A classic work of female psychology that uses seven archetypcal goddesses as a way of describing behavior patterns and personality traits is being introduced to the next generation of readers with a new introduction by the author.
Psychoanalyst Jean Bolen's career soared in the early 1980s when Goddesses in Everywoman was published. Thousands of women readers became fascinated with identifying their own inner goddesses and using these archetypes to guide themselves to greater self–esteem, creativity, and happiness.
Bolen's radical idea was that just as women used to be unconscious of the powerful effects that cultural stereotypes had on them, they were also unconscious of powerful archetypal forces within them that influence what they do and how they feel, and which account for major differences among them. Bolen believes that an understanding of these inner patterns and their interrelationships offers reassuring, true–to–life alternatives that take women far beyond such restrictive dichotomies as masculine/feminine, mother/lover, careerist/housewife. And she demonstrates in this book how understanding them can provide the key to self–knowledge and wholeness.
Dr. Bolen introduced these patterns in the guise of seven archetypal goddesses, or personality types, with whom all women could identify, from the autonomous Artemis and the cool Athena to the nurturing Demeter and the creative Aphrodite, and explains how to decide which to cultivate and which to overcome, and how to tap the power of these enduring archetypes to become a better "heroine" in one's own life story.
Jean Shinoda Bolen, M. D. is a psychiatrist, Jungian analyst, clinical professor of psychiatry at the University of California San Francisco, a Distinguished Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and recipient of the Institute for Health and Healing’s "Pioneers in Art, Science, and the Soul of Healing Award". She is a former board member of the Ms. Foundation for Women.
The moment this book finally jumped the shark for me: "[ESP] can be developed by [Persephone women] when they...learn to be receptive to images that arise spontaneously in their minds."
As a feminist and a mythology nerd, this book is right up my alley. I was hoping it would be an interesting look into the female experience using the well-known stories of Greek goddesses as a framing device. What I got instead was a bunch of new age drivel based on an out-dated and discredited psychological theory. The chapters read like horoscopes: worded in such a way that everyone can find a way to make their life experience fit any of the descriptions.
I kept reminding myself that the author was speaking metaphorically--I get metaphor. I've studied poetry and have a degree in anthropology--which helped, but here's the problem. The author didn't have a metaphorical attitude. She poke in definitive terms and made sweeping, declarative statements without any substantiation. She cited virtually no scientific studies to support her theories. Sorry, but in order to be taken seriously and respected as a legitimate therapy technique, you need actual empirical, verifiable data that can be duplicated and stand up to peer review. At the very least, some compelling statistics. Otherwise, you're just making shit up.
And that's what I thought this book was. Shit.
But then again, maybe my Athena is just too dominant and I can't appreciate spiritual nuance. Yeah, that's definitely the problem.
این همون کتاب انواع زنان بنیاد فرهنگ زندگیه که با "مشکل چاپ" مواجه شده. در مورد انواع آرکتایپ های زنانه ست. کلا مطالعه آرکتایپها خیلی تکه های پازل رو کنار هم قرار میده و جواب خیلی از سوالات رو میشه از این طریق گرفت. کنارش گوش دادن به کلاس صوتیش رو هم پیشنهاد می کنم. کلا مسیر طولانیه و بهره بردن از راهنمایی های کسی که چندین سال در این زمینه داره فعالیت می کنه خیلی جاده رو هموار می کنه.
I read this book at a point where I was clueless about my life, and Dr. Bolen helped me get back on track. This book may be one of the first of its kind ever written- blending Greek mythology with modern psychoanalysis.
According to Bolen, the stories behind these goddesses(which she recaps in the book) have seeped into the collective unconscious and mold women's personalities from birth. She's separated them into three groups- 'virgin goddesses' (representing the independent, self-sufficient quality in women), vulnerable goddesses (representing relationship-oriented women), and Alchemical, or transformative. Interestingly, only Aphrodite's in the last category, and she also seems to be Bolen's favorite. That's cool with me- we all need Love.
The primary goddesses that Bolen use are as follows, and I've added my very brief and somewhat crude take in parentheses on the kind of modern women these goddesses represent :
1) Artemis- goddess of the hunt and protector of women(workaholic and/or the President of NOW)
2) Athena- goddess of wisdom and craft, more comfortable around 'male' spheres (science nerd/law firm partner)
3) Hestia- goddess of the hearth and of solitude (a nun)
4) Hera- goddess of marriage (girls who went to college for their "Mrs." degree)
5) Demeter- goddess of grain and the maternal archetype (lady who's pregnant all the time)
6) Persephone- maiden and queen of death (Goth girls)
7) Aphrodite- Need I say anything about her? The Goddess of Love (The girl who has three dates on Saturday night)
My own intepretations are partly in jest, of course. One important thing to realize is that most women are a blend of the goddesses, or 'adopt' different goddesses at different stages of their lives. At the time I read this, I was a blend of Persephone, Artemis, and Aphrodite. I guess this means I'm totally wacked...
Bolen describes what typical childhood, adolescence, and adult years are like for each goddess, and lists the strengths and weakness for each archetype, so one can become more self-aware and take steps to remedy what's not working and strengthen what is.
There's also a great quiz somewhere floating around on the Internet called "Which Goddess are you?" based on this book, that I recommend taking as an intro.
My one problem with this book was the focus on Western archetypes. So would this still apply to people in India and China who've had different myths seeping into their unconscious? Or has Western Imperialism ensured that everyone in the world will relate to these Greco-Roman myths? Being a Hindu, I tried drawing parallels to our own gods and goddesses and found similarities...but I'm still not sure.
Either way, this book was very helpful, so I don't really care.
My students may not be surprised but educators probably would be to see this book on my education shelf. I've used this book when guiding women (younger and older) as they've struggled with their personal, social, and cultural identities. Archetypes of the goddess are helpful as guides to defining ourselves, our paths, and our place within our communities.
When I was a little girl, I wanted to be my dad's daughter. He worked long hours and when he came home, he usually shut down. I wanted him to be my daddy so bad, but whenever I clung onto him, he would look at me like I was some strange creature who had wandered into his house. My mother told me once that I asked her if I even had a dad, he was gone so much. But one day, my sister got an erector kit for Christmas and she didn't want it.
My poor dad, trying to keep us girls interested in engineering so that maybe one of us would fulfill his dream of becoming an architect, painstakingly tried to intrigue my sister with the kit. She couldn't have cared less. I, however, was fully attentive, watching my dad build, intent on proving to him that I was interested. Slowly, he picked up on a pair of small gray eyes watching his hands, itching to build along with him. The last time my dad and I had connected was when he had to watch me for the night and he started to read me The Hobbit, instead of my mom's child-friendly books. I was probably five. At nine, we connected over a stupid erector set.
I tried to impress my dad anytime he was home. I listened to his music and tried to strike up a conversation with him about David Bowie. I read Dune and tried to prove to him that I understood it. I watched crappy horror films with him and learned to make snide comments at the TV. But then, I ruined it. There was a science/math program for girls when I was in junior high, trying to get girls interested in things other than, oh, I don't know, language and arts? It makes no sense to me now, probably because I ended up studying English literature. My mom signed me up for all these practical lectures. My dad saw the one class related to architecture and signed me up. And do you know what I did in that lecture? Do you know how I broke my dad's heart? I snoozed in it. Never again would my dad bring up architecture or engineering around me.
I was a little Athena girl in the making.
Goddesses in Every Woman by Jean Shinoda Bolen fills in where others have failed. I am, of course, talking about my favorites, Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung. Because as much as I love Freud and Jung, no matter how brilliant I think they were, they were definitely men of their time. Freud said that women were only castrated men and that they could never be psychologically complete because they'd never be a full man. Doesn't take away from Freud's brilliance for me, but I don't really agree with that theory. Jung said that the unconscious part of a female is expressed through an inner masculine personality, her animus. This is supposedly similarly true for men. However, by divvying up traits into "masculine" (dominance) and "feminine" (sensitivity), it gets kind of vague. I mean, what are masculine and feminine traits? And many Jungian analysts have developed this theory further. Jean Shinoda Bolen herself is a Jungian analyst.
Before I read this book, I had never really read anything that focused on female psychology. I took Freud's theories to apply to both men and women, while ignoring his stuff on women. I also had never read a book where someone analyzed Greek mythology in a way that made so much sense. Having a fascination with dream women, the idea of the great goddess and Bolen's explanation of it was a bit of a revelation. The only way you can take power away from an idea is by splitting it up. The only way that a patriarchal society could take away power from the great goddess was by splitting her up into different ideals. Some goddesses were revered for their feminine attributes (Demeter, Persephone), while others were looked down upon (Aphrodite, that sly vixen).
There's no such thing as a woman who is entirely Athena or Aphrodite. And at different times in a woman's life, a different goddess may be in her. Not that I am saying "goddess" as in, the goddess is speaking through her. More, she's showing aspects of that archetype. Bolen breaks up the goddesses into three areas: Virgin, Vulnerable, and Alchemical. Virgin goddesses are women who can live without men in their lives. These include Artemis, Athena, and Hestia. Men didn't have much of a part in their mythology. The only exceptions were not romantic in any way. Artemis thinks of men as brothers, Athena is only looking for heroes, and Hestia's in her own little world. The vulnerable goddesses cannot live without men in their lives. They've also had men screw them up in some way. Hera was cheated on, Demeter was raped by Poseidon, and Persephone was kidnapped. And Aphrodite applies to both vulnerable and virgin.
I found Goddesses in Every Woman to be an absolutely fascinating book. If you're like me and you have an interest in psychology, or if you have an interest in analyzing literature, I'd say read it. Because all of the Greek archetypes are still in literature and popular culture.
I think, as a human being, I have to read Gods in Every Man as well. It's not just, "If you're a woman, you should read the one on goddesses and if you're a man you should read the one on gods." I think reading both will only help in understanding people more, regardless of gender.
《نمادهایاسطورهای و روانشناسیزنان/ انواع زنان》 یکی از بهترررین کتاب های عمرم.خیلییی زیبا و هوشمندانه بود.ای کااااش تو مدرسه اینارو بهمون آموزش میدادن.نویسنده، زنان رو به چند دسته بر اساس الهههای یونانی تقسیم میکنه که هر کدوم نشون دهندهی یک نوع شخصیته که کل زندگی رو تحت تاثیر قرار میده.این الههها عبارتند از:
💫باکرهها(مستقل و خودبسنده): ~آرتمیس: ماجراجو ~آتنا: هوش و خرد ~ هستیا: عرفان
💫آسیبپذیرها (وابسته به یک رابطهی معنادار): ~هرا: همسر ~دیمیتر: مادر ~پرسفون: دختر
💫کیمیاگر/تغییرپذیر (متعلق به خود): ~آفرودیت: عشق و خلاقیت و زیبایی
هر زن میتونه چندتا از این کهنالگوهارو در خود داشته باشه و در طول بازهزمانی های مختلف زندگیش هرکدوم فرمانروایی رو به دست بگیره ولی معمولا در مرکز شخصیتیِ هر فرد یک الهه حکمرانی میکنه. تو هر فصل یکی از این الهههارو با جزئیات زیاد در طول کل زندگیش توصیف میکنه و شما کااامل متوجه میشید که کدومشون هستید.
و حالا این چه کمکی بهتون میکنه؟ اول از همه احساس قدرت و خوشی خیلیی قشنگی داره که شما میدونی از نوادگان و زادهی یکی از این الههها هستید و دارید راهش رو ادامه میدید و هرکدومشون کاااملا به یک اندازه برای این دنیا لازم، مفید و پرقدرت هستند و اصلا نگاهتون به جهان اطراف و زنانی که میشناشید عوض میشه و میفهمید که واقعا چقدر هرکسی خوب داره از کهنالگوی درونش دستور میگیره.
به طور مثال، من از همون اولش با توضیحات مختصری که داد فهمیدم که آفرودیتم. همیشه به ندای قلب گوش میکنه، فقط در لحظه زندگی میکنه، عشق و خلق کردنِ چیزی(هنر)براش مهم ترین مسئلهی زندگیه و تلفیقی از دستهی باکرهها(مستقل) و آسیبپذیرها(وابسته) هستش. اما خیلیی جاها هست که آرتمیس درونم بلند میشه و فقط به دنبال تنهایی ماجراجویی کردنه.نیمی از درونم پرسفون، دخترِ خانوادست، و نیم دیگه آتناست که فقط به دنبال بیشتر دونستنه.
به قول نویسنده، در ��رون هر شخص یک میز گرد وجود داره که شخصیت اصلی شما مدیر جلسهست و بقیهی الههها دور میز نشستن. مدیر دستور میده که تو هر زمانی کدوم یکی از این کهنالگوها خودی نشون بدن. و وقتهایی که به شدت احساس گم شدگی و گیج شدن میکنید و نمیدونید چه تصمیمی بگیرید(هرروز و هر ماه🙋🏼♀️) به این معناست که توی این میز گرد جنگ و دعوا شده و شخصیت اصلی شما،منِ شما به نتیجه نمیرسه که توسط کدوم یکی از این الههها تصمیم بگیره (و این هم بیشتر برای دستهی تغییرپذیر یعنی آفرودیت اتفاق میفته-که سخت ترین و پیچیده ترین نوع زن بودنه😀)
در کل خواستم چون ریویوی فارسیای برای این کتاب ندیدم یه چکیدهی کلی از کتاب بهتون بدم و بگم قطعا کمک بزرگی به علاقهمندان خودشناسی، اسطورهشناسی و روانشناسی میکنه و چه علاقهمندید و چه نیستید، همین الان دکمهی want to read رو به خودتون هدیه کنید☺
(به شخصه این کتاب جلوجلو خیلیی به شناختم از این اسطورهها کمک کرد چه از لحاظ ماهیتی و چه از لحاظ اسطورهشناختی،واقعا به یه همچین کتابی تو مطالعهی اسطورهشناسیم نیاز داشتم🤌)
***بعد از موفقیتهای جهانی این کتاب، نویسنده اومده و کتاب "انواع مردان"اش رو هم نوشته! یعنی همین محتوا، با خدایان مرد یونانی؛ بنابراین تمام این توضیحات شامل آقایون هم میشه.
***الان در بازار از نشر آشیان چاپ میشه: کتاب نمادهای اسطورهای و روانشناسی مردان/زنان
نماد های اسطوره ای زنان در این اثر نیروهای مسلط بر احساس و رفتار انسانها در قالب خدابانوان اساطیر یونانی معرفی شده است، هر زنی از درون تحت تاثیر کهن الگو ها و از بیرون با قالبهای رفتاری جامعه روبروست. در مورد هفت خدابانوی کوه المپ با تقسیم آن به دو گروه باکره و آسیب پذیر توضیحاتی داده شده است. خدابانوان باکره آرتمیس، آتنا و هستیا هستند که مظهر ویژگی های استقلال و خود بسندگی در زنان هستند. آرتمیس، خدابانوی شکارو ماه بود و طبیعت قلمرو او به شمار می رفت. وجود این کهن الگو در زنان آنها را قادر به پیگیری اهداف خود به طور مستقل از مردان می نماید و آنان به طور کلی حامی زنان ناتوان بوده و علاقه ای به مردان سلطه گر ندارد. آتنا خدابانوی عقل و مهارت می باشد که این زن مدیری رزم آرا و عزیز کرده ی پدر است و او اراده و عقل را برتر از غریزه و ذات می داند، آتنا در اسطوره ها حامی بسیاری از قهرمانان مرد اسطور ها بوده و وفاداری خاصی به مردان قدرتمند دارد. این زن تحت فرمان عقل خود بوده و حتی فاقد حس همدلی با محرومین است. هستیا خدابانوی آتشکده و زنی دانا است که بر خلاف دو خدابانوی قبلی جهت هوشیاری اش رو به درون بود و حالت برون گرا ندارد. این زن فاقد جاه طلبی بوده و خواهان حجب و آرامش است گروه بعدی هرا، دیمیتر و پرسفون خدابانوان آسیب پذیر نامگذاری شده اند که مظهر نقش های سنتی زنان یعنی همسر، مادر و دختر هستند. هرا خدابانوی زناشویی است که بیانگر وفاداری به عهد و تحمل در رابطه می باشد. این زن نیاز به مقام همسری دارد و شادمانی اش در وفاداری به شوهر و قدردانی همسر از وی می باشد. دیمیتر، خدابانوی روزی دهنده و مادر می باشد که از ویژگی های بارز او استقامت فراوان و بخشندگی می باشد. آری گفتن بی قید و شرط به خواسته های دیگران و فرو خوردن خشم در این زنان دیده می شود. پرسفون که در اسطوره دختر دیمیتر می باشد با ظاهری همیشه جوان توصیف شده است که تمایلی به فاعل بودن نداشته و منتظر کسی یا چیزی است که زندگی اش را تغییر دهد. داستان زجر و غم دیمیتر در دوری از پرسفون و انتظار او برای بازگشت فرزندش در اسطوره ها بیان شده و ویژگی های این دو خدا بانو در آن به وضوح شرح داده شده است. آخرین خدا بانو آفرودیت می باشد که از خدابانوان متحول کننده می باشد در مورد ویژگی های این خدا بانو در قسمت های مختلف این کتاب توضیحاتی داده شده است، اما بر خلاف موارد قبلی فصلی مختص به آن وجود ندارد، او خدا بانوی زیبایی و عشق است و در بین اسطوره ها معشوقه های فراوانی دارد. در درون هر زنی از ویژگی های خدابانوان مختلف به مقدار کم و زیاد دیده می شود اگر زن با بخشهای مختلف درون خود هماهنگ باشد، با تفکیک اهمیت جداگانه ی این ویژگی ها می تواند انتخاب آگاهانه ای داشته و با اراده خود در مواردی که لازم است اولویت را به خدا بانوی سازنده و مفید درونش دهد
Every woman on planet Earth needs to drop what they are doing right now and go get this book and then read it. I seriously wish this sort of stuff was required reading before graduating high school. Archetypes exist in all forms for us as people: from comic books, movies, astrology profiles, numerology profiles, religious texts, tarot, oral traditions, ect. These stories shape us as people from when we are children into our adult lives. They give us a blueprint to aspire towards and they help us to understand our current journey and life conditions. This is the sort of thing that Goddesses In Everywoman teaches.
Jean Bolen is a student of Jung whom (as she points out in the book) is a much more women-friendly psychologist than Freud ever thought about being. What this means is that in this book she references the goddesses she teaches about and then also ties the mythological teaches into Jung's school of thought (though not always exclusively).
The way this book becomes useful is that in understanding these goddesses women of modern times can relate to different aspects of themselves both in their current life and in their younger life. For example a woman focused on career and moving up the corporate ladder is said to be in her "Athena" state whereas a woman deeply in love and desiring marriage would be channeling her inner "Hera" and "Aphrodite". Though on the surface these may seem like simple analogies the book is far from a simple summary (not like what you would take in a personality quiz or read in a trashy Cosmo-type magazine) and instead jumps into complex breakdowns of the different types of goddess/women and shows both the positive sides and the shadow sides.
One of the ways I felt like this was useful for me was that beyond my own identities for certain life choices I have made (which this book made me feel more liberating and less judgmental towards myself on) I also had greater understanding and compassion towards those goddesses that I don't relate to as much as before I felt like (especially coming from a feminist background) that there is sort of 'my way or the highway' attitude but with these archetypes I see that other less powerful, more vulnerable and simple (example: Hestia, home and hearth goddess) female spirits are also at play for some and that is just fine too. Rigid expectations that women place on ourselves and each other can be lessened after reading and learning about these various goddess archetypes. This book helps women understand how to stay true to herself. From this platform excellent things are allowed to unfold and these archetypes are fuel for that fire.
In summary a couple of quotes I loved by Bolen near the end of the book: "The heroine's trip is a journey of discovery and development, of intriguing aspects of herself into a whole, yet complex personality" and "When the heroine-choicemaker finds herself in an unclear situation, where every route or choice seems particularly disastrous, or at best a dead end, the first trial she faces is to stay herself. In every crisis a woman is tempted to become the victim instead of staying the heroine...whether in myth or real life, when a heroine is in a dilemma, all she can do is be herself, true to herself and her loyalties, until something unexpectedly comes to her aid. To stay with the situation, with the expectation that an answer will come, sets an inner stage for what Jung called 'the transcendent function'. "
Less about goddesses in every woman and more a potpourri of 80s female stereotypes with the names of a few Greek goddesses slapped on them.
Jean Bolen’s feminist take Jungian psychology attempts to bunch address the layers of sexism in the original school of psychology, while giving the modern woman (circa 1984) complex feminine figures to embody and embrace. Each goddess is given extensive analysis, their prescribed roles ranging from familial duties to workplace relationships and potential activism. Bolen even includes sections on archetype manifestations in lesbians, helping the book feel a little more progressive than otherwise would be expected.
However, GODDESSES IN EVERYWOMAN primarily focuses on women’s relationship with the men around them. In fact, most of the archetypes feel in service of the patriarchy rather than overcoming it—even the “independent” goddesses, such as Artemis, only serve to reject the system and possibly forfeit whatever voice they have in it. Likewise, the book is riddled with issues such as taking “wife” and “daughter” and turning them into the primary personality focus of a woman, or using dated examples of expected workplace behavior. Several of the goddesses, for example, are noted for finding fulfillment in making coffee runs for their male counterpoints. A woman can’t simply be a woman under Bolen’s philosophy, and the book suffers for it.
Like most self-help books on Jungian psychology tend to do, the author applies too many contradictory traits to each specific goddess. It begs the question: if everything is a spectrum, why have categories in the first place? The “wife” goddess, Hera, suffers the most from this treatment, as Bolen tries to incorporate every single issue a wife may have into a single image. To her credit, Bolen mitigates the problem somewhat by showing the reader how to interlace two or more personality archetypes together to make a more concrete image, but the advice is still too generic to call helpful.
All in all, there are worse Jungian self-help books in the world, and it’s interesting to see a genuinely feminist revision of the concept. However, GODDESSES IN EVERYWOMAN has not aged well, and it is functionality useless in a society where equally deep horoscopes and personality quizzes are a dime a dozen on the internet. Might be an enlightening read for baby feminists, but not much else.
This book, as much as I read, read like a combination of a Cosmo quiz and a self-help book for women 30 years ago. Admittedly, I have not kept up with theories on Carl Jung's archetypes, and this book made me glad about that. As I began the preface, my mind continued to leap forward thing.. am I artsy Athena, homemaker Hestia, or, like most of my results for those awful quizzes, the dreadful middle of the road?? Essentially, Bolen's aim is meant to be supportive, I think. Unfortunately her theories came off as unsubstantiated and subjective, which was my problem with Jung's theories to begin with. I will not be finishing this book, I became uninterested in the history surrounding Goddess lore and less intrigued about which was most dominant. While reading, I found myself distracted, thinking of what event is next on the work calendar, the next time I'll see my friends & family, or what better book I could possibly be reading. I suppose, based on what I learned, that places somewhere along the lines of Artemis... Goddess of the Hunt and Moon, Competitor, Sister.
I read this book as a senior in college, and more than twenty years later I still come back to its wisdom and insights.
Bolen, a Jungian psychologist, uses seven Greek goddesses as archetypal templates to help women -- and men -- understand some of the powerful psychological patterns that operate in women's lives. She divides them into three categories: the vulnerable (Hera, Demeter, Persephone) who are defined by their relationships; the virgin (Hestia, Athena, Artemis) who are not defined by their relationships; and Aphrodite, whom she calls "The Alchemical Goddess" who has relationships but is not hurt by them in the way the vulnerable goddesses are. Each archetype has its strengths and riches, and each has its shadows and challenges.
While no one goddess sums up any one women, Bolen's illumination of how the ancient stories convey forces that remain part of our psyches today is extremely valuable. I highly recommend it.
Un excelente libro, que te ayuda identificarte con arquetipos y comprenderte mejor. También permite que identifiques a las diosas de otras mujeres y así aprendas a valorarlas, entenderlas y aprender de ellas. Es un libro valioso, más si se lee en grupo.
El viaje de la heroína hacia la totalidad resulta de "tener la capacidad de ser activa y receptiva, autónoma e íntima, de trabajar y amar". Este es el reto.
من واقعا لذت بردم از خوندنش. یعنی علاوه بر جنبه ی روان شناسیش که به زبان عامیانه تری بیان شده بود و خیلی راحت کرده بود درکش رو،خود داستان های خدایان و الهه های یونانی بسیار جذاب بود و راغب شدم به صورت جدا در موردشون بخونم.
در کل خیلی لذت بردم از خوندنش و اینکه اگر انگلیسی راحتید انگلیسیش رو بخونید چون ترجمه ی فارسیش خیلی سانسور داره. مثلا الهه ی افرودیت رو به صورت کامل حذف کرده چون الهه عشق و سکس و ایناس.
Чому ми так любимо грецькі міфи? Я віднайшла одну з відповідей на це питання у цій книзі: через те, що архетипи поведінки вбачаються у міфах і легендах і мають відображення у діях сьогодення. Авторка стверджує, що жінкою можуть керувати до семи архетипів богинь, у різний період часу, з різною інтенсивністю, поєднуюючись чи конфліктуючи з іншими богинями. Три незалежні богині Артеміда (полювання),Афіна (стратегія, ремесла), Гестія (внутрішнього, духовного направлення), три вразливі богині Гера (дружина), Деметра (мати) і Персефона (дочка), та одна алхімічна богиня Афродіта (кохання і творчість). З цієї книги можна дізнатися яка з богинь отримає золоте яблуко всередині вас (і хто впливає на цей вибір), як архетипи проявляються через дії (все прописано у міфах), як патріархальне суспільство керує поведінкою жінок і сковує деякі архетипи та багато іншого. Вона допоможе віднайти богиню і героїню в собі, розібратися у почуттях, підкаже на найкращий вибір для вас. ((Отримала приємні бонусні враження від відсилок до хобітів і інклюзивність))
Archetypes are a powerful tool for self-knowledge because they tap into the universal collective language we all share. Learning to become more aware of your own archetypes can help you see yourself, the bigger picture and is a good place to start creating solutions for yourself and others. Finding out which Goddess sits at the head of your table is also a very good way to balance your own personality so you are able to find a voice for lesser known parts (Goddesses) of your inner self. I high recommend this book in every woman's collection for insight into strengths and weaknesses and personal empowerment.
Epiphanic !!! ...One word to sum up this book .. recommended to be read by any woman irrespective of her age and role...Powerful n subtle shifts in perspectives to be expected ! Sudden solution appears to perplexing life situations...and greater awareness of one's self...and ones own and others' motivations.... awesomely empowering and liberating !!! The Best Book I ever read.... Life Defining... I cant thank the author enough in ways that she helped me in understanding myself ....
در مورد افکار و نظر خودم این کتابو در شرایطی خوندم به اندازه ی کافی حسِ پراکندگی و اشفتگی داشتم و اونو نقصِ مختص خودم میدونستم،آشنا شدن با اینکه این آشفتگی ها جلسه ای هست که "من"تصمیم گیرنده ی اون جلسه است ،و باید برای قهرمان بودن انتخاب کنم از میونِ این پازل ،و بپذیرم که هر انتخابش با یه سری از دست دادن ها همراهه ،تونست برام بسیار کمک کننده باشه .
_____ شبی سیاه بود ،تاریک و سرد ،خسته بودم از درس و مشق ،خسته از افکارم که درگیرِ آدمی بود که رفته بود و فکر میکردم هیچکی جاشو نمیگیره،خودمو درونِ کافی شاپِ همیشگیم دیدم با این کتاب در دستم،داشتم قسمت آفرودیتشو میخوندم،میونِ بوی قهوه و کیکِ شکلاتی که برام حکمِ قشنگی زندگی و گرما رو دارن ،داستان سایکی رو خوندم ،اینکه احساساتشو جدا کرد ،الویت هاشو ،اینکه قوی شد در حالی که یه خودش آسیب نرسوند ،اینکه افسرده شدن هم رو پذیرفت و مانند عقاب از فاصه دور به شرایطش نگاه کرد و در آخر نه گفتن به شرایط و آدمایی که فعلا برای الانش نبودن ،همشو خوندم و در یه آن همشو تجربه کردم و
رشد کردم
،یه سفر قهرمانیمو با بهترین نتیجه تموم کردم . خوشبختیم چقدر ما که اومهایی مانند نویسنده این کتاب رو داریم تا برامون بنویسن .
Last night I finished reading Jean Shinoda Bolen’s, ‘Goddesses in Everywoman: A New Psychology of Women’ and I wanted to share that it has had a deep effect on me. A lot of changes have occurred in my life over the last 6 months, prompting me to call into question my motives, desires and patterns. Since picking up this book in January I have had numerous ‘aha’ moments, nodding along to the words written, and enthusiastically sharing new insights with my friend who has also read this work. I (obviously) highly recommend it!
This book goes through seven different archetypal Goddesses from the ancient Greek pantheon, and explores how these archetypes continue to manifest for contemporary women. As with anything involving a limited number of archetypes, or written in a particular social context (this being published in 1984) there are limitations and not all women will resonate or identify with this text; however, for myself it did resonate on many levels, and at the very least has prompted me to question my behaviours.
از کسی شنیدم که میگفت من قوی هستم چون ضعفهای خودم رو میدونم. این کتاب چنین کاری میکند. شما و دوستان و انسانهایی که میشناسید را در قالب کهن الگوها به شما میشناساند. نقاط ضعف را میفهمیم و متوجه میشویم تا چه حد رفتارهایمان گاهی پیش بینی پذیر است. برای زنان این امکان را به وجود میآورد که متوجه بشوند نباید خودشان را سرکوب کنند تا به قالب هرایی و دیمیتری که کهن الگوهای قابل قبول جامعه است در بیایند. که میتوانند زنی آرتمیسی باشند یا آفرودیتی یا هر چه که درونشان وجود دارد. شینودا بولن در آخر کتاب کتابش را پیر خردمندی معرفی کرد که در سفر قهرمان به او کمک میکند و این بهترین توضیف برای این کتاب فوقالعاده بود. آی لاو ایت سو سو سو ماچ. 🦄
Sunt la a doua lectură a acestei cărți de referință. Atât de convingătoare și cuprinzătoare a fost pentru mine.
Într-o perioadă în care prea multe femei (fără expertiză) devin specialiste în feminitate, Goddesses in Everywoman a fost cel mai de încredere reper pe care l-am avut.
M-am bazat pe zecii de ani de experiență în psihanaliză jungiană ai autoarei. Și pe bunul simț din spatele teoriei ei: arhetipurile feminității se regăsesc în poveștile cele mai vechi și ample ale Europei. În miturile grecești, respectiv în zeițele grecești.
Autoarea le împarte în trei categorii: •Zeițe virgine (Artemis, Athena, Hestia) •Zeițe vulnerabile (Demetra, Persefona, Hera) •Zeițe alchimice (Afrodita)
Deci dacă privim feminitatea doar ca pe o expresie a seducției (doar Afrodita), ne înșelăm grav. Am apreciat cât de cuprinzătoare e definiția autoarei, fapt ce ar fi benefic oricărei femei să afle. Să nu se mai flageleze că are trăsături de Amazoană (Artemis)… sau, Doamne-ferește, niște așa-zisă energie masculină!
E imposibil să nu identifici unde se regăsește propriul tău psihic feminin (anima). Adică în ce categorie te simți instinctiv ‘acasă’, cu umbre și cu lumini.
Jean Shinoda Bolen a avut grijă să ofere exemple ample, variate și în același timp ușor de reperat în viața contemporană.
Chiar dacă această carte a apărut cu mai mult de 30 de ani în urmă, e cât se poate de actuală. O dovadă că adevăratele arhetipuri și definiții ale feminității sunt timeless.
Jean Shinoda nuevamente entrega un libro lleno de simbolismos y profundidad, en el que es fácil sentirse identificada e interpelada. Una lectura fascinante que me llevó por un viaje interior de la mano de un viaje por la mitología. Como recomendación, si considero tener un conocimiento básico de mitología griega, para mayor comprensión de la lectura.
A friend recommended this to me. I’m a psychology graduate, so I approach most books in psychology with a mixture of excitement at possibly discovering something new, and skepticism with how the author might present his or her ideas. I have to say, this book was so compelling that within the first few pages, the skeptic in me fell quiet, and stayed like that for the rest of the book.
In this book, Bolen makes the case that we can understand ourselves and the situations we’re in - our psychological and relational patterns - through the lens of archetypal stories. Greek mythology, in particular. This is based on Jung’s theory of the collective unconscious, which he thought as containing innate, psychological experiences that were passed down from our ancestors. I’ve never quite understood that concept of his until reading this work.
Basically, Bolen describes seven kinds of personality patterns based on the stories and personalities of seven goddesses in Greek mythology. For example, an “Artemis” woman (well, these archetypes are also applicable to men, but for the sake of simplicity I’ll just use the pronoun “she”) is goal-oriented and can focus on a task important to her, oftentimes to the exclusion of her surroundings and her relationships. This is like Artemis, who, shortly after she was born, knew what she wanted and asked it of Zeus (bow and arrows, hounds, mountains to run in, etc.). Artemis is a protector of the weak and of women; the modern Artemis woman is a defender of the weak as well, and the underdogs. Most of all, Artemis values her independence. (Ugh, it might sound hokey when I’m explaining it, but all this makes a lot more sense in the book.) Artemis, along with Athena and Hestia, form the trio of the “virgin goddesses”, who possess a “one-in-herself” quality, meaning that while she can enjoy and be with people, the meaning and purpose of her life does not reside solely in her relationships.
On the other hand, there are the “vulnerable goddesses” like Hera and Demeter, who derive meaning from having a husband and children, respectively, and Persephone, who wants to please others and to be cared for. Finally, there’s Aphrodite, the “alchemical goddess,” who possess qualities of both - she delights in relationships, but at the same time, is not dependent on them the same way the vulnerable goddesses are. Aphrodite is also explained in terms of creative potential, not only romantic relationships.
While Bolen relies mostly on anecdotes to illustrate her points instead of empirical studies (although I can’t imagine how this can be amenable to the scientific method), I find that her work is not diminished by it, and is important for a number of reasons. Bolen is a feminist Jungian analyst and a psychiatrist by training and profession, and in the context of therapy, I can see how this is useful. Part of what makes therapy effective is that it allows us to tell a story about ourselves. Once we can understand what’s happening to us, we can choose to change how we respond, or we can choose to tell our stories differently. These “goddesses” are an accessible shorthand for the kinds of stories we tell ourselves at certain points in time. If we realize we’re operating under the influence of a certain “goddess” (e.g., Am I being too much of an Artemis that I’m overvaluing my independence and pushing people away?), we can shift to being another goddess (e.g., Maybe in this situation, it’s best to be an Aphrodite) - we can easily change our story. It’s far easier to remember than, say, the MBTI, another popular personality test based on Jungian theory. Using the goddesses also already reminds us that we are always telling ourselves stories with us as the protagonists - important, because we (or at least I) usually take our thoughts to be facts, and forget that what we’re actually telling ourselves is fiction.
Another thing I like about Bolen’s theory is that she explains we have all the goddesses in us; it’s just a matter of who’s active, and choosing who’s going to be active, at a certain point in your life. Also, she highlights how the active goddesses in our lives can change as we go through the lifespan. In other words, she’s saying that personality is relatively stable but not fixed (as opposed to most theorists, who maintain that while people can change, they don’t change too much).
This wasn’t without its flaws. There were some parts that just weren’t quite consistent with my experience. For example, when she mentioned that most Athena women are defenders of the patriarchy, I can’t seem to imagine any of the Athena women I know as such. Some of her descriptions were on point, but like the Athena example, I had to really stretch my imagination to get what she was describing.
Still, despite that, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I’m already recommending it to my psych friends.
Tardé demasiado en terminarlo porque la parte central me perdía un poco pero overall es un libro con una perspectiva psicológica femenina muy interesante y que sigue dando luz y complementando la teoría Junguiana de los arquetipos hoy en día. Aunque no te dediques a la psicología está excelente para comprenderte mejor como ser humano y tus procesos cognitivos.
Not great, not terrible, szolid 3.5 csillag, de azt elhiszem, hogy a megjelenésének idején egy pár agy felrobbant a merész állítástól, a forradalmi felfedezéstől, hogy a nők személyisége nem egy egységes valami, ami leír mindannyiunkat, és általános megoldókulcsot ad a megértésünkhöz.
Mivel a személyiség tipizálásával foglalkozik a könyv, nyilván nem fed le mindent, kihagy típusokat, és senki egyéni élményeit nem írja le igazán, de megvannak az erősségei, és releváns mondanivalóval bír ma is. (Főleg ha figyelembe vesszük, hogy a neten milyen gyakran találni olyan kérdéseket, hogy Mit akarnak a nők? Milyen férfi kell a nőknek? Olyan misztikus és összetett lények, vajon mire gondolhatnak? - ezekre amúgy egy válasz van - kérdezd meg azt a nőt, aki érdekel, nincsen univerzális cheatcode, bzdmg.) Az pedig, hogy akármelyik típusba is sorolod magad, a könyv leírja az erősségeidet, örül, hogy vagy, valamint felhívja a figyelmedet a fejlődési lehetőségekre/ szükségletekre.
Na szóval a tanulság: a nők nem egyformák, más nőknek más prioritásai vannak és mást akarnak az élettől, sőt, az is megeshet, hogy annyira komplexek, hogy egyszerre több aspektusa is lehet a személyiségüknek, és több dolog (!) is fontos lehet nekik. Sőt, akár a prioritások idővel még változhatnak is. Tudom, döbbenet.
Women may be unaware of the significant impact that cultural stereotypes have on their lives and they may also be unconscious of powerful forces within them that influence what they do and how they feel. The book introduces these influences as Greek goddesses. The archetypes are some sort of patterns that are responsible for major differences among women. What makes one woman happy, may be meaningless to another, depending on which "goddess" is active. When a woman becomes aware of the dominant "goddesses" within her, she gains self-knowledge regarding the power of certain instincts, her priorities and abilities, as well as the potential to discover personal meaning through choices that others may not necessarily encourage.
I really liked the resemblance to Greek mythology in this book, although at times, I felt it was slightly overwhelming. But the mythology was a great way to help me visualise and understand the archetypes.
To make the most of this book, I recommend reading it while taking notes. You can read only the chapters that resonate with you, however, I think that absorbing it as a whole offers a fresh perspective and a deeper understanding of the women in your life. Personally, it helped me gain insights into the women close to me.
An online quiz is also available, so you can discover which goddesses are dominant within you.
This was a reread after more than 30 years, and i must say I found it a lot less impressive than the first time. Still, it was interesting and had some insight to offer.
Puede que tenga mucho de test o columnas de revista adolescente. Sin embargo, valoré la información extra sobre la mitología griega, de la cual me declaro bien ignorante (en gran medida porque nunca me ha interesado mucho).
No esperen encontrar profundidad ni citas varias a psicólogos de renombre que apoyen la teoría de Shinoda. Es bastante light, quizá para pasar el rato y refrescar la memoria sobre las diosas y dioses griegos.
¿Cuál diosa eres tú? Descúbrelo con las siguientes citas del libro
Lo que llena a un tipo de mujer puede no tener sentido para otro, dependiendo de la cuál es la “diosa” que está activa en ellas.
Los mitos evocan sentimientos e imaginación y tocan temas que forman parte de la herencia colectiva de la humanidad.
Una mujer Hestia pondrá flores nuevas para sí misma que nunca verá su marido ausente. Su apartamento o su casa siempre tiene el aire de su hogar, porque es ella la que vive ahí, y no porque hace las cosas para otra persona.
Las tres hermanas –Hestia, Deméter y Hera-no poseían derechos de propiedad, conforme a la naturaleza patriarcal de la religión griega.
La mitología que dio lugar al nacimiento de las diosas y dioses griegos surgió de acontecimientos históricos. Es una mitología patriarcal que exalta a Zeus y a los héroes, y que refleja el encuentro y el sometimiento de pueblos que tenían religiones basadas en la madre, por parte de invasores que poseían dioses guerreros y teologías basadas en el padre.
Estos invasores eran “patrifocales”, móviles, amantes de la guerra, orientados ideológicamente hacia el cielo e indiferentes al arte.
Las diosas se marchitaron en un segundo plano, siguiéndoles las mujeres en la sociedad. Stone señala: “Tal vez nos encontremos preguntándonos a nosotras mismas hasta qué punto la supresión de ritos femeninos ha supuesto en realidad la supresión de los derechos de las mujeres”.
A Afrodita se la condena como “la puta” o “la tentadora”, que son una desvalorización de la sensualidad y de la sexualidad de este arquetipo. Una Hera que se afirma a sí misma o se enfada se convierte en “la arpía”. Y algunas culturas, del pasado y actuales, niegan activamente la expresión de independencia, inteligencia o sexualidad en las mujeres, de manera que reprimen cualquier indicio de Artemisa, Atenea o Afrodita.
Dentro de un sistema religioso y de un periodo histórico dominado por dioses masculinos, Artemisa, Atenea y Hestia sobresalen como excepciones. Nunca se casaron, nunca fueron dominadas, seducidas, violadas o humilladas por dioses o mortales masculinos. Permanecieron “intactas”, invioladas. Además, sólo estas tres entre todos los dioses, diosas y mortales fueron inconmovibles por el irresistible poder de Afrodita. No les conmovían el amor, la sexualidad ni el enamoramiento.
(Sobre el arquetipo de diosa virgen) Una parte importante de su psique “no pertenece a nadie”. Por lo tanto, como describió Harding: una mujer que es virgen, completa-en-sí-misma, hace lo que hace, no por algún deseo de agradar, no para gustar o ser aprobada, ni siquiera por sí misma; no por algún deseo de obtener poder sobre otra persona, para captar su interés o amor, sino porque lo que hace es verdad.
Así, si una mujer se identifica con el patrón de una diosa virgen, puede que lleve una vida unilateral y frecuentemente solitaria sin ningún otro “realmente significativo”.
Según el criterio de Freud, el hecho de no tener penes convertía a las mujeres en lisiadas e inferiores. Como consecuencia, el consideraba que las mujeres normales padecían el deseo de tener pene, eran masoquistas y narcisistas, y tenían un superego poco desarrollado (es decir, una conciencia inferior).
El foco interno y contemplativo de Hestia la mantiene a distancia emocional de los demás.
La insistencia en que se le dirijan como “señorita” expresa la cualidad típica de una diosa virgen Artemisa, que hace hincapié en la independencia y en la autonomía respecto a los hombres.
Artemisa representa cualidades idealizadas por el movimiento feminista: realización y competencia, independencia de los hombres y de las opiniones masculinas, y preocupación por las mujeres y jóvenes escogidas como víctimas e indefensas.
(Artemisa) En lo más profundo, lucha con sentimientos de no ser lo suficientemente buena, duda cuando se le ofrecen nuevas oportunidades, realiza menos cosas de las que es capaz e incluso cuando triunfa, sigue sintiéndose inadecuada.
Los intereses que muchas mujeres Artemisa persiguen no tienen valor comercial, y no abocan a una profesión ni aumentan la fama o el peculio personal. Por el contrario, a veces ese interés es tan personal o tan fuera de los caminos trillados, absorbe tanto tiempo, que está garantizada una falta de éxito en el mundo y una falta de relaciones. Pero la búsqueda es gratificante desde el punto de vista personal para el elemento Artemisa en la mujer.
La voz que grita en de desierto, a la que nadie parece prestarle atención, es muy probable que sea una mujer Artemisa, lo mismo que la artista que continúa trabajando sin apoyos ni éxito económico.
Incluso las mujeres Artemisa que son individualistas y que evitan los grupos, casi siempre defienden los derechos de la mujer.
La mujer Artemisa suele estar atraída por un hombre cuya personalidad tenga un aspecto estético, creativo o musical.
A una mujer Artemisa no le seducen en absoluto hombres dominantes ni relaciones del tipo “yo Tarzán, tú Jane”. Tampoco le interesan las relaciones del tipo madre-hijo. Evita hombres que insistan en ser el centro de su vida.
Además del patrón de relaciones de igualdad, el segundo patrón común de relación para las mujeres Artemisa es la implicación con hombres que la enriquecen interiormente. Tal tipo de hombre es la persona que la “hace darse cuenta”. Él la enseña a ser considerada y sensible respecto a los sentimientos. Y suele ser él el único que quiere tener un hijo en común.
La mujer Artemisa difícilmente es del tipo “Madre Tierra” y estar embarazada o criar un bebé no le llena. De hecho, el embarazo puede que repugne a la mujer Artemisa, a la que le gusta tener una figura atlética, esbelta y juvenil. No siente ningún fuerte impulso instintivo de ser madre.
Algunos hijos de mujeres Artemisa están convencidos de que sus madres lucharían por ellos hasta la muerte.
Mientras exista un elemento de “persecución” por su parte, una mujer Artemisa puede interesarse por un hombre. Pero si éste la aborda emocionalmente, quiere casarse con ella o se hace dependiente de ella, se extingue la excitación de la “caza”. Es más, puede perder interés o sentir desprecio por él, si muestra “debilidad” al necesitarla.
A pesar de su falta de calidez y de su insensibilidad, a causa de su misma indiferencia, puede que este erotismo impersonal en una mujer sea, en parte, lo que muchas veces atrae a un hombre.
Como consecuencia de su falta de atención, las personas que la quieren se sienten insignificantes y excluidas, y quedan heridas o se enfadan con ella.
Estar “acorazada” es un rasgo Atenea. Las defensas intelectuales evitan a una mujer así sentir dolor, tanto propio como el de los demás.
Atenea puede desarrollarse por necesidad. Una niña en un hogar poco pacífico puede que aprenda a ocultar sus sentimientos y a ponerse coraza protectora. Tal vez se vuelva insensible y ajena a sus propios sentimientos, ya que no se siente segura de otro modo.
Por ejemplo, a los tres años, Atenea tal vez sea una lectora autodidacta. Cualquiera que sea la edad, una vez que ha descubierto los libros, probablemente siempre tendrá la nariz metida en uno.
La niña Atenea es curiosa, busca información, quiere saber cómo funcionan las cosas.
Nadie tiene que enseñar a una mujer Atenea cómo planificar: la organización llega de manera natural.
La cualidad de Hestia de “ser completa en sí misma” busca la tranquilidad serena, que se encuentra más fácilmente en soledad.
Con Hestia como presencia interna, una mujer no está “apegada” a la gente, los resultados, las posesiones, el prestigio o el poder.
Es probable que una hija tipo Hestia, rechace la emoción, retirándose hacia dentro para preocuparse consuelo en medio del dolor, la vida conflictiva de la familia o un entorno escolar que siente ajeno. Con frecuencia se siente como alienada o aislada de sus hermanos, lo mismo que de sus padres, y verdaderamente es diferente a ellos. Intenta pasar desapercibida, posee una pasividad en la superficie y un sentimiento interno de certeza de ser diferente de todos los que la rodean. Intenta no planear problemas en cualquier situación y cultiva la soledad en medio de los demás. Por consiguiente, se vuelve virtualmente una “no persona”, como la misma diosa.
Una mujer Hestia mayor quizá tenga que sobrevivir de la Seguridad Social, pero no ha empobrecido en absoluto su espíritu.
Una mujer tipo Hestia expresa de manera indirecta su amor y su preocupación por los demás a través de actos llenos de atención.
Como una mujer no es muy expresiva, las personas que le importan pueden ignorar que ella existe.
Hestia no es una arribista ni una trepadora, no le interesan las causas políticas y carece de ambición. No está en el mundo intentando dejar su huella en él, y no se preocupa estar en él. Así pues, con mucha facilidad la desvalorizan y la miran por encima del hombre los triunfadores, las personas que todo lo hacen bien y los árbitros sociales, que miden a la gente conforme a pautas tangibles y la consideran con carencias.
La desvalorización tiene un efecto negativo en la autoestima de la mujer Hestia. Puede sentirse fuera de situación, inadaptada e incompetente si adopta las pautas de los demás y las aplica a sí misma.
Cuando se ve amenazada por Apolo o Poseidón, una mujer Hestia necesita buscar su integridad en la soledad. En la tranquilidad silenciosa puede encontrar de manera intuitiva, una vez más, su camino de vuelta al centro.
Cualquier mujer que esté de pie sola esperando, o sentada sola en un restaurante o en un vestíbulo, está expuesta a que se le acerque algún hombre que presupone que cualquier mujer que no esté claramente en relación con alguien es campo susceptible de comentarios o de atención.
El arquetipo de Hera representa a la mujer que anhela casarse. Una mujer que tenga un fuerte arquetipo de Hera se siente fundamentalmente incompleta sin una pareja.
Una mujer Hera es atraída por un hombre competente y con éxito, definición que suele depender de la clase social a la que ella pertenezca y de la familia que tenga. Los artistas muertos de hambre, los poetas sensibles y los genios académicos no son para ella. A las mujeres Hera no les interesan los hombres que sufren a causa de su arte o de sus principios políticos.
Dentro de las familias, las madres e hijas que son mujeres Deméter pueden mantenerse cercana durante generaciones. Estas familias poseen decididamente un modelo matriarcal. Y las mujeres de la familia saben todo lo que sucede a todo el clan, mucho más que los mismos maridos.
Con la intención de proteger a sus hijas/os, una mujer Deméter puede volverse excesivamente controladora. Vigila cada movimiento, intercede en su nombre y toma el revelo cuando existe alguna posibilidad de que se hagan daño. Como consecuencia, las/os hijas/os permanecen dependientes de ella para tratar con la gente y enfrentarse a los problemas cotidianos.
Las/os hijas/os de una madre Deméter controladora permanecen para siempre cerca de ella, con su cordón umbilical psicológico casi intacto. Dominados por su personalidad, siguen siendo los niños o niñas de mamá cuando son ya bastante adultos. Puede que algunas/os de ellas/os no se casen nunca.
La mayoría de las jóvenes atraviesan una fase de ser “la Kore” antes de casarse o de decidirse por una profesión. Otras mujeres permanecen doncellas toda su vida. No se comprometen con una relación, un trabajo o un objetivo de formación aunque, de hecho, pueden tener una relación, un trabajo, estar haciendo el bachillerato o incluso estudiar en una facultad. Hgan lo que hagan, no parece que sea “de verdad”. Su actitud es de la eterna adolescente, indecisas sobre quién o qué quieren ser cuando crezcan, a la espera de que alguien o algo transforme sus vidas.
En Japón, aún más en Estados Unidos, la mujer ideal se parece a Perséfone. Es silenciosa, recatada, complaciente, sabe que nunca debe decir directamente que no.
El crecimiento exige que luche contra la indecisión, la pasividad y la inercia: debe decidirse y continuar comprometida cuando la elección deja de ser divertida.
Se resistirá al matrimonio porque lo ve desde la perspectiva arquetípica de la doncella, para la que el modelo de matrimonio equivale a la muerte.
Se especula el por qué existen tan pocas mujeres artistas famosas, grandes chefs de cocina, directoras de orquestas o filósofas de renombre: entre las razones que se dan podría ser porque esas mujeres carecen de portadores del sueño. Las mujeres han alimentado el sueño para los hombres, mientras que éstos, en general, no han alimentado el sueño demasiado bien para las mujeres de su vida.
Cuando el peligro para la protagonista del sueño se presenta en forma humana, como hombres y mujeres horribles que atacan, el peligro procede frecuentemente de un criticismo hostil o de un papel destructivo (mientras que los animales suelen representar sentimientos o instintos).