When the Depths Call: Reflections on Forever Jung

The hallways of CIIS were humming September 19-21 as 150 participants gathered on campus—joined online by 220 more from around the world—to celebrate C.G. Jung's 150th birthday. Organized by the Department of East-West Psychology and spearheaded by Professor Helge Osterhold, the sold-out Forever Jung conference became more than a retrospective. It emerged as an urgent gathering of psyche and purpose at a moment when our world desperately needs both—a testament to East-West Psychology's distinctive capacity to bridge ancient wisdom and contemporary scholarship in service of transformation.

Why Jung, Why Now

As we navigate unprecedented planetary challenges—climate crisis, political polarization, collective trauma—Jung's insights into the relationship between individual psyche and collective shadow have never felt more essential. Over three days, 42 speakers brought decades of expertise to a collaborative exploration of depth psychology, and how it illuminates our contemporary condition. View the full conference schedule and session descriptions to explore the breadth of topics covered. 

Keynote speaker Richard Tarnas opened the exploration, reminding us that "the present is not a fleeting point in time but a deep well containing the entire past"—and that Jung's gift was revealing the dynamic interplay of history within the psyche itself. Tom Singer expanded the inquiry in his opening for the second day, examining the cultural complexes flooding American society and shaping our divisions at both psychic and societal levels. His work revealed how awareness of these unconscious forces can help us navigate the politics and conflicts that fracture our collective life. John Beebe brought the conference to closure with his wise and timely reflections, illustrating how Jung's own humanity and individuality as a depth psychologist can serve as an example for us today.

These speakers set an inviting tone for the many sessions offered over the course of the conference. Professor Osterhold explored the avoidance of death as a cultural shadow and invited participants to befriend mortality as a path to wholeness and a meaningful engagement with life. Other examples of the extensive offerings were Dr. Butterfly reimagining the Kemetic myth of Auset and Asar as a living program for liberation, fusing Jungian and Fanonian thought in an Afrocentric postcolonial frame, and Jun Wang and Stephen Julich exploring dreams through both Jungian and Traditional Chinese Medicine lenses. These presentations and others from the East-West Psychology Department’s commitment to integrating diverse wisdom traditions in service of personal and collective transformation.

The Jungian Journey Continues

The breadth of perspectives proved as nourishing as their depth. Beyond EWP, current and former CIIS faculty enriched the gathering with their distinctive contributions. Barbara Holifield, Tina Stromsted and Terese Gjernes offered somatic pathways into trauma and resilience, reminding us that the body serves as a portal to the depths of the soul. Matt Segall explored our collective repression of instinct and shadow as the root of cultural crisis, and Becca Tarnas illuminated Jung's Red Book through participatory imagination. These and many other accomplished presenters ensured that the celebration of Carl Jung’s life was a reminder that his work and insights remain vibrantly alive to this day. 

What emerged wasn't merely intellectual discourse but what one participant called "a psycho-spiritual-cultural-somatic feast." The diversity of presenters—therapists, analysts, cultural healers, philosophers, and expressive arts and somatic practitioners—created a container where, as another attendee noted, "all the functions were in play: sensing, thinking, intuition, and feeling."

The conference became what Jung himself might have recognized: a temenos, a sacred space where personal transformation and collective healing could unfold together. Participants flew in from Switzerland, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and across the United States. Established leaders sat alongside emerging voices. The warmth between sessions matched the rigor within them.But perhaps the conference's greatest gift was the reminder that Jung's work isn't preserved in archives. It lives wherever we dare to face our shadows, honor the unconscious, and commit to both personal individuation and service to our beautiful and troubled world.

With Gratitude from the Department

The Department of East-West Psychology extends deep gratitude to our keynote speakers Richard Tarnas, Tom Singer, and John Beebe, and to all presenters who brought their unique voices to this celebration: Ben Blum, Margot Stienstra, Matt Segall, Becca Tarnas, Jeffrey Hipolito, Timothy Jackson, Sean Kelly, Dalia Balsamo, River Lu, Greg Bogart, Stephen Julich, Jun Wang, Jeanine Canty, Nisha Gupta, Karen Jaenke, Angie Hensley, Gabriela Alisa, Terese Gjernes, Barbara Holifield, Tina Stromsted, Jane Clapp, Gisele Fernandes-Osterhold, Ian McCabe, Shanna Butler, Jason Butler, Felicia Matto-Shepard, Jerome Braun, Abhranil Das, Soham Sircar, Johanna Baruch, Doug Ronning, Tami Lubitsh-White, Willow Pearson Trimbach, Barbara Morrill, Hubert Ivery, Rob Coffey, Daniel Deslauriers, Helge Osterhold, Dr. Butterfly, Em Marinelli, Leonore Tija, John Tresch, Lynn Franco, and Natalia El-Sheikh.

We are also especially thankful for the generous support of CIIS board members and conference patrons Vaishali Chadha and Ricki Pollycove, as well as to the C.G. Jung Institute of San Francisco, who helped make this conference possible. 

For those who missed this gathering—or who wish to return to its depths—recordings remain available.