Workshops
Shadow Work & Emotions: Befriending Our Hidden Life
Friday, October 25th | 12pm-2pm PDT
$50
How do you experience hard emotions like fear and anger? Do you struggle to feel sadness and even joy? Psychologist Carl Jung coined the term "shadow" to refer to the parts of ourselves we hide, repress and deny. Our shadow is like a 'long bag we drag behind us' and we tend to place our unwanted parts, especially unacceptable emotions, into that bag. But there's good news! Welcoming these emotions offers incredible power to transform our lives, relationships, and communities. Join Dr. Michael Simmons as he explores language, practices, and tools for engaging our shadow and welcoming our emotions.
Workshop Outcomes
Identify & Relate to Shadow
In this workshop, Dr. Simmons clearly defines shadow, and explores how/when/where we encounter it in our everyday life. Our shadow is by definition, unconscious, and can drive our thoughts, actions, and leave us off balance in our relationships. We often encounter shadow first through projections onto others, and/or through sensations, numbness, and pain in our body. You’ll leave this workshop with greater awareness and tools for connecting to your hidden life, and renewed love and compassion for yourself and others.
Access “Inner Landscape” of Emotions
Our personal shadow is like a dense, uncharted forrest, and it can be impossible to know where to begin. Emotions offer a trailhead into shadow and serve as a compass for continued exploration. This workshop unpacks four “core emotions,” how to identify them in our body, and how relating to them is essential for personal and relational wholeness.
Shadow Work for Romance & Spirituality: Interview with Connie Zweig, PhD
Friday, November 1st, 2024 | 9am - 10:30am PDT
$25
In this interview, we’ll explore key themes from Connie Zweig’s Meeting the Shadow on the Spiritual Path and Romancing the Shadow. Both books focus on the shadow—the hidden, disowned parts of ourselves—and its impact on spiritual and psychological growth.
Meeting the Shadow on the Spiritual Path addresses how unresolved psychological issues surface during spiritual seeking, often through spiritual bypassing or guru worship, hindering genuine awakening. Zweig emphasizes the need to confront and integrate these darker aspects for true transformation.
In Romancing the Shadow, Connie Zweig and Steve Wolf expand on this, exploring how the shadow influences personal relationships and self-sabotage. They advocate “romancing” the shadow—compassionately embracing our darker impulses to achieve authenticity and emotional freedom.
The interview will highlight how shadow work in both spiritual and everyday life can lead to a more integrated, conscious self, merging psychological and spiritual growth into a holistic path toward fulfillment.
Religious but Not Religious: Living a Symbolic Life
Wednesday, November 13th | 9-10am PDT
FREE
In this interview, I sit down with Jungian analyst, author, and podcast host, Jason E. Smith to explore the concept of the symbolic life and how it shapes our path to wholeness. We dive into his personal experiences with Christianity and discuss the unique opportunities and challenges that individuals coming from the Christian tradition may encounter on their journey toward living a full and integrated life. Whether you're familiar with Jungian psychology or exploring new spiritual perspectives, this conversation offers deep insight into the interplay between faith, symbolism, and the pursuit of personal wholeness.
With over two decades of experience, Jason helps individuals navigate their inner worlds by integrating the teachings of Carl Jung with various spiritual traditions. He is the author of Religious But Not Religious: Living a Symbolic Life, where he explores the psychological depth of religious traditions, especially Christianity, and how symbolic thinking can lead to greater personal fulfillment. He also hosts the Digital Jung Podcast, which many contemplative and spirituality intuitive types will find deeply satisfying!
Jung's Map of the Soul: Workshop
Friday, November 14th | 12-2pm PDT
$50
I bet you are familiar with the terms “ego,” “shadow,” “persona,” and “archetypes,” right? However, they likely feel a bit opaque in terms of their meaning and connection to one another. Carl Jung developed a “Map of the Soul,” which offers clarity for identifying and interacting with our inner and outer world. Understanding this “map” can guide us deeper inward to discover greater depths, soften our soul, and strengthen our relationships. For practical in-depth study, purchase Jung's Map of the Soul by Murray Stein PhD
You'll leave with
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Clear definitions of key Jungian terms and
how they practically relate to your life -
Trailheads for recognizing/navigating
your “inner landscape” and embodied
experience -
Ability to distinguish between ego, persona, and shadow
-
Knowledge of negative complexes and how they are "triggered"
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Greater connection with the “Self” as the
ordering and transforming principle of
the soul -
Greater integration and connection between your inner life with your outer experience