Boundary and Identity in Irish Myth

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Date: Thursday 6th May 2021 Location:
Start time: 7:30pm End time: 9:30pm Type: Webinar

Photo: Dunguaire Castle, Kinvara, Ireland, by Matteo Paonessa on Unsplash

By examining various stories from the Irish mythic tradition we can gain some insight into the structure of both the normal and neurotic psyche, and into the significance of boundaries in the creation of a true sense of identity, in line with what Jung defines as the Individuation process. Crossing this boundary into the Otherworld, as illustrated in the story of The Voyage of Bran son of Febal, illuminates for us the initiatory aspect of the confrontation with the unconscious, and the place of sacrifice in individuation.

The Boundary, whether in place or time, was of special significance for the ancient Irish, as we can see from their myths and legends. The boundary touched the Otherworld, a place of magic and paradox. By examining various stories from the Irish mythic tradition we can gain some insight into the structure of the psyche, and into the significance of boundaries in the creation of a true sense of identity, in line with what Jung defines as Individuation. A closer look at one such story, The Voyage of Bran, son of Febal, which tells of the crossing over into the Otherworld, illuminates for us the initiatory aspect of the confrontation with the unconscious, and the place of sacrifice in the individuation process.

Speaker: Jim Fitzgerald

Jim Fitzgerald is a Jungian analyst with a private practice in London. Trained at the C.G.Jung Institute in Zurich, he is a past chair of the CG JUNG Psychology Club and member of The Independent Group of Analytical Psychologists and of The Guild of Analytical Psychologists. He was recently made a Fellow of the Guild of Pastoral Psychology, for whom he has delivered seven talks, four of which have been published as Papers. He has lectured widely, in the UK and abroad.