Breathing through moral injury
a recorded evening discussion
Today it is just business and news about general offerings:
BREATHING THROUGH MORAL INJURY
RECORDED DISCUSSION AVAILABLE FOR REGISTRANTS
THROUGH JULY 30th
This current era is ripe with experiences of collective moral injury - the unique spiritual and psychological harm that comes from witnessing or absorbing moral violations, flagrant indifference to the life and well being of others, or when we are coerced into committing immoral acts ourselves. Pandemic indifference and ableism, inaction with regard to climate change, entrenched political corruption, white supremacy and police violence, , propaganda and misinformation campaigns, legislation endangering and targeting oppressed communities, mass shootings and stochastic terrorism, and now, the loss of reproductive rights and bodily autonomy are all examples of collective events which can be morally injurious. Understanding the implications and aftermath of moral injury can help us to identify, mourn and re-integrate without resorting to cynicism or nihilism.
This discussion will focus on
exploring ways to identify collective moral injury as distinct from other aspects of trauma
discussion of spiritual and metaphysical frames that can help us withstand, and mourn and reorganize in the face of moral injury
Some subjects that may emerge in discussion:
Viktor Frankl’s notions of attitudinal values
Guggenbühl-Craig’s ideas of the Amoral Archetype
Anna Ornstein’s teachings about genocide and Nazism
Stories from myth, scripture and fairy tale which contend with moral injury
Turning to stone - spiritual paralysis and moral injury
Alienation and individuation - when we must stand alone with our moral or ethical values.
Beyond forgiveness - anti-carcerality and collective compassion
Expectations, outrage and mourning
Exploring contemplative exercises from Dr. Barbara Holmes’ book “Crisis Contemplation”
Note: This is a recorded discussion group examining different frames and theories that may be useful in metabolizing moral injury and its aftermath. The discussion will focus on collective events and collective experiences of moral injury as a spiritual, social and cultural problem rather than personal trauma.
RECORDED DREAM WORKSHOP
Content
This course consists of 10 approximately fifty-minute long videos of a dream workshop I facilitated in Spring 2021. The videos include a brief didactic presentation, as I outline the themes for each session, followed by class discussion. The group then discusses dreams, either taken from the Jungian literature, or shared by a workshop participant.
Duration
A paid subscription to these videos lasts for 4 months before expiring.
Materials
Subscribers will receive:
a syllabus with optional free online readings
a pdf of an e-booklet of instructional essays compiled for this workshop
Some essays from my public blog will also be suggested
All reading is optional and made available for those who are interested
Please contact me for these materials when you register.
Topics
The workshop covers:
the structure and relationship between consciousness and the unconscious
understanding archetypes
the personal unconscious
Jung’s method of dream “amplification”
“Big dreams” and dreams of the collective
a review of contemplative and creative exercises that can help expand upon dream themes
an exploration of dreaming and synchronicity
the relationship between the creative process and dream work
We will explore not only the useful aspects of Jung’s thoughts on dreaming, we will also confront and challenge the Eurocentric and misogynistic notions that exist in these texts and theories
Terms and Privacy
For me, dream work is a living and relational process, not an exercise in interpretation and so I chose to record the whole workshop, and not merely a lecture. Group members were offered time off-screen to discuss anything they chose to keep private, and agreed to record and share the recorded portions of these discussions behind a paywall for subscribers to this series. I am deeply grateful to all the participants, and for all the insights and intuitions they share here.
All material presented in this series is copyrighted and proprietary, and may not be copied or downloaded.
Scholarships
Fee reductions are available for those experiencing financial hardship. Contact me to discuss.