Connecting Nature with Our Inner God and Goddess

Description

Learning Outcomes:

• Describe, evaluate and discuss the basic concepts of ancient wisdom through symbolism, archetype and myth. We will specifically explore Shamanism as an archetype, the Epic of Gilgamesh and the myth of the Sumerian goddess Inanna.
• Understand why identifying with archetypes and ancient myth can be profound for a psycho-spiritual and pedagogical development of the Self. The idea of archetypal pedagogy stems from Jungian psychology.
• Utilize C.G. Jung’s anima and animus principles (masculine and feminine energies within) to explore personality traits that can help us experience greater wholeness.
• Discuss why connecting with nature is essential for our human evolution and why western civilization has split from nature.
• Reflect and determine how uniting the masculine and feminine aspects of the self are beneficial for self-understanding, self-growth, and further for benefiting the collective consciousness of humanity.

Session Descriptions:

Week 1: A brief introduction to myth and archetype understood through the lens of Carl Jung and Joseph Campbell will be presented. Archetypes are primordial and collective images of spiritual/psychic/instinctual power. Archetypes inform our self-image, influence how we see the world, and direct many of the actions we take as we navigate and create our realities. Archetypes can emerge in a non-ordinary state of consciousness (NOSC) for inner knowledge or self-reflection.

Week 2: Ancient myth generally identifies a character that experiences an initiatory ritual process or a tumultuous journey. We will review the symbolism and highlights of the Epic of Gilgamesh, this ancient story of a tyrant king who traverses the depths of the underworld in search of immortality. We will reflect on how this epic has shape shifted the perspective of our patriarchal era.

Week 3: This week the focus will be on myth and archetype as it pertains to mystical states of consciousness. The goddess Inanna braves many trials and initiatory rites. The Sacred Marriage ritual was the epitome of the Sumerian rituals intended to unite the material world with the divine (think of New Year or Mardi Gras celebrations). We will explore how Inanna’s story can help our current civilization with transformation towards a rebirth and collective unity of masculine and feminine energy. We will identify with Shamanic mystical experiences and other archetypes that emerge in holotropic states of consciousness.

Week 4: Nature abounds in a continuous cycle of death and rebirth. We will explore how the Sumerians interconnected with nature, not merely as a backdrop but rather as an integral part of their worldview, shaping its values, practices, and collective consciousness to experience wholeness. Sumerian myths and legends often depicted interactions between gods, humans, and nature, emphasizing the interconnectedness of all living beings. We will attempt to mirror how the Sumerians developed a deep respect for the natural world and sought to live in harmony with its rhythms and cycles.

Recommended Reading: 

The Epic of Gilgamesh book by Maureen Kovacs, or poem – free downloadable version 

Inanna: Queen of Heaven and Earth by Diane Wolkstein and Samuel Noah Kramer

The Archetypes and the Collective Unconscious, Carl Gustav Jung

Memories, Dreams, Reflections, Carl Gustav Jung

Unveiling the Modern Goddess: thru symbolism, chakras & myth, K Marie Castle

The Sacred Union: Connecting the masculine and feminine within, K Marie Castle

The New Gilgamesh: Love, eros & immortality – Dissertation written by K Marie Castle (2015) – PDF will be provided prior to class.