“The shuttling to and fro of arguments and affects represents the transcendent function of opposites. The confrontation of the two positions generates a tension charged with energy and creates a living, third thing—…a living birth that leads to a new level of being, a new situation.”
— Jung, “The Transcendent Function,” (1916/1958)
“The paradox . . . reflects a higher level of intellect and, by not forcibly representing the unknowable as known, gives a more faithful picture of the real state of affairs. ”
— Jung, CW 11, par. 417, 1954
The Salome Institute is deeply honored to host Cybele Brandow, Rae Davis, and tyler redskye—three trans academics, artists, and community members—in this special two-hour salon exploring the trans experience and its direct correlation to Jung’s work.
In a time when trans people find themselves under constant threat from legislative, political, physical, and emotional attack, and when the vast majority of people still do not personally know a trans person, we heartily encourage your presence and participation in this salon to engage collectively in a deepened understanding of the lived experience of trans individuals, and the remarkable ways in which trans people’s lived understanding of individuation and the union of the opposites illuminates Jung’s core ideas.
In this salon, Cybele Brandow, Rae Davis, and tyler redskye will share some of their experiences on the path to individuation as trans people, convey the ways in which imagination and dreamwork supported and confirmed their trans identities, and how Jung’s understanding of the Transcendent Function mirrors trans identity and the emergence of “the third” within the gender binary.
In particular, Cybele, former Director of the Maine Jung Center, may speak to the parallels between their lived experience of “third gender,” the Taoist search to move beyond the binary, and the transcendent “third thing” of Jung’s psychology in which the opposites can unite. They’ll explore: how is the transcendent function of Jung’s work in direct conversation with the trans experience?
Rae, a lifelong visual artist, may convey some of his understanding of the beauty of cis men that cis men struggle to see, or how nature finally felt like a place of freedom and joy for him once he was able to locate himself in a story that had otherwise been denied him. He may share some of the dreams he had while transitioning that indicate the sense of freedom his psyche finally felt after decades of confusion.
tyler may speak to paradox and how it informs and undoes the concept of trans “identity.” The use of imagination was an essential part of tyler’s ability to dream their trans self into existence—to see possibility emerge from two opposites and, as Jung wrote, use the tension as a way to allow a third to emerge. They may reflect on the concept of man and woman as man-made concepts and the expanse that is gender, and that these are just two possibilities amidst infinite possibility. They may speak on the kind of unimaginable compassion and self-love that trans people hold for themselves—not just in recognizing themselves, but also loving themselves.
After the panel presentation and discussion, Satya will moderate a Q&A with the community.
Recording: If you are unable to join us live or would like to watch this on your own time, a recording will be sent to all registrants within 24 hours of the live event.
