Masculine and Feminine: The Natural Flow of Opposites in the Psyche

As a layman, I'm often confused and put off by psychoanalytical writings. Gareth Hill's concept of the natural flow of matrivalent and patrivalent patterns, however, struck me as not only being accessible, but as making perfect sense. It has provided me with a framework that has enabled me to better understand the world around me--how people function at the individual and the collective levels. He shows us how we are simultaneously experiencing four psychological states, each with its own challenges; how we need to be aware of them and maintain them in harmonic balance. Insightful and life-changing in my case.

I've noticed that when you study these concepts you need both a logical explanation and a living example. I appreciate the Greek mythology as an expression of the universality of these patterns. I've also benefited enormously by studying these pages and watching Japanese Anime. You get immediate examples of positive/negative expressions of the static masculine- dynamic feminine relationships. Visa versa with examples of dynamic masculine characters looking for support from static feminine figures. The more you recognize the pattern the more you intuitively understand how to create harmony in relationships and to make progress in understanding your own unconscious behaviors.

I originally read Gareth Hill's Masculine and Feminine in the early 1990s and it was revelatory. Twenty years later, I continue to draw upon its concise theories of masculine and feminine dynamics. Considering what an absolute treasure is this book, it is incredible that it isn't a best seller. Indeed, what with the gathering crises we face as a humanity - largely a result of our long-held misunderstandings about the profound role of the feminine in maintaining balance in our individual and collective lives - the insights provided by this book are more relevant than ever. I cannot recommend it too highly.

I was delighted to be exposed to a psychoanalytical theory which goes beyond Jung and brings different branches of knowledge together in such a creative, inspiring manner. This was not an easy read for me, but I enjoyed every single word. Highly recommended!

The feminine masculine polarity has intrigued me since a long time. No other book has been as helpful to understand and make visible this powerful dynamic. Recommended for any adult, mandatory if you are interested in human development.

Brilliant and clear explanation of masculine and feminine dynamics. The chapter on Animus/Anima is the clearest presentation I've read anywhere.

Amazing text on the interplay and manifestation of the masculine and feminine in our conscious and unconscious interactions with others.

Full disclosure: I love all things psychodynamic/analytic/Jungian/Relational - I love it all. That out of the way... This book has completely changed the way I understand energetics, and the idea of the binary, which is not a binary at all (at this level of consciousness), but rather speaks to duality that underlies all that is. It's helped me understand my own difficulties in a new, profound, kind, and approachable way - while also giving me a broader view of human dynamics in general. In researcher terms: it generalizes well. If you're searching for something that might point you closer to your questions (maybe not *answers*, but perhaps the right questions...) - then this is that book. Enjoy.

In this book Jungian Gareth Hill suggests a new model for understanding the male/female dynamics of the psyche and given the inadequacies of the existing Jungian model, one can understand why he thought it necessary. However the book dates from 1992 and since then his model hasn't been adopted by any non Jungian psychoanalytical schools and I've never come across it in any Jungian books either, Draw your own conclusions from that.The concept he proposes is rather New Agey, though it has to be said with a great deal more sincerity and integrity than is usual in that genre. It's all right as far as it goes, particularly if you find abstract theoretical musings interesting but it's all too airy-fairy for my tastes. He describes some fascinating case studies but never delivers the knockout punch that resolves the issues he describes. Instead he has a self-referential tendency to reach for his own theory, go off at a tangent and waffle. And boy can he waffle.There's some good stuff in the book but in the end it tried my patience just too much.

This is a brilliant book full of insight. It contemporizes Jung's theory by doing a fantastic job of removing the outdated links between masculine and feminine principles and biology and gender. This book has given me fresh insight into Jung and enabled me to make much more sense of the masculine and feminine energies as they manifest themselves in each of us, male and female, throughout our lives.

Brings the whole concept up to date and illuminates the idea in an accessible and inspiring way. Well recommended!

Most of this book was good reading up until the author started comparing feminine societies and masculine societies from a biased point of view.

An interesting take on a perplexing subject. Definitely worth reading.