In this workshop we will discuss Jungian Arts-Based Research (JABR) as a powerful toolkit for knowledge-seekers who grapple with challenging and urgent questions.
C. G. Jung described the unconscious psyche as perceivable through images, including visual pictures, words, sounds, objects given shape with our hands, and the intuitive movements of the body (see Jung’s Collected Works v.8). From this perspective, art gives us an opportunity to interact directly with the unconscious and hidden parts of the psyche (which many interpret as a universal field, not simply the contents of the human brain). This can be a profoundly spiritual experience.
Therefore, through the multidimensional psychological approach of Jungian Arts-Based Research, we can seek insights from the deep, sacred recesses of our humanity (and beyond) for the pressing issues of our time. Knowledge gathered in this way can be of incredible value, as it not only may bring an utterly fresh perspective, but it can move us to action via visceral experience of our soul’s values.
In our two hours together, we will cover some of the foundational concepts in Jungian Arts-Based Research, see an example of this kind of work (a shortened version of Kerry’s dance film, Dreaming the Mórrígan), learn how to formulate powerful research questions that bridge between numinous, spiritual experience and urgent physical-world topics (eg. the climate emergency, decolonization, racism, etc.), and end with a discussion on how to step from insight into action.