In 1913 Jung began a sustained engagement with the unconscious which profoundly influenced the development of his theoretical and clinical work. This seminar will focus on the ways in which Jung’s attention to the soul, body, emotion, imagination, the somatic unconscious, and the subtle body was decades ahead of his time in both theory and practice. Drawing from the neuroscience of Iain McGilchrist as well as historical material, this presentation will examine the role of the embodied dimension of experience in psychotherapy, including why it has been devalued, current thinking about the somatic aspect of the unconscious, and Jung’s belief that we cannot have a soulful life or transform in a significant way without a connection to the body.
Learning objectives:
· Describe what is meant by the term “embodied soul” and trace the development by which it came to be relegated to the cultural shadow.
· Describe Jung’s method of embodied active imagination and explain how it offers a way of working with the body through the imaginal realm and the subtle body.
· Describe the relevance of Iain McGilchrist’s neuroscience to the role of the embodied soul in modern psychology.
