Jungian Seminars - 1998
Questing for the Holy Grail
Saturday, January 31, 1998
The medieval story of one knight’s search for the legendary Holy Grail of Christ 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
Saturday, March 7, 1998
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.
The Seduction of the Dream
Saturday, February 14, 1998
Individuation may be characterized as a relationship worked out day by day: a balanced relationship between one’s conscious personality and what lies in the shadows of the unconscious. This task is complicated by powerful forces of both constellate between the two realms. For Jung, the seductive anima embodied much of the ambivalence of this work, where genuine peril may be encountered alongside the highest values. Will the vulnerable ego end up locked in an enchantment, or will hidden springs of energy be cleared to flow into the enterprises of life? This seminar will focus on erotic dreams of anima and animus and ways to approach them without losing one’s own standpoint as an individual.
Animal Wisdom in Dreams
Saturday, April 18, 1998
When the man or woman of archaic times was visited by Spirit, it was often in animal form, ranging from an individual totem or helper to a god endowed with world-creating powers. Animal imagery in modern dreams and fantasies is often interpreted in terms of instincts closely connected to the body, such as sexuality and aggression. Yet the archetypal idea of the animal as autonomous representative of the spiritual world continues to find compelling expression. Might such experiences perform a compensatory function, challenging contemporary fantasies of psyche and world? In this seminar we will examine incarnations of animal wisdom in dreams. Experiences of affinity with particular animals will be viewed within the context of "the symbolic life".
Listening for the Magic Flute
Saturday, September 26, 1998
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 Ingmar Bergman’s award-winning production of Mozart’s opera, take a front row seat and perhaps you will hear the magic of the flute. (Those pre-registering will be mailed a synopsis of the libretto before the seminar.)
Living the Paradox
Saturday, October 24, 1998
Every major world religion contains teaching stories and sayings which are paradoxical in nature. Sayings such as,
“If you meet the Buddha on the road, kill him!”
“Be humble for you are made of dust. Be noble for you are made of stars.”
“All great truths begin as blasphemies.”
“The torch of doubt and chaos, this is what the sage steers by.”
“Whoever would save their life will lose it, but whoever would lose their life will preserve it.”
Such statements appear radically self-contradictory, even absurd, yet they communicate truths about life which both provoke and fascinate us. You are invited to enter into the unorthodox world of paradox, in hopes of catching a glimpse of the individuation process as understood by various religious traditions.
Dreams from Childhood
Saturday, November 14, 1998
In The Soul’s Code James Hillman writes, “I want us to envision that what children go through has to do with finding a place in the world for their specific calling. The entire image of a destiny is packed into a tiny acorn, the seed of a huge oak on small shoulders.” Many of us remember or are haunted by hildhood dreams which have not lost their mystery or enchantment. Often they seem to presage a vocation or passion in life that could not otherwise have been foreseen. This seminar will examine several childhood dreams in an attempt better to understand how our own acorns have held the blueprint to our lives’ unique unfolding. “In the final analysis, we count for something only because of the essential we embody, and if we do not embody that, life is wasted.” C. G. Jung
Basics of Jungian Dream Interpretation
Saturday, December 5, 1998
Dreamwork can be a means of deepening one’s connection with inner sources of creativity, as well as a resource for dealing with therapeutic issues. In this introduction, we will examine some of Jung’s basic insights into the nature of dreams and explore techniques useful in dream interpretation , using clinical illustrations. Appropriate attitudes toward the dream, its structure, content, images, and understanding the dream’s function will all be addressed. You may bring your own questions and concerns, to be addressed as time allows.