves exactly as we are, in this very moment, is such a powerful and transformative act. I love the idea of looking in the mirror and affirming what we cherish about ourselves. It’s such a simple yet profound practice, and I’m going to take your advice to heart.
I also love what you say about embracing the feminine side unapologetically. Yes, it’s a reminder to lean into all that softness, intuition and creativity without hesitation. Your words feel like a warm hug, I’m so inspired by your perspective.
Thank you so much for being such a bright light, Danielle. Sending love and gratitude! XO
Hi Deborah, you are speaking a new conceptual language to me, not in experience but in a conceptual framework (Jung) where l have only been exposed or explored at a surface level. I am aware of the masculine and feminine energies and archetypes interest me in ways e identifying patterns. So, thank you, your writing offers, for me, seeing the world through another lens, which is pretty much what we are all about here - making connections through our similarities - developing understandings of how we each navigate our ways of being, and doing. And in saying that, l will need to revisit here 🤣😊🙏💜.
Hi Simone, thank you for your thoughtful comment. I really appreciate your kind feedback on how I’m expressing Jung’s often complex ideas. It’s exactly why I use humour and plain language - to capture and share his essence in an accessible way. I love holding up my mythological, psychological, even poet-logical lens to the world and enjoy exploring the interplay of archetypes, energies, dreams, poetry and patterns in life, and then sharing my journey of love - because that’s what it is to me - a journey of love to share with others.
And on that subject, I love what you share about finding connections through similarities while embracing the unique ways we navigate life. It’s such a beautiful and meaningful way to view the world. Your reflections inspire me! And I’m delighted that the mystical sister “Soror Mystica” Herself resonates and that She has sparked a glow within. 😊🙏✨
Hi Deborah, I enjoy reading how people express the modalities they utilise in attaining access to their inner wisdom, so thank you for sharing the influence Jung has had on your awareness of self actualisation. It is all about exploration — that which directs us within — where we tune the fine instrument of our being with the vibrational frequencies and multidimensional nature of the Universe — She is my guide. Thank you 🙏 💜 😊
Thank you so much, Simone. Jung and the Jungians, as I call them, have indeed been such an enriching influence on my path, and I’m so grateful (here at Substack) for the opportunity to share that with like-minded souls. It’s a joy to connect with kindred spirits like yourself, those who fully embrace exploration and the guidance of the Universe in such heartfelt ways. 😊🙏✨
Great Deborah, so I will learn about Jung through your offerings, to understand your path — which intersects with my path — and all our paths. My heart is open and expansive, and full of love and acceptance of whatever path we are lead to by our soul. Thank you. 🙏 BTW, received an email from Blurb stating 'The Shepherd's Daughter', is on her way. ❤️
Oh how exciting! I really hope you enjoy it, Simone. I ab-soul-utely loved writing, 'The Shepherd's Daughter' so much so, that I posed for the front cover. (I'm married to a photographer which helps!) It's me standing there with my big old walking stick, barefoot, beside one of my beloved Tree Elders. 🌳💚
That's brilliant 🌱 ... you're speaking my tongue — a tree as elder — looking forward to it. BTW, I whittle and make staffs from fallen gum trees and adorn them with nature's artefacts and etchings that I burn into them. Perhaps I am a witch ... 💚. The Earth elements ... I am a Fairy Crone 🧚🏼♀️ 🤣
I am leaning into the feminine side now l can raise the middle finger to the system …. I still appreciate the masculine energy… balance doesn’t mean equal energy to me, depends on … everything… context. The divine mother energy is dominant with me atm. Anyway, l am so very grateful too Deborah and really appreciate our conversation here. Sending love to you. Thank you 🙏❤️
Ab-soul-utely, 'balance doesn't mean equal energy' as my own archetypal adventures with my animus revealed. Enjoy your day, Simone, I'm off out now with the photographer who's looking for a certain shot. Joyfully, it's in the middle of some beautiful woodland. Where's me boots?! 🙏❤️
What a lovely surprise! It feels like a personal dedication, speaking the same language—Jungian language. Animus and Anima.👯
This is a wonderful representation you’ve painted here; I truly enjoyed your sweet and sour diet. Especially the girly aspects, though I also appreciated the Animus stages—the poet, the muscle men, the pure masculine vibe. Such a funny way to put it, picture it!
Also, I’ve bought your book, yey, so I’ll meet you there, I will soon recover it from my sister when I'll arrive in Uk! My true wish is to meet you here:
"We can develop earthier natures by exploring and connecting more with Nature, Mythology, or perhaps by joining a women’s group where the great wise Crone energy awaits each woman."
I would love to hear you live speak about mythology, poetry, and all sorts of archetypal stories. I crave being around women who are awake, feminine, love the masculine, and consciously choose their femininity.
Thank you for this post—it was a joy to read, every bit of it!
Oh I’m ab-soul-utely delighted, Katerina, that you enjoyed my post and have ordered my book. Hahaha! Humour is an essential ingredient of the Animus Diet, so I’m thrilled you enjoyed those parts too. Thank you for this rich feedback. I really hope you enjoy “Soror Mystica”, which translates to “Mystical Sister”, beloved soul companion of the Alchemist.
One fascinating aspect of the archetypal animus is its cyclical nature, like the ebb and flow of nature itself. If you follow ‘him’ in your dreams (or your anima), you might notice that, after months or years, the cycle renews itself. A ‘muscle’ man (or Barbie!) resurfaces, only for us to eventually evolve to what I call the ‘Gandalf’ (or Galadriel) stage.
It's a journey that’s endlessly intriguing!
I actually kept animus notebooks for years and years, documenting universal insights and intuitions that I felt were important to share. Many of those discoveries, paired with my deeply personal story, became the beating heart of this book.
As a slow-living, happy introvert, public talks are not for me. However, writing books, working one-to-one, and engaging with small groups, is where I flourish. I echo your sentiment about connecting with others who are awake, especially when dancing with the Crones!
Oh my Deborah! I love all the synchronicities that are bouncing around today. Like I’ve shared I’ve never done a deep dive with Jung yet I’ve lived all around the edges. In the creases. I love your journey. Kind of sounds like a fool’s journey. A soul journey. A Cuoreodyssey lol 😉. This echos Katerina’s post today as well. Let me know some of the female examples of those archetypes too. As I’ve said before I’m tired of the old men of knowledge. Bring on the witches!
I’ll lean into this a little bit deeper . I’m still waiting for your books. I love where this goes in that dance between seen and the unseen. I love how there’s no map. I love how there’s a whole bunch of doors. They all lead to the inside. There’s a field out between right and wrong, good or bad, I’ll meet you there 🙏❤️
This is a long, deep read, Jamie. My advice is leave it, wander off, come back, read a little, leave again. Return later, much later, read a little more, leave again. As it needs to land, burrow deep within mind, body, spirit and soul. Lol, 'bring on the witches!', did make me cackle out loud!
In essence, whether we're a man or woman, we all have a masculine and feminine side and when they're out of kilter, out of balance, so are we. I introduced this idea to my clients nine years ago and I've been on a remarkable healing journey with them for many years now. Naturally, I go into more depth and detail in my book (I hope you ordered this one too!) but felt gently nudged by Katerina to share more of my archetypal journey today.
Yes, it's most definitely a Fool's journey, a Holy Fool skipping around that field waiting for the Fools and Witches to come out and play! Is that not what poets and dreamers are? Oh how exciting, my books will be with you this week then! I really, really hope you enjoy them. 🙏❤️
Oh, never fear I read these over and over again. It’s funny how I go back and find a new a-ha with every read. I can never tire of this kind of writing. You better believe I ordered all the books. Thanks for letting this young fella hang around some witches. Glad you already know us poets are witches to. We are all priests and priestesses of the invisible. Cackling all the way to the centre of this labyrinth. 🌀🪄❤️
What a delicious reply! Thank you so much, Jamie. I’m ab-soul-utely thrilled that you ordered this book too! In part three of my Animus Diet series, I unpack a beautiful dream I had with David Bowie and explore his love for all the ‘Jung’ Dudes (couldn’t resist!). Documenting my ‘diet’ and ‘dreams’ during those years has been one of the richest, most rewarding experiences of my life.
Something that might amuse or inspire you is the workshop exercise that clients love the most. I ask them to look for images of their anima and animus - their masculine and feminine sides - and bring them to session. Some get creative and draw their images, while others bring pictures of actresses, musicians or athletes to help clarify how their inner man and woman appear to them. It’s a wonderful way to explore what balance looks like and how to move closer to it.
The most fascinating part of the creative soul process is seeing how, at the end of therapy, their anima and animus evolve and harmonise. It’s transformative work - perhaps this is something you’d enjoy trying for yourself if you ever felt inclined to dive deeper into your archetypal journey. 🌀🪄❤️
Yes, Bowie made Mott the Hoople famous! Jung dudes indeed. I love what you’re describing and it sounds like something I do every day at 5 AM with a coffee in one hand and a pen in the other. If you ask me who I am, I will tell you I don’t know. If you ask my poetry, she will tell you. 🙏❤️
Naturally, my animus is a poet. My anima, a green witch! It wasn't always this way, once upon a time my animus was 'Brutus' and my anima 'Olive Oyl' (think Popeye, hence the cartoon with a huge animus in comparison to a tiny anima!). You're read all about them soon. I usually start writing at 6am myself but the clocks recently changed so I'm currently waking later. I'll soon switch back I'm sure. 🙏❤️
Dammit my anima is a poet and my animus is a green witch too lol! Or is it a wizard? Or how about Zorba the Greek? Lol. Anyway, I think we’re talking about the same thing. I enjoy sharing with kindred spirits. Poets. Creators. HeArtists. And being challenged. I am fascinated by those that help me to keep growing with a little bit of a new lens into the unseen. Being aware of being. Am not so much a seeker anymore. Am not counting followers. I don’t read a lot of folks here on Substack, but the ones I do -I really do dive deep. So thank you for being here. Thank you for being a green witch. Thank you for meeting me in the spaces between language and silence. Poetry is a spiritual practice for me as is nature. I look forward to reading your books and if it’s OK asking lots of questions! Growing. Becoming. A Fool. You are contagious. I like your energy and what you stand for. Your honesty and vulnerability. The journey also finds us people along the way. Thanks for sharing your journey. Ripples. Bless you Deborah 🙏❤️
Oh, Deborah, I LOVE this! Thank you for sharing your vulnerabilities with us all.
Girlfriend, you have to love yourself, RIGHT now, RIGHT where you are. That is the sexiest thing you can and should ever do for yourself and yourself alone!! Go to the mirror and tell yourself something you love about yourself. Do it over and over and over, until you believe it because, I swear, you are just perfect!!! It is awesome to have a balance of feminine and masculine energies, but I personally think there is not a damn thing wrong with leaning to the feminine side more often than not. Write yourself affirmations, text yourself love messages, thank your body. It will love you back!! XO
Oh, Danielle, thank you so much for your beautiful and uplifting words! Your energy and encouragement are ab-soul-utely contagious!
You’re so right, loving ourselves exactly as we are, in this very moment, is such a powerful and transformative act. I love the idea of looking in the mirror and affirming what we cherish about ourselves. It’s such a simple yet profound practice, and I’m going to take your advice to heart.
I also love what you say about embracing the feminine side unapologetically. Yes, it’s a reminder to lean into all that softness, intuition and creativity without hesitation. Your words feel like a warm hug, I’m so inspired by your perspective.
Thank you so much for being such a bright light, Danielle. Sending love and gratitude! XO
Awww...thank you for the warm hug, through your own kindness and lovely words. 🥰
If you ever have doubts about yourself, I'm here for you-to remind you of your own power and worth.
I love ya, girlfriend!! Keep going. I believe in you. XO
Hi Deborah, you are speaking a new conceptual language to me, not in experience but in a conceptual framework (Jung) where l have only been exposed or explored at a surface level. I am aware of the masculine and feminine energies and archetypes interest me in ways e identifying patterns. So, thank you, your writing offers, for me, seeing the world through another lens, which is pretty much what we are all about here - making connections through our similarities - developing understandings of how we each navigate our ways of being, and doing. And in saying that, l will need to revisit here 🤣😊🙏💜.
Hi Simone, thank you for your thoughtful comment. I really appreciate your kind feedback on how I’m expressing Jung’s often complex ideas. It’s exactly why I use humour and plain language - to capture and share his essence in an accessible way. I love holding up my mythological, psychological, even poet-logical lens to the world and enjoy exploring the interplay of archetypes, energies, dreams, poetry and patterns in life, and then sharing my journey of love - because that’s what it is to me - a journey of love to share with others.
And on that subject, I love what you share about finding connections through similarities while embracing the unique ways we navigate life. It’s such a beautiful and meaningful way to view the world. Your reflections inspire me! And I’m delighted that the mystical sister “Soror Mystica” Herself resonates and that She has sparked a glow within. 😊🙏✨
Hi Deborah, I enjoy reading how people express the modalities they utilise in attaining access to their inner wisdom, so thank you for sharing the influence Jung has had on your awareness of self actualisation. It is all about exploration — that which directs us within — where we tune the fine instrument of our being with the vibrational frequencies and multidimensional nature of the Universe — She is my guide. Thank you 🙏 💜 😊
Thank you so much, Simone. Jung and the Jungians, as I call them, have indeed been such an enriching influence on my path, and I’m so grateful (here at Substack) for the opportunity to share that with like-minded souls. It’s a joy to connect with kindred spirits like yourself, those who fully embrace exploration and the guidance of the Universe in such heartfelt ways. 😊🙏✨
Great Deborah, so I will learn about Jung through your offerings, to understand your path — which intersects with my path — and all our paths. My heart is open and expansive, and full of love and acceptance of whatever path we are lead to by our soul. Thank you. 🙏 BTW, received an email from Blurb stating 'The Shepherd's Daughter', is on her way. ❤️
Oh how exciting! I really hope you enjoy it, Simone. I ab-soul-utely loved writing, 'The Shepherd's Daughter' so much so, that I posed for the front cover. (I'm married to a photographer which helps!) It's me standing there with my big old walking stick, barefoot, beside one of my beloved Tree Elders. 🌳💚
That's brilliant 🌱 ... you're speaking my tongue — a tree as elder — looking forward to it. BTW, I whittle and make staffs from fallen gum trees and adorn them with nature's artefacts and etchings that I burn into them. Perhaps I am a witch ... 💚. The Earth elements ... I am a Fairy Crone 🧚🏼♀️ 🤣
I am leaning into the feminine side now l can raise the middle finger to the system …. I still appreciate the masculine energy… balance doesn’t mean equal energy to me, depends on … everything… context. The divine mother energy is dominant with me atm. Anyway, l am so very grateful too Deborah and really appreciate our conversation here. Sending love to you. Thank you 🙏❤️
Ab-soul-utely, 'balance doesn't mean equal energy' as my own archetypal adventures with my animus revealed. Enjoy your day, Simone, I'm off out now with the photographer who's looking for a certain shot. Joyfully, it's in the middle of some beautiful woodland. Where's me boots?! 🙏❤️
Catch the right light while you can 🤣, it is lights out here 🙏😊
Dear Deborah,
What a lovely surprise! It feels like a personal dedication, speaking the same language—Jungian language. Animus and Anima.👯
This is a wonderful representation you’ve painted here; I truly enjoyed your sweet and sour diet. Especially the girly aspects, though I also appreciated the Animus stages—the poet, the muscle men, the pure masculine vibe. Such a funny way to put it, picture it!
Also, I’ve bought your book, yey, so I’ll meet you there, I will soon recover it from my sister when I'll arrive in Uk! My true wish is to meet you here:
"We can develop earthier natures by exploring and connecting more with Nature, Mythology, or perhaps by joining a women’s group where the great wise Crone energy awaits each woman."
I would love to hear you live speak about mythology, poetry, and all sorts of archetypal stories. I crave being around women who are awake, feminine, love the masculine, and consciously choose their femininity.
Thank you for this post—it was a joy to read, every bit of it!
Oh I’m ab-soul-utely delighted, Katerina, that you enjoyed my post and have ordered my book. Hahaha! Humour is an essential ingredient of the Animus Diet, so I’m thrilled you enjoyed those parts too. Thank you for this rich feedback. I really hope you enjoy “Soror Mystica”, which translates to “Mystical Sister”, beloved soul companion of the Alchemist.
One fascinating aspect of the archetypal animus is its cyclical nature, like the ebb and flow of nature itself. If you follow ‘him’ in your dreams (or your anima), you might notice that, after months or years, the cycle renews itself. A ‘muscle’ man (or Barbie!) resurfaces, only for us to eventually evolve to what I call the ‘Gandalf’ (or Galadriel) stage.
It's a journey that’s endlessly intriguing!
I actually kept animus notebooks for years and years, documenting universal insights and intuitions that I felt were important to share. Many of those discoveries, paired with my deeply personal story, became the beating heart of this book.
As a slow-living, happy introvert, public talks are not for me. However, writing books, working one-to-one, and engaging with small groups, is where I flourish. I echo your sentiment about connecting with others who are awake, especially when dancing with the Crones!
Diet for this world.
Animus needs to be curbed.
Anima, allies.
A diet for the world, yesssss! Let's all find that balance, that inner still point. Slim down Brutus, fatten up Olive Oyl! Many thanks Marisol.