3/14/2008 Jung Society of Washington Bud Harris

What: Lecture
Who: Bud Harris
When: Friday
Fees: $20.00, all

In his last great book, Mysterium Coniunctionis, Jung points out that it is the mystic vision that takes us out of religious decay. The mystics carry the Soul force of religion. They bear the mystery that can return creativity to religion and transform it into a spiritual quest that emanates from the ground of our being. When the Soul force is lost, religious institutions rigidify, become fear based, and leave many of us feeling wounded and alienated. Jung's emphasis on the spiritual life as a journey toward wholeness heals these wounds, supports and guides personal spiritual development, and offers a new vision for renewal to institutions. Renewing the mystic vision is more than an intellectual exercise. It engages us fully in life and, through growing self-knowledge, softens and strengthens us while helping us to love life and other people. This lecture will explain the importance of this Soul force, how we lost it, and what happened to our religious institutions as a result of this loss. Jung's process of becoming whole - the individuation process - becomes a spiritual necessity when we recognize its dynamic, creative emphasis on transformation, and that the spiritual quest is to become fully alive. Dr. Harris will explain how we are challenged individually to renew the Soul force in our lives, and how Jungian psychology offers us a modern path to renew this vision. Individuation and the mystic vision emphasize that mind, body, and spirit are connected by the level of consciousness we grow into and growth is the path of love and individuation.

For this program, we intend to offer CEUs for Social Workers

Bud Harris, Ph.D., is a Zurich-trained Jungian analyst practicing in Asheville, North Carolina. Formerly a businessman, he now has over thirty years experience as a practicing psychotherapist, psychologist, and Jungian analyst. He has lectured widely and written a number of articles. His books include: The Emasculation of the Unicorn: The Loss and Rebuilding of Manhood; The Father Quest: Rediscovering an Elemental Psychic Force; Like Gold through Fire: Understanding the Transforming Power of Suffering (co-authored with his wife, Jungian analyst Dr. Massimilla Harris), and Sacred Selfishness: A guide to Living a Life of Substance. His new book, The Fire and the Rose: The Wedding of Spirituality and Sexuality, was published in September 2007. More information is available at budharris.com http://www.budharris.com/