[Q, September, 2003]
by Martha Peacock, Ph.D.
| The War in Iraq and the hunt for Osama Bin Laden
left (and still leaves) many of the people of Iraq and Afghanistan living in terror,
critically injured, or dead. Our country's hunger for retribution was fed by the
collapse of the Twin Towers and the attack on the Pentagon. September 11th shook
our invulnerability as we collectively experienced a feeling of defenselessness
against the hatred behind such acts. Is our desire for revenge justified, or is
it a knee-jerk reaction to our collective feeling of chaos in which life, as we
once knew it, has vanished? Or does our collective belief in an all-good God deny
the darker side of the human experience, blinding us to our own malevolent actions
under the guise of justice? The past two years have brought tremendous personal and collective suffering. Some of us may question the contradictory reports from government authorities. Some of us may question our faith in a Divine Being. Yet, in spite of the confusion and bloodshed, the human spirit survives, perhaps even thrives. To address the confusion, animosity, and malice in our present-day world, the Jung Society of Sarasota is pleased to present the 2003-2004 lecture series entitled Jung and the World Today: Chaos, Violence, and the Resilient Spirit. The members of the Program Committee believe that this lecture series will lend insight into and provoke thought about our troubled times. Allow me to introduce you to the speakers: Danielle Green, Ph.D.-October 10 Danielle, a licensed psychotherapist and ordained minister, works with individuals, couples, families and groups. She conducts workshops throughout the US and Europe and has served as Program Chairperson for our Society the past year. Following our Annual Meeting Dinner, she will kick-off our 2003-2004 series with a presentation aptly named Jung in the World Today: Chaos, Violence and the Resilient Spirit. Phil Cousineau - November 14 and 15 Phil, a former student and colleague of Joseph Campbell, believes that myths reflect the stories of our personal lives, and he encourages the members of his audience to explore their own personal mythology. Phil is an international award-winning documentary filmmaker and best-selling author of The Art of Pilgrimage and The Soul Aflame (as well as several other books). His working title for November is The Sacred Art of Pilgrimage and its Relationship to Turmoil and the Supple Nature of the Human Psyche. Victor Mansfield, Ph.D. - January 9 and 10 Victor is a Professor of Physics and Astronomy at Colgate University and author of Head and Heart: A Personal Exploration of Science and the Sacred, in which he makes distinctions between analytical psychology and modern science. His book, Synchronicity, Science and Soul-Making, represents a breakthrough toward understanding the non-rational, invisible, and spiritual world by synthesizing material from quantum physics, Jungian psychology, and Buddhist philosophy. Vic's working title is Self and World: Inner and Outer Responsibility. Renos Papadopoulos, Ph.D. - February 13 and 14 Renos is a Professor of Analytical Psychology at the Centre of Psychoanalytic Studies at the University of Essex, England, as well as a consultant and clinical psychologist at the Tavistock Clinic in London. He acts as Editor of Harvest: Journal for Jungian Studies and as a consultant to the United Nations. His working title for February is Trauma, Resilience and Adversity-Growth: Developing a Jungian Perspective. Mary Gurley - March 12 Mary holds an M.A., has an extensive background in psychological counseling, and trained for three years at the C.G. Jung Institute of Santa Fe. As a scholar, she continues to study Jung's teachings, attending conferences whenever possible. Mary's lecture will speak to Jung's idea that, during turbulent times, dreams and personal myths can be transformative. Her working title is Building a Resilient Spirit Through a Symbolic Life of Dreams, Myths and Fairytales. Angelo Spoto - April 9 Angelo is a well-known and respected lecturer for the Jung Society of Sarasota and a licensed mental health counselor and consultant in Tampa. He's been an adjunct member of the Jung Institute of Chicago, and is the author of Jung's Typology in Perspective. In his lecture to the Jung Society, Angelo will address several questions including: How can Jungian psychology contribute to our understanding of the current rhetoric of evil that has been constellated since September 11th? Is there a Jungian approach to the problem of evil that offers hope in our troubled times? His working title: The Problem of Evil in Jung's Psychology. Kathy Mays, Ph.D., and Martha Peacock, Ph.D. -- May 14 Kathy is a Jungian analyst practicing in Sarasota and Tampa, and Martha is a mythologist and President of Mythos, Productions in Archetypal Psychology. As the concluding lecturers of our series, Kathy and Martha will present Wrapping It Up: Recapping the Year. Using themes, ideas, and areas of interest from the preceding lectures as threads, the two will weave a tapestry of conversation and audience participation, allowing us to reflect upon the past year's program and acknowledge the resiliency of the human spirit. Titles and dates of all lectures are subject to change. On behalf of the Program Committee, I hope that this exciting line-up of speakers will provide you with a deeper understanding of the unsettled times in which we live. ~ Martha Peacock, Ph.D. |