AUS Jungian Discussion Group Notes

AUS JUNGIAN DISCUSSION GROUP - March 14, 2012, 1:00-2:00 pm
3 people attended: 2 faculty members and 1 MA Psych student

We discussed the following resources:
Edinger, E. E. (1984). Creative consciousness: Jung's myths for modern man. Toronto, Canada: Inner
    
     City Books.

Hamaker-Zondag, K. (1989). Psychological astrology: A synthesis of Jungian psychology and 
   
     astrology. York Beach, ME: Samuel Weiser.

Lachman, G. (2012). The mystic: The esoteric dimensions of Carl Jung's life and teaching. New York,

     NY: Penguin.

Moore, R. L., & Gillette, D. (1990). King, warrior, mystic, lover: Rediscovering the archetypes of the 

     mature masculine. New York, NY: HarperCollins.

Tarnas, R. (1991). The passion of the western mind: Understanding the ideas that have shaped our 

     worldview. New York, NY: Ballantine.

Tarnas, R. (19--). Cosmos and psyche: Intimations of a new worldview. New York, NY: Penguin.

Is the western psyche undergoing a rite of passage?

Rite of Passage Journey.

AUS JUNGIAN DISCUSSION GROUP - Oct. 12, 2011 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

4 people attended

Discussion about what we want and what we end up getting/needing. Ann shared her story about an unintentional vision quest she went on. 

Contd. discussion about the plans we make for ourselves and how life works out

Discussion about applying Jungian concepts to couples

Hags and Heroes, Polly Young-Eisendrath

Internal Wedding – Female and Male internal parts of each person

Book- You’re not what I expected, Polly Young-Eisendrath

Practicality and abstractness of doing therapy

Projection

Virtual bookcase

Ann tells this story: 

Sir Arthur is out in the woods hunting and he kills a stag and then is approached by a giant who claims that it is his land he has been hunting on and must kill him. The giant gives him a riddle to solve within a year to spare his life. The riddle is, “What do women want?”
He asks people, does not find and answer, goes back to the scene of the crime and runs into the giant’s stepsister – a hag in rags with warts. She says she’s can help him and knows the answer. In exchange for the answer she states Sir Gawain must marry her. She says she can either be beautiful during the day or ugly at night or vice versa. He says that it is her choice. Sovereignty. The spell now becomes broken.

We come because we want to change but we are often not ready or willing for change

Young-Eisendrath works to honor the hag and honor the feminine. That which has been oppressed has the answer.

Psyche and the family, Dodson and Gibson

One of the couple often has too much authority and the other has too little.

Each needs to look at how much vulnerability the other has.

When couples become so separated from one another, they start hating each other.

*The goal is to listen to the hag

Discussion about the methodology of sandtray

Personification of image

Discussion about differences between MHC and CFT degree programs

and Jungian Psychoanalysists Association (JPA)

When a community has a Jungian institute, its moderately territorial

AUS JUNGIAN DISCUSSION GROUP September 6, 2011, 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm 

4 people attended

Mask of God (I) Primitive Mythology

Innate Releasing Mechanism

--Archetypal Imagery (Campbell)

Central Excitatory Mechanism

Add- respect boundaries (Campbell)

Myth of the Family – Hillman (tapes)

·      Discussion about different M. A. Psychology programs – Pacifica, Antioch

OSU

·      Discussion about online supervision vs. self-report (face-to-face)

·      Jungian psychology – individuation is the goal but is not measurable

·      Developmental psych – an attempt by the left brain to describe things that are moderately indescribable. We attempt to organize things..an attempt to say, “here’s a range.”
We often get to a stage that most people aren’t accomplished in. Most people do not get to interdependent

·      When people look at stages as “here’s what is,” that’s not good.

·      Young-Eisendrath, P. Cambridge companion to Jung.

·      The idea of blaming one’s parents for our failures is so prevalent in our culture but almost unheard of in other cultures

·      “So often people choose a polarity when it is not a formula, it is a guesstimate.” - Ann

·       Multimatrix. “Ethnicities have some commonalities and then there are individuals…We try to organize things so that it’s not just chaos, but in the organizing we limit ourselves.” – Ann

·      Question: “Is it creative or is it problematic?” – Ann

·      Myers-Brigg: The first part of life is about forming and consolidating who we are, and we tend to do that with the things that come easiest to us

Enantiodromia: Suggestive of a sudden collapse from one state into its opposite under certain conditions

Touching, Feeling, Sensing, Intuitive…

-At mid-life, we can move into other directions so that we can become more flexible. Enantiodromia is the possible flipping of these..

We often as adults try to find surrogates – we often do this in romantic relationships

Ann suggested: The gifts differing by Isabel Myers-Brigg

Sensing is about telling the narrative

Sensing vs. Intuition:

Sensing:    FACTS: direct perception/observation via senses; gathering information; actual; practical application; what and how

Intuition:    HUNCHES: indirect perception/observation via unconscious images/insight/imagination; possibilities; principles; theory; why – (Borrowed from Feb. 2011 entry in AUS Jungian Blog)

“The Ego is about protecting ourselves and the dream is about trying to get through the Ego…the Ego is about defending.” - Ann

AUS JUNGIAN DISCUSSION GROUP Aug. 9, 2011, 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Discussion began with Jennifer’s recent trip to the Sequoia Forest. Jennifer was inspired by her trip, and purchased 23 plants!

·      Discussion about the importance of vacation and how psychologically resting and essential being away can be

·      Discussion about the sense of security in collectivistic/living communally vs. individualistic and how that affects the psyche

·      If culturally we were more interactive, it would benefit us in old age

·      Nature and the human soul – Bill Plotkin

*Cultivating wholeness and community in a fragmented world...Ann remarked that our society appears stuck in a pathological adolescence

Discussion about social media and the developing narcissism that is a result of that.

Dependence

Counter-dependence – 2’s and adolescence

Independence – “We”

Interdependence – “I”

Going Home

Discussion about being stuck in a role or archetype or persona that if difficult to break free from

Discussion about Marsha Linehan revealing she suffered from Borderline Personality Disorder – Her book, The wounded healer

The politics of myth: A study of Jung, Cambell, and Eliade by Robert Ellwood

All of us have shadow.

AUS JUNGIAN DISCUSSION GROUP July 17, 2011, 1:00 pm-3:00 pm
4 people attended

·      A member spoke about how her workshop, Embracing Our Sensuous Nature, went

·      Ann mentioned LaCuna by Barbara Kingsolver in relation to the conversation 

·      Discussion about diversity and “the richness of our lives that is conscious and available” – Ann

·      We have the responsibility of also educating ourselves and not relying on or expecting others to inform us

·      Reclaiming our projections – when people come to us, it is an opportunity to look at our shadow

·      Ann pointed out the importance of remaining aware of the piece of the shadow that is full of the things that are disgusting but also bright and shining

·      Discussion about the differences between online and in-person communication and relationships

·      Discussion about holding the tension between the opposites

A member recommended Mistakes were Made (but not by me) and The Mismeasure of Women

·      Ann spoke about Elizabeth Clark-Stern and Ken Kimmel’s new books

AUS JUNGIAN DISCUSSION GROUP June 8, 2011, 1:00 pm-3:00 pm

4 people attended

Decision and Action: following our inner wisdom

Column A: Self : When we honor our inner wisdom, we often experience satisfaction, clarity of purpose, confidence, increased self-esteem, etc. This task is mutually exclusive from Column B; Column B does not cancel out Column A.

Column B: World’s response: yes, no, maybe. This response does not cancel the personal outcome from Column A.

Breakdown vs. Breakthrough – Search for Self; pushing through fear; either strategy has limits and benefits.

AUS JUNGIAN DISCUSSION GROUP June 7, 2011: 50th Anniversary of Jung’s death

Ann read excerpts from Memories, Dreams, and Reflections

Discussion about trauma-related books

Peter Levine, Waking the tiger, Healing the trauma

Tsultim,  Feeding your demons

Full Catastrophe Living

Donald Kelshed, The Inner World of Trauma: Archetypal Defences of the Personal Spirit

Other Books

Jen recommended Sardello’s Facing the world with Soul (post to blog) and Leonard Shlain’s The Alphabet versus the Goddess

AUS JUNGIAN DISCUSSION GROUP May 11, 2011 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

6 people attended

“One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light, but by making the darkness conscious. C. G. Jung

·        Discussion about AUS Jungian Blog and latest posts.

·        Discussed death and the process of creating a sacred environment for someone on the verge of passing: constellation of transition, the balance of grief and celebration, the unity of family and friends during a time of death, and the ways in which loss often constellates something else.

·        Ann talked about the importance of attending to what is going on inside within ourselves.

·        A member connected the conversation to The spirit catches you and you fall down by Anne Fadiman.

·        Discussed the helpful and shadow archetypes parts of systems--such as the medical field.

·        Ann spoke about holding the tension between the opposites, the lone voice, responses between an issue, and acknowledging the importance of outliers. This is similar to Buddhist philosophy: rather than voting or coming to consensus, stopping and confirming whether the group can go forward with what most people are saying OR checking whether people who disagree have enough energy to speak more about why they feel/think differently.

·        A member spoke about Joseph Cambell’s stance about defending masculinity; Ron asked what C. G. Jung might have believed about this topic.

·        Ann spoke about anima/animus and about specific cultures who believe the feminine or male is more prominent. Pagan religions were much more connected with nature and the feminine, for example: sovereignty, gender equality, the difference between women’ s power in other cultures, duality.  The Western culture has a domination of masculine energy.

·        Archetypes: The hardware in our brains. Jung calls the Anima/Animus “The bridge to the consciousness.” By accessing feminine/masculine concepts and behaviors, anima and animus are dualistic representations. We now think of our inner/outer companioning outlook as a spectrum.

·        Ann: We all have other aspects to ourselves in our psyche. We limit ourselves by words that we know rather than saying “The following are qualities of words of which I identify.”

·        Myers-Briggs Type Indicator: Thinking, Feeling, Sensing, Intuiting. “Superior and Inferiors axis.” The superior axis has the highest score on one’s MBTI typology.  

·        Discussed differences between right brain and left brain as well as the abstract vs. concrete

·       A member asked about the Shadow and Initiation process, specifically in relation to graduate school.

·        Ann responded with a brief discussion about Antioch’s emphasis of working on the projection process and looking inward before looking outward.

·        Ann connected this to a book she is currently reading, The Wounded Healer: Countertransference from a Jungian Perspective by David Sedgwick

·         “We are all conduits, for when we pay attention to our process, we can offer it out.”

·        Redemptive Suffering

·        A member pointed out how interesting it is that Emotion has the word “Motion” in it.

·        Ann again addressed holding the opposites: when we equally value both, the “transcendent function” will spontaneously occur. The third resolution will happen.

·        Discussion about school, connection with comrades, age, and opportunity. Ann advised, “When the door opens, walk through it.”

·        Discussion about Being Grounded: whether being insecure can actually fit with being grounded.

·        Not knowing and admitting when you do not know.

·        Discussion about NPR Fresh Air Terry Gross interview: "A father's quest to help his severely disabled son"

Click here to listen: Fresh Air

AUS JUNGIAN DISCUSSION GROUP April 19, 2011 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

5 people attended

·   Introductions

·   Discussion about death, family dynamics, systems, and individuals

·   Cassandra shared a story about making a collage relating to a crack in the floor, inspired by a character in a Dostoevsky story.

·   Ron related this to a short story by Pablo Neruda, about a young man looking through a crack in a fence

Brief discussion about the following books:

·   The Impossible Will Take a Little While, by Paul Loeb

·   The Creative Fire, Clarissa Pinkola-Estes – available through Sounds True

·   “One of the things about working on the Jungian process, is that it opens up one’s creativity.” - Ann

·   Cassandra is teaching “Reclaiming Our Sensuous Nature” – a workshop in June 18th and 19th. Works with energetic processes, and how a woman can contain that. Organic food and snacks provided. thevoicedialogueinstitute.org

·   Ron’s website: Windowsart.com -à Present Sense (Katie Talbot)

·   Discussion about Ann’s experience teaching an AUS course with Phoenix Raine, Ph.D. (Placing Cultural Memory), creating collages representing past, present, and future regarding family heritage, society, and place.

·   Ron shared his own view on his approach to creating art - “Falling into the abyss of minimalism,” similar to transcendent function.

·   It is not compromise, but the holding of both. Holding the tension between the two.

·   Facing the world with soul, Robert Sodello

·   Balancing/Holding opposites – As clinicians, how do we hold/balance the tension when a client comes to us who has opposing values--and also remain compassionate to them? How do we encourage people to step into something they do not do?

·   Discussion about “Chaos Theory.” No two outcomes are ever alike. Each piece is connected to a larger piece.

·   John VanEeenwyck, Ph.D., Jungian Analyst, Olympia, WA – Trauma work.

·   Resilience Thinking by Walker & Salt. Reorganization, conservation, and release…“The chaos is that release.”

·   Closed with a discussion about Jung’s videos “Heart of the Matter” and the “Live from Zurich series.”

AUS JUNGIAN DISCUSSION GROUP March 9, 2011 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

3 people attended

Brief discussion about Hecate – “chthonic Greco-Roman goddess associated with magic, witchcraft, necromancy, and crossroads.”

Spring quarter, 2011: Advanced Theories: Jungian course has room for additional registrants.

Agreed upon discussion topic: -“Connecting way back into what we are inside, even beyond our culture, connections with things that were around before we were around. Minimalist art and symbols today.”

Discussion points:

·          Jayber Crow by Wendell Berry: The main character discusses his perceiption of the relationship between the water and the land; he also imagined time prior to people. The juxtaposition of the water and the land.

·          Jung’s archetypes are similar, although very complex. “Hardware and software:” the hardware is the achetypes; the symbols are software.

·          Dream images (Ann’s): a videogame representing accomplishing developmental tasks. People many years ago might have had a similar dream (although not existing within a videogame). We relate to the time we are living in and what is going on around us.

·          Minimalist art and right angles. Efficient and analytical – the basis of calculus. Ron’s website: windowsart.com

·          Discussion segued into the early development of agriculture in Egypt and Mesopotamia

·          “The Pythagorean theorem”

·          Jung’s Bollingen tower, family home, and Biltmore

·          Jung’s father was a minister, his mother (and wife) both had inherited money. Jung struggled with the question, “What is religion?”

·          During the making of The Red Book, Jung grappled with external images of deity, exploring deep into his psyche.

·          For many years, Jung focused on extensive internal work. He used himself as the laboratory. He explored many topics including the occult, hypnotism, and alchemy.

·          How do we companion the process both inside and outside?

·          Brief discussion about Burghölzi Hospital where Jung interned as a young psychiatrist.

·          Jung saw patients in his home, reading and writing extensively.

·          Discussion about English and German translations of The Red Book

·          Cornerstone of Jung’s Bollingen Tower; Andreas Jung (Jung’s grandson) published a book about the renovation of the family home in Kusnacht.

·          Discussed the meaning behind an artist’s work vs. their viewers interpretation: when meaning is explained, viewers are no longer able to explore their own interpretation/meaning.

·          Movies: “I Am;” “Black Swan”

·          Ecopsychology: being in contact with the world, connectedness with nature.

AUS JUNGIAN DISCUSSION GROUP February 9, 2011 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

4 people attended

Watched a video about the making of the Red Book:

·    What is the Red Book?

Soul work.

A midlife man’s dialogue/record of with his encounter with his soul.

A timeless document of the soul.

involves a destructuring phase, passage through, a restructuring phase, and coming out of.

·    Purpose for writing the Red Book: midlife, depressed, and wanted to go to another level.

Active Imagination: Recorded his images, conversations, insights, thoughts, etc. in a journal.

The original black books were used at the beginning and end of all of his active imagination work.

The sacrifice of the hero means giving up your ambition.

·    What it means to imitate Christ – To follow your own journey. If you do this then Christ becomes your brother. You carry your cross and he carries his. A model for individuation process.

Discussion:

Following your myth, going out into the wilderness, exploring your own wisdom…

Be true to your own inner calling – not following someone else’s way but following your own way

Inflation  -->Authenticity

Ambition

Narcissistic egoneeds

·    Ericksonian level identity -->decompose -->reconstitute identity

MBTI specialize and broaden

Jamal Rohman: local group: The Three Amigos; ecumenical workshops.

·    Part of becoming our authentic selves is to hold tension between opposites

We demonize or idealize – Take in and wrap ourselves in the serpent of the shadow..

·    Discussed Jung’s son’s recollection of his father creating the Red Book: he sat on the floor creating his own book.

·    Andreas Jung's memory of his grandparents having a conversation about the house, and realizing it would be his “mission” to maintain the house.

·    Tony Wolf’s role in Jung’s life: the excuse he had to keep her in his life was that they connected on an intellectual level.

Discussion about relevant books

Jung’s Circle of Women – Maggie Anthony

Rothgeb, C. L. (Ed). (1992).

Abstracts of the collected works of C.G. Jung. London, England: Karnac Books.

Out of the Shadows – Elizabeth Clark Stern

The Serpent and the cross - Katie Sanford

·    Closed with discussion about Potential Space – A gathering for analysts in the community to meet, recite poetry, etc.

Timecode 1:22:53– Carl Jung’s Red Book Live from Zurich Series Murray Stein, PhD

January 12, 2011 5:00 pm - 6:30 pm

During our group meeting, we discussed a variety of Jungian concepts and applications: dream collection, interpretation, and application to the individuation process; relevance of Jungian concepts to both BA and MA programs. A BA student talked about working with Voice Dialog, based on Jungian principles of honoring, integrating, and utilizing all inner voices; we discussed specific personal examples of working in this modality.