Eros and the Shattering Gaze reveals a culturally and historically embedded narcissism underlying men's endlessly driven romantic projections and erotic fantasies, that has appropriated their understanding of what love truly is. Men enveloped in narcissism fear their interiority and all relationships with emotional depth that prove too overwhelming to bear--so much so that the lover must either be colonized or devalued.    

Over the month of April the group will focus on three major themes arising from the book--men's narcissism beneath romantic fusion and their underlying fixation with the mother complex; denial of love through negation of the other and destructive narcissism; and transcendence of narcissistic defenses and the awakening of capacities to love. "Psyche and Amor," the ancient Roman tale of love, provides the template that introduces these three major themes.

 

The book is rich with stories--clinical vignettes, dreams, literature, film,  myth, legend, and fairy tale--that balance the theoretical. It illuminates many areas of common ground that Jung's Analytical psychology shares with contemporary schools of depth psychology and psychoanalysis. The introduction of Emmanuel Levinas' philosophy of the Other offers us a new theory for the transcendence of narcissism.

 

Ken Kimmel, MA, LMFT, LMHC, is a Jungian psychoanalyst in Seattle. See more about Ken in the Radio Interview in this issue.

Listen as Bonnie Bright and Jungian
psychoanalyst Ken Kimmel discuss the powerful influence of narcissism and how it impacts men's psyche and influences relationships with the women              who love them. 

Jungian Ken Kimmel

 

Ken Kimmel, MA, LMFT, LMHC, is a Jungian psychoanalyst in Seattle with over thirty years of clinical practice and a graduate of North Pacific Institute for Analytical Psychology. His current interests concern  the interface of Analytical Psychology with contemporary psychoanalysis, phenomenology, and mystical traditions. 

 

Ken's book Eros and the Shattering Gaze is the featured book for the April 2012 Online Book Club on Depth Psychology Alliance

 

Join or visit the Depth Alliance Online Book Club now

98% of every hive is made up of worker bees, all playing a strategic role in gathering nectar, building the honeycomb, and making honey! 

As you know, Depth Psychology Alliance is growing. And, as the founder of something that feels like it has a life and will of its own, I'm thrilled to see the impact it's having--but I have to admit, I'm having a hard time keeping up with the all the various aspects of web design, content management, outreach, planning, interviews, and so much more. While I'm pretty much at it full time right now, I'm going to have to back off a bit while I work on my doctoral dissertation this coming year. At this point, I realize I need some help! 

If you have some time, resources, ideas, or skills available and you feel a call to contribute to this community, please let me know. I would love to convene a team of people who are deeply invested in making this community a deep source of learning, inspiration and transformation as we continue bringing depth psychology into the world. If you're interested in playing a larger role in the community, please email me--and thanks so much in advance. ~Bonnie Bright

 

 

A magnificent sculptor and friend, emailed me aphoto of a large, bronzed, life-sized, barefoot, female, wearing loose fitting, robe-like attire, hands, eyes, open,  arms reaching to the sky, her torso, and head, bent way, way back.   I wondered, what might this exquisite figure be doing, while in this frenzied state?  And then I knew. She was Calling the Powers!

Can one leap from  an ecstatic relationship with spirit, into the mythic/personal realm of retrograding planets?  Absolutely. A time of retrograde, or apparent backward planetary motion, is precisely the time to invoke or call the gods, in order to look again, which is precisely what the term retrograde means.

One must begin by making a relationship to the god/archetype in question. If need be enlist the help of an astrologically conversant someone, who knows the language and sign position of the current retrograding god(s).  Astrologically, retrogrades mean an apparent slowing down, or deepening, taking place not only in the astrological territory or house of one's individual chart, but also in our world, collectively. And, it is there, where the work of Richard Tarnas has become tremendously significant. 

A week or so before the planet or planets retrograde learn about the God(s) in question. For example, currently there are two planets or mythic powers of interest, retrograde, Aries/Mars, and Hermes/Mercury. Read Hermes and Mars' mythic biographies. Then find a mythic image related to these gods and also a personal one drawn from your past, present or future life as inspiration. Go with your intuition. Locate the territory (house) in which Retrograde Mercury and/or Mars is spending time in your horoscope. If you don't know the territorial house set up of your horoscope then simply read and reflect upon and about the God/planet such as Hermes/Mercury in the sign of Aries/Mars. 

An image/picture of trickster Hermes/ Mercury currently coupled up with the passionate/ courageous, instinctive often war-like Aries/Mars will emerge as Air/Mercury meets Fire/Mars.  This fire/air duo currently presents a double whammy, as each resides in the other's sign. Just meditating upon that astro/mythic pairing alone for the time of this retro period will be grist enough for your imaginal mill.  Read, make notes, sketches, take photos of that which calls you.

Do not fear these retrograde periods. Use the time of retrograde, or apparent backward planetary motion to meditate and reflect upon the qualities of the archetypal/astrological images or retrograde planets in question.  Show interest in them. Attend to them. If you invoke and attend to the gods in this way they will  partner with you in daily life and take care of the rest.  Retrograde periods are the time to look again, to focus imaginally,mythically, and then, to Call the Powers!

~Judith Harte (With appreciation and acknowledgment to sculptor Lawrence Bechtel  for his ever-inspiring work ,"Calling the Powers")

Judith Harte, Psychotherapist & Astrologer

Judith Harte has been an astrologer since 1975. As a trained therapist, with an M.A. in Clinical Psychology and a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology, she has counseled individuals, couples and families, and specialized in counseling clients in the creative arts. She has a particular fondness for Depth Psychology and Mythic Astrology as well as the incorporation of a soul-centered approach in her astrological consulting work.

If you're in the San Francisco Bay Area, join us

for an evening of networking, refreshments, and an engaging presentation by Gary Bobroff on "Jung, Crop Circles & the Re-Emergence of the Archetypal Feminine."    

 

Here's what Frank Beurskens, President, Analytical Psychology Society of Western New York, had to say about Gary's recent presentation for theJung Society in Buffalo:    

 

"Gary Bobroff delivered an engaging lecture and follow up workshop that inspired and challenged believers and skeptics alike. Gary's in-depth research from both a scientific and Jungian perspective, successfully bridged preconceived notions to access the unconscious realm; a feat seldom executed in such an authentic manner. As an organization, we were concerned that the topic would limit participation, yet the program generated record turn outfor both lecture andworkshop. Gary is a gifted presenter whose presence and perspective is destined to grow in popularity. I highly recommend Gary to any organization willing to stretch and explore the shadow in a creative and innovative manner."

 

Listen to Gary speak about his fascinating research in this interview for Depth Insights Radio.

 

 

Everyone welcome! -- Come join us for an evening of good company, conversation, and learning.

Have a book to sell or an event coming up? Bring flyers to share or books to sell for the networking hour from 6:30 to 7:30.

 

More Details/ Register Here