The C.G. Jung Foundation for Analytical Psychology

These seminars are presented by the
C.G. Jung Foundation and the C.G. Jung Institute of New York

Seminar #1: Fall 2011: 14 weeks
September 7 – December 21
(excluding September 28 and November 23)

Death and Immortality: A Jungian Perspective

" … Death is psychologically as important as birth, and, like it is an integral part of life … For seen in correct psychological perspective, death is not an end, but a goal."

— C.G. Jung, CW 13, para 68

June 6, 2011, marked the fiftieth anniversary of C.G. Jung's death. Throughout his life, Jung embraced the myth of an afterlife. His near-death experience after a heart attack confirmed this belief in an afterlife and transformed his attitude toward the last seventeen years of his life. Up until the time of his near-death experience, Jung had referred to himself as a scientist; however, after his conversion experience, he was free to write about esoteric topics such as flying saucers, astrology, parapsychology, and alchemy. These topics, in which he had been interested throughout his life but was now more free to explore and discuss, expanded the field of psychology.

Jung's family lineage, interest in paranormal experiences, spiritualism, the occult, spirits, mediumistic powers, synchronistic occurrences, and relativity of space and time, all influenced his interest in the exploration of psyche, death and life after death. Jung's writings on death were usually preceded by the death of significant family and friends or by dreams. How the deceased communicate with the living was the topic explored in his doctoral dissertation entitled, "On the Psychology and Pathology of So-called Occult Phenomena."

This course will explore the history of Jung's interest in death and the afterlife, the contributing factors involved in his interest in "the here and the hereafter" and the research and themes that contributed to the development of his psychological theories. Space and exploration for our own questions about death and immortality will be provided.

Text: Jung on Death and Immortality, selected and introduced by Jenny Yates.

Instructor: Jane Selinske, EdD, LCSW, NCPsyA-LP

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Seminar #2: Spring 2012: 14 weeks
January 25 – May 9
(excluding April 11)
Please note: class begins at 6.30 pm.

Interpretation of Dreams, Legends, and Fairy Tales

Jung and his colleague, Marie-Louise von Franz, showed that dreams compensate for one-sided conscious viewpoints, show us where we are blocked, and suggest ways that we might move forward. Legends and fairy tales do the same thing, not for an individual, but for a whole people.

Each dream, legend, or fairy tale is composed by an unconscious story teller whose thought process is mainly in images. Every image contributes. Each image has associations and explanations which, if we take the time to reflect and use our imagination, will illuminate its meaning. We play with the pieces using trial and error to see how they fit together. It matters where the image lies within the story's sequence.

Because we are threatened by the story's autonomy and strangeness, we defend against it with a too-quick interpretation which reaffirms our preconceptions. Only if we resist our anxious need to dominate can we discover the full riches contained within these unconscious products. When we open ourselves to them, each one becomes a richly inventive poem.

Students participate actively throughout this seminar. An interpretation is only successful when it rings true for the class as a whole, when together we experience a deepening of consciousness.

We will work each week with one or two dreams which a participant's friend or family member has agreed to have analyzed, or with a fairy tale or legend (these will be taken from a wide variety of cultures). This class is not therapy and we will not use participants' own dreams.

Instructor: Maxson J. McDowell, PhD, LMSW, LP

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The Jungian Advanced Seminars

FACULTY

Maxson J. McDowell, PhD, LMSW, LP, is a Jungian analyst in private practice in New York City. Former President of the C.G. Jung Foundation for Analytical Psychology, he has taught popular dream, legend and fairy tale interpretation courses -- with active classroom participation -- for the past 25 years. Earlier he studied painting and, before that, was a molecular biologist at Duke University, MIT and the MRC Laboratory in Cambridge, UK. He has recently published a scientific paper on biological theory and autism.

These seminars are intended both for the general public and for professionals. This program is being co-sponsored by the National Association for the Advancement of Psychoanalysis (NAAP) and the C.G. Jung Foundation for Analytical Psychology and the C.G. Jung Institute of New York. NAAP is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. NAAP maintains responsibility for this program and its content.

* 21 continuing education credits are offered for the 14-week seminar.

Please note that credit is granted separately for each of the seminars. The program is subject to change without notice.

For further credit information and related administrative processing fee, please call the C. G. Jung Foundation offices at 212-697-6430.

TUITION

Tuition for 14-week seminar is $475.

There will be no refunds issued once classes have begun.

Advanced Seminars Reservation Form

›› Advanced Seminars Reservation Form (PDF format) ‹‹

The Jungian Advanced Seminars Fall 2011 – Spring 2012

Advanced Seminars Reservation Form