Translated from volumes published by Lorenz Jung based on the edition “Gesammelte Werke” dtv.de The Symbols of Transformation (1952) and Aion (1950)
With heartfelt regards to my friends, I present another episode of the Mana-Personality. I mention the past ones here: 1 2 3, as I know it is necessary to read them continually. I had to read the last one myself to know where I was at all! In any case, I think and feel that Dr Jung knows how complicated this issue is and makes an effort to make it easier, and I make an effort to keep translating this jewel from the origin of his own writing, which can be the most trustworthy source.
Dr Jung’s work on this topic (Mana-Personality) stresses the unknown, hidden behind the unconscious, and tries to bring it to the conscious. One of his main points (in most of his works) is pointing back to the collective unconscious and finding the connection in between. That is intensively probing every corner of the human soul, and it is not only fascinating but also important!
Illustration at the top: Alan Mcdonald: A Spoonful of Sugar.
Let’s continue reading:
The starting point for our problem is the state that follows when the unconscious contents that cause the anima and animus phenomenon have been sufficiently brought into consciousness. This can best be thought of in the following way: The unconscious contents are initially things of the personal atmosphere, perhaps in the manner of the fantasy of the male patient mentioned above: (It refers to the dream of one of his patients: he sees his bride running down the road to the river. It is winter, and the river is frozen. She runs out onto the ice, and he follows her. She goes further out, and there the ice has broken; a dark crack opens up, and he is afraid she might fall into it. Indeed, she sinks into the crack, and he watches her sadly).
Later, fantasies of the impersonal unconscious develop, essentially containing collective symbolism, such as my patient’s vision. These fantasies are not wild and motionless, as one might naively think, but they follow certain unconscious guidelines that converge towards a specific goal. One might, therefore, best compare these later series of fantasies to initiation processes because they are the closest analogy to them.
All fairly organized primitive groups and tribes have initiations, often extraordinarily developed, that play an extremely important part in their social and religious life (Primitive Secret Societies, 1908; see Webster.)
Through them, lads will become men and girls into women. The Kavirondos insult those who do not submit to circumcision or excision as ‘animals’. This shows that the initiation rites are the magical means by which man is led from the animal state to the human state. Primitive initiations are evidently mysteries of transformation of the most tremendous spiritual significance. Very often, the initiates are subjected to painful methods of treatment, and at the same time, tribal mysteries are communicated to them: the laws and hierarchy of the tribe on the one hand and cosmogonic and other mythical teachings on the other. The initiations have been preserved among all civilized peoples. In Greece, the ancient Eleusinian mysteries apparently survived until the 7th century. Rome was flooded with mystery religions. One of these is Christianity, which, even in its present form, albeit faded and degenerated, has retained the old initiation ceremonies of baptism, confirmation, and communion. Therefore, no one will be able to deny the enormous historical significance of the initiations.
The modern world has nothing to compare with the historical importance of initiation (compare the testimonies of the ancients with regard to the Eleusinian mysteries!). Freemasonry, the I’Église Gnostique de la France, legendary Rosicrucians, theosophy and so on are weak substitutes for something that would be better marked in red letters on the list of historical losses. The fact is that the entire symbolism of initiation appears in the unconscious with unmistakable clarity. The objection that this is old superstition and completely unscientific is as intelligent as someone who, upon seeing a cholera epidemic, notices that it is merely an infectious disease and, what’s more, unhygienic. The question is not, as I must emphasize again and again, whether the initiation symbols are objective truths or not, but simply whether these unconscious contents are equivalents of the initiation practices or not and whether they have an influence on the human psyche or not. Nor is it a question of whether they are desirable or not. It is enough that they exist and that they work.
To be continued! Thank you for being there.🙏🌹🥰
lampmagician 
I found the “starting point” paragraph helpful, and relatable! (About the man dreaming of woman falling through the ice)… I have had a very similar dream. Inspired directly by Hitchcock’s, “Vertigo.” (The scene where Jimmy Stewart follows Kim Novak to the Golden Gate Bridge and suddenly, SHE JUMPS IN!”🌁🌊🧤
I’ll share the dream first, and then it’s backstory / origin. If you are bust, it’s basically the same exact idea as Vertigo.
The dream (4/17/22) (Embellished with fictional therapy setting)
“…She’s dead (My ex). I say again while taking my seat without breaking eye contact with my therapist.
“Madeline. I saw her in my dream last night, lying facedown near a cliff by the sea. Perhaps on a shelf. Beneath some pine trees. Her cheek was pressed into the ground like Janet Leigh; the life drained from her eye… By the ocean. A rocky cliff, under a few pine trees. It was a clear day and the temperature was moderate. That’s all I know for sure. I think it had to be the Northwest coast. Maybe Northern California or Oregon. Somewhere near San Francisco would make sense, given my fixation with the city.”
“What happened to her? How did she die?” Dr. Armitage asks eagerly and with concern in her voice.
“I don’t know.” I say, finally lowering my gaze in order to try and remember. “But I got the sense we had been together on some sort of journey. And she had died suddenly, and tragically.” “… I knew I would return to this exact spot. And that when I returned, she would be rot.”
(Context / Origin of the Dream):
I believe I have brought my anima to conscious awareness only in recent years. It has been a lifelong process, and I have been fixated on the anima my whole life. Anima has, of course, dictated romantic interest in my life. Just as animus does for woman… I was involved in a 4-year romantic relationship with ex-girlfriend (she was a projection of my anima). Since the divorce 2 years ago, my relationship to the anima has evolved. I am quite conscious of it now, and conscious that I am trying to suppress it… seeking conscious domination of her. And my current art informs me, as you say in Part 3 of this series, it is a balancing act. That conscious cannot dominate unconscious (OR else unconscious will retaliate!) They must learn to live in harmony. -Experience Film
LikeLiked by 1 person
WOW!!!! Let me first read this! 😮🧐🤠💖🙏
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hahaha… A ‘post-within-post’😅- You don’t need to read it all – My dream was just like Vertigo, however🖖
LikeLiked by 1 person
That is wonderful!🖖
LikeLike
You are a true Jungian!! It is incredible, my friend. I am speechless! The Hitchcock movie “Vertigo” is an excellent example of this dream. Anyhow, you have opened the door to a deep unconsciousness of your soul, and it is fascinating. Your ex was unlucky and will miss you!
You have found Anima’s magical power, which is the main point. Thank you; I have learned a lot.🙏🖖
LikeLike
Another comment regarding rites of passage. I also believe evolutionary ancestry instills these memories in to the collective psyche… An unusual example from the animal kingdom – Pacific sea turtles hatch on the beach at the exact same time, enter the ocean, swim thousands of miles, and when they mature years later, the females return to the exact same beach at the exact same time as all of the other females and lay more eggs… It is a scientific mystery how the turtles know to do this, and with such perfect synchronicity. Arguably a perfect example of maternal Instinct. Instinct totally dominating the behavior of a living organism. Humans have instincts just like sea turtles, which have evolved over thousands of years🐢
LikeLiked by 1 person
Exactly, brother. Though human has invented time, and that’s why they forgot instinct or intuition. I believe time and space don’t exist!
I have seen many reports of how turtles they do survive, and it could be, for us humans, an example to rethink about ourselves. I am happy to get to know you.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Humans invented time. That is worthy of contemplation!⏳🪐🖖
LikeLiked by 1 person
I am still working on it! Thanks.😜🙏🤙
LikeLike
The best dream work I experienced was with Marion Woodman. It was a combination of Jungian approaches, interpretation, art, and movement. I felt initiated into deeper levels of my inner self by Marion’s week long workshops and the inner work I did before and after them. What a blessing she was and how I miss her workshops and those journeys to Canada to be with her. Thanks for bringing me to a place of recollecting those times as I continue recording and working with my dreams with a Jungian therapist.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It makes me glad to help your memories come back again. Marion Woodman was and still is a jewel to learn more about our dreams. Of course, here is a part of Carl Jung’s work on Mana-Personality, which I am partly translating and sharing. Nevertheless, thank you so much, dear friend, for dropping by. Blessing.
LikeLike
Another tremendous post! I learned a lot!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Heartfelt thanks, my valuable friend.
LikeLike
Wow!
LikeLiked by 1 person
That says a lot, dear Chris; thank you!🤗😊💖🙏
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much Aladin for persevering with this difficult (well, it is for me) Jungian topic. I intuit as I approach my own elder years, I’m also enduring an archetypal phase of sorts which I lovingly (and creatively) call ‘stepping onto the Crone’s path’. A very different path, I note, from the one I found myself on at midlife as my attention turns towards the archetypal Crone.
A few weeks ago I had a(nother) strange dream where I was sweeping a road that led into the town centre when I heard an old woman tell me (I didn’t see her, I only heard her) that soon I’ll be sweeping a new path. Which? I ask, she replies the one leading out of town. Oh, so I’ll be sweeping the same path I reply, to which she starts laughing really loud, the dream ends.
On waking, I mused on this dream character’s other worldliness. Was this invisible Crone what Jung meant as a mana personality? Honestly, I don’t know. However, I do know she felt ‘archetypal’, magical even. At best I like to think of her as an ‘inner guide’. Nonetheless, my deepest gratitude goes to you for sharing more mystery and magick! Love and light, Deborah.
LikeLiked by 2 people
What a mysterious and fascinating dream! I would say it has something to do with the Mana in you. As I’m reading and sharing Jung’s explanation on this topic, I believe this monster lies deep within our inner archetypes. However, your inner guide (I love this name!) is not only smart but also has black humour as she laughs at your surprised question! Anyway, my lovely angel, I believe there is beauty in every circumstance, spot, and age, even on the Crone path. If I look at you (I wish I’d get the chance), I will see your wisdom, not only in your eyes but in every fold of your beautiful face. Good luck and much success on your path, sending my best regards. Love and peace.💖🙏🦋
LikeLiked by 1 person