“One would do well to treat every dream as though it were a totally unknown object. Look at it from all sides, take it in your hand,
carry it about with you, let your imagination play around with it.” C.G. Jung, CW 10, 320

C.G. Jung’s break with Freud in 1912-1913 preceded his descent into the unconscious and the beginning of his exploration with Active Imagination and Symbolic Play. During this time of Symbolic Play, Jung developed an approach to the psyche which led to a Religious Attitude and the use of imagination to connect with the unconscious. Play, fantasy and the imagination will put us in touch with material that is ordinarily repressed (C.G. Jung, CW 6, 93).

One way to achieve a deeper connection with the unconscious is to understand personal and objective symbol meanings by playing with dream symbols. Jung considered symbols the best expression and description of yet an unknown connection with the unconscious brought into consciousness. The use of creative play with the symbol is a vehicle that helps to understand dreams.

Dreams and Active imagination will provide the materials for Symbolic Play in the class. We will begin by reviewing basic Jungian approaches to dream analysis. As the unconscious produces images, we will learn to explore and analyze the symbols in the dreams as they inform consciousness. We will also learn to connect the day residue and symbolic derivatives with the dream to gain therapeutic insights for clients. For some attendees the material may be a review and for others it may be new. However the newness for all will be the experience of discovering how unique and significant symbols are in understanding dreams. All are encouraged to attend. Please begin to gather dreams and symbols to use in the class.