Islands and Tides: Natural Symbols of the Psyche a lecture by Sylvia Simpson 2010

Islands hold a fascination for us and have both positive and negative connotations. As Jungians we believe that, just as life evolved out of the primeval sea, so consciousness evolved out of the sea of the unconscious. Jung spoke of islands of consciousness which coalesce to form our ego. Dr. Simpson will discuss how islands can also symbolize the Self and will present mythical examples, as well as two of Jung s island dreams.

The collective unconscious, like the ocean, is fluid and undifferentiated, ancient and unfathomable; its energy that ebbs and flows like the tides. It is our nightly tide of sleep that brings us dreams. The tides are under the control of the moon, and Dr. Simpson will discuss the importance of lunar consciousness. The shore is the liminal zone between the island and the tides, between consciousness and the unconscious, where growth and change can occur.

Sylvia Simpson, M.D. is a Jungian Analyst and Psychiatrist with a practice in Denver. She grew up on a small island off the east coast of Canada and, since then, has realized how her psyche was shaped by this experience. She trained in Psychiatry at Johns Hopkins Hospital where she specialized in treating people with Bipolar Disorders. Long interested in Jungian psychology, she trained as an analyst through the Inter-Regional Society of Jungian Analysts.