I remember reading Jean’s book Goddesses in Every Woman and then producing a New Dimensions’ program with her on that subject. It was 1984 and was a significant and most profound moment in my life as I discovered the goddess Athena for the first time. Jean Shinoda Bolen, M.D. is a Renaissance woman for our time. She has written about her personal experiences in many areas of human development. As a practicing psychiatrist, Jungian analyst, and former member of the Ms. Foundation, Jean provides inspiration on a variety of our collective life experiences. She covers such subjects as archetypes as helpmates, how trees support all life on the planet, being an activist in the 21st-century, the need for pilgrimage (these days to be taken virtually), and much more. Here are just four of the programs we offer on our website. You’ll also find many more with Jean as we have had the privilege and honor to have her sit at our table and talk about things that matter.
Bolen describes seven archetypal patterns embodied in seven of the Greek goddesses. In knowing which “goddess” is present, a woman can have a deeper understanding of everyday occurrences as well as more dramatic events–not to mention the benefits men can realize through a better understanding of the female psyche. Read more »
Trees are our essential partners in life on this planet. Not only are they indispensable to our wellbeing, they are sacred. Bolen’s thwarted efforts to save a magnificent Monterey Pine tree in her yard from those who wanted to have a better view moved her to look at the anatomy and physiology of trees as well as the archetypal and sacred symbols they represent. Read more »
Informed by the Sacred Feminine, which both women and men embody into consciousness and culture, Bolen wants every child in the world to be wanted, to be fed, to be safe, to have healthcare. She speaks of realms of empathy, connectedness, and nurturing, and how, at this time, our world needs the combined qualities of each of these. Read more »
Midlife is a time when we question the course and meaning of our lives, often largely unexamined beforehand. It is a chance to feel the passage of time and seek out deeper connections to the world and human experience. Through the lens of her own pilgrimage to sacred European places, Bolen provides a guide for us to discover what midlife can offer and how to find it. Read more »
