and health. In his early writings, Reich ´s proposed way to reach these goals was educational in practice and revolutionary in theory. In his later writings, he placed a greater emphasis upon human fear of freedom and responsibility: as a privileged source of neurotic destruction of the life force, including sexuality. He also designed and actively carried out programmes to support healthy living among teachers, nurses and mothers, who sustain, raise and educate future generations. However, Reich´ s approach put too many demands upon women, while at the same time, failed to articulate a consistent critique of gender relations that would support his many endeavours to support females. Jung (1921; 1933; 1934-1954) enriched the debate, when he developed the concept of animus ( in females) and anima ( in males). These were considered sexual components within mind and body, unconsciously acting in most people. Women would psychosomatically carry within them a small, rigid and primitive man; and men, an ambivalent, sensual and inferior woman. If these components were not consciously worked through, both sexes would display a primitive inferiority quality. He thought that a strong attraction between the sexes was only possible, if there was also an antagonistic force of a similar strength: a primitive sense of guilt, a ‘state of destructive antagonism’, similar to the one found between Adam and Eve. Men could not tolerate a second class masculinity in women, and similarly, women could not tolerate a dubious femininity in men. Jung explained these trends, as if they pertained to absolute or general humanity, ‘flowing’ within the ‘collective unconscious’. He presented them as unconditioned by gender. He showed this type of duality was reflected within myths, fairy tales and archetypes, where masculine and feminine natures are dealt with separately, ‘in a state of non-relationship’. More precisely, they intend to be harmonically reunited within these genres. Questions to be asked to Jungian theory, include: Which is the original cause of this separation or duality and, of the ‘bi-polarity of the chaotic’, that is ultimately united? Is this an immanent quality of Nature? How and through which processes does separation into two antagonistic principles take place? How does duality and polarity interrelate with gender? (5) For Jung, individuation and self-realization impulses are initially an unconscious drive within us, a form of human authenticity or sincerity. Imposed to us by Nature or Destiny, people are to consciously understand the meaning of this ‘ obscure drive’. Instinct, in its animal form, demands its own sacrifice to be able to express itself through human acts and language. This process gradually transforms ‘antagonism into polarity’: a higher state that allows for real relationship, one that does not abuse any of the sexes. For Jung, behind anima and animus, there is a personality realm and an image of the Divine. The interplay between both, leads the development of consciousness itself- propelled by Nature- towards the realization of one´ s personality. However, he does not discuss the social constructs that shape the manifestation of anima and animus in everyday life. Contemporary female Jungian analyst Marie-Louise Von Franz (1990,p. 172), develops these concepts further, somewhat relating them to gender difference. She states women tend to originally exteriorize the development of their masculine side in arrogant, inadequate and powerful ways, compensating for their distorted feminine side. Were men drawn to antagonism by this behaviour, they will reinforce their own distorted side or ‘perverse anima’. Thus, genuine love between them would become impossible. She describes what she regards as a central problem of today ´s youth, the ‘grey zone between opposites’: whereby men reinforce women ´s masculinity through possession of their animus, and women feminize men through possession of their anima. Social symptoms of drug-abuse and open displays of chaotic emotions, reflect current trends in ‘ the surfacing of the Unconscious’. Traditional forms of consciousness need to fade out, to allow the development of a new order. Differentiation trends are presented as immanent to human nature within most Jungian theories. The psyche is seen as manifesting and being transformed by forces that transcend the social, and penetrate ‘ all times’ in an undifferentiated manner. Once again, no explanation is offered about historical conditioning in the behavioural choices made by each gender, or about the gradual social processes that shape identity and subjectivity. Contemporary Views on Female Sexuality Mother and Father Centred Psychology and Gender Current psychological thinking is still influenced by these diverse, though unresolved, ways of dealing with the feminine and the masculine. However, a long road was traveled, during the last century, to lay the foundations for a more comprehensive contemporary understanding. The 1920s’ and 1930s’ debates were renewed in the 1960s’, when feminism generated a new wave of interest in female psychology. On the one hand, early feminists were divided in their views on sexual identity, with Horney being usually considered more radical than Freud. They disagreed on 50 Liliana Acero Feminity, Gender and Essence in Body-Psychotherapy Part I: Reflections on theory, clinical and teaching experience
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