Creating a Life: Finding Your Path

Course Description

 

In this extensive series, James Hollis guides us on the journey towards living a more conscious and authentic life. While acknowledging that this is a momentous task, Hollis explores ideas, practices, attitudes and values that are helpful on this journey.

In our time many people suffer a disconnection from meaning. At the same time, the loss of collective meaning is an impetus to create our own meaning. Hollis reminds us, with tremendous compassion, that we all have many powers within us. Perceiving and developing these powers places wide-ranging resources at the disposal of conscious life.

In his signature style, Hollis offers a myriad of questions that we can ask ourselves to navigate the thickets of our internal and external lives. As always, he draws from his vast vault of poetry, fiction, mythology, his own experiences and those of clients & friends to paint a robust picture of where to start and how to keep going in the crafting of one’s life.

Each class is enriched by discussions and Q&As with the audience from the original taping of the course. For those particularly interested in Hollis’ work, we see many of the themes he talks about throughout his body of work built upon here.

This program is being offered by the Jung Center of Houston and the Jung Platform. The original recording of this lecture took place at the Jung Center. The recording has been remastered. The lectures are available now.

This course is ideal if

• You want advice from a wise mentor on creating a meaningful & fulfilling life
• You want to gain a greater understanding of yourself and the world around you
• You are seeking ways to get unstuck and move forward in your life
• You enjoy the work of James Hollis

Course Overview

Class 1

In the opening class, James Hollis lays the ground for an exploration of what it means to create one’s life. He looks into some of the difficulties that emerge on this path. The class gets us thinking about living a life consistent with our values and with our inner lives. Do we create our life or does life create us?

Class 2

This class is a reflection on the internal & external obstacles that come in the way of forging one’s life. Hollis uses the concepts of complexes and patterns to elaborate on the idea that inner obstacles are often far more difficult to tackle than outer. He shares examples of complexes as they are manifested in the accounts of famous writers. How do we recognize a complex and what do we do once we have?

Class 3

In this class, we look at the constructs or ‘necessary fictions’ that consciously or unconsciously shape our lives. Many times the fictions choose us as opposed to us choosing them; many times we are living other people’s lives and not our own. What are the fictions I’m living and how can I live my own life?

Class 4

In this class the focus is on the human need for reflection and meaning. Hollis encourages us to think about fate & destiny and how we can engage fate in a meaningful way. Is it really possible to experience this life meaningfully and serve Destiny/Divinity/Nature?

Class 5

In this class, we discuss how we carry many messages within us that direct how we live our lives, particularly from our ancestors & our past. Hollis helps us see that if we don’t become aware of these messages, they will have greater control over us. How do ancestral presences show up in our lives and what do they make us do or keep us from doing?

Class 6

In this class, we talk about authority: what is drawn from within as opposed to what is imposed from above. Hollis tackles the question of how we can find our personal authority and assume accountability for the way our lives unfold. What is my path? What is true for me?

Class 7

In this class, Hollis reviews the themes that have come up so far and ties them together in preparation for the final workshop-style class. He also discusses conflict, duty, gratitude and the importance of being connected to a spiritual source. How do we access our inner reality and live a life of meaning and purpose?

Class 8

In the final class of this series, we are offered a set of questions that help us look at what we have learnt practically. We turn the gaze inwards and look at our own lives in the context of the many themes brought up in the course. This is a particularly enjoyable interaction between audience members & Hollis during the original taping.

By the end of this course you will

• Become more thoughtful about the nature of your life
• Learn to question the assumptions that are keeping you from living a meaningful & fulfilling life
• Become aware of some of the patterns, influences & complexes that shape your identity and sense of purpose
• Have James Hollis’ carefully considered questions to guide you in your explorations