Jung named the components of the psyche as the persona, the shadow, and the animus or anima. To him, the self is the organizing genius behind the total personality.

The anima (inner feminine aspect of man, meaning soul) and animus (inner masculine aspect of women, meaning inner mind) are aspects of the unconscious that carry one's image of the opposite sex. To Jung (1991) we all incorporate both masculinity and femininity, reflecting the minority gene structure within each human being.

The unconscious activities of the animus and anima contribute to the formation of the bond and ensure it possesses a powerful charge of feeling and libido.

Sanford (1980) statesthe concept of anima and animus is an important contribution by Jung to give us an idea of polarity that exist within each of us-call them masculine, feminine, anima and animus, Yin and Yang- and these are eternally in tension and are eternally seeking to unite.

Projecting the unconscious contents are immediate and automatic and the work of analysis is to make oneself conscious of contents that would otherwise projected. This leads to knowledge of one's partner and to self-realization, and so to the distinction between what one really is and what is projected into one, or what one imagines oneself to be and thereby strengthens the drive to individuate.

Jung (1925) states the greater the area of unconsciousness, the less is mate selection a matter of free choice or consciousness, as is shown subjectively in the fatal compulsion one feels so acutely when one is in love. The compulsion can exist even when one is not in love, though in less agreeable form.

When we discover the anima or animus image has been projected onto a man or woman, that makes it possible for us to see in reflection contents of our own psyche that otherwise might escape us.

All of this has important implications for the relationship between sexes. According to Sanford (1980), these projected psychic images are the invisible partners in every man-woman relationship and greatly influence it as projected is either greatly overvalued or greatly undervalued-therefore those who carry these projections will tend to greatly attract or repel us.

Franz (1961) states the orientation toward the anima would mean the man’s becoming aware of the potentiality for those feminine qualities of warmth, receptivity, patience, and openness to other within himself. The unrealized anima will often express itself in irritable, depressed moods, uncertainty, passivity, insecurity and touchiness. Dark anima moods can therefore infect mans life, taking on a sad and oppressive aspect.

Orientation towards the animus represents for woman the aspects which tends toward clarifying the facts, gaining the authority to make the decisions, and implementing the logic, strength, and determination. It is the masculine drive which enables her to break through the limitations that being a woman has imposed for centuries. ).

Animus may become hostile and inimical to femininity to the degree that it is undeveloped, it may come off as inferior –that is clarifying facts become a voicing of unfounded opinions, authority becomes a domineering manner, decisiveness becomes impulsiveness, and determination becomes stubbornness (Franz, 1961

Anima and animus functions negatively to the degree it is repressed due to archetypal and biological needs, social structure as well as early experiences with our parents (Jung, 1951). Repression and projection of inner masculine and feminine traits leads to all kinds of complications in relationships. Projection creates a kind of magnetic sexual attraction and this manner leads to powerful psychological ties with the person who is carrying that projection, which often results in a long-term destructive consequences in a long term relationship such as marriage (Pascal, 1992).

According to Pascal (1992), The projections of the anima and animus seldom remain on a person, whose ordinary humanity becomes evident under the stress and strain of daily life, and for this reason the projections of the anima or animus will usually fall on persons outside of the marriage relationship, which may prove to be a disturbing factor.

However, if we learn to value a long term relationship because of the opportunities it offers for salvation-that is, individuation-as well as for other blessings, our relationship is on a more solid footing ( Sanford , 1980).

According to Jung (1966) perfect partnership between man and woman can occur when the compatibility of our physical forms as well as our unconscious contrasexual parts -anima and animus are achieved. In this way one can find what is called “a soul-mate”. Jung (1966) states love of another indicates an actual, perceived or hoped-for close match. There is an archetypal need for a conjunction of opposites in our lives as human beings.

Jung (1951) states, in every man-woman relationship anima and animus are the silent partners, for better or worse. Thus every man-woman relationship is really a partnership of four: man & woman, anima & animus. Jung has called this combination of relationships within single relationship the “marriage quaternion”.

Emma Jung (1978) indicates with the changing social structure, where for many women the animus is already well developed, the task paradoxically may be to develop more anima-like issues for example conflict over whether or not to have a baby. On the other hand, McKenzie (2006) mentions it is the responsibility of contemporary Jungians to engage in a revision of Jungian gender theory to encompass the queering gender. The changing role definitions between sexes and increasing freedom in expressing gender related expressions require us to offer a Jungian contribution in the spirit of Jung: the Jung of the symbolic, the mythic, and the subtle body. This Jung brings us the medial realm of the soul, the bridge between the realm of the physical body and the realm of spirit. (McKenzie, 2006)

At the four levels of individuation, this might be the style of relating. To assimilate the effects of the Anima, a man must discover his true feelings. To become familiar with the nature of the Animus, a woman must constantly question her ideas and opinions.

Franz (1961) described four stages of anima development in man as (1) In earliest stage of projection, the anima is conceived as the purely biological woman, the mother, something to be fertilized. (2) In the second stage, sexual Eros still predominates but there is an aesthetic and romantic level "where woman has already acquired some value as an individual". (3) In the next stage Eros is raised to the heights of religious devotion and thus she spiritualizes him in a type of spiritual motherhood. (4) Here a man's anima functions as a guide to the inner life, mediating to consciousness the contents of the unconscious-Anima Mundi (i.e. Sophia)

Franz (1961) described four stages of animus development in a woman as (1) [The animus] first appears in dreams and fantasy as the embodiment of physical power, an athlete, muscle man or thug. (2) the animus provides a woman with initiative and the capacity for planned action. He is behind a woman's desire for independence and a career of her own. (3) the animus is the "word," often personified in dreams as a professor or clergyman. (4) the animus is the incarnation of spiritual meaning. On this highest level, like the anima as Sophia, the animus mediates between a woman's conscious mind and the unconscious.

It generally takes a great suffering or the loss of something to defeat the last vestiges of the ego and reveal to him the mysterious love, beauty and wisdom of the anima or animus. Four aspects of individuation: (1) becoming first increasingly independent from parents and from parental complexes; (2) becoming more competent in relationships; (3) becoming more of who and what you are; (4) becoming more 'whole'- the spiritual dimension.