Friday lecture
A friend of mine once shared some advice she had heard in a lecture by James Hillman, who developed Archetypal Psychology. Hillman’s advice was to just allow an image from a dream to ride along with you during the day. Let it speak to you. See what it rouses in the shadows. Hillman recognizes the importance of being “affected” and of a relationship to the archetypal. He also emphasizes the value of both affective experience and cognitive understanding in the individuation process. For Hillman a relationship to the archetypal world is a life giving relationship.

In the lecture, I will address Jung’s thought about the nature of archetype and its relationship to affect. Recent studies in affective development and neuroscience support Jung’s ideas about the importance of affect, the workings of complexes and the importance of dreaming in the regulation of affect.

Newer imaging techniques have allowed scientists to view the brain at the same time that affective information and cognitive information are being processed. The affect system is hardwired and is meant to provide information to the brain, letting us know that something is happening. As infants, we come into the world with the developing ability to take in information but we must rely on those around us to help us understand what this information means. The relationship of infant to a primary caregiver plays an important role in this process of cognitive and affective development.

We will explore the nature of affect, its regulation and dysregulation, and the relevance of our dreams to affect and archetype.

Saturday workshop:
"The Shame Complex: The Need to Hide and the Need to Be Seen"
In this workshop, we will continue our exploration of affect and archetype. We will look at shame as one of the basic affects and also as an autonomous complex. What is the nature of shame? How does this powerful affect gather meaning and form complexes? How does this complex manifest in one’s life and dreams?

I ask that each of you consider your experiences with shame. What is the nature of your experience? Are there any stories, myths, fairytales, or movies that illustrate your experience?

The day will involve lecture, discussion and reflection. Please bring writing materials for private recording of your personal experience and understanding of shame.