Jung (and Hillman) use the Latin terms, senex and puer for ‘old man’ and ‘youth’. They personify the poles of tradition, stasis, structure and authority on one side, and immediacy, wandering, invention and idealism on the other. The senex consolidates, grounds and disciplines, the puer flashes with insight and thrives on fantasy and creativity’. Jon Wilson explores the senex and puer within us and within our culture.

What happens when ancient archetypes dance through the modern stage of pop culture? In this talk Kristina will explore how contemporary artists - most notably Taylor Swift - channel mythic themes, inner figures and collective symbols through song, storytelling and visual world-building. 

From Cassandra to the Anti-Hero, anima projections to shadow work, Swift’s shifting personas offer a rich lens into the archetypal psyche at work in mainstream culture. Blending Jungian theory, mythic analysis and cultural critique this lecture invites both seasoned analysts and curious newcomers into a lively exploration of how myth lives in our times. Whether you're a devoted Swiftie or simply intrigued by the enduring power of archetypes, this is an evening to appreciate how the collective unconscious moves through art and into our personal stories.

Embodied Imagination® is a radically new technique which views imagery – dreams and memory flashbacks — as embodied environments in which we find ourselves. Working on images from this perspective stimulates unfamiliar states of consciousness and helps to contain them in expanded body awareness. This method has demonstrated healing effects in people with physical illness and survivors of trauma, giving rise to creative bursts in artists, as well as in-depth solutions to psychological and relational problems.

Jung’s grandson (Ulrich Hoerni) when asked what he remembered most about Jung as an older man was the definition of deity: “God is that which crosses my wilful path.” David will make these words of Jung his central focus for this presentation. To extend the meaning of this quote he says:

“The life of the spirit is one shaped by the desire to embrace the non-wilful, the unknown, the unknowable.

In this presentation I’m taking the liberty to change Jung’s use of the word ‘God’ to life of the spirit. I believe this to be in keeping with his intention and the spirit of our times.

My intention is to relate Jung’s life of the spirit, understood as an archetypal form, to the troubles of daily life both personally and culturally.

David Tacey will present ‘Dreams: Secret Doorway to the Soul

Freud called the dream the via regia, the royal way, to the unconscious and used dreams to discover repressed wishes and desires. Jung agreed, but went further. For him the dream is the secret doorway to the soul, a natural expression of the life force and capable of opening up spiritual dimensions as well as resolving problems.

Craig San Roque will facilitate a conversation, discussing the “Collected Writings of Giles Clark: Recycling madness with Jung, Spinoza and Santayana” edited by Judith Pickering and Geoffrey Samuel.

This new work is of great interest to Jungian analysts, analytical psychologists and psychotherapists in practice and in training, as well as anyone interested in understanding the interface between depth psychology, philosophy and neuropsychology, and in the mind-body problem more generally.

Craig San Roque, Geoffrey Samuel (co-editor) and David Russell will engage in conversation giving their reactions and learnings from this valuable and fascinating book.

In this presentation Dr Bryon weaves together interpersonal and Jungian analytic perspectives, informed by indigenous Andean shamanism, and contemporary scientific understanding of time.

In this presentation, Jungian Analyst and former President of the Melbourne Jung Society, Annette Lowe, will take us on a journey towards the understanding of the Collective Shadow: The archetypal enemy.

Dr Beth Foley will delve into her research topic, Malignant Altruism

David will explore the difficulties of our understanding, in the Western world, of the Aboriginal Dreaming and the balance between ego and soul.

In this talk, Dr Joanna Kujawa, will discuss 4 levels of consciousness in The Gospel of Mary Magdalene and their connection with the Mysteries of Isis in ancient Egypt which she believes are examples of spiritual individuation. 

This talk will explore how the nineteenth century came to realise that, like it or not, we are creatures composed of both light and darkness.

Note: this event now to be held on 3rd Friday of April

Allan Guggenbühl, is a Psychologist & Jungian Psychotherapist in Zürich, and is one the most renowned child and adolescent psychologists of Switzerland. He will talk of the wisdom of Psyche, the Greek goddess of the soul. Our Psyche knows more than we consciously realise! It might convey an answer to a personal problem or societal challenge, without us realising it.

This talk will explore how the nineteenth century came to realise that, like it or not, we are creatures composed of both light and darkness.

Eminent Jungian Scholar David Tacey will explore the contribution of Aboriginal Spirituality to the Australian nation.

In this presentation, Jungian Analyst and former President of the Melbourne Jung Society will focus specifically on the ego, its early development and the components of the ego complex, its drives, and its relation to the unconscious.

In his presentation, Jungian Analyst, Physicist and President of the SA Jung Society will investigate if we can return to the harmony of wholeness when life continually splits us apart, leaving us in an inner state of disturbed emotion in the face of outer confusion.

In this ground-breaking presentation, international Jungian Analyst Robert Bosnak explores the dimensions of the emerging relationship between Humanity and AI models like Chat GPT.

In his presentation, Brian will reflect on our disconnection from the wild and the necessity for its restoration

In his presentation, David will link the experience of beauty with the experience of soul and thus with the experience of depression which is soul telling the person that it is in need of attention and has the potential to express a particular energy.

Jungian Analyst Les Stein asks for those of us who seek individuation and spiritual growth, how are we to relate to our community

In his presentation, David will show us how the awakening of the indigenous archetype in the psyche can have positive as well as negative effects on the psychology of nations. 

In this event Craig and Miriam map the making of Persephone - telling how, a ‘force of nature’ gathered a human body by crossing the country, a long time ago. We tell what we learned from taking an unusual shift in perspective on this myth; then open discussion with Dr. Anne Noonan and others.

In her presentation, Kerrie will draw on Jungian and post-Jungian theories as well as her own clinical material to illustrate the difference between an individual who appears to be working through the process of individuation, and someone who has authentically engaged with their unconscious.

This event will be a celebration of the life and times of prominent Jungian Terence McBride, former President of the Sydney Jung Society.

In her presentation, Joanna will discuss the lineage of goddesses that now reveal themselves to us again as the balancing act of the dance of the feminine (‘anima’) and the masculine (‘animus’) as well as sexuality and spirituality.

In his presentation, former Sydney Jung Society president David Russell argues that that to engage with the dream experience, in a soulful manner, is to enhance our lived experience.

In his presentation prominent Jungian author and Jungian analyst Les Stein investigates whether contrary to Jung’s caution, Eastern spiritual practices can now be considered a useful and important adjunct to psychological growth.

In her presentation noted Jungian author Stephani Stephens will look at what possibly the dead were trying to teach Jung as well as what he felt were his obligations to them.

Our November panel discussion is titled Colonization and its Discontents and features eminent Jungians who will approach the topic of colonization in Australia and its effects from multiple perspectives, through the intimate lens of their personal and deeply heartfelt experiences and their extensive knowledge of relevant Jungian and post-Jungian concepts.