Dear Dream Tending and Imagination Community,
Greetings. As I write this, I am returning from Switzerland where I presented a lecture on the value of deep imagination and story in the world of today at the annual Eranos Conference. There were people attending from countries worldwide. As I travel home, I’m reflecting on how many are affected on a cellular level by the horror of the wars that are occurring, specifically in Ukraine. The heartbreak is not just in solidarity; Ukraine is a neighboring country to many who have family there.
What do we do? How does one respond?
Grief and trauma are being experienced by many. And so are compassion, care, and love. Many tears and many moments of heartfelt beauty visited the diverse community at Eranos throughout the week on the Swiss–Italian border. When folks gather in communities large and small and share their stories something new emerges. Empathy deepens, understanding widens, and the visitation of what lives in the humility of our humanity offers itself as a medicine for the wounded soul.
If there was a time to experience the healing power of dreams, both inside and out, that time is now. This is why the theme for the next Dream Tending Live event is exploring tools and practices to work with dream images and emergent imagination as a method for healing.
I invite you, as a part of the Dream Tending Community, to gather with folks internationally and make contact. Join us at our next 30-minute Facebook Live offering this Thursday, May 5th at 2:00 pm PDT. Let’s share our stories and discover how dreams and imagination can bring us together in new ways.
I look forward to seeing you there.
In the dreamtime,
Steve
Inside The Curious Mind
This is a quote that resonated with me this week…
“Compassion is the wish to see others free from suffering.” – Dalai Lama
Learn the Power, Purpose and Intelligence of Dreams
Unleash your creativity and innate genius
Stephen Aizenstat
Stephen Aizenstat, Ph.D., is the founder of Dream Tending, Pacifica Graduate Institute, and the Academy of Imaginal Arts and Sciences. He is a world-renowned professor of depth psychology, an imagination specialist, and an innovator. He has served as an organizational consultant to major companies and institutions, and as a depth psychological content advisor to Hollywood film makers. He has lectured extensively in the U.S., Asia, and Europe. He is affiliated with the Earth Charter International project through the United Nations, where he has spoken. Professor Aizenstat is the Chancellor Emeritus and Founding President of Pacifica Graduate Institute. He has collaborated with many notable masters in the field including Joseph Campbell, James Hillman, Marion Woodman, and Robert Johnson.
