This course will be held bi-weekly on January 13, January 27, February 10, and February 24, 2025

This course WILL BE recorded.

Jung’s encounter with the Taoist-alchemical text, The Secret of the Golden Flower, was an important event in the development of his psychology. On the one hand, it gave him confirmation for the method of active imagination that he had been developing, and it gave him confidence to begin to publish his findings about the process. On the other hand, the text formed a link to alchemy, the subject that would come to dominate Jung’s later years of research and study.

In this class, we will read through both the original text of The Secret of the Golden Flower, translated by Richard Wilhelm, as well as Jung’s commentary on the text. We will discuss its importance to Jung’s work, noting its value for his theory of the reality of the psyche, for the development of the method active imagination, and for his study of the psychology of alchemy. We will use the images in the Golden Flower text to practice the art of working with symbolic material. Finally, we will explore the relevance of this work for the practical application of the symbolic life in our own daily lives.

Required Reading

The Secret of the Golden Flower: A Chinese Book of Life (Translated by Richard Wilhelm, with a commentary by C.G. Jung)

Recommended Reading:

Memories, Dreams, Reflections by C.G. Jung

“The Transcendent Function,” by C.G. Jung (in CW8)

“Psychology and Religion,” by C.G. Jung (in CW11)

Prices

Non-Member - 1 Person:  $135.00

Individual Member - 1 Person:  $100.00

Senior 65+/Student Member - 1 Person:  $80.00

Jason E. Smith is a Jungian analyst in private practice in Manchester-by-the-Sea, MA. He is the creator and host of the podcast Digital Jung and the author of Religious but Not Religious: Living a Symbolic Life (Chiron Publications). Jason is a past president of the C.G. Jung Institute of Boston (now of New England) and serves as a training analyst and faculty member for the New England Institute.

DETAILS OF THE PROGRAM:

Registration closes at 12:00pm EST the day before the program begins. 

RECORDINGS:  The recording will be sent out 24-48 hours after the session has concluded. You will have 14 days to watch the recording.  

ZOOM LINKS: Zoom links can be found in your registration confirmation email. They will also be shared about 24 hours before the program start time. Registration closes before Zoom links are shared. If you do not receive your link 24 hours in advance, please reach out asap directly to support@jung.org

CANCELLATION: You may cancel your registration up to 1 week prior to the program.

By agreeing to enroll in an online program offered by the Jung Society of Washington, you are also agreeing to comply with our terms. This means that you cannot record (through internal or external devices) the audio, visuals (photos), or  any videos of the program. The intellectual property belongs to the presenter, and we ask you not to violate this policy. Also, we highly value the anonymity of the content of the program, of the presenters, and of individuals present in the program, and hope that everyone can contribute to a respectful and trust-building online environment. Thank you!