Carl Jung: As I am an introverted intellectual my anima contains feeling [that is] quite blind.
We like to think that with moral ideas we can direct our lives, but these things do not catch; if they did we would have been all right long ago.
Moral views do not touch the collective unconscious.
Within the realm of willpower we have choice, but beyond that no choice at all.
The black serpent symbolizes the introverting libido.
Salome is the anima and Elijah the wise old man. Salome, being instinctive and quite blind, needs the foreseeing eyes of wisdom that Elijah possesses.
The figure of the prophet is compensatory to that of the blind anima.
As I am an introverted intellectual my anima contains feeling [that is] quite blind.
In my case the anima contains not only Salome, but some of the serpent, which is sensation as well.
As you remember, the real Salome was involved in incestuous relations with Herod, her stepfather, and it was because of the latter’s love for her that she was able to get the head of John the Baptist. ~Carl Jung, 1925 Seminar, Pages 99-100.
