photos 2014 retreat

Hope you enjoy and perhaps even come back to these if ever the spirit needs a bit of an uplift. 

Or a grounding. 

Danielle

Alex on Letterman

Hi Everyone,
I found the video of Alex performing with Benjamin Booker on You Tube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8VyRO2iqeg Alex is the base player (I guess most of you know what he looks like from last year)>


And then I searched on Wikipedia and saw that they will be performing in Philly on Tuesday 10/21, and Boston on 10/22. Any of my fellow Bostonians interested in trying to check it out?
Cheers,
Paula

dark and light in the spirit of our weekend

O Karma, Dharma, pudding and pie

gimme a break before I die

grant me wisdom will & wit,

purity, probity, pluck and grit.

Trustworthy, loyal, helpful and kind,

gimme great abs and a steel-trap mind,

and forgive, Ye Gods, some humble advice—

these little blessings would suffice

to beget an earthy paradise:

make the bad people good –

and the good people nice:

and before our world goes over the brink,

teach the believers how to think.

 

Philip Appleman

More Synchronicity

I heard two things on NPR today that seem relevant to our weekend:

http://www.wbur.org/npr/356045103/animated-book-of-life-celebrates-day-of-the-dead

http://onpoint.wbur.org/2014/10/14/goya-mfa-order-disorder-war-isis-spain

I have to confess I haven't been able to listen to the second one yet.

Google Docs Anyone?

Hi All,
I was thinking of John's story of how when he took over the group administration, much of the documentation and records were missing and he had to do his best to recreate them. It occurred to me that maybe we could use Google docs as a place to upload things like our mission statement, operating procedures, and even past seminar agendas -- whatever we think we want to keep for posterity and make available to attendees. Google has calendars, too, and we could use that for things like payment due dates and seminar dates. I believe it also allows you to create an email distribution. Maybe we can even link the blog to it, as it is also a Google project.


I've used some of these things a little, but is anyone really familiar with it? Or interested in researching? I can do the latter but not for a while.


P.

projection

Michael writes:

One thing I learned from our sojourn with Jung & Job is that the problem with projection is not only the individual's problem but also the planet's.  

That is, my projections don't hurt only me, which they do by forestalling my growth and leading me down dead-ends and also perhaps into deeds I will later regret).  And of course, through my actions, the people whom I dislike or idolize may be harmed.   But that is still in the sphere of the individual.

Jung argues that my projections also feed psychic energy that is objectively independent and manifests in the world. 

As I write this, I recall that Mme Blavatsky and the theosophists argue that thoughts are incorporeal entities - they live.

Spoto Sustanance 2013

Hi Everyone,
Looking forward to seeing you all and immersing ourselves in the study of the Red Book. For those of you new to the group, I'm the "snack coordinator" for the seminar. We supplement the 3 meals/day offered by the Mercy Center with some snacks for breaks and evenings, and wine to enhance our evening conviviality. I typically send out my working grocery list to see whether you have any special requests, suggestions, or dietary constraints. Here's what I base my shopping on, with some impulse buys or variation thrown in:

Shopping List

Groceries

These are generally reimbursed from the general kitty and we have a small fridge in the break room:

·         Apples – 6 pounds Macoun (had some left over); note: they are your Snack Coordinator’s favorite); If anyone wants to bring a few local apples from their area, we could do an apple tasting.

·         Grapes – 1 bunch red seedless
·         Dried apricots – 1 container

·         Almonds – salted and unsalted

·         Cheese – 3 cheeses, including cheddar, 1 goat cheese

·         Crackers for cheese (include whole grain, sesame-flavored Asian Rice Crackers; gluten-free for Mollie. Look for Diamond brand.)

·         Nuts: 1 big container (qt.-sized) mixed nuts and/or trail mix

·         1 bag hard pretzels

·         1 package pita bread

·         1 pint hummus tahini

·         2 big bags chips (corn and blue corn)

·         1 pint salsa

·         Cookies – two tubs of mini cookies

·         Yogurt: plain coffee, lemon, and cherry

·         Caffeine-free diet Coke (Angelo’s request) [Angelo: Are you on to another beverage? I seem to recall you traded in Coke for Perrier last year.]

·         3 2-liter bottles of seltzer

·         Cider

·         Vanilla soy milk

In the past, I've bought a case of assorted "value" wines from around the world and those of us who drank chipped in, but this year Nord Brue, an avid wine aficionado, offered to bring a couple of cases to share with the group.

 

These are the dietary constraints I'm already aware of:

·         Mollie cannot eat cow’s milk cheeses and yogurts, only goat’s and sheep’s milk. She also cannot eat gluten.

·         Sister Nancy needs gluten-free snacks.

Please email me at paula.spizziri@verizon.net with any input you have. See you Friday!

Reading Assignment Update

Hi Everyone,
This just in from Angelo:

I have just had the realization that this year's Mercy Weekend will really need to be in two parts!  The best break will be combining Seven Sermons to the Dead (in Scrutinies) and Answer to Job, perhaps as a separate weekend in the future. If people have already read that material, it certainly won't harm them for this year, as both works merit multiple readings and are relevant to what will be discussed this time out. But, I must give everyone a heads up: there is too much material in the Red Book itself to even begin to do it justice, much less to cover the additional material. So, I will devote myself to bringing the Red Book to life for you in the best way I know how, and give you my perspective on how it informs Jung's spirituality. We'd need a week rather than a weekend to cover the Red Book and the additional material in any respectable manner.

I trust the group trusts me on this one. It is going to be a very full and rich weekend--guaranteed!

I don't think any of us who have been reading the RB are surprised -- there is obviously a lot of stuff there to delve into.

Stay tuned for a snack coordination email/post as the weekend approaches.

Looking forward to seeing you all!
Paula

Jung & Spirituality: Spoto Seminar 2013 -- Get Yer Reading List Here!

Hi Everyone,
Angelo sent us the reading list for this Fall's seminar. He encourages us to get started now:

Listed below are the primary texts to prepare for the Mercy Weekend.

• The Red Book. (The more economically priced reader's edition is now available. And, while the Big Book is stunning, this one will do for ou purposes)
• The chapter in Memories, Dreams, Reflections entitled, "Confrontation with the Unconscious."
• Answer to Job

The secondary material around Jung and Spirituality is profuse, rich, and exhausting beyond imagining. I  will probably put together an interesting bibliography for circulation at the weekend, and go over some significant titles. Authors like M. Stein, J. Dourley, E. Edinger, A. Ulanov, R. Sardello are some of the heavy lifters. But, that would only be a start into who and what is out there on this topic. With that said, I always feel there is no substitute for reading Jung. The three titles listed are all challenging, but promise a great return to the committed investor.

 

Looking forward to reconnecting with you in the Fall,

Paula

TED Talk on Introversion

Hi All,
A colleague of mine sent this to me and I thought you'd find it of interest: http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/en/susan_cain_the_power_of_introverts.html.
Enjoy,
Paula

Inspiration Issue from the New York Times

Hello Everyone,

As we make our plans and do our reading for the Jung conference,  thought we might want to take a look at this week's upcoming New York Times Supplement devoted to creative inspiration.  Lots of interesting insights here.

Enjoy and see you soon!


http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2012/09/30/magazine/inspiration-issue.html?hp

Message from Angelo -- Reading List

Hi All,
This just in from Angelo:

Our Mercy weekend is quickly approaching and I am very excited to have the time with all of you for what I hope will be a beautiful fall experience. This time out, we will focus on the topic of "The Individuation Process and the Creative." The Tina Keller book from last year will be used. And, I would suggest that each person read one off the following list:

-Neumann, E. The Place of the Creative
-May, R. The Courage to Create
-Leonard. The Call to Create
-Fox, M. Creativity
-Loori, J.D. The Zen of Creativity: Cultivating you Artistic Life
-McMillan III, F. Finding Jung

Or come prepared to tell us about your favorite book on creativity and why you like it. Reading before the weekend is best considered stimulation for the weekend, e.g. good to do but not absolutely necessary. The books above are only half from the Jungian perspective, but the creative need not be limited to the Jungian perspective, rich as that is. Nor is the creative limited to producing art. Heads up: unfortunately for some, we will not be doing art during the weekend. But, you may find that to be a happy by-product once you get home.

We will open up the weekend with a brief discussion of what constitutes a creative life to you and spend the weekend expanding on our ideas using Jung's understanding of the individuation process. I have a lot of material to present, including a great fairy tale, and I will hope to balance presentation, discussion, and time to reflect on our topic so that everyone comes away from the weekend satisfied.

Take care,

Angelo

Stay tuned for requests from your Snack Coordinator for food suggestions and dietary restrictions!
Cheers,
Paula

Message from Angelo -- Reading List

Hi Everyone, A message from Angelo:   Our Mercy weekend is quickly approaching and I am very excited to have the time with all of you for what I hope will be a beautiful fall experience. This time out, we will focus on the topic of "The Individuation Process and the Creative." The Tina Keller book from last year will be used. And, I would suggest that each person read one off the following list:

- Neumann, E. The Place of the Creative
- May, R. The Courage to Create
- Leonard. The Call to Create
- Fox, M. Creativity
- Loori, J.D. The Zen of Creativity: Cultivating you Artistic Life
- McMillan III, F. Finding Jung

Or come prepared to tell us about your favorite book on creativity and why you like it. Reading before the weekend is best considered stimulation for the weekend, e.g. good to do but not absolutely necessary. The books above are only half from the Jungian perspective, but the creative need not be limited to the Jungian perspective, rich as that is. Nor is the creative limited to producing art. Heads up: unfortunately for some, we will not be doing art during the weekend. But, you may find that to be a happy by-product once you get home.

We will open up the weekend with a brief discussion of what constitutes a creative life to you and spend the weekend expanding on our ideas using Jung's understanding of the individuation process. I have a lot of material to present, including a great fairy tale, and I will hope to balance presentation, discussion, and time to reflect on our topic so that everyone comes away from the weekend satisfied.

Take care,

Angelo

Stay tuned for requests for snack suggestions and dietary restrictions from your Snack Coordinator!
Cheers!
Paula

The Inferior Function -- A Moral Issue

Hi Everyone,
Here's a way for us to get a dose of Angelo in leiu of our seminar this year: http://typeindepth.com/2011/10/the-inferior-function-as-a-moral-issue-2/

Thanks to Cindy for sending the link to be posted!
Cheers,
Paula

Spoto Sustenance 2011

Hi Everyone,

I’m looking forward to seeing you in a few weekends. As those of us who have participated before in the seminar know, Jungian psychology is hard work! We need snacks to keep us going! Not only that, but sharing food and wine adds to the conviviality experienced over the weekend.

Reply either by clicking the comments link at the end of the blog entry, or by replying to my email. The past few years, I’ve purchased a case of wine with 9 bottles of red and three of white. Here’s last year’s shopping list:

• Apples – 6 pounds Macoun (had some left over); note: they are your Snack Coordinator’s favorite; If anyone wants to bring a few local apples from their area, we could do an apple tasting.


• Grapes – 1 bunch red seedless


• Dried apricots – 1 container


• Almonds – salted and unsalted (Whole Foods)


• Cheese – 3 cheeses, including cheddar, 1 goat cheese


• Crackers for cheese (include whole grain, sesame-flavored Asian Rice Crackers


• Nuts: 1 big container (qt.-sized) mixed nuts and/or trail mix


• 1 package pita bread (2009 list)


• 1 big tub hummus (2009 list)


• 1 bag hard pretzels


• 2 big bags chips (corn and blue corn)


• 1 pint salsa


• Cookies – two tubs of mini cookies


• Yogurt: assorted flavors, ~ 6 containers


• Caffeine-free diet Coke (Angelo’s request) and with caffeine (Cindy)


• 3 2-liter bottles of seltzer


• Cider


• Cranberry-Pomegranate juice


• Vanilla soy milk (how many people drink this?)
  
  Cheers,
  Paula

More on Our Reading List from Angelo

Hi All,
Angleo says he is counting on us to read the Tina Keller memoir (see an earlier blog entry for information about the book and how to order), if nothing else, so please make every effor to read it before the seminar. He also asks that we bring our own copies of the I Ching, Wilhelm/Baynes translation.
Cheers,
Paula

On Being

Hi All,
I found this interview very moving on many levels: http://being.publicradio.org/programs/2011/ccp-harding/. It's about an hour long. I feel Vincent Harding is a very individuated being. I find the way he expresses his views not just articulate, but also poetic. It also makes me think of our group and it's purpose. Are we ultimately preparing ourselves to help realize the "beloved community?"

Also, here is something more about the On Being series of interviews: http://radioboston.wbur.org/2011/08/01/krista-tippett. It's less than 10 minutes long. What particularly intrigued me was the whole notion of trying to understand someone's point of view vs. trying to find common ground.

If you listen to these, I'd love to hear your reactions and insights.
Enjoy,
Paula

2011 Spoto Seminar Reading List

Hi All,
A message from Angelo:
Here's the reading for the Oct. weekend: The Memoir of Tina Keller-Jenny, ed. by Wendy Swan, published by Spring. Please order directly through Spring Publications and receive a 22% discount. You can send your orders to

JoAnne BartonCustomer ServiceSpring Journal Inc.71202 Cutter PlaceAbita Springs, LA 70420(985) 893-7529

Or, go to their web site and order: http://www.springjournalandbooks.com/cgi-bin/ecommerce/ac/agora.cgi?p_id=03261&xm=on&ppinc=search2

Here is JoAnne's note to me:

"The order system will compute the order at full price. If they put a note in the 'notes' section of the order reminding me of the 22% discount for the seminar, I will adjust the order cost before charging their credit card."

When ordering, mention the Spoto October Weekend.

An optional/additional text is Jung on Active Imagination, ed. Joan Chodorow in the Encountering Jung series.

See you in October!

Murray Stein: Individuation video

Our October 2011 retreat theme is Tools for Individuation.

Below is a link to a video clip by Murray Stein on Individuation found on the Asheville Jung Center website. His presentation is one of a four DVD set titled The 4 Pillars of Psychotherapy.

http://ashevillejungcenter.org/dvd-store/4-pillars-of-psychotherapy/

Sad News from Loretta

I regret to have to share the following email I received from Loretta:

Dear 'Spoto Group'
Our wonderful friend Patricia Barry left us on Valentine's day. How fitting of her. She will be missed by many. I know she loved our group and all the wonderful experiences and people. If you would like to make a contribution in her name she mentioned Dana Farber Cancer Center.
I'm sure I didn't get everyone in our group including Sr. Nancy. I'm away and don't have my full addressbook. Can you please pass this along to those I might have missed.
Thanks and love to you all.
Loretta

As, Katherine Hirsh put so beautifully, "Now Valentine's Day will have an extra meaning for me in years to come." I invite you to use the Comments link to share any memories and reflections you have of Pat.