Carl Jung's Archetypes: The Strangers Within
Persona, Shadow, Anima/Animus, and the Self. A deep dive into the four major personalities living in our unconscious.
1. Persona: The Social Mask
Derived from the masks worn by actors in ancient Greek theater. We hide our true feelings and wear masks like 'kind employee' or 'good child' for social life. The Persona is necessary for social adaptation, but when the mask sticks to the face and doesn't come off (identification), we lose our true selves.
2. Shadow: The Hidden Nature
The inferior personality I don't want to acknowledge as 'me'. It includes not only negative emotions like jealousy, greed, and aggression but also suppressed creativity or potential that is not socially acceptable. The Shadow is not an enemy to eliminate, but a ** to integrate.
3. Anima & Animus
The feminine side within the male unconscious (Anima) and the masculine side within the female unconscious (Animus). These are the archetypes projected when we choose a partner. For mature love, we must first understand and integrate the opposite-sex image within us.
4. The Self: The Wholeness
The center of personality encompassing both consciousness and the unconscious. If Ego is the center of consciousness, Self is the center of the total psyche. The ultimate goal of Jungian psychology is the journey of the Ego finding the Self, known as **.