Archive of Events - 2023

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Friday 3rd February 2023

"Dog Story"
Ressentiment in Aboriginal Mythology
Jung and the Alice Spring’s Dog Story in Conversation with Girard and Nietzsche:
a theoretical appraisal of the psycho-social dynamics of violence.

Rev Dr Nikolai David Blaskow

at MacKillop House, 50 Archibald St, Lyneham ACT (and by Zoom)

(See the video)

The lecture is inspired by the three-way conversation in 2000 concerning the Dog Story which led Craig San Roque, a Jungian psychologist to write down his reflections and collect them into a cartoon book, "The Long Weekend in Alice Springs".

Nikolai explores how Friedrich Nietzsche’s insights (1848-1900) into the psychopathology of ressentiment, René Girard’s mimetic and scapegoat theory (MT) and Carl Jung’s idea of cultural complexes (1875-1961) shed light on the dynamics of the recurring cycle of violence which have afflicted the human psyche since homo sapiens emerged from its previous proto-human beginnings.

This psychopathology will be discovered to be repetitive, autonomous and stubbornly resistant to consciousness. All three theorists will be harnessed to determine why the cycle of greed, deception (and self-deception) and violence, in Girard’s term of reference, the “scandal” that it is, is seemingly impossible to overcome.

In other words, how to bridge the reality gap contained in the oft repeated caveat, “This is not who we are but it is what we do.”

Dr Blaskow is an Adjunct Research Fellow associated with Charles Sturt University located in the Centre for Christianity and Culture. He recently completed his PhD in Philosophy and Religion at Bangor University, Wales, UK.

He has an extensive teaching background in English Literature, Modern and Ancient History and Philosophy in public and private schools in NSW, ACT and Victoria. He teaches English Literature part-time at Narrabundah College, Canberra. His current research is focused on the existential implications of Artificial Intelligence viewed through the lens of the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche (1846-1900) and theorist René Girard (1923-2015).

We meet from 7:30 pm for tea and coffee and snacks, music, discussion and library.
The Guest Speaker's presentation is at 8pm for an hour or so,
then we resume for questions and discussion, finishing by 10 pm. 

(See the video)

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SPECIAL SERIES:

Eight Sundays 26th Feb, 5th, 12th, 19th, 26th March, 2nd, 9th, 16th April (3-5pm)

"Adventures in Mindfulness Meditation"

Kirstin Robertson-Gillam PhD

at Wesley Uniting Church (Vercoe Room), 22 National Crt, Forrest, ACT
(and each session will be available online through Zoom)

Participants will receive a copy of each week’s meditation and an audio recording of the meditation to practise with during the week.The weekly topics will include:
* body awareness,
* taste and smell,
* visualization and imagery,
* and emotional regulation.

Each session will begin with an introduction, then a meditation followed by mandala drawing, and a discussion over refreshments.

Dr Kirstin Robertson-Gillam is a specialised neurological counsellor and psychotherapist.  She has worked with Dementia Australia, Parkinson's NSW, and remains associated with the Parkinson's clinic at the Concord Hospital in Sydney.  Her private psychotherapy practice operates almost exclusively online with people around Australia.

Cost:

* Single session: $20 per person per week
     Pay at the door by cash or credit card,
or by bank transfer,
     or by credit card or PayPal via TryBooking.

  * Series Discount: $140 pre-paid for the eight sessions (Preferred option, for maximum enjoyment!)
Pay at the door by cash or credit card,
    or by bank transfer,
    or by credit card or PayPal via TryBooking.

Bookings:
Phone/text Kirstin (0409) 533 466 or email kirstinrg@bigpond.com.

Zoom 05/03/23

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Friday 3rd March 2023
7:00 - 7:30 pm

Canberra Jung Society Inc
Annual General Meeting and Election of Office Bearers

at MacKillop House, 50 Archibald St, Lyneham, ACT

All financial members (from last year, or paid-up for this year), are welcome, and eligible to stand for office.

This is when you can nominate for an office-holder position (President, Secretary etc) or as a Committee Member.  You can nominate yourself or somebody else, by email (as below) or by contacting Secretary Trish on (0432) 599 826.

So this is a great time to renew your membership or join-up for the current year: Cost: is $75 ($60 Concession / Senior). This entitles you to free entry to monthly meetings, two newsletters per year, use of the library, and discount on cost of workshops etc.

Pay on the night, or any time by bank transfer or TryBooking.

This 7pm AGM will be quite short, leaving us time to chat, to meet the evening's presenter Theodora, peruse the library and meet the new Committee! There might be some celebratory bubblies and things at this auspicious event :-).

Then, following the AGM, at the usual time 8pm,
we will have our usual monthly meeting, with a presentation by Theodora Volti (below).

Canberra Jung Society Inc.
Annual General Meeting 03/3/2023
Agenda

 1. Opening, Greetings
 2. Attendance:
 3. Apologies:
 4. Minutes of the 2022 AGM
 5. Business Arising
 6. Reports
  a. President
b. Treasurer
c. Membership Sec.
d. Newsletter Editor
e. Public Officer
f. Librarian
g. Internet Manager

7. Elections:
  Appointment of Returning Officer, then:
a. President
b. Vice President
c. Secretary
d. Treasurer
e. Membership Secretary
f. Newsletter Editor
g. Librarian
h. Public Officer
i. Committee members
j. Appointment of Auditor.

8. General Business
   9. Closure:         

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Friday 3rd March 2023   (after the AGM)

"Self and Ego: a Personal Encounter"

Dr Theodora Volti

<See the video!>

at MacKillop House, 50 Archibald St, Lyneham, ACT (and by Zoom)

Theodora has been interested in Jung’s ideas since she was in college.

She says: "Being naturally anxious to achieve and perform, the idea of finding inner peace within one’s psyche appealed greatly to me. But I had not the slightest idea how this could be achieved. Till then, it was all theory, discussions, ‘intuitive’ understanding and an ‘inner’ conviction that Jung’s ideas must be true in their essence.

What was lacking for me was the concrete experience of these ideas. It is said that when you want something very much it happens! In this talk I will try to recreate the atmosphere of that wintry month in Edinburgh, what preceded and what followed and the meaning I gave to it.

This was a time where the Ego created space, giving way to an emerging, larger entity and eventually realised its smallness. This was a time where the sense of the ‘unfulfilled’ became so urgent that it took on a life of its own, presented out by dreams, images, symbols, metaphors, directions and surprises."

Theodora Volti was born in Athens, Greece, where she lived during her first 20 years.  She studied geophysics at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland and also worked as a researcher in Japan and Australia.  Five years ago she had a change in career, moving into counselling and psychotherapy and became a qualified Gestalt therapist.  Theodora has extensive knowledge of psychology, and five years experience of offering advice and support to parents, children, young people, students and victims of sexual assault.

Cost for attendance (at MacKillop House):
Jung Society members free,
Guests $15 (Seniors/Concession $10),
Pay cash at the door, or by bank transfer or by credit card via TryBooking.

Cost for on-line access:
Jung Society members free (We'll send you a link).
Guests $10:
Pay by bank transfer or by credit card or PayPal via TryBooking.

We meet from 7:30 pm (after the 7pm AGM) for tea and coffee and snacks, music, discussion and library.
The Guest Speaker's presentation is at 8pm for an hour or so,
then we resume for questions and discussion, finishing by 10pm.

<See the video!>

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<sup>Everyone is welcome. 

We normally meet at 7:30pm on the first Friday each month for music and coffee and chat,
Guest Speaker at 8pm, break for supper around 9pm, resume for questions and discussion until 10pm.

Location: Usually at MacKillop House, 50 Archibald St, Lyneham, ACT.
                *** Please check the website for any changes to date/time and locaton of events ***

Web:   www.CanberraJungSociety.org.au
Email:  CanberraJungSociety@yahoo.com
Postal: PO Box 82, Belconnen, ACT 2616, Australia</sup>

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Updated by Robert James 4th March 2023

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