C. G. Jung Society of the Triangle

"The Inner World of Politics:  Depth Psychological Responses to Sociopolitical Conflict"

Thomas Elsner, J.D., M.A.

Lecture: Friday, September 24, 2021,

7:30 - 9:30pm EDT

Register Here for the Lecture

Workshop: Saturday, September 25, 2021

11:00am - 3:00pm EDT

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There are two subjects to avoid during polite conversation, religion and politics. The reason for this is that, from the psychological perspective, both religion and politics are vessels holding the projections of our highest values, deepest fears, most ideal saviors, and most hated devils. In this Friday evening lecture and Saturday workshop, we are going to talk politics. We are not, however, going to get into a typical political discussion! Rather, we will challenge ourselves to go deeper, no matter what our political leanings, and explore some of the psychological dynamics lurking underneath political conflicts in the hopes of making a contribution towards the healing of those conflicts. 

In the Friday lecture, I will share a dream of mine after 9/11, one of the most challenging dreams of my life. This dream offers an answer to the question: “What can I do about the problem of war?” In connection with this dream, we will explore depth psychological answers to the problem of war found in Jung’s Red Book (written in response to the outbreak of WWI), alchemy, as well as Jungian psychological concepts such as shadow projection and archetypal/symbolic, as distinct from literal, modes of perception and judgment. 

In the Saturday workshop, there will be ample time and space for us to explore together some of the ways we experience and integrate – or not – the seemingly inner or introverted field of Jungian psychology with the seemingly outer or extraverted world of politics. Central to the Saturday workshop offering will be new ways to listen, respond to, and understand political conversations. Participants are especially encouraged to bring in dreams which bear on collective issues. The central question we will hold together is: How is the unconscious responding to the impossible dilemmas in the world that confront all of us today? 

Thomas Elsner, J.D., M.A., is a certified Jungian Analyst in private practice in Santa Barbara, CA. A former professor for many years at Pacifica Graduate Institute, he taught courses on Jungian psychology, dreams, alchemy, myth, and folklore. Thomas trained as an analyst at the Center for Depth Psychology according to C. G. Jung and Marie-Louise von Franz in Switzerland. His book Oceanic: Jung, Coleridge, 

and The Rime of the Ancient Mariner will be published by Texas A&M next year. 

"Jung and the Natural World"

Deborah Westmoreland, MILS

Saturday October 9, 2021, 2pm-4pm

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"In the Eye of the Storm"

Ashok Bedi, M.D.

Lecture: Friday, October 29, 2021,

7:30 - 9:30pm EDT

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Workshop: Saturday, October 30, 2021

9:00am - 1:00pm EDT

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During a personal or collective crisis, our ego consciousness is overwhelmed and retreats into the healing depths of the personal and collective unconscious with a petition for guidance to negotiate the crisis and trauma. In the unconscious, the Self archetype is activated to respond to this petition. Self consults the archetypes to construct a new paradigm to guide our consciousness. This new paradigm now emerges into our consciousness as a new image as a Mandala, a synchronistic event, a fantasy or a relationship, or a creative product. This new emergence is experienced as meaningful, affectively charged, and numinous, and becomes a GPS to guide us on; not only to deal with the crisis or trauma but to reset our path towards our teleos and a new beginning. The presenter will explore the healing power of the new symbol. On the second day, the participants will construct a healing mandala, explore some
synchronistic images, and participate in contemplative practice of mindfulness and transcendental meditation.

Ashok Bedi, M.D. is a Jungian psychoanalyst and a board-certified psychiatrist. He is a member of the Royal College of psychiatrists of Great Britain, a diplomat in Psychological Medicine at the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of England, a Distinguished Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association. He is a Clinical Professor in Psychiatry at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee and a training analyst at the Carl G. Jung Institute of Chicago. His books include In the Eye of the Storm- Staying Centered in Personal and Collective Crisis, The Spiritual Paradox of Addiction, Crossing the Healing Zone, Awaken the Slumbering Goddess: The Latent Code of the Hindu Goddess Archetypes, Retire Your Family Karma: Decode Your Family Pattern and Find Your Soul Path and Path to the Soul. He is the liaison for the IAAP for developing Jungian training programs in India and travels annually to India to teach, train the consult with the Jungian Developing groups at several centers in India including Ahmedabad and Mumbai. He leads the annual “A Jungian Encounter with the Soul of India” study group to several centers in India under the auspices of the New York Jung Foundation and the Carl Jung Institute of Chicago. His publications and upcoming programs may be previewed at www.pathtothesoul.com

 "Projection and Narcissism"

Carol Shumate, Ph.D.,

 Author of Projection and Personality Development via the Eight Function Model, Routledge, 2021

Saturday, November 6, 2021, 2pm-4pm

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Carol Shumate, Ph.D., has taught the course on psychological type at Pacifica Graduate Institute since 2013 when she co-taught it with analyst John Beebe. This year Routledge published her book Projection and Personality Development via the Eight-Function Model, which is the first appearance in print of reports on how the unconscious functions and archetypes tend to manifest for each of the Jungian types. She launched the journal Personality Type in Depth in 2010, and in 2020 helped launch the Depth Typology Center, created to archive scholarly resources at the interface of depth psychology and psychological type. She also has an article forthcoming in the fall issue of the Journal of Analytical Psychology: "Teaching Psychological Type the Eightfold Way."

“A Depth Psychological Perspective on Physical Disability"

Ryan Adamczyk, Ph.D., LCMHC

Sunday, November 14, 2021, 2pm-4pm

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 "To Be Announced"

Lee Lawrence

Saturday, January 8, 2022, 2pm-4pm

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