A Shifting of the Gods: The Emergence of a New Order
“If a God grows old, he becomes shadow, nonsense, and he goes down. The greatest truth becomes the greatest lie … Everything that becomes too old becomes evil, and if (they) cease to being the way of life (and)... must fall …”
-C.G. Jung
Many years ago, I had the good fortune to meet a chief of the Black Foot Native community, who explained how the tribal elders selected their next leader. They would go to a local school and watch the children interact with one another. When they would see that one child befriended the isolated and often disabled student sitting alone in the school yard, they knew they found their next leader. They understood that such a compassionate child would make a great chief, that his/her caring for others was wedded to an intelligence transcending contemporary “the spirit of the times” values, and instead was guided by “the spirit of the depths” because of their relationship to soul.
Unfortunately, we are far more careless and thoughtless in our selection of leaders, often confusing radical and impulsive decisions for deliberation and discernment, cruelty and brutality for strength, loathing for others and a mockery of the disabled and less fortunate for a creative and humorous spirit.
Elie Wiesel whose experiences in Auschwitz taught him the unimaginable consequences of a despotic ruler, came to understand that a leader and hero is one who cares more about their community than about their own welfare, and adding that;
“To call someone a hero is to give them tremendous power. Certainly that power may be used for good, but it may also be used to destroy individuals … So we need to be very careful of those we put on a pedestal, and choose only those who embody those qualities that reflect the very best of human nature … If I had to offer a personal definition of the word, it would be someone who dares to speak the truth to power … Maybe heroes can simply be those people who inspire us to become better than we are ...”
History consistently shows how we often project the king and hero archetype onto individuals unable to carry the mandates attendant with these role, resulting in more than catastrophic consequences. Not only do we look to the past, but to modern times to see the brutality and devastation resulting from these false and illusory heroes that we have “unconsciously” chosen.
Fortunately, the Collective Psyche and soul is now speaking out against such atrocities. Hundreds of thousands of protestors are now standing up against these ruthless leaders whose thirst for power has eclipsed whatever shreds of human decency may still exist within their Psyche. We are on the verge of a profound archetypal transition and upheaval. The sanctioning, idealization, and acceptance of patriarchal oppression is no longer tolerated and like new growth emerging through the soil and a hatchling cracking through its shell, this new order of; wisdom, intelligence, benevolence and compassion is emerging. Collectively we are now living the wisdom of Wiesel’s vision that; “… heroes are those who stand up to false heroes.,” and taking to heart the importance of Toni Morrison’s hope for us to; “Dream the world as it ought to be. Don’t let anybody, anybody convince you this is the way the world is and therefore must be. It must be the way it ought to be.”
With the guidance of Maureen Kuehler and Michael Conforti, we will look at the issue of leadership and the consequences of making such poor projections, through the lens of Shakespeare’s and Jung’s work on the arising of a new order within the Psyche.
-C.G. Jung
Many years ago, I had the good fortune to meet a chief of the Black Foot Native community, who explained how the tribal elders selected their next leader. They would go to a local school and watch the children interact with one another. When they would see that one child befriended the isolated and often disabled student sitting alone in the school yard, they knew they found their next leader. They understood that such a compassionate child would make a great chief, that his/her caring for others was wedded to an intelligence transcending contemporary “the spirit of the times” values, and instead was guided by “the spirit of the depths” because of their relationship to soul.
Unfortunately, we are far more careless and thoughtless in our selection of leaders, often confusing radical and impulsive decisions for deliberation and discernment, cruelty and brutality for strength, loathing for others and a mockery of the disabled and less fortunate for a creative and humorous spirit.
Elie Wiesel whose experiences in Auschwitz taught him the unimaginable consequences of a despotic ruler, came to understand that a leader and hero is one who cares more about their community than about their own welfare, and adding that;
“To call someone a hero is to give them tremendous power. Certainly that power may be used for good, but it may also be used to destroy individuals … So we need to be very careful of those we put on a pedestal, and choose only those who embody those qualities that reflect the very best of human nature … If I had to offer a personal definition of the word, it would be someone who dares to speak the truth to power … Maybe heroes can simply be those people who inspire us to become better than we are ...”
History consistently shows how we often project the king and hero archetype onto individuals unable to carry the mandates attendant with these role, resulting in more than catastrophic consequences. Not only do we look to the past, but to modern times to see the brutality and devastation resulting from these false and illusory heroes that we have “unconsciously” chosen.
Fortunately, the Collective Psyche and soul is now speaking out against such atrocities. Hundreds of thousands of protestors are now standing up against these ruthless leaders whose thirst for power has eclipsed whatever shreds of human decency may still exist within their Psyche. We are on the verge of a profound archetypal transition and upheaval. The sanctioning, idealization, and acceptance of patriarchal oppression is no longer tolerated and like new growth emerging through the soil and a hatchling cracking through its shell, this new order of; wisdom, intelligence, benevolence and compassion is emerging. Collectively we are now living the wisdom of Wiesel’s vision that; “… heroes are those who stand up to false heroes.,” and taking to heart the importance of Toni Morrison’s hope for us to; “Dream the world as it ought to be. Don’t let anybody, anybody convince you this is the way the world is and therefore must be. It must be the way it ought to be.”
With the guidance of Maureen Kuehler and Michael Conforti, we will look at the issue of leadership and the consequences of making such poor projections, through the lens of Shakespeare’s and Jung’s work on the arising of a new order within the Psyche.
Speakers
Dr. Michael Conforti, Jungian Analyst
Dr. Michael Conforti is a Jungian analyst and the Founder and Director of the Assisi Institute. He is a faculty member at the C.G. Jung Institute of Boston, the C.G. Jung Institute of New York, and for many years served as a Senior Associate faculty member in the Doctoral and Master's Programs in Clinical Psychology at Antioch New England. A pioneer in the field of matter-psyche studies, and for the past 40 years, has been actively investigating the workings of archetypal fields and the relationship between Jungian psychology and the New Sciences.
He has presented his work to a wide range of national and international audiences, including the C.G. Jung Institute - Zurich and Jungian organizations in Australia, Canada, Colombia, Denmark, Ecuador, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Romania, Russia, South Africa, Turkey, the Ukraine and Venezuela.
He is the author of Threshold Experiences: The Archetype of Beginnings (2007) and Field, Form and Fate: Patterns in Mind, Nature and Psyche (2002). His articles have appeared in Psychological Perspectives, The San Francisco Jung Institute Library Journal, Roundtable Press, World Futures: The Journal of General Evolution, and Spring Journal. His books have been translated into Italian, Russian, and Spanish.
Dr. Michael Conforti is a Jungian analyst and the Founder and Director of the Assisi Institute. He is a faculty member at the C.G. Jung Institute of Boston, the C.G. Jung Institute of New York, and for many years served as a Senior Associate faculty member in the Doctoral and Master's Programs in Clinical Psychology at Antioch New England. A pioneer in the field of matter-psyche studies, and for the past 40 years, has been actively investigating the workings of archetypal fields and the relationship between Jungian psychology and the New Sciences.
He has presented his work to a wide range of national and international audiences, including the C.G. Jung Institute - Zurich and Jungian organizations in Australia, Canada, Colombia, Denmark, Ecuador, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Romania, Russia, South Africa, Turkey, the Ukraine and Venezuela.
He is the author of Threshold Experiences: The Archetype of Beginnings (2007) and Field, Form and Fate: Patterns in Mind, Nature and Psyche (2002). His articles have appeared in Psychological Perspectives, The San Francisco Jung Institute Library Journal, Roundtable Press, World Futures: The Journal of General Evolution, and Spring Journal. His books have been translated into Italian, Russian, and Spanish.
Maureen Kuehler, Shakespearean Scholar
Maureen Kuehler is a professional actor, coach and lecturer. She has worked with the Assisi Institute since 2017. Maureen holds a Master’s degree in Shakespeare and Theatre from the Shakespeare Institute at the University of Birmingham and is a member of Actors’ Equity Association. Her area of interest lies in the intersection C.G. Jung and performance with a particular focus on the ways performance draws on and informs the embodied access of archetypes.
Maureen Kuehler is a professional actor, coach and lecturer. She has worked with the Assisi Institute since 2017. Maureen holds a Master’s degree in Shakespeare and Theatre from the Shakespeare Institute at the University of Birmingham and is a member of Actors’ Equity Association. Her area of interest lies in the intersection C.G. Jung and performance with a particular focus on the ways performance draws on and informs the embodied access of archetypes.
Saturday June 28th, 2025
3:00-4:15 PM Eastern Time (NYC)
Live via Zoom. Registered participants will receive all lecture recordings.
Tuition: $25
3:00-4:15 PM Eastern Time (NYC)
Live via Zoom. Registered participants will receive all lecture recordings.
Tuition: $25
Live via Zoom. Registered participants will receive all lecture recordings.
This course will be presented in English
This course will be presented in English