Since its inception in 2006, the Jungian Odyssey, hosted by ISAPZurich, has welcomed Jungians an annual conference and retreat in Switzerland. This year’s theme, “Dark I am, yet lovely.”: Embracing the Exiled Feminine, draws inspiration from the region’s haunting history of witch persecutions and local legends, such as the Hexenstein (Witches’ Stone), to delve into the shadowy, transformative aspects of the feminine psyche.
Held at the serene Seeblick Höhenhotel from 17 to 24 May, the program brims with compelling lectures and experiences. Attendees can look forward to Jörg Rasche’s “The Sphinx, Salome and the Queen of the Night,” blending music and myth to unpack the dark feminine’s transformative danger and Daniela Sieff’s “The Archetypal Death Mother as Ambivalence, Hostility and Infanticide” challenges idealized motherhood with evolutionary insights. Murray Stein’s “My soul, where are you?” on May 21 examines anima redemption in later life, drawing from Jung’s Red Book. Experiential workshops, like Ann Chia-Yi Li’s “The Gaze From the Dark Hinterland” on May 22, use ink painting to engage the unconscious, and Katarzyna Wach’s “Connecting with the Cosmopolitan Witch” combines pelvic floor work with healing transgenerational trauma.
Outings enhance the retreat’s allure, and include a boat ride to Lucerne with a guided tour of the iconic Chapel Bridge. Friday’s free hike to the Chapel of the Holy Cross, featuring the restored “Dance of Death” painting, offers a reflective journey through Emmetten’s wild gorge. Special events include Ilaria Franchi’s movement sessions, a screening of The French Lieutenant’s Woman with Jungian discussion, and the play Twilight at Bollingen, featuring Jung and his successors, performed by notable analysts like Paul Brutsche and Murray Stein.
This Odyssey promises a profound blend of scholarship, nature, and self-discovery, set against Emmetten’s mystical backdrop. Early registration is encouraged due to limited enrollment.