This program will be recorded and made available publicly on our YouTube channel.
You do not need to have registered to view the video.
In the Western world, the archetypal image of the dragon has historically been considered a destructive mythic creature that requires slaying, and, even worse, the incarnation of dark and purely evil forces. Fighting the huge destructive power of the dragon as a threat to human order and to human consciousness has been a predominant storyline for many centuries with only rare exceptions such as Saint Margaret’s taming of the dragon.
Near the beginning of the 20th century, new storylines emerged in the Western world containing friendly or harmless dragons. Since then, especially during the last sixty years an increasing number of stories have appeared, both in Europe and in America, about helpful dragons or even dragons that can be ridden. Helpful dragons or baby dragons that can be cared for have also been showing up in modern dreams.
The lecture will examine this change in the archetypal image within the context of the development of consciousness in the Western world as well as its relevance to the need for renewal. The dragon in alchemy and Chinese culture will also be discussed and compared.
Sabine Mayer-Patzel, Jungian Analyst in training, was born in South Africa. She has a master’s degree in environmental sciences from ETH Zurich, was trained as a Waldorf School teacher in Germany, taught chemistry at Waldorf schools from 2009-2019, and since 2002 has also worked as a copy editor.
In 2001, she started her training at the Research and Training Centre for Depth Psychology according to C.G. Jung and Marie-Louise von Franz, Zurich, where she has lectured about the Greek myth of Andromeda, the Pleiades, and the symbolism of the star constellations Pegasus and Aquarius. Since 2018, she has also been in charge of the administration of the Centre. This past summer, she completed her diploma thesis on the changing symbol of the dragon and the dragon baby.
Ms. Mayer-Patzel practices as a Jungian analyst in Überlingen, Germany.
Learning objectives:
- Explain the changes in the archetypal image of the dragon within the context of the development of consciousness in the Western world.
- Compare and contrast various symbols of the dragon as found, for example, in the Western world and Chinese culture.
- Identify and compare different attitudes an individual might assume in relating to psychic qualities or powers that are symbolized by the dragon.