Carl Jung and I

Today I went to a Jung meeting. You see, we just launched the second Jung Festival last July 4. It was a beautiful launch with talks given by Ramon Abola and Bernie Nepomuceno. Each of them spoke on Loss and Rebirth. Mon Abola is a widower. He spoke about how he recovered from his loss by first taking my writing classes then taking the Jung for Men seminar.

Bernie Nepomuceno is one the original four Friends of Jung in the Philippines. She spoke about how she discovered her talent – having the ability to communicate with people who are dying, who happen to be comatose and unable to communicate on their own. She has a special talent for getting in touch with them, for becoming the bridge between them and their families.

They were wonderful talks that moved me profoundly as they each talked about death and the rebirth that happens after somebody is finally and truly laid to rest. But that night I couldn’t really digest what they said because Carissa Mabasa, Sonia Roco and I were selling things we had made ourselves to raise money for the Carl Jung Circle Center. Carissa had T-shirts and note cards, Sonia had made a beautiful mandala workbook in a gorgeous box, I had done a basic runes book also in a knockout box and The Centering Garden. Plus, my creativity has returned and I sold my latest work – earrings. You have to see them to want to buy them. That night I had brought 16 pairs of earrings plus three that Carissa, Sonia and I wore. Well, we were stripped off our earrings. The guests bought them all.

Since then the group has launched Exploring the Self, a wonderful seminar on getting to know yourself better that I decided to attend a second time. That is ending this week. After this follows The Magical Art of the Soul.

Why do I like Jung so much? He believes that people keep growing until they die. What do you mean by growing? It isn’t about getting taller or getting fat. It’s about becoming a person more interesting to yourself. Look at me. Since I discovered Jung (I was then president of an advertising agency) I have taken up watercolor and have had three exhibits. I have taken up jewelry making and now am making very attractive earrings. I am teaching writing. I have begun giving talks again. I discovered that of all the goddess archetypes I am a creative Aphrodite. That’s development. When I started the Jung excursion I was Hestia, an invisible goddess who was a total homebody. Now I am still a homebody but with style. If I don’t feel like making my bed, I do not. If I don’t feel like shedding my pajamas, I stay in them. Am I miserable living alone? No, I love it. I have many friends but I also have my own space that I manage the way I feel like. That is Jung’s greatest gift to me.

The next three Saturdays in August are going to be fun. On the 17th The Magical Art of the Soul will begin. On that day you will discover the child in you with fun activities that use color and unfreeze your defenses. You will release your inner charm and get to know yourself better. Ricky Villabona will be handling this day.

The following Saturday, the 24th, is about Music and Dance. These events will be handled by Paolo Pardo and Josie Valderama. This will make you connect with your inner self, your soul. And finally on the 31st, I will give the first talk, Breaking the Rules. This is a short talk that I hope will lead to a long conversation with the people who are there. Then Marisa Marin, a therapist who uses music and play, will have her session. In the afternoon all participants will work on a treasure box where they will store many things among them memories.  It sounds like it will be a wonderful time.

For more information visit www.jungcirclecenter.ph or call 0919.676.7118 or 0927.359.3602. The people who are running this part of the festival are Oliver Roxas, a wonderfully talented young man with green glasses and a great sense of humor, Joji Racelis and Rose Yenko, two of the best organizers in the world.

After the meeting I went for a haircut. I was wearing a pair of pants I bought in a market for P400, the ones whose crotch almost reaches the floor and has garters at the ankles and an old ethnic blouse. I think my blouse was 20 years old. Rocky, my hairdresser for thousands of years, looked at me and called me “fashionable.” “That’s the new style of Armani,” he said. I gave him a puzzled look. “Well, if you don’t believe me, one of my friends says that fashion is about instinct. You’ve got it, girl,” he said.

Jung! I thought. Jung has developed my instincts.

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