are the goddesses with whom the ego identifies.
Meanwhile, the perspective and priorities of out-of-favor god-
desses are suppressed or repressed. They may be mute or may not
even appear to be present on the committee. Instead, their influence
is felt “outside the committee room”—or outside consciousness.
Actions, psychosomatic symptoms, and moods may be expressions
of these censored goddesses.
“Acting out” is unconsciously motivated behavior that reduces
tension created by conflicting feelings. For example, a married wo-
man, Barbara, feels resentful that her husband’s sister Susan always
assumes that she, Susan, can always get a ride with Barbara. Barbara
can’t say no without feeling selfish and guilty, and she can’t get
angry because anger is unacceptable. Thus her ego as chair sides
with Hera and Demeter, the goddesses who insist that she be the
good wife who looks out for her husband’s relatives and be a nur-
turing, caretaking person. Her ego represses the virgin goddesses
who resent taking care of others. Inward tension builds up, which
she discharges by “acting out.” Barbara “forgets” the appointment
to pick up Susan. Deliberately standing Susan up would have been
very hostile—something Artemis or Athena might even advocate
doing on purpose. By “forgetting,” however, Barbara “acts out” the
hostility and discourages Susan’s habit. But Barbara is still “innocent”
of her own anger and her assertion of independence.
Another, more significant example of acting out was provided by
a patient of mine. She was due to audition for a supporting role in
an important movie. The casting director had seen her and thought
she might be perfect for the part, so he had asked her to try out. It
was her big chance. The thirty-year-old actress was a member of a
small repertory theater, and lived with the director of the theater.
They had had an on-again, off-again relationship for three years.
Some part of her knew that he could not tolerate her having more
success than he. But she had repressed this knowledge—along with
a number of other insights that protected her from seeing him as he
really was. When the movie opportunity came along, she prepared
for the audition, rehearsed until the last minute, and became so ab-
sorbed that she “lost track of the time.” She missed the appointment.
Which Goddess Gets the Golden Apple?