Workshop Description:
In Memories, Dreams, Reflections Carl Jung describes the dynamics of ancestral transmissions as “an impersonal karma that passes from parents to children, to complete or perhaps continue things which previous ages have left unfinished” (p. 233).
In this presentation I explore how generational transmissions of shame and resiliency are aspects of the individuation process, and contribute to the evolution of the collective.
As the great granddaughter of L. Frank Baum, the author of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, I discovered an enactment of a dark and shameful shadow that resides in the collective of the American psyche. It triggered some deep soul searching, and the offering of a formal apology to offended communities in hopes of healing and moving into the new ways of relating. In this presentation, I include my personal experiences of generational individuation, along with the sandplay case of a courageous and determined woman who suffered severe childhood abuse and trauma. In the course of her treatment this woman uncovered a family secret that freed her from generations of shame and suffering, and made her aware of the strength and resiliency her ancestors embodied to survive. Her case is a beautiful example of generational individuation, and powerful example of Jung’s statement that “an advance always begins with individuation, that is to say with the individual, conscious of his isolation, cutting a new path through hitherto untrodden territory. If he succeeds in giving collective validity to his widened consciousness, he creates a tension of opposites that provides the stimulation which culture needs for its further progress.” (Jung. 1963, p. 59).
Main points of the workshop:
- Jung’s concept of impersonal karma
- Key points regarding personal transformation and generational individuation
- Transmissions of shame and resiliency through family lineages
- Apology and reconciliation for healing and the evolution of the collective
- Breaking the chain of ancestral abuse and conditioning
- Images of trauma, shame, and transformation in sandplay case material
Learning Objectives: Participants will be able to
- Identify the characteristics of generational individuation.
- Describe how generational individuation affects the collective.
- Explain at least three ways shame and resiliency are transmitted through family lineages.
- Apply at least two healing strategies of ancestral pain into their therapeutic work.
- Identify at least three ways shame and resiliency appear in imagery in sandplay therapy.
Presenter Bio: Gita Morena PhD is a Jungian Analyst, licensed Marriage, Family and Child Therapist, and university professor who has worked with children, families, and individuals for over 50 years. She blends Jungian psychology and eastern spirituality to focus on issues of transition, trauma, grief, and individuation. In the free and protected space of her office, the alignment of mind, body and spirit is encouraged to resolve internal distress, awaken creativity, and access inner wisdom. She is a gifted teacher and seminar leader, and has traveled globally to conduct sandplay workshops and trainings. In her book, The Wisdom of Oz, Dr. Morena sheds light on The Wizard of Oz as a tale of individuation and spiritual awakening.