The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 5 letter word ANIMA
I've seen this crossword clue in Independent
A
N
I
M
A
More clues leading to the result ANIMA
- The spirit of Jungian imagery
- Soul of this writer’s evident in literary collection
- Soul of a bird returning
- Area with which the author’s at home, reflecting his female side
- Flyer that talks about advanced inner personality
- Woman I married shows spirit
- Brute abandons lost soul
- Manx cat for example shows inner personality
- Manx beast shows inner personality
- Tailless creature shows inner personality
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "spirit" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case spirit = anima.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does ANIMA mean?
ANIMA noun- The soul or animating principle of a living thing, especially as contrasted with the animus.
- (Jungian psychology) The inner self (not the external persona) of a person that is in touch with the unconscious as opposed to the persona.
- (Jungian psychology) The unconscious feminine aspect of a person.