Peter Birkhaeuser: A Window to the Self and Beyond

Registration: $100 fee

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An online course about an individuation process in painted images:

This very special interactive course illustrates an individuation process through images of the soul produced by the gifted Swiss artist Peter Birkhaeuser. Birkhaeuser was acquainted with Carl Jung and in analysis with Marie-Louise von Franz, who supported him through his inner process and helped to make sense of his dream images and inner visions, most of which he worked into his paintings. Participants will learn of Birkhaeuser’s own experiences on the archetypal journey–wrestling with the inner daimon and figures of light and darkness, befriending shadow figures, mining symbols for their uplifting insights, exploring projections and learning how to foster transformation, not only in the individual, but also on the collective level. Many of the themes in these dreams have astonishing relevance to our present times. The course combines discussions of our own dreams and experiences in the work of soul growth with interpretations of the painter’s work from Birkhaeuser’s daughter Eva Wertenschslag-Birkhaeuser, herself a Jungian analyst, and from von Franz, complemented by C.G Jung’s works. To foster individuals’ creativity and enrich our viewing of the paintings, we will have a variety of homework activities.

Led by Sonja Plaschka and Sue Mehrtens.