The Ox Herding Pictures

In today’s talk, Mary works with Zen Buddhist 10 Oxherding Pictures and accompanying poetry to establish a way of ‘being with’ the unconscious. These ancient pictures reflect stages an individual might progress to toward enlightenment and a return to the outer world to gift their insight and care back to the community. These images are accessible on the internet. 

Mary notes how attention to our dreams can convey communication between our conscious everyday reality and our capital ‘S’ Self. From a Jungian perspective, the paintings and poetry can be seen as a wonderful metaphor to reflect upon and be with the process of individuation. Beginning with an awareness of something not quite right, a loss of meaning, identity or energy, Mary takes us on a rich journey into the power of dreams to begin an ongoing conversation between our ego and our Self.