The notion that there might be one single universal medicine appears to be disproven by modern science. It was the great search of the alchemists. I believe that what they called the Panacea we call placebo: the mysterious self healing response that can be ritually triggered by authority. As medical technology becomes increasingly successful the medical profession as authority figure keeps gaining increasing traction. This would predict an ever stronger ‘white coat’ effect and indeed, pharmaceuticals have increasing difficulties outperforming placebo in clinical trials. So it becomes again a contemporary question: what is this Panacea the alchemists were looking for? The talk will be based on original 16th century Latin texts translated by the presenter.

Santa Barbara based American-Dutch Jungian analyst Robert Bosnak makes his second home in Sydney and is the author of A Little Course in Dreams and Embodiment Creative imagination in Medicine, Art and Travel. He will teach techniques that make it possible for us to stew in a state of multiplicity until we witness emergent phenomena that are entirely fresh and have profound implications for health, therapy and creative endeavors. He pioneered the embodied imagination method which is taught worldwide, is Past-President of the International Association for the Study of Dreams and is Teaching Instructor at the Upstate Medical University of the State University of New York (SUNY)

 Date: 7th February 2020
Time: 7:00pm to 8:30pm
Venue: Mitchell Theatre Level 1 Sydney Mechanics' School
of Arts, 280 Pitt St, Sydney
Cost: Members $15 Non-Members $25 Non-Member
Concession $20

*Psychotherapists and other practitioners can obtain credit for Professional Development hours recognised by PACFA and ACA for this presentation.