Jung in Sofia and Thessaloniki

The Healing Power of Myths, Icons & Symbols

One of Carl Jung’s unique contributions was his emphasis on the use of myths, symbols, and images and their potential for healing. From a Jungian perspective, these elements play vital roles in both our personal and collective psyches, serving as powerful catalysts in the healing process. We invite you to join us as we explore this theme on our Fall 2026 study tour to Sofia, Bulgaria and Thessaloniki in Northern Greece.

Bulgaria—and its capital, Sofia—offers a richly layered and evocative setting for our exploration of myth, symbol, and icon. One of Europe’s oldest continuously inhabited cities, Sofia stands at a crossroads of East and West, where ancient Thracian, Roman, Byzantine, and Orthodox Christian traditions converge. Of particular significance is Sofia’s world-class icon collection, housed in the crypt in the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral. These extraordinary sacred images invite us to encounter icons not simply as works of art, but as living symbols—visual mediators between the human and the divine. From a Jungian perspective, icons embody archetypal images that speak directly to the psyche, offering a contemplative experience in which symbol becomes a vehicle for healing, transformation, and connection to the numinous.

From Sofia, our journey continues south to Thessaloniki—historically known as Salonika—where the themes of myth and symbol unfold in a new yet deeply resonant context. Long regarded as a spiritual and cultural center of the Byzantine world, Thessaloniki is renowned for its early Christian churches, luminous mosaics, and sacred architecture, many of which are designated UNESCO World Heritage sites. Here, layers of Jewish, Christian, and classical traditions coexist, revealing the complexity of collective memory and the enduring power of symbolic forms across time.

Throughout our study tour, participants will be accompanied by a knowledgeable guide and an outstanding faculty of Jungian analysts and authors whose scholarly depth and clinical insight will enhance our site visits, discussions, and reflections. Traveling with this distinguished faculty offers a rare opportunity to engage Jungian thought in places where history, image, and psyche intersect—creating an experience that is both spiritually meaningful and personally transformative.