The Inner Guide: Wisdom from the Archetypal Self

There is an inherent knowingness – an aspect of the divine mind, which the Greeks called nous – that functions in human beings. Pictured in dreams as a guide and teacher, a wise old man or woman, an angel, a heavenly twin, or a voice that speaks with authority, this knowingness arises from the archetypal Self to reveal deeper truths. Jung conversed with a guide called Philemon, who seemed a “living personality” representing “superior insight.” The Sufi sage Ibn ‘Arabi received teachings from Khidr, the enigmatic figure who guided Moses in the Qur’an. In this workshop we will invite our own inner guide to have a greater presence in our lives. We will contemplate Jung’s experience of Philemon, study images of the guide from various sacred traditions, listen to the wisdom and humor of Sufi tales and poems, and practice meditation and active imagination to make deeper contact with our own inner guide.