Presentation time:
75 min
Discussion time:
15 min
Lead author:
Maria Carolina Concha (AVPA)
Sylvia Cova (AVPA)
David Alfonzo (AVPA)
Luis Pulgar (AVPA)
This research delves into the backdrop of a critical juncture in our Association, where a confluence of factors emerges. On one side, we grapple with the dire circumstances that have gripped our nation for 24 long years, fostering conditions of deprivation and hardship. On the other, we navigate the complexities associated with the migration of a substantial portion of our members. These circumstances are compounded by the notable absence of historical mentors and guides within our group and, pertinently, the substantial repercussions of the ongoing pandemic. The symbolic motifs encapsulated within this dream beckon us to confront our collective grief, to grapple with the imperative of transcending it, to recognize the symbols that give voice to our resilience, and to imbue meaning into the driving force compelling us to congregate periodically, as a collective entity, within the sphere of analytical psychology and around a shared process of analytical psychology formation. With the aim of unveiling the true essence of the resilient impetus that propels us and guides us towards our nurturing reference point, we embarked on the path of amplification and symbolic elaboration of the dream's imagery. The methodological underpinning of our study entailed conducting individual interviews with twelve analysts and candidates, who willingly offered their insights and experiences. The ensuing associations and reflections that emerged from the participants within the framework of these images evoked personal testimonies of dislocation, uncertainty, and apprehensions.
These testimonies, in turn, constitute the primary substrate of our scholarly inquiry. In the analytical endeavor to process the gathered material, we learned to some extent on the conceptual framework that explores the role of dreams in the context of trauma, while also borrowing certain precepts from the realm of Social Dreaming. Following the meticulous collection of associations and reflections from the participants, in addition to those emanating from our modest working group, a symbol of profound significance emerged, encapsulating a dual and multifaceted archetype: the element of fire, which signifies an ongoing process of calcination, the warmth associated with home, the smoldering members, and the repository of memories. Fire, in its enigmatic fusion, engenders a symbiotic relationship with music and the pursuit of pleasure. Subsequently, additional categories revealed themselves, pulsating at the core of these symbolic images: the concept of nurturing and care, the eros, the intricate weave of the warp, and the symbolic representation of the quaternity.
In summation, the Venezuelan Association of Analytical Psychology, alongside its Institute of Analytical Psychology formation, has remained steadfast, unyielding to the pervasive forces of destruction that have beleaguered Venezuela for more than two decades. Notwithstanding, the very essence that motivates and beckons us to persist frequently eludes our conscious understanding. The emergence of a collective imaginative sphere around this dream, as if a synchronistic epiphany, led us to the profound recognition of the symbolic images that hold the key to deciphering the enduring nature of the driving force that continues to guide our evolution and encourages us to reconstruct our intellectual and spiritual framework around novel archetypal constructs.