Healing of Opposites: Healing the Dis-Eased Masculine and Feminine

Lovers by Mikuláš Galanda

In my previous essay, I explored how myth, neuroscience, and cultural behavior all reflect a growing imbalance in our collective psyche, one that distorts the sacred masculine and feminine into reactive extremes. We traced this pattern from ancient cosmologies to modern-day chaos, showing how disconnection from struggle, discipline, and truth has left many of us spiritually unmoored, addicted to comfort, and vulnerable to ideological possession.

But it’s not enough to understand this pattern on the outside. If we want true change, true lasting, meaningful healing, it has to start within. Like Rumi said, “Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.” This is how we heal the collective by healing ourselves, by reclaiming our inner balance, not by denying conflict or any aspect of ourselves, but by learning how to hold the tension of opposites without projecting them onto the world. Where the last thinkpiece mapped the collapse of harmony across systems and symbols, this one brings the conversation inward, into the psyche, the body, and the soul. Because inner imbalance becomes outer imbalance. The world reflects the state of our inner lives — fractured, distracted, afraid of stillness. If we want to change the world, we start by remembering and healing the self.

Human nature is both profoundly simple and endlessly complex. We are beings of duality, carrying within us the sacred and the shadow, the masculine and the feminine, the light and the dark. When these energies are in balance, they create harmony and allow us to thrive. But when they fall into dis-ease, they distort into caricatures of themselves, sowing division, blame, and chaos within individuals and society.

But understanding the collective pattern means nothing if we don’t take it inward and do the work. We can’t level up if we’re not willing to be challenged. Not to sound like a cliche, but growth doesn’t happen in your comfort zone. Yes it’s messy and scary and uncomfortable but it’s also liberating and beautiful and it is foundational to our own growth and awakening. This is where the real healing begins; this duality, the interplay of opposites, is the essence of life. The masculine and feminine energies within us are not opposites to be pitted against one another but complements that, when in balance, create wholeness. The sacred masculine provides structure, clarity, and protection, while the sacred feminine nurtures, connects, and inspires. Together, they form a dynamic partnership, greater than the sum of their parts. Each of us has our own unique recipe for balance, that’s what makes us such unique individuals, it’s what makes us, well, us. We are the mix of light and shadow, yin and yang, masculine and feminine energies.

When these energies fall out of harmony, they become unhealthy distortions, turning into forces that harm rather than heal. The dis-eased masculine thrives in aggression, domination, and control, while the dis-eased feminine distorts into chaos, manipulation, hysteria and perpetual victimhood. Together, these imbalances perpetuate cycles of dysfunction, feeding off one another and leaving us increasingly divided. We are like the children of two really toxic parents and we are caught in the middle. Some of us choose one parent over the other, others react in opposition to whichever parent is most triggering for our own wounds, and some of us see the dysfunction and consciously choose the uphill struggle of healing from a very sick, volatile and corrupted relationship. The only path to healing lies not in external blame but in self-reflection, accountability, and the cultivation of inner harmony.

The Anima and Animus: Jung’s Mirror of Inner Balance

If you’re reading my work, you’re probably already aware of Carl Jung, his work, and my respect and admiration for his own journey of science and mysticism. Do you are most likely already familiar with the concept of Anima and Animus. Jung developed the concepts of the Anima and Animus as part of his broader framework on the individuation process, his term for the path of psychological integration and spiritual wholeness. These two foundational archetypes emerged from his work on the collective unconscious, where he noticed recurring symbolic patterns across cultures, dreams, and myths. He believed that within every person exists a counterpart: the unconscious opposite of our conscious identity, rooted in both biology and the shared mythic landscape of the psyche. In Jungian psychology, the anima and animus are not just symbolic archetypes, but keys to understanding how masculine and feminine energies live within each of us, regardless of sex, identity or gender. The anima represents the inner feminine within a man; the animus, the inner masculine within a woman. But more broadly, they point to the unconscious opposite energy buried in the psyche, often repressed, projected, or misunderstood.

When denied or unexamined, these energies don’t vanish; they distort. What we ignore or repress finds pockets where it can latch in and express itself, which is why tending to the darker or undesirable aspects of ourselves is so important. The repressed anima, which is the feminine in men, may emerge in men as emotional volatility, idealized fantasy, or resentment toward women, projecting the unintegrated feminine onto others with unconscious and often overly aggressive intensity. Similarly, the unintegrated animus, or the masculine in women, may show up as harsh self-criticism, combative intellectualism, or a compulsive need to dominate or be right, often projected onto men or institutions of power.

Jung warned that without consciously integrating these inner opposites, we become possessed by them. And possession leads to projection. We disown our inner wounds and throw them onto the world like a distorted mirror, blaming others for the very traits we refuse to face within ourselves. The overcontrolling leader, the chaotic activist, the emotionally manipulative partner, these are not just societal roles; they are symptoms of the psyche’s refusal to integrate its opposites. This echoes the very myths we explored earlier, like Tiamat and Marduk, or Ahura Mazda and Ahriman, where unresolved tension between forces leads to destruction, until one overpowers, consumes or, if we are intentional, integrates the other. Jungian theory carries that same ancient lesson into the psyche: balance is not the absence of conflict, but the conscious dance between opposites.

Integration is not the same as assimilation. It is the sacred act of holding tension between polarities, like light and shadow, without collapsing into one side. Just as the Tao teaches that yin and yang swirl endlessly into one another, each containing the seed of the other, Jung’s anima and animus teach us that the path to wholeness isn’t found in choosing masculine or feminine, but in allowing each to temper, challenge, complement and complete the other. If we deny one, we starve it and allow the other to metastasize into something dangerous, extreme and wholly unwell.

The Dis-Eased Energies: Patterns of Imbalance

When the masculine energy becomes dis-eased, it manifests as hyper-aggression, domination, and an obsessive need for control. It suppresses vulnerability, mistaking it for weakness, and clings to external markers of power and status to feel secure. This energy imposes rigid order, often at the expense of connection and growth, creating isolation and fear. When the feminine energy becomes dis-eased, it distorts into chaos, manipulation, and reactivity. It weaponizes emotions and moral superiority to control others, avoiding accountability by projecting blame outward. This energy thrives in instability and hypersensitivity, clocking disruptive rather than nurturing or calming.

Group IX/SUW, The Swan, No. 17, Hilma af Klint

Though these patterns appear as opposites, they stem from the same poisoned source: unhealed wounds and an inability to integrate these energies within oneself. Both project their struggles outward, externalizing blame rather than addressing the inner imbalances that create dis-ease. As Carl Jung said, “Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate.” These dis-eased energies are the shadows within us, calling out for integration and healing.

The Dance of Opposites: Divine Masculine and Feminine

The sacred masculine and feminine energies are not rigid or static. They are dynamic forces, constantly shifting and adapting to life’s needs. The divine masculine provides structure, discipline, and accountability, anchoring us in purpose and protecting what is sacred. The divine feminine inspires creation, nurtures growth, and fosters connection, offering intuition and flow. As one of my favorite spiritual philosophers, Alan Watts, reminds us, “The light and the dark, the male and the female are not opposites, but complements.” True harmony arises not from erasing differences but from allowing these energies to work together, each tempering and elevating the other. When the sacred masculine and feminine are in balance, they create a foundation for peace, creativity, and resilience. This balance is not about a perfect 50/50 split but about dynamic interplay. The sacred masculine holds space for the feminine’s creative flow, while the feminine softens and humanizes the masculine’s structure. Together, they create a harmony that is fluid and adaptable, responding to the needs of the moment.

Nature as a Teacher: Harmony in the Wild

The natural world offers a profound reflection of this balance. Consider the sacred masculine in the intricate geometry of plants, the fractals of a fern or the Fibonacci spirals of a sunflower. These patterns embody order, stability, and structure. Yet, this precision alone would not sustain life. Enter the sacred feminine: the unpredictable, nurturing intelligence of fungi, which weave vast underground networks connecting and nourishing entire ecosystems. All of these unique species working in harmony, working within the sacred balance to build beautiful ecosystems and sustain all life on this planet. It’s really a miracle and a living example of the Sacred Balance of Right Relationship. As Robin Wall Kimmerer writes, “All flourishing is mutual.” Plants and fungi do not compete for dominance; they collaborate, creating systems where life thrives.

The Taoist view of yin and yang further reveals this principle of mutuality: yin (feminine) is the dark, the receptive, the emotive, the instinctive, the water; yang (masculine) is the light, the active, the rational, the intellectual, the fire. Life is the dance of these energies, when one dominates, the whole system decays. When the system is in harmony, it flourishes.When balance is lost, the consequences are severe. Overdominance, the masculine unchecked, creates monocultures that stifle diversity, while unregulated chaos, the feminine unanchored, leads to overgrowth that depletes resources. Nature reminds us that harmony is not static but a living, breathing dance, where each energy anchors and uplifts the other.

The Poison of Projection

One of the greatest barriers to balance is our tendency to project our wounds outward. The dis-eased masculine blames chaos and change for its need to dominate, while the dis-eased feminine blames oppression for its sense of victimhood. Both externalize their struggles, convincing themselves that their suffering is caused solely by external forces, with no autonomy or personal authority over their life. It’s always someone else’s fault, someone else’s responsibility. There is always an outsider to blame. This pattern of projection prevents healing, creating cycles of dysfunction where individuals and movements scapegoat others rather than addressing the inner work needed to find peace. As long as we blame others for our suffering, we remain trapped, forfeiting our autonomy and power to grow. Separation leads to violence. It’s one thing to celebrate and honor what makes us unique and different, and to find others who share similar values, beliefs or cultures, but the danger is when this is weaponized, when we separate and allow fear to infiltrate what’s good about our uniqueness, whether individual or our chosen tribe, to become distorted and used to segregate, divide and control.

The Work of Healing: Accountability and Inner Harmony

True healing begins within. The desire to change the world is noble, but when it places responsibility outside of ourselves, it misses the mark. The sacred masculine and feminine teach us that balance is not about fixing others but about integrating these energies within ourselves. To protect without controlling requires the sacred masculine to root itself in humility rather than fear. To lead with integrity rather than dominance. It is a force that stands without needing to conquer, that shields without silencing. To nurture without manipulating requires the sacred feminine to stay connected to discernment, to hold space without collapsing into martyrdom. It creates not out of obligation, but from the intuitive knowing that love is not the absence of boundaries but the presence of respect.

This inner alchemy is not just emotional—it is spiritual. It is what prepares us for the outer storms. Because in a world increasingly at war with itself, the most radical act is not to fight harder, but to balance deeper. This work is not easy. It requires us to step away from the noise of external blame and turn inward, confronting our shadows and cultivating balance. But as we heal ourselves, we begin to radiate that balance outward, transforming our relationships, communities, and ultimately, society.

The Nexus of Life

There are so many traditions where the sacred balance of masculine and feminine are embodied in such a beautiful and cohesive web. As Martin Prechtal wrote, “In a village that remembers soul, men and women are not at war. Masculine and feminine are not enemies to be balanced, but songs that harmonize together.” This isn’t just poetry; it’s a truth echoed across spiritual teachings, indigenous wisdom, and modern science alike. Many depth psychologists and trauma-informed practitioners have noted that inner balance, between emotion and reason, instinct and structure, is one of the clearest indicators of psychological resilience. Those who develop the capacity to hold paradox, to integrate their own shadow rather than reject it, tend to move through life with greater clarity, compassion, and spiritual sovereignty. Jung himself viewed the integration of masculine and feminine within as a key task of individuation, the sacred process of becoming whole. The same holds true at the community level. In cultures like the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois Confederacy), women served as clan mothers with equal authority in appointing male leaders, governance rooted in mutual balance, not dominance. Among the Dagara people of West Africa, each person is born into a sacred elemental archetype, embodying an energy that is neither better nor worse than another, just different and necessary for the healing of the whole. In his book, The Healing Wisdom of Africa, Malidoma Patrice Somé wrote “Each person is born into a specific elemental identity—not a personality, but a spiritual purpose. The community depends on each member living that purpose, not becoming the same.”

I’m currently working at a very unique place where Right Relationship is the foundation of everything we do, it’s embedded in the DNA, and within ourselves, each other, and the world. I’m actually really excited about the future when I’m there, and my friend and mentor Diane has cultivated a really awesome group of people to build this new medicine village based on Right Relationship. But this isn’t just about personal peace. It’s about survival. Because a society that loses its balance, between reason and emotion, structure and flow, truth and compassion, will fall into the abyss. The sacred doesn’t disappear, but it does retreat when it isn’t honored. And without it, we lose the very memory of wholeness. This balance isn’t about conformity or binaries, it’s about honoring the different energies, aspects and experiences that live within each of us. Healing requires us to be honest, not only about what’s broken, but about what still lives, waiting to be remembered and reclaimed. The sacred is still here. It waits quietly for us to be still enough to remember who we are as individuals and how we can bring our own unique gifts to be of service to the collective, not out of striving or competition, but from a place of genuine reciprocity.

We heal, not by choosing sides, but by becoming whole.