Entering the Magical Realm: Enchantment, Wonder and the Way of Marie-Louise von Franz

Fairy tales and life after death are central subjects in the extensive writings of Marie-Louise von Franz, a leading 20^th Century mind in Jungian theory.  In two presentations and a panel discussion, Dr. Steven Buser, psychiatrist and general editor of the 28 volume Collected Works of Marie-Louise von Franz, will give an overview of von Franz’s life and work, her interpretive approach to fairy tales, and conclude with a review of her perspective on death, the afterlife, and her concept of “constructing the diamond body for eternity.”

Presentation # 1:  The Spiritual/Archetypal Symbolisms in Fairy Tales.  (Vol. 1 & 2 in the Collected Works of Marie-Louise von Franz.)

Marie-Louise von Franz is arguably the world’s most renowned authority on fairy tales.  After giving an overview of her life, Dr. Buser will explore her 9-step process of fairy tale interpretation, as well as her writings on the Hero’s Journey, the Great Mother, the Demonic Son, the Magical Daughter and other primary archetypal symbols. He will conclude with her interpretation of one of her favorite fairy tales, The Three Feathers.  Join us for an overview of the life and work of this historical giant in Jungian psychology.

Fairy Tales reviewed: 1. Three Feathers, 2. Cinderella, 3. Snow White and the Seven Dwarves (PDF of these fairy tales will be included in the order confirmation after registering).

Panel Presentation #2: The Heroine’s Journey and the Evil Stepmother—Inside and Outside.
Panelists: Steven Buser, MD, Lynne Copp, PhD, and Laura Monschau, PhD

A poisoned apple.  An evil stepmother.  A cold dark tower.  The heroine is confronted out of the darkness of her own unconscious. Will she be devoured by the dark animus of the archetypal evil stepmother, or can she confront her ghosts and transform them into a healing space of strength?

The heroine navigates a complicated maze of inner and outer relationships as she builds a bridge to the unconscious.  The heroine contends with the animus in many form—a devouring and incestuous father, a demonic groom, a beautiful prince, an androgenous mother.  Dangers and pitfalls await her as the conscious feminine strives to make connections with the unconscious masculine.  The maiden is the undeveloped feminine and the promised fruit of her struggle with the animus is the conjunctio.  Join us as we delve into Volume 3 of her Collected Works, exploring The Maiden Quest. 

Presentation #3: Life Beyond Death: Constructing the Diamond Body to Withstand Eternity.

Marie-Louise von Franz had a strong belief in the afterlife.  She worked with hundreds of dreams of those in the process of dying and used them as glimpses into death and what happens to the soul after death.  She discovered clear patterns and concluded that one brings into the afterlife only those elements they were able to make conscious over their lifetime.   She saw one’s diamond body or subtle body as an indestructible soul-body that survives the fire of death.  She even describes the “physics of death” in her work on supra-luminal frequencies and how we pass through these initially at birth and again at death.  Join us as we explore the profound mysteries of death and the afterlife.  (Volume 23 of the Collected Works)