[foxyshaman]

Originally Posted by AtLastHome

Thank for these thoughts.

This speaks to my internalizations of both gender and sexuality as a butch. The barriers about gender as well as sexuality have been so misinterpreted in modern cultures, I believe. And the tension created internally as well as externally due to this is so hard for some and so fed with the Puritan Ethic (well, as we view this ethic, today- this is what messing with history leads to).

I'm a blend (well, we all are, really) and am grateful for being at peace with this. Two-Spirit as well as the ways of the Shamanism seem to just be barrier free in terms of gender and sexuality which is a positive energy force as I experience it. I am grateful for this as many do not have this peace and flow. Although, everyone has their own way to get where they want to go!

I often think about the relationship of anima and animus with taking either testosterone or estrogen and how many transpeople begin to experience sexual attraction thereafter with many finding themselves attracted more to the gender of their own transition (male to male, female to female). Jung would have a field day if he were alive today and able to study this! For me this puts bisexuality as well as homosexuality on a whole new level.

I would be happy to know what Jung might have felt or written about in this context. I have never researched any of his papers that were written specifically on homosexuality and the "S" self relationship. I use along of Jungian terminology when I explaining shamanism to my students. I use his modern language to describe an ancient practice and idealogy. Our conceptual language has grown leaps and bounds, but our spiritual language has been much slower to come to the forefront of our intellectual musings.

I think we get the terms anima/animus confused with our binary concepts of male and female. Anima and animus are not related to male and female, rather masculine and feminine principles co-existing in our psyche. I am sure ALH you could write it better and more understandable than I could/can. My understanding... brass tacks... is that masculine refers to the doing, and anima refers to the being. Animus writes this message, anima is the inspiration behind the writing. I hope that comes out right??

I have long wondered what the addition of estrogen and testoterone have done to psyche, not just of the individual, but if we accept that we are all interconnected, than how does it affect the psyche of the family...community...society...country... I think it has to.

It has been exciting for me to actively seek the experiential aspects of Shamanism. I have pushed the boundaries, in my own ways, of gender and gender roles both in the physical world andin the spiritual world. I have found the the spirits don't really recognize gender assignments, such as strength, fortitude, compassion... rather they seem to expect the ability of the individual journeyor to transcend our preconceived notions of boundaries/gender.

I have not had to struggle with gender identity, but I have had to struggle with spiritual identity not only for myself, but also for my students and patients. In my case male spirits were my main teachers, except for my grandmother and holy hell you just did not wanna cross that spirit, no how no way. Everytime I did I generally ended up bleeding. Anyway I sense a tangent coming on... must stop tangents....

It is not often that I am able to freely discuss this aspect of shamanism that I find endlessly fascinating. I have studied Third Gender for a number of years. When I first read about the concept I felt like my world/foundation had rocked under me. I was really sent for a loop, I came back but with a much better understanding of myself. Interesting side note, when reading anthropology regarding shamans, just because the author does not mention the third gender don't assume it was not there... assume it was.