The Psychology of Mass Psychosis

This episode is the Saturday morning session of a weekend taught by Robert Moore called The Archetype of Sacrifice and the Regulation of Archetypal Energy. From the seminar description: This workshop links Jung's alchemical studies and his examination of the archetype of sacrifice to more recent research into the nature and dynamics of grandiose energies in the human psyche. In this program Robert Moore discusses how the decline of ritual containment of these energies in indigenous and traditional cultures has led to an epidemic of increased anxiety, addiction, and violent acting out.First, Moore introduces the role of the archetype of sacrifice and related techniques of ritual practice in human strategies of coping with the pressures of archetypal energies. Second, he links the failure of these traditional means to our current epidemic of narcissistic acting out. Third, he summarizes the ways in which recent research supports Jung and Edinger on the necessity of the achievement of an ego-Self axis - a conscious and willed sacrificial attitude in the individuation process. Finally, Moore outlines the clinical implications: the ways in which we must be much more specific in our understanding of the structure and dynamics of the ego-Self axis in relation to the analytical task. He discusses the implications of this understanding of sacrifice for our conceptualization of a truly Jungian understanding of a psychoanalytic "cure" - the task of optimizing the analysand's conscious regulation of archetypal energies. In short, Dr. Moore argues that Jungian Analysis should return to its roots in a manner which draws upon the best in recent interdisciplinary research to build upon Jung's foundational discoveries. It was recorded on May 24 and 25, 2003. In this recording, Moore mentions some of his seminars, including Mythology of the Great Self Within, Transforming Fire: Understanding, Accessing and Regulating Psychic and Spiritual Energy, Ego and Archetype: The Genius of Edward Edinger. Robert Moore, PhD was Distinguished Service Professor of Psychology, Psychoanalysis and Spirituality in the Graduate Center of the Chicago Theological Seminary where he was the Founding Director of the new Institute for Advanced Studies in Spirituality and Wellness. An internationally recognized psychoanalyst and consultant in private practice in Chicago, he served as a Training Analyst at the C.G. Jung Institute of Chicago and was Director of Research for the Institute for Integrative Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy and the Chicago Center for Integrative Psychotherapy. Author and editor of numerous books in psychology and spirituality, he lectured internationally on his formulation of a neo-Jungian  psychoanalysis and integrative psychotherapy.  His publications include THE ARCHETYPE OF INITIATION: Sacred Space, Ritual Process and Personal Transformation; THE MAGICIAN AND THE ANALYST: The Archetype of the Magus in Occult Spirituality and Jungian Psychology; and FACING THE DRAGON: Confronting Personal and Spiritual Grandiosity. Thank you to everyone who has shared a little about themselves. If you'd like us to know who you are, click this link, and I'll read your submission on the podcast! No need to share any identifying information. This information will not be used for any other purpose. You can support this free podcast by making a donation, becoming a member of the Institute, or making a purchase in our online store. Your support enables us to provide free and low-cost educational resources to all. LinksThe Complete Seminar: The Archetype of Sacrifice and the Regulation of Archetypal EnergyMythology of the Great Self Within Transforming Fire: Understanding, Accessing and Regulating Psychic and Spiritual Energy Ego and Archetype: The Genius of Edward Edinger All of Robert Moore's Seminars © 2003 Robert Moore. This podcast is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.