Jung Foundation, New York City: begins Wednesday, February 24th, 2010, 6.30-8.10 pm (Five weeks)
You may be startled by images of feminine development, images quite different from the hero’s journey. We will analyze tales from around the world to learn about the feminine, an aspect of both women’s and men’s psychology which is sometimes hidden in plain sight. We will pool our insights to interpret each tale. Classes tend to be fun. We will practice symbolic thinking, learning how stories and images can portray psychological dynamics. The skills we practice are also helpful for interpreting dreams.
Each week we will analyze one tale.
You need to prepare for each class by reading that week's tale. Read it on thursday or friday to give yourself plenty of time to reflect upon it. Before you go to sleep, ask yourself the question: 'what does that image mean?' Reading the material the day of the class won't work: symbolic thought is slow and you need to give your imagination time.
I also recommend that you buy the following book. We will not use it in this course, but you will probably want to own it if you are interested in stories of the feminine.
The most accessible chapter is 'The Courtship of Ianna and Dumuzi': you should start there.
Inanna, queen of heaven and earth: her stories and hymns from Sumer
by Diane Woldkstein and Samuel Noah Cramer
Perennial; Harper and Row
(Please support the Jung Foundation bookstore by buying it there.)