About Oregon Friends of C.G. Jung
On October 12, 1974, fifty people, most of whom had never met, responded to a small local newspaper advertisement and gathered under a shade tree in the backyard of a Lake Oswego real estate agent, Dottie Kyle, to share ideas about Jungian psychology. (See photo of Dottie and Charles Kyle below.) They were hungry for discussion and community. Out of that meeting, Oregon Friends of Jung was born.
Today the 350-member organization, supported by an all-volunteer board and staff, carries in its heart the intent of those early organizers: to present innovative lectures of the highest quality, to make programs and an extensive library available to the community, and to run the organization in a way that respects the individuation process of its members. When we invite speakers from across the United States, from England, Zurich and South Africa, we don't prescribe a topic; rather, we ask, "What are you working on now? What's giving you energy?" Presenters (most, but not all of whom, are analysts) respond with enthusiasm, often proposing a different or more evolved approach to what they've presented elsewhere, or even preparing new material especially for us. Such energy is palpable and helps us regularly draw audiences of 200 to 300 to our lectures.
Lectures and workshops are all open to the community. We consciously provide a variety of experiences, aware that our members' individual typology, familiarity with Jungian ideas, and personal interest will generate a healthy mix of responses to our nine-weekend season of c
hallenging programs. Although our audience is primarily lay, with a sizeable minority of members in the helping professions, it is a sophisticated, well-read audience. Speakers comment on the stimulating, heartfelt, non-clinical quality of audience questions.
Jung is said to have distrusted organizations. As Oregon Friends of Jung thrives and expands in its "adult" years, it remains conscious of the vision of its founders: to humbly and with few organizational trappings, offer serious Jungian thought to individuals who are searching for meaning in their lives and in the world.
Online articles about OFJ: