C.G. Jung, Alchemy, Psychological Transformation, and Individuation

Course overview

CG Jung had a variety of interests throughout his life, notably alchemy which he became aware of after he had been developing his theory on the collective unconscious for over 15 years. These themes include increasing awareness, the journey through darkness, such as in clinical depression, psychological transformation, and the concept of the transcendent function. Our presenter, Dr. Stan Marlan, recognizes that a linking of light and darkness sets the stage for a fundamental and recurring theme in Jungian psychology including the unity of oppositions, including frustration tolerance, cognitive dissonance, the symbol-making process, working with archetypes and complex theory. These topics further explore the role of irrational thinking as part of the process of psychological wholeness and functional behavior. On Friday evening, Marlan will introduce concepts such as symbolism and the individuation process. On Saturday, he will incorporate the teachings of Jungian theorists such as Edward Edinger, Marie Louise von Franz, and James Hillman to support the understanding of Jung's theoretical teachings, how images function, and how symbols can relate to the clinical treatment of psychic wounds. Marlan will discuss using case study examples and through dream analysis examples. Group discussion to follow.