DREAMS AND CREATIVITY

Descent to the Goddess - Using Insight from a Story of Feminine Initiation to Explore Our Own Journey to Wholeness

In this class we will explore a universal pattern at the center of our personal development as women. Through reading, discussion, writing, art, meditation and dialog interact with an ancient Sumerian story and explore where we might be on the journey towards integration and wholeness.

Descent to the Goddess

Have You Accomplished a Lot but Lack Joy and Feel Out of Touch with Yourself?

These days there are lots of accomplished women.
who have spent years getting degrees in higher education and pursued careers until they are at the top of their game. Some of them have been single parents or raised families with their equally accomplished husbands. Some didn't go to school but worked hard and became so good at their jobs, they are now respected contributors to their field.

No matter what their circumstances, many women, especially when they hit mid-life, realize they need a make over - of their lives. They have been working to achieve and succeed in the world and now they need something for themselves. What is missing from what they are doing?

That missing piece may be a deeper connection to their own feminine center.
Why might this be so? Because in a culture such as ours, women are usually required to adapt to what could be called more "masculine" characteristics in order to succeed and feel valued. Sometimes they strive so hard, they lose their feminine center along the way. They may have developed life-style and work strategies that are based on high levels of drive, goal orientation, linear thinking and continuous activity - typically more "masculine" orientations to work and success. This may seem like a bit of gender stereotyping, but...

just how much has our society moved towards hearing women's voices and valuing feminine patterns of living and working?
Where we are on the path to truly honoring the many dimensions of feminine experience is probably unknowable. However, when women attempt to move into arenas of power they still often feel the need to adapt to traditional structures and values formed by men.

An example might be what occurred during Hillary Clinton's remarkable candidacy for president in 2008. While she dealt with scrutiny of her expressions of feeling and insults to her likeability, she was also accused of being a "ball-buster", for no apparent reason.

Hillary never wore a dress or skirt. She was always "the lady in the pantsuit". She even brought attention to this when asked why she would not drop out, when winning seemed impossible. She responded, "It's over when the lady in the pantsuit says it is."

Was always wearing pant suits just her preference, or was she showing political savvy, possibly to downplay the fact that she is a woman in a typically male dominated arena and to legitimize herself as a candidate?

Many professionals who work psychological development, say there are certain developmental needs that are unique to women, including the need to reconnect with a feminine center.
One such group of professionals is female Jungian analysts. They read and interpret dreams, as well as myths. In their published writings, they note that some patterns of development are common to both genders, yet others are unique to each gender. What stands out in their writings is that there are unique obstacles to full psychological development in women:

• Women have a long history of adaptation to patriarchal structures.
• Historically, they have had to adapt, often to make themselves safe from male violence and intimidation.
• Consequently, many women have suppressed aspects of their femininity
• Authentic modes of feminine being can be accessed and restored to individuals so that women can continue to develop to their own full potential.

A personal journey of initiation...
Joan (not her real name) had raised a family and worked hard to become a bank manager. When she was in her early 50's, Joan's children were grown, but she knew she still had some years left to work. She felt burned out and unmotivated and realized that she needed to find a new source of satisfaction in her life. Joan also wondered what would hold her attention when she retired. A friend suggested that she could reconnect with herself through journaling and recording her dreams. Maybe then she could start to clarify what was important to her.

One day, in a bookstore, Joan came across a book she thought might hold some answers for her.
Called Descent to the Goddess, by Sylvia Perera (a Jungian analyst), it shows how an ancient Sumerian story can help women reconnect with their feminine center.

Inanna is called to journey into the underworld where she meets her sister, Erishkigal, dies and finally returns to the world. The author explained that the story is a relevant metaphor for today's women dealing with the difficulties of moving through transitions in their lives.

When she read the book, Joan saw her own personal transition into a new phase of her life mirrored in the book.

"A myth is a public dream, a dream is a private myth."
                                                           - Joseph Campbell 

Our society's fast-paced demands and expectations for "doing", often call us to renew and balance ourselves through "being".

Being able to connect with the wisdom of our bodies - manifested through our feelings, dreams, and instincts - is considered by many spiritually-oriented women to be a sign of health.

Spending time in enjoyment and relaxation, without doing or accomplishing, can keep a woman grounded and in touch with herself.  Then she can reflect on what she really needs and wants, rather than acting on the expectations of others.

The journey of "descent" into the unconscious often comes in the form of symptoms - depression, grief, exhaustion, meaninglessness.

If we choose not to listen to ourselves, symptoms may often persist or even increase.  But, if we honor these symptoms as a sign that our psyche must do its work in the unconscious in order for us to be renewed, we can save ourselves from the judgment that there is something "wrong with us".     

Certainly, there are things we can do to assist ourselves.  And, we can have faith that we will return, with new insight and energy.  We can have faith that we will have the opportunity to create our lives in a new way.  The story of Inanna can help us gain that faith, because we can relate ourselves to the myriad of women who have   walked the path before us.

For centuries, myths have reflected the universality of human experience.  They speak the wisdom of our ancestors. They speak about common difficulties humans have and the way out of them.  This is a primary reason they have endured for so long.

You may be wondering:  But how can a story like this be relevant to me personally?

When you read or hear a myth, a particular imaginative experience is triggered in you personally.  To hear a story passed down through generations, is to be instructed by it - consciously and unconsciously.

For instance, the pattern of resolution of a certain kind of life situation can be reflected in a main heroine's character completion (or not) of her drama.  The way she resolves (or doesn't) the drama shows you specifics of how a living psyche works under certain circumstances. 

Your personal reactions and responses are your dialog with the story's universal pattern.

The intention of this class is to enhance your understanding and intuition:

• You will develop your ability to see the interaction between the universal and personal meaning of symbols.
• You will explore your reactions to the story through your imagination.
• You will  explore how the story may have relevance your personal transitions and transformations 
• You will be introduced to the concept that the unconscious is a resource relevant to your well-being.

I request that you read Descent to the Goddess, by Sylvia Perera, before the first class, so we may discuss it.  It is available on Amazon.com, as well as many libraries.

We will be using meditation, writing and art exercises to interact with themes in the book, making our reactions more accessible and relevant.

These will be fun ways to explore and express our responses through the relevant medium of imagination, which has the power to enlighten and heal us.

Possibly you are thinking:  But I'm not a trained artist or writer.

No art or writing experience is necessary for this class and everything will be done in the spirit of play, not performance.

You will be free to share, or not share what you do in class.  But, be assured that if you do share, you will be in an environment of encouragement and confidentiality.

"So, what happened to Joan?" you may ask.

When Joan took time to journal, it was often the most enjoyable and fulfilling part of her day.   She began to clarify some of the expectations people had of her and to ask herself if she wanted to respond or not.  Her work stress was reduced by journaling her feelings and real needs.  When she felt tired, she began to give herself more time to rest and relax.

Joan thought of Inanna's story as a representation of her own descent to her feminine center through journaling.  She was able to be somewhat more accepting of her more difficult feelings, knowing they came from her whole self and needed to be felt and expressed, if not to others, at least to herself in her journal.

You, too, can enhance your relationship with yourself, by making a descent into deeper parts of your being.  If you choose to do this, it will help you more easily navigate difficulties and give your life more energy and meaning,

As the saying goes "the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."

So what next step are you now wanting and willing to take? 

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or wish to register for this class.

NOTE:  Although, this class will enhance your understanding of an unconscious process, it is not a substitute for therapy or dream work.

Feel free to poke about my website.  You may want to subscribe to my newsletter, for current tips and new information.  You may unsubscribe at an time.  Sign up here if you wish to be informed of new classes and groups.

Bon voyage!