Volume XL - Finding Your Archetypal Activism Within

Dear Dream Tending Community,

With the Fourth of July on the horizon and amid current socio-political events freedom is at the forefront of consciousness, both its shadow and its light of opportunity.

In times of collective turbulence, activation is present. When activation visits, agitation, frustration, grief, fear, and anger may surge in too. How do we not get lost in it? How can we use this activation to ignite the psyche, soul, and desire rather than depress, give up, or turn away?

In these moments, we can tap into the practice of finding Archetypal Activism within. Renegade Psychologist James Hillman, the founder of Archetypal Psychology, reminds us there is value in everything that happens. Through the lens of Archetypal Psychology, we can look at the substructure of meaning that comes forth in discomfort as important and of value. Tap into the power of discomfort and find your inner Archetypal Activism through this Dream Tending Archetypal Activism Exercise.

Exercise: Archetypal Activism

1) Imagine yourself walking in your neighborhood or driving slowly to work on local streets. As you journey, look around the landscape and discover what places have a dreamlike quality to them or actually have appeared in your dreams. Identify what is asking for attention.

2) Stay with the image. Be here for a while. Notice what opens in you emotionally. Allow this response to bring you closer to this particular location. Allow heartfelt feelings to connect with the “heartbeat” of this place.

3) Let yourself deepen into the emotions that get opened up inside of you. Acting on behalf of these emotions, connected originally to the intelligence of the dreaming psyche, is the essence of Archetypal Activism.

4) Motivated by the urges of the deep psyche, what is it that you feel “pushed” to do? What actions informed by dreams and imagination do you wish to take? What is the psyche of this place asking of you? What are your dreams asking you to do?

5) Take these steps from your Archetypal Imagination and write them down in a journal. Incorporate them into a daily practice.

Warmly,

Alia Aizenstat, LMFT

Executive Director, Dream Tending

Volume XXXX – Finding Your Archetypal Activism Within

Inside The Curious Mind

This is a quote that resonated with me this week…

“Each person enters the world “called,” like an oak tree, to fulfill their soul’s agenda.”

– James Hillman

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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.