Upcoming Lecture: Notice: Date Changed to May 6, 2008
"Soul" and the City, From Jericho to Edmonton
What is the psychological function of cities today? In ancient times,
cities were often founded with great ritual and ceremony and considered
to be, like the "world tree" or "great mountain", the center of the
world. Thus the city helped us orientate ourselves, giving structure
and form to the cosmos, and eventually became the container from which
the growth of culture and consciousness on a collective level could be
dramatically accelerated. And although the cities were built by human
hands, the designs or blueprint was thought to be divine. We see this
in Revelations 21 when the "great city" Jerusalem "descended" out of
heaven form God. In the 14th century St. Catherine of Siena wrote, "The
city is the image of the soul". Jung likens the symbol of the city with
that of the mother and the vessel and, ultimately, the Self. What is
the city for us today? Is it still the image of the soul and, if so,
what about the urban sprawl? This lecture will look at the historical
and psychological evolution of the city from ancient times to today,
i.e., from the time periods of the mythical, the religious, and the
technological. We will look at questions like, "How does one relate to
one's city today?", "Do our cities help or hinder our psychological
maturity or individuation?"
May 8, 2007
Edmonton, Alberta
The Story of Soul: From the Stone Age to the Age of Psychology
February 23, 2007
Calgary, Alberta
Alchemy and Analytical Psychology
September 22, 2006
Ottawa, Ontario
Alchemy and Analytical Psychology
May 9, 2006
Edmonton, Alberta
Alchemy and Analytical Psychology
November 19, 2005
Victoria, British Columbia
Alchemy and Analytical Psychology
August 2005
Zurich, Switzerland
Alchemy: The Beginning or End of Analytical Psychology?
