The C.G. Jung Institute of Los Angeles continues its read-through of The Red Book: Liber Novus, with Part 13 taking place this evening, Friday the 21st of August. This session covers Chapter 13, Liber Secundus, “The Sacrificial Murder,” in which Jung reworks the Christian notion of sacrifice, arguing that transformation depends on accepting one’s own capacity for evil rather than sacrificing out of love. Saturday brings Part 14 turning to Chapters 14 and 15 (“Divine Folly” and “Nox Secunda,”) which traces the roots of the individuation process and Jung’s imagined commitment to a madhouse for religious mania – a journey participants may be thankful to only attend secondhand. Sunday’s Part 15 covers Chapter 16, “Nox Tertia,” where Jung explores the “the law of love,” and Part 16 closes the sequence with Chapter 17, “Nox Quarta,” in which Jung imagines himself playing multiple roles in a performance of Parsifal, reflecting on the need to accept the rejected parts of the self.
For those who have missed out on the bulk of the series, do not despair. Recordings of Parts 1–12 are being made available to anyone registering for Parts 13–16, so newcomers can catch up before diving in, viewable from August 7 to September 4.
Each session runs for two-hours, combining reading the text aloud, historical and intertextual context, and close attention to the Red Book’s imagery. Informal conversation is encouraged during breaks. Participants are asked to have a copy of the reader’s edition on hand. The series is led by George Bright, a Training and Supervising Analyst at the Society of Analytical Psychology and co-founder of The Circle of Analytical Psychology, a London-based group dedicated to studying Jung’s Liber Novus and Black Books. His 1997 paper on synchronicity received the Michael Fordham Prize.
The remaining sessions take place over this weekend and are offered in person and via Zoom, with CE credits available. You can register to attend and receive the recordings, here.