The Sacred Journey of Healing: Embracing the Inner Feminine
When it comes to my journey, it has been one with many twists and turns. Maybe not the easiest one, but one that nevertheless has been my own. There is much that happened the last three years, and even before that. Within In Search of the Divine Feminine I had written about the disconnect with my Anima. Representing my deep emotional and intuitive side.
It had left me for a long time lost, and wandering. I suppose in more ways than one. Both this feeling being present within me in an emotional and psychological sense, but also manifesting in my wanderings throughout life. Never really staying around for long in places. Something I really am working on changing for myself.
Over three years ago I used to be more involved in the entire culture war, in the debates, whilst struggling with my Anima. Even though at the time I did not even have the vocabulary to articulate that, or even the necessary self-awareness. I used to hang around the Jordan Peterson crowd, before quickly after deciding to focus on just Carl Jung. I have to say that I struggled deeply with my Anima and the qualities she represents within myself. Though throughout the three years I took, away from society, its obligations, values, norms and various such aspects, my attitude towards my Anima changed.
From initially a challenging inner relationship with that aspect of myself, where she appeared “negative”. To one much more balanced beyond labels and distinctions. Though that really required me to shift my attitude from it being more unfriendly to one where I could see beyond the form she took within dreams and in my inner world. My relationship to my Anima also plays a role in this, as she was hurt, and tried to control and psychologically possess me to feel some modicum of safety. Which changed the moment I approached her with understanding, kindness and love. This shift was hard earned, and took its time. To re-establish trust, through ongoing inner dialogue. Yet this is what then truly could start my healing journey.
I had been called by the Koryos (wolf warrior) pattern, first unconsciously, but later became much more conscious of it. Though I was drifting even then for a while still. Doing shamanic journeys to explore my inner world, the rituals I started to slowly uncover, yet how it all fitted together, and to truly heal and work that only started when my Anima started to guide me. Part of that journey was the healing of what Sylvia Perera calls the scapegoat complex. Which is part of many people’s psychological fabric, as it sadly has been a long time part of our own culture. To operate from the lens of marginalisation of that what is seen as “other”. These complexes formed through trauma, then create these behaviour loops and patterns, which also ties into the neurological pathways and the nervous system. As they can trigger physiological and somatic effects, and with that put one into fight, flight or freeze. Basically in both a personal and cultural sense influencing our behaviours, emotions, thoughts and even ways we perceive the world. Psychological complexes often thrive on chaos, conflict, stress, and overwhelm.
Now when it comes to healing this specific complex. There is so much that can be said about every aspect within the image about the healing of the scapegoat complex. Every part is its own archetype, with a historical, mythological and psychological depth, that I could not do justice within just one article. I can though say a little about each aspect, to give those who have never heard about any of it some idea what it entails.
Victim-child: This aspect relates to the wounded inner child, which symbolizes unresolved emotional pain or trauma from past experiences, often stemming from childhood.
Wanderer: This represents the individual's journey of feeling lost or disconnected, both physically and emotionally. This aspect reflects a sense of aimlessness or searching for meaning and identity in life.
Accuser: In the modern complex, the accuser aspect, acting as an inner critic, assumes the role of a condemning judge, that demands absolute perfection and adherence to rigid norms. This inner judge refuses to accept or acknowledge any impulse. Creating thus a sort of rigid concrete block on desires which are repressed and seen as bad. Frequently, this aspect remains detached from awareness, concealed close to the inner child seeking acceptance.
Priest: This represents the embodiment of moral and societal norms, values, and expectations. It symbolizes the internalized voice of authority or conscience that guides individuals' decisions and actions based on societal or moral standards. This has a role in perpetuating the scapegoat complex through judgment and the promise of redemption. Which can perpetuate feelings of unworthiness and helplessness.
External redeemer: This is an external figure or force that is looked to for salvation or deliverance from suffering or adversity. This aspect involves placing hope or reliance on someone or something outside of oneself to bring about resolution or salvation.
Internal redeemer: This is the inner essence within ourselves, what some call the higher self, but really is the true Self. The person who we were, and what our fullest unique potential is. The gift hidden within us, that we can share with the world.
Now when it comes to the Artkeia (Artemis) and Koryos (Wotan) pattern. Each of these are different ancient rites of passage. To help facilitate the fostering of true consciousness. To allow the individual the space to operate outside the moral and societal norms, values, and expectations laid upon them by their society. To within the sacred grove of the goddess, or the wilderness journey of the youthful wolf warriors of Wotan (and similar figures) have the space to be more than just a part of ones family or society. More than a cog.
To give young people the breathing space they need to become who they are. So they can become psychologically healthy and differentiated. What Carl Jung would call Individuation. These rites with their periods of sacred dances, poetry, feasts, rituals and teachings imparted by the elders as priestess or mentor, would facilitate this process. Lasting from three to nine years. Within this time they would be with their peers, forming bonds, friendships, and a sense of community between peers, through this shared journey. Before the Sovereignty Goddess, who was with them this whole time as guiding deity, would beckon them home to their society. Though many would return, not all did, which as much was part of this journey. Some would go off and start their own town with others elsewhere, with their own new way of being.
Where finally the Hieros Gamos, the sacred union between masculine and feminine, shadow and light, earth and heaven, and the various opposites, was the final ritual upon return in the society. Where those part of these different journeys, would come together. Dionysus as a figure originally in the Proto-Indo-European sense was the son of the Sovereignty Goddess. Where as a deity he represented this coming together of opposites. Yet also the coming together of the victim-child and internal redeemer. As Dionysus was torn apart in myth, as Zagreus, before being reborn, to reunite the fragmented parts of himself, to once more become whole. Though this is a more Orphic version of said myth.
Yet what is clear as Sylvia Brinton Perera in her book “The scapegoat complex: toward a mythology of shadow and guilt” pointed out. Both figures such as Dionysus and the Sovereignty Goddess are key in this process of liberation. As within the Hieros Gamos the divine child is born in a symbolic manner, so within each individual their inner potential is liberated and born. So they can bring the gift to society they were meant to bring. Whilst these rites and their deeper meanings had been lost to time, already at the start of ancient Rome, and even within Hellenic Greece. Elements remained, like seeds to be nurtured, so once more that forest of old can sprout.