Led by author Dr. Shoshana Fershtman, Psychologist and Jungian Analyst
We explore the story of Passover and the Exodus from mitzrayim as a guide to our own psychological healing and rebirth. We find that this timeless story is also the story of our own time, showing us how to heal from the losses engendered by both personal and intergenerational trauma. The Exodus story is a vessel into which Jewish sages over millennia distilled mystical wisdom hewn from maintaining connection to the sacred in the face of cataclysmic historical events. We will reflect on what this myth has to offer for our current moment and the opportunities for transformation of personal, cultural and collective trauma.
The mythic figures in the Exodus story show us how to reconnect with the wellsprings of our ancestral memory (Search bat Asher), discover the light hidden in the darkness (Joseph), soften our defenses and open to our own deep wisdom (Miriam), reclaim our aliveness by making room for our grief (Lilith), and connect with the depths of our souls to guide us on our life’s path (Moses). The Shekhinah and other aspects of the Sacred Feminine will be highlighted.
The Mystical Exodus in Jungian Perspective: Transforming Trauma and the Wellsprings of Renewal is based on original research with individuals from Ner Shalom and other Bay Area Jewish Renewal communities, whose lives were transformed through engagement with Jewish Renewal, Reconstructing Judaism and Jewish mysticism. The class will draw on midrash and kabbalistic teachings from ancient and contemporary sages, feminist spirituality, and Jungian psychology. Each class will offer an opportunity for experiential engagement with the texts and group reflection.