Images of Individuation
Seminars for Fellow Travelers
"Images
of Individuation" is designed as a weekend encounter with C. G.
Jung's concept of individuation : "the
process by which a person becomes an individual, that is, a separate
indivisible unity or whole." Typically beginning with a Friday
evening lecture providing a theoretical orientation, the seminar continues
on Saturday with one or two of the workshops listed below, delving more
deeply into particular sets of images expressing the individuation
process. These workshops are more participatory, offering opportunities to
reflect upon and to experience the power of the images, which in many
cases have been preserved and refined for centuries.
Seminars are presented jointly by Karen Hodges and Howard Tyas, Jungian
analysts. If you are interested in hosting or sponsoring such a weekend,
please contact Howard or Karen at (704) 377-0688 for more information on
availability, scheduling, and costs.
|
Questing for the Holy Grail |
|
|
The medieval story of one knight's search for the legendary Holy Grail has captivated the imagination of men and women throughout Western history. The notion of undertaking a quest in order to find an elusive treasure surfaces repeatedly in myth, poetry, film, and dreams. It is an expression of the soul's undaunted pursuit of that Source in life which has the power to heal what has been wounded and to restore what has been lost. This seminar will explore the anecdotes and images associated with this legend, as we join Parzival on his quest for the Holy Grail. |
|
|
|
|
|
Playing the Greater Trumps |
|
|
Familiar from at least 600
years of continuous use in the West, yet enigmatic in origin and
intent, the archetypal images depicted on the 22 Trump cards of
Tarot suggest a world complete unto itself. Traditional methods of
"reading" the cards rely upon the principle of
synchronicity to determine which of these archetypes are
constellated in the moment. Our process, however, will be to
reflect together upon the whole sequence, ending with the dance of
a gracefully animated World, as one way of telling the story of
individuation. True to the presiding spirit of the Fool, we will
stray outside the territory of cultural and personal certainties,
where the best resource is a willingness to travel light and a
flexible orientation to the unknown. |
|
|
Uniting the Opposites |
|
|
Alchemy is usually dismissed as the pseudo-scientific attempt to transform base metals into gold. C.G. Jung was among the first who undertook a strenuous study of the alchemical formulas and images, discovering within them symbolic expressions of the process he referred to as individuation. Ten alchemical pictures from the Rosarium philosophorum (1550) focus on chaotically opposed principles in the psyche and the "sacred marriage" that may transform them. This seminar will begin with a brief overview of alchemy. The group will then engage in a meditative exploration of each of the Rosarium pictures. Our own unsettling experiences of the opposites may be put into perspective as we trace their role in revealing what is solid and enduring within. |
|
|
Herding the Ox |
|
|
|
In the 15th century, a Zen master named Kaku-an produced a series of paintings called the Ten Oxherder Pictures, accompanied by some remarkable poems and commentaries. These pictures, portraying the relationship between a boy and an ox, express in art the experience of satori, or Zen Enlightenment, "seeing one's own nature." Jungian analysts, both East and West, have come to appreciate these ten pictures as one way of portraying what C.G. Jung called the individuation process. The group's discussion will focus on these ten simple yet profound pictures, in an attempt better to understand our own unique experiences of individuation. |
|
Following the Feather's Flight |
|
|
"Once upon a time there was a king who had three sons..." So begins the classic Grimm's fairy tale, "The Three Feathers." Once dismissed as fare for children, fairy tales are now increasingly valued for the folk wisdom they embody, distilled from centuries of human experience. Often, as in "The Three Feathers," these tales address a time of life in which we stand at a crossroads, no longer knowing which way to turn. At this moment, ripe for individuation, the magical characters and events of the tale give form to an archaic intelligence of the heart, slumbering beneath our modern programming for success. The group will interact with this delightful tale of a simpleton who can find what others seek in vain, as we reflect on our own neglected potentials. Links to Fairy Tale, Folklore and Mythology sites: |
|
|
Listening for the Magic Flute |
|
|
|
"Help! Help, or I am lost, Doomed to fall prey to the cunning serpent." So begins Mozart's well-known "sing play", The Magic Flute. It is a fairy tale which follows the archetypal journey of a young prince named Tamino and a fanciful birdcatcher named Papageno as they struggle to find what will make their hearts complete. Love, intrigue, betrayal, ritual tests, religious ardor, and humor: Each plays its fateful part in the individuation of the two heroes. As we reflect upon the story, the music and the drama, using selections from Ingmar Bergman's award-winning film of the opera, take a front row seat and perhaps you will hear the magic of the flute. |
|
Living the Paradox |
|
Every major world religion contains teaching stories and
sayings which are paradoxical in nature. Sayings such as,
Links to Analytical Psychology and Religion sites: |
|
Thunder in the East: Serious accidents, twists of fate, falling victim
to a brutal crime, unforeseen betrayals: these may be some of the
most memorable experiences in anyone's life, as well as the most
difficult to assimilate. On the lighter side, there are also
shocks of recognition, astonishing windfalls, and irreverent humor
which turns things upside down, making us laugh. Paradoxically,
while life's shocks may be terrifying and difficult to understand,
our culture trades more and more in "shock value" as the
quickest and easiest way to capture an audience.
|
|
Eros and Psyche Ever since she was immortalized by Apuleius in the second century, Psyche has stimulated men and women alike to imagine heroism in a different key: "feminine," receptive, oriented to relatedness rather than conquest. So beautiful that she is touted as goddess of the neighborhood, Psyche is given in marriage to the divine Eros himself. Jealous? Think again. This is only the beginning of a tale of loss, seemingly endless seeking, resourcefulness, despair, and finally redemption - all of which reveals Psyche as much like ourselves in our least self-assured moments. Join us to reflect on six crucial tasks required of Psyche that distill the meaning of the tale. Participants' questions, insights, and stories will be welcomed as amplifications of these images of individuation.
Follow the Bouncing Ball The ball has been a central symbol from the beginning of human consciousness, when we first looked up into the sky and saw the sun and moon. Since that time the ball or sphere has continued to bounce into art, myths, fairy tales, dreams and games. Jung himself initiated a ball game among members of the Psychology Club in Zurich, inspired by various medieval practices which included playing with a ball during the celebration of the Mass. This seminar will examine the symbol of the ball as it appears in all the above arenas. We will try to ponder its nature, follow its movement, catch its meaning. Participants are encouraged to bring their favorite ball to the seminar for inspiration.
UFOs from Inner Space
Discussion regarding Unidentified Flying Objects usually revolves around whether UFO sightings are fact or fiction, true or false. Have people really seen with their own two eyes what they have claimed? Can anyone convince them otherwise? Can intergalactic visitors really make so many appearances without being detected by global surveillance? How can UFO witnesses ignore scientific scrutiny or the unbreakable laws of physics? And yet the reports and the fascination simply will not abate. Perhaps it might be helpful to turn the phenomenon gently in our hand and reflect upon another facet. This seminar will examine Jung’s 1958 treatise entitled “Flying Saucers: A Modern Myth of Things Seen in the Skies.” Perhaps these sightings and encounters with extraterrestrials reflect a different, although no less meaningful, kind of truth. Vocation: To Be Called The word vocation comes from the Latin, meaning “to be called.” We tend to think of vocation in terms of what a person chooses as a life occupation. Often we associate vocation with someone who has been seized by a religious passion. However, the experience of vocation encompasses both of these areas and more. From a Jungian point of view, the phenomenon of “being called” is a mysterious one. Seldom do we control the process. There appears to be a spirit at work which moves in its own directions and according to its own timetable. Rather than our choosing a vocation, it chooses us. This seminar will seek to explore this irrational process of “being called,” whether to our profession, our religious path, our activities and educational interests, or even our hobbies. “What is it, in the end, that induces a man to go his own way and to rise out of unconscious identity with the mass as out of a swathing mist? It is what is commonly called vocation: an irrational factor that destines a man to emancipate himself from the herd and from its well-worn paths. … Anyone with a vocation hears the voice of the inner man: he is called.” The Development of Personality, par. 299f.
|
|
|
The Monkey King |
|
|
In every culture, there are a few classic tales whose appeal never fades. The Journey to the West is one of these: a 16th century Chinese novel about the much-storied pilgrimage which brought Buddhist Scripture out of India. This seminar helps to make the acquaintance of its most beloved character: the dauntless & irreverent Monkey King—a Trickster hero of truly archetypal proportions & inspiration for everything from classical Chinese opera to a wildly popular TV series of the 1970’s.
|
|
|
Quotes to Live By During the course of our lives we find ourselves being provoked or inspired by words other people have said or written. These words may come from personal experience, intellectual reflection, poetry, or fictional writing. But something in the sentiment touches us and stays with us. Maybe we know why we are moved so, maybe not. This seminar invites its participants to bring their “quotes to live by” to share and explore. Quotes by Jung will be addressed as well.
Mephistopheles The power which always works for Evil and effects the Good”: Thus Mephistopheles characterizes himself in Goethe’s Faust. There are many ways to think of Evil, many ways to experience it in our lives. But Goethe’s is perhaps most integral to the notion of individuation as later developed by Jung. Jung declared that “one cannot meditate enough about Faust,” so join us to reflect on this classic character who, for many, is the very personification of Western man. How are we like Faust? And what good might yet come of our misadventures with the devil, or the shadow side of life?
Dramatic Readings Jung once wrote, “The whole dream-work is essentially subjective, and a dream is a theatre in which the dreamer is himself the scene, the player, the prompter, the producer, the author, the public, and the critic.” While approaching our dreams as one would a drama is the most personal way to access inner material, it is also possible to use drama itself as a window into our interior lives. In this seminar we will synchronistically choose parts to read from various contemporary plays. It is hoped that our choosing and our “becoming” these characters will raise the curtain on some of our most poignant questions and experiences in life. Bring your flair for the dramatic.
The Scapegoat The term scapegoat derives from an ancient Hebrew ritual for purging the community of negative energy: This animal was symbolically loaded with the sum of all sins and sent away into the desert. Jung helped us to see that naïve shadow projections serve much the same function, removing the shadow to a comfortable distance, but at a high social and political cost. Sylvia Brinton Perera examined the scapegoat motif in a very different context, linking it with the self-hatred so typical of modern depression. Where better to seek insight into this archetypal dynamic than in Judaeo-Christian variations on the theme of the scapegoat?
The Poetic Impulse
Poetry has been described as the last great amateur activity: a discipline pursued for the sheer love of it. Poetic traditions may become worn out and artificial, but fresh inspiration, living voices, always seem to find their way to the fore. What is the magic of poetry that allows it to be reinvented over and over again with the changing times? What is its power to speak intimately across all cultural barriers? This seminar will not define poetry or consider its technical aspects, but rather will explore the mythic dimensions of Poet and Poem. We look forward to participants' bringing favorite examples, whether from the classics, hot off the "little magazine" press, or from their own poetic impulses.
The Divine Child
One of the most vivid and potent archetypes operating in Western culture is that of the Divine Child. It influences the way we think about everything from our actual children to the creative process and the way in which spiritual forces enter our world. “The Inner Child” has become a favorite phrase in pop psychology - as well as a favorite object of ridicule among skeptics. As the festival of the Divine Child approaches this December, let us consider what this archetypal image carries - for each of us personally, as well as collectively.
The Fool The Fool, like the Zero with which he is associated in the deck of Tarot cards, is a paradoxical figure, asserting in the very act of negating: knowing nothing, yet wise – defenseless, yet a survivor – stripped of possessions, yet lacking for nothing – a rascal, and yet a spiritual being in his own right. Shakespeare was fascinated with Fools as characters with a free pass to tell the truth. And Fools of all kinds have made their way into modern cinema, not only making us laugh, but restoring a saving sense of simplicity in the midst of too much cleverness, complexity, and corruption. Could it be that you yourself have stood in the shoes of the Fool once or twice? Join us to tap into the Fool’s capacity to feel at home at ground Zero. Return to Jungian Analytic Practice Home Page
|
|
