Jungian Seminars - 2005
The Fool
Saturday, January 29, 2005
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.
Old Age: Coming Full Circle
Saturday, February 19, 2005
American society is not kind to the elderly. Old age is seen chiefly in terms of its deficits, while youth is the object one-sided admiration. Our very national identity is sometimes expressed in terms dismissive of “old Europe,” as if we, by virtue of youthful vigor alone, were destined to win the great race to Progress. The irony is, of course, that each of us moves daily farther into the aging process, ill-prepared to meet its challenges or to appreciate its values, whether in ourselves or in others. Jung envisioned the years past mid-life as those in which individuation comes to its fullest fruition. Let’s take an unsentimental look at this unique passage, through the lenses of poetry, fairy tale, myth, dream, and reminiscence.
The Unfinished Story
Saturday, March 19, 2005
Throughout our lifetimes we constantly find ourselves facing relationships, projects, dreams and experiences which begin with promise and determination, only to end before completion. Sometimes we feel as though our life itself is one huge unfinished story, going nowhere and with no sense of resolution in sight. This seminar will explore various fairy tales, dreams, and religious texts to determine what insights can be gained from examining those unfinished stories which beg for an ending. The personal unfinished stories of the participants will also be welcomed with respect and imagination.
The Good Being
Saturday, April 16, 2005
Let justice roll on like a river, and righteousness like a never-failing stream: This verse from the Hebrew scriptures captures the profound longing inspired by images of Goodness triumphant. In another mood, Goodness takes the form of compassion, awakening deep devotion in the followers of deities such as the Buddhist Kwan Yin. To live these ideals can be a tricky business. Yet a world without human saints, altruists, benefactors - and ordinary citizens hoping to leave the world a better place - is as unimaginable as it would be unlivable. Last fall we examined archetypal Evil: Now Goodness takes its turn.
The Magic Flute
Saturday, May, 14, 2005
One of the most beloved of Mozart’s works, “The Magic Flute” weaves together many archetypal themes, yoking together nobility of soul and earthy comic relief. Join us to sample clips from Ingmar Bergman’s film, which uses the camera to enter this opera in intimate ways quite different from what can be achieved onstage. We will explore the message with which Mozart dared to present patriarchal Austria over 200 years ago: that only when masculine and feminine are joined together in love and go forward in tandem can the highest human development be achieved. (“The Magic Flute” will be performed at Opera Carolina on May 19, 21, & 22.)
“Breaking the Rules”
Saturday, June 11, 2005
B
y virtue of living in societies we are governed by various rules, regulations and mores, whether cultural or religious in nature. One of the greatest tensions we encounter is that between collective standards and individual desires. Rules do create a certain sense of order, not only keeping our own destructive desires in check, but also protecting us from the harmful impulses of others. But what happens when one’s individuation process brings a person into direct conflict with collective standards? Can “breaking the rules” ever be the ethical choice? Is there any value in the punishment suffered as a result? These are but some of the questions this seminar will address from the perspective of analytical psychology.
“The Cat: A Symbol in Motion & At Rest”
Saturday, July 9, 2005
The eyes of one’s resident cat are, for many, the nearest window into the animal soul. They are also our link to the seminal culture of ancient Egypt, to which most of today’s domestic cats can trace their lineage: The human/feline partnership was probably cemented around 2000 B.C. in the Nile valley. Even then, the cat was felt to embody something of the Feminine. And as a popular figure in the Egyptian pantheon, the Cat was associated with both destruction and pleasures such as music and dance. Loved by some, distasteful to others, the powerful personality of the cat often finds expression in our dreams. Join us to reflect on what such dreams may reveal to us about our own psyches.
Trains, Planes, and Automobiles
Saturday, August 13, 2005
All of us can remember dreams in which we were moving from one place to another by some mode of transportation, especially after a summer vacation. Trains, planes, and automobiles only scratch the surface. Bicycles, buses, motorcycles, subways, boats, horses, and our own two feet—each adds its own symbolic meaning to the experience of traveling. Each mode of transportation carries not only personal associations but also archetypal meaning. While this seminar will explore a variety of transportation dreams, participants are invited to bring their own as an opportunity to examine where we are going, how we are getting there, and who is driving.
The Money Complex
Saturday, September 10, 2005
Does it seem incongruous to you that, beneath the streets of Jung’s Zurich, legendary vaults are filled with the gold of international banking? Do you wonder if soul can make itself at home beneath a Charlotte skyline dominated by temples of finance? Most of us regard concern for personal wealth as the height of practicality, and money is seldom considered in its purely symbolic aspect; yet, whether in abundance or in poverty, nothing more readily provokes emotion and irrationality. Some kind of “money complex” is virtually universal in the modern psyche. What symbolic weight does money carry for you? Ticket to flights of fantasy? Soul-destroying burden? Vehicle for creative action? Temptation to anti-social behavior? Badge of status? What do images of money (or gold) mean when appearing in our dreams? Join us to reflect on the archetypal background of a “construct” central to contemporary culture.
Ritual: Symbolic Enactments
Saturday, October 8, 2005
The creation & practice of rituals is a universal human behavior, often, but not always, carried on within the context of an established religion. Anthropologists view cohesive community as a necessary condition in order for rituals to fulfill their function. Yet it is individual creativity which gives rise to rituals – not only creating them, but also refining & transforming them to address new conditions, new times. Many rituals first emerged in dreams & visions and were lived before they were “understood,” bringing the whole body & emotional life into play as a prelude to conscious insight. Join us to reflect on what rituals bring to psychic life. We will examine a few rituals that have vitality in a modern secular context, along with the spontaneous appearance of rituals in our dreams.
“I Forgive You”
Saturday, November 12, 2005
The experience of forgiveness is difficult to understand, let alone undertake. Most of the world’s major religions list the ability to forgive as a prerequisite for wholeness and abundant living. But the feelings of anguish, pain, and betrayal that give rise to a need for forgiveness are not easily negotiated. And although the original hurt comes as the result of an encounter between at least two people, the process of forgiving in itself is often a slow, lonely, and personal passage. Sometimes forgiveness comes without reconciliation. Sometimes forgiveness never comes. This seminar will examine the many layers and steps involved in this process. We hope to draw on the wisdom of personal story and dreams to help us in our quest.
Enduring the Darkness, Embracing the Light
Saturday, December 10, 2005
As the days moving into winter continue to grow shorter, darkness extends its reach. The ancients struggled to find meaning in this phenomenon, both collectively and personally. The hopeful symbolism associated with evergreens and holly worked its way into myth, ritual and practice. Even the Judeo-Christian tradition celebrates “the darkness that precedes the light.” What do we know of this experience in our own lives? An experience reflected in the passing of the seasons and religious observance? What is the archetypal foundation underlying this waiting in darkness, hopeful that the light will indeed reappear. This seminar will examine how it feels and what it means to endure the darkness that hopefully will lead to an embracing of the light.