We will begin by reviewing the basics of complexity theory, developed in the late 20th century with a focus on application to Jungian concepts such as archetypes and synchronicity. The emergence of the notion of synchronicity from Jung’s own self-experiment, documented in The Red Book, will help us see how prescient his thinking was in terms of contemporary understanding. As time permits we will then look at the psychoid layer of archetypal reality. This will be explored from this vantage point of recent research in ecological systems and artistic intuition. In particular we will examine a few examples from the history of culture where artisans or artists were able to represent profound knowledge of highly complex natural phenomena well ahead of any scientific understanding. These will guide us towards the articulation of the psychoid imagination and its possible use in the clinical setting.
Learning Objectives:
1.) To understand the value of reformulating concepts from Analytical Psychology in terms of contemporary complexity theory.
2.) To develop an appreciation of the notion of the psychoid archetype both historically and in modern applications such as ecological systems.
3.) To reevaluate the capacity of some artists to give representation to profound, though hidden aspect of reality through their art.
