Symbolic Life Newsletter

The Art of Gift Giving

THE SYMBOLIC LIFE (Winter 2007) In his article “The Psychology of the Child Archetype” C. G. Jung wrote: “The most that we can do is to...

Finding Light in Darkness

THE SYMBOLIC LIFE (Winter 2006) The Winter Solstice Season is one of unique mystery and evokes not only its own special symbolism, but...

Nature and the Soul

THE SYMBOLIC LIFE (Winter 2004) In an essay written near the end of his life entitled “Symbols and the Interpretation of Dreams,” C. G....

Leelinau and the Sacred Tree

THE SYMBOLIC LIFE (Winter 2003) When Leelinau, from the Native American Ojibway tribe, was a young girl she loved to spend her time...

Dobby and Gollum

THE SYMBOLIC LIFE (Summer 2003) Dobby and Gollum, two figures from this winter’s biggest film successes, "Harry Potter and the Chamber...

Father Christmas, Gandalf, and Dumbledore

THE SYMBOLIC LIFE (Winter 2002) When his oldest child was three years old, J. R. R. Tolkien, the author of The Lord of the Rings, began...

Harry Potter and Frodo Baggins

THE SYMBOLIC LIFE (Summer 2002) In times of stress and amidst life’s struggles we can often look within to our dreams for a unique or...

Myth and National Trauma

THE SYMBOLIC LIFE (Winter 2001) Amidst the tremendous tragedy of the airplane assaults on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon most...

The Burning Bush

THE SYMBOLIC LIFE (Summer 2001) One of the best examples of the relevance of the symbolic language of the psyche to our psychological...

The Imaginative World

THE SYMBOLIC LIFE (Winter 2000) As we discussed in the last newsletter the most direct access to the symbolic life we all share is our...

The Exodus Journey

THE SYMBOLIC LIFE (Summer 2000) One way to understand the roots of Jungian psychology is through its connection to the symbolic language...