Jung in Ireland
Chaos and Order:
Resilience of the Psyche
A Program with the Monks of Glenstal Abbey
County Limerick
April 5–11, 2024
Program fully subscribed; call our office to be put on a waiting list: 845-256-0191
In all chaos there is a cosmos, in all disorder a secret order.
—C.G. Jung
Program Overview
Sometimes, our lives can feel chaotic, unstable, and disorienting. The outer world around us can also seem to be falling apart and in disarray. We crave order, sanity and inner peace. For change to happen, however, old patterns and ways need to be disrupted on both the personal and collective levels.
In modern chaos theory, we now realize that order and structure can be spontaneously generated out of disorder. What seems like randomness, can give way to new underlying patterns that evolve and self-organize.
In our psyches, chaos, mayhem and disorder can lead to a time of renewal, generativity, wisdom and growth that we didn’t know we had within us.It can assist us in reinventing ourselves and harnessing the creative forces within. By holding the tension of opposites—of chaos and order—what Jung calls the Transcendent Function emerges—a resolution that is neither order nor chaos, but rather a third and entirely new entity.
Join our outstanding faculty of Jungian analysts, and the erudite monks of Glenstal Abbey as we explore the dance of creative forces in chaos and order.
April 5-11, 2024 | County Limerick
Chaos and Order: Resilience of the Psyche
Cost: $2,990* includes:
- Six nights’ accommodations at the Castletroy Park Hotel
- Transportation by coach to and from the hotel to Glenstal Abbey throughout the program.
- All presentations and discussions
- Full Irish breakfast daily; all breaks for coffee, tea, and scones; three lunches; and four dinners
*All program costs are based on double occupancy. Single supplement: ($435) and gratuities ($125) additional. Cost after January 19: $3150
CEs and Certificates of Attendance
The Jung in Ireland Series — both programs: in County Limerick with the Monks of Glenstal Abbey and the Seminar in County Galway — offer continuing education credits and certificates of attendance.
The Setting: County Limerick
During this week we will spend our days in picturesque Country Limerick where our sessions will be held at the Glenstal Abbey, a short distance from our accommodations at the Castletroy Park Hotel and the City of Limerick. Contrasting with the sleepy country villages, Limerick City is a busy and well-developed city, straddling the banks of the River Shannon. The city has an interesting history, which was founded by the Vikings, but eventually taken over by the Irish. Limerick was developed and fortified by the Anglo-Normans during the Middle Ages. King John’s Castle overlooking the river still stands as a reminder of this era. Limerick is remembered by many as the setting for Frank McCourt’s book, Angela’s Ashes, though the city has been much modernized from the desperate times described in McCourt’s time. Today Limerick is a vibrant multi-cultural city.
Glenstal Abbey
Glenstal Abbey, (aerial view at the top of this page) home to a community of monks — many renowned scholars among them — is a Benedictine monastery on the southwest coast of Ireland. It sits on over 300 acres, with streams, lakes, woodland paths, and an enchanting walled garden. Surrounding a castle built in the romantic Norman style, the Abbey houses a world-famous collection of Russian icons and one of the most important private libraries in Ireland. The library includes a substantial collection of antiquarian books — many dating back to the fifteenth century — on Irish history, Irish literature, biography, and art.
Accommodations: The Castletroy Park Hotel
The Castletroy Park Hotel, situated within walking distance of the University of Limerick and the Shannon River, and a short drive to Limerick’s center, will be an ideal location for our program at Glenstal Abbey. A 20-minute drive from our hotel to the Abbey, the Castletroy Park Hotel is also within a short drive of Limerick’s major landmarks, including John’s Castle and the famed Hunt Museum. The hotel’s contemporary-style rooms were designed with comfort and relaxation in mind, with each of its rooms including free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs, a tea & coffee station, and en-suite bathroom with walk-in showers. In addition, hotel guests have free access to its outstanding recreational facilities, which include a health club, large indoor swimming pool, hot tub, and steam room.
Meals together…
Meals throughout the week are buffet style, superbly prepared and presented — a wonderful time to get to know one another and interact with participants and presenters. In addition, each day begins with a hearty, full Irish breakfast, complemented by a selection of fruit, local Irish cheeses, and fresh breads. Our breaks will feature fresh brewed coffee, traditional Irish and herbal teas, and freshly baked scones.
Opening and closing dinners (April 5 and 10) will be at the Castletroy Park Hotel and three lunches at Glenstal Abbey (April 6, 7 and 9). There will be a a festive evening dinner with some of the Monks of Glenstal Abbey on April 9, and a traditional Irish dinner at the Castletroy on Thursday April 8, following the outing led by Brother Colmán Ó Clabaigh.
For those interested in dinner, and/or an evening in town, complimentary shuttle service will be offered to Limerick on the evenings of April 6 and 9, and the afternoon of April 8.
Optional Outing: Monday, April 8
A Land of Saints and Wonders: South Galway, Lady Gregory and W.B. Yeats
This trip, led by Brother Colmán Ó Clabaigh, will examine the myths and legends of the mystical limestone landscape of Gort and South Galway through the writings of two of the major figures of Irish and World literature: the redoubtable Lady Augusta Gregory (1852–1932) and the Nobel laureate, W.B. Yeats (1865–1939). The day’s itinerary will include visits to the Gregory Estate at Coole Park, the Kiltartan Gregory Museum, Yeats’ Tower at Thoor Ballylee and the ancient monastic complex at Kilmacduagh.
Faculty
Mark Patrick Hederman, former abbot of Glenstal Abbey, has been a monk of Glenstal Abbey for over 45 years. Founding editor of The Crane Bag Journal of Irish Studies, he spent the first years of the new century wandering in search of the Holy Spirit, allowing inspiration and coincidence to lead him. Among his many publications are Walkabout: Life as Holy Spirit; Kissing the Dark: Connecting with the Unconscious; Underground Cathedrals; Dancing with Dinosaurs; The Opal and the Pearl, and his most recent book, Crimson and Gold: Life as a Limerick.
John Hill, MA, earned a diploma in analytical psychology from the Jung Institute of Zurich, where he served for many years as training analyst. Additionally, he has earned degrees in philosophy from the University of Dublin and Catholic University in Washington, DC, has a private practice in Zurich, and is a training analyst at ISAP Zurich. Born and raised in Ireland and a graduate of the Glenstal Abbey School, he has published, among others works, “Celtic Myth”; “Dreams”; “Christian Mysticism”; and At Home in the World: Sounds and Symmetries of Belonging.
Anthony Keane, OSB, who joined the Abbey of Glenstal in 1965 to teach in the Abbey School, studied archaeology and the Irish language in Dublin, and theology in Rome. Following his studies, Father Keane embarked on pilgrimage for a year in India before returning home to tend the forest in Glenstal and serve as the monastery’s forester. Situated on several hundred acres, Glenstal’s forest contains some of the oldest and most magnificent trees in Ireland.
Margaret Klenck, MDiv, LP, is a Jungian analyst in private practice in New York. A graduate of Union Theological Seminary, she is past president of the Jungian Psychoanalytic Association in New York, where she teaches and supervises trainees. Margaret has lectured and taught nationally and internationally. Her most recent publications are two books in which she is a featured interviewee: Visible Mind: Movies, Modernity and the Unconscious, by Christopher Hauke; and There’s a Mystery There: The Primal Vision of Maurice Sendak, by Jonathan Cott. Before becoming an analyst, Ms. Klenck had a 20-year acting career, appearing on stage, television, and film.
Nóirín Ní Riain, PhD, an acclaimed spiritual singer, has introduced the Dalai Lama at official occasions in Ireland and elsewhere. A theologian, musicologist, and recording artist who was awarded the first doctorate in theology from the University of Limerick, she has written several books, including Listen with the Ear of the Heart: An Autobiography and Theosony: Towards a Theology of Listening. Dr. Ní Riain was ordained as a minister in 2017 with One Spirit Interfaith Seminary in London.
Colmán Ó Clabaigh is a monk of Glenstal and a historian specializing in the monastic and religious history of medieval Ireland. He is the author and co-editor of several works in this field and his recent publications include contributions to The Cambridge History of Ireland and The Cambridge History of Medieval Monasticism in the Latin West. His most recent publication (co-authored with Professor Rachel Moss, Trinity College Dublin) is Modest and Civil People: Religion and Society in Medieval Galway.
Father Simon Sleeman, MA, earned a BA in psychology and philosophy at University College, Dublin, and MAs in theology and organizational development. Ordained in 1991, Father Simon was born in Berlin and educated at the Glenstal Abbey School. Headmaster of Glenstal’s Secondary School from 1991 to 1998 and for many years bursar of Glenstal Abbey, he notes that “providential encounters with psychotherapy, poetry, and alternative philosophies have helped me to forge another understanding of life.”
Anne Pickup, M.A., LCMFT, is a licensed psychotherapist and Jungian analyst with a private practice in Washington D.C. She holds a master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy. She received her diploma in Analytical Psychology from the C.G. Jung Institute of Los Angeles in 1995. She is a founding member of the C.G. Jung Study Center of California and is a member of their board of directors. She is past president of the Philadelphia Association of Jungian Analysts, and past president of the Jungian Analysts of the Washington Area. She is a member of the Inter-Regional Society of Jungian Analysts. Anne has lectured and taught in New York, California, Pennsylvania, and Washington, D.C. on themes of separation and loss and the Individuation process. She lives in Virgnia.
Tina Stromsted, Ph.D., LMFT, BC-DMT, LPCC, RSMT/E, is a Jungian analyst, dance/movement therapist, Somatics educator, and author. She is the founder of Soul’s Body Center®, and on the faculty of the Authentic Movement Institute in Berkeley, California. Dr. Stromsted, with forty-five years of clinical experience, teaches at the C. G. Jung Institute of San Francisco and the Marion Woodman Foundation as well as teaching at universities and healing centers in many parts of the world. With a private practice in San Francisco, and international virtual consultation, her work, webinars, and publications have focused on exploring the integration of body, psyche, relationship, community, and nature in the process of healing and transformation. In addition, in a video resource of Dr. Stromsted’s, she described how “Embodied Active Imagination can help us recover forgotten, denigrated, and repressed aspects of the self which often remain buried in the body until conditions allow them to surface, heal, and grow – with applications to therapy, meditation, and creativity.”
Daily Schedule
Friday, April 5
Check in to the Castletroy Park Hotel, located within walking distance of the University of Limerick and the Shannon River, and a short drive to Glenstal Abbey. At 4:00 this afternoon, we will gather together for welcoming remarks by Aryeh Maidenbaum and Diana Rubin, and an opening presentation by John Hill, on Chaos and Containment: Anchoring Soul in a World of Uncertainties, followed by refreshments and an opportunity to get to know one another before ending the evening with a festive, welcome dinner (included) at our hotel.
Saturday, April 6
From 7:00 a.m. Full Irish Breakfast served daily
Following breakfast, we will depart the Castletroy for a full day at Glenstal Abbey, home to a unique community of monks – known for their hospitality, world-renowned choir, remarkable collection of Russian Icons, and a prestigious public school. After welcoming remarks and an introduction to Glenstal Abbey by Abbot Brendan Coffey, we will hear a presentation by former Abbot Mark Patrick Hederman: Between Order and Chaos: Jung and Joyce and the Theory of Synchronicity before a break for coffee, tea and scones and an opportunity for further discussion and dialogue with Father Hederman.
Following the conclusion of this morning’s presentation and discussion, we are invited to join the monks of Glenstal and participate in (or observe) the ritual of Mass — an optional activity available each day throughout the week — before lunch at Glenstal (included).
This afternoon, noted Jungian analyst and author Tina Stromsted, in a combination of presentation and experiential workshop will focus on the theme of Body as Compass: Navigating the Opposites in a Changing World – an opportunity to explore the integration of the opposites within ourselves and in relationship. Following our afternoon with Dr. Stromsted, we will return to our hotel with ample time to refresh and relax before dinner on our own.
Sunday, April 7
This morning, an opportunity to sleep a bit later before departing our hotel in time for Sunday Mass at Glenstal, where, for those interested, join the monks of Glenstal and participate in (or observe) the ritual of Sunday Mass, especially moving today with its traditional Gregorian chant. Later this morning, we will enjoy a presentation by Jungian analyst Anne Pickup: A Look from the Inside: The Journey from Despair to Joy.
After this morning’s presentation will be lunch at Glenstal (included) and a chance to view the unique collection of Icons at the Abbey. Guided and accompanied by one of the Monks of Glenstal, we will learn more about how this collection came to be at Glenstal and an opportunity to appreciate the value of the art and the history of these magnificent, world famous Icons.
Following our visit to Glenstal’s Icon chapel, and a short break for tea and cookies, there will be an opportunity for discussion and additional processing of material and thoughts before returning to the Castletroy.
Dinner on our own.
Monday, April 8
Free day to rest, relax, and/or explore sites of personal interest in Limerick on our own
OR
For those who have signed up in advance, an optional outing to South Galway, led by Brother Colmán Ó Clabaigh, one of the monks at Glenstal and a noted historian in his own right, focusing on A Land of Saints and Wonders: Lady Gregory and W.B. Yeats. Details will be sent following registration.
This evening, we will enjoy a special performance/presentation by noted Irish singer and musician, Nóírin Ní Riain, followed by a traditional Irish dinner at our hotel (included).
Tuesday, April 9
Returning to Glenstal, today’s program will begin with a presentation by Jungian analyst, Margaret Klenck, Finding Our Inner Shape Shifters to Adapt, Survive, and Keep Us Connected to Self. Drawing on an early Celtic myth which told the story of Finton, who managed to survive a catastrophic flood by shape-shifting into a bird, we will learn how, in our own lives, especially in times of chaos and confusion, we need to access our “inner Fintons”, the part of us that manages to hold onto the thread of our individuation stories.
Following Margaret’s presentation and group discussion, and the third of our sumptuous lunches (included) at Glenstal, this afternoon’s program will include a walking tour of Glenstal’s grounds, led by Anthony Keane, the monastery’s forester. Following a break for tea and cookies, there will be time for discussion and processing and an opportunity to participate in (or observe) the evening service of Vespers, followed by a festive dinner (included) in the Barrington Room of the Castle with some of the monks of Glenstal Abbey. After dinner, those interested may participate in or observe the unusually moving Compline Service (night prayer) followed by a return to our hotel — culmination of a long but exceptionally moving and meaningful day.
Wednesday, April 10
Today, our final day at Glenstal, will begin with a presentation by Simon Sleeman, a monk at Glenstal for over 40 years. Father Sleeman, who holds a B.A. in philosophy and psychology and an M.A. in organizational development, has served the monastery in many different capacities, including headmaster of Glenstal’s prestigious school and Bursar of the monastery. In his presentation, Father Simon will discuss How Patterns and Forms Can Help Us Lead Psychologically Healthy and Meaningful Lives — an attitude inspired by one of his favorite quotes by Pulitzer Prize winning author Wallace Stegner: “We live mainly by forms and patterns. If the forms are bad, we live badly.”
Following a break for coffee and tea, there will be a faculty and participant discussion reflecting on our week’s experience at Glenstal. At noon, we will have the option of walking to Glenstal’s historic Craig an Aifrinn (Rock of the Mass) led by Nóírin Ní Riain or participating in a Mass with the monks before returning to our hotel.
The remainder of this afternoon will be free, with time on our own to rest, relax, or explore the charming nearby Village of Killaloe on the River Shannon. A complimentary shuttle from our hotel to Killaloe will be provided. This evening we will enjoy a festive closing dinner (included) at our hotel.
Thursday, April 11
Departures for airport
—Or —
For those participating in the April 12-19 seminar, Dreams, Divination & Synchronicity: Pathways to Healing, transportation will be provided from the Castletroy to the Connemara Coast Hotel in Galway. Complimentary overnight accommodations at the hotel will be provided as well. Time of departure from Castletroy to be announced.
Please note: Daily schedule subject to change
Registration Information
April 5-11, 2024 | County Limerick
Chaos and Order: Resilience of the Psyche
Cost: $2,990* includes:
- Six nights’ accommodations at the Castletroy Park Hotel
- Transportation by coach to and from the hotel to Glenstal Abbey throughout the program.
- All presentations and discussions
- Full Irish breakfast daily; all breaks for coffee, tea, and scones; three lunches; and four dinners
*All program costs are based on double occupancy. Single supplement: ($435) and gratuities ($125) additional. Cost after January 19: $3150
Reserve your space. A deposit of $600 for each program is required to reserve your space. Registration form must be completed in full, including credit-card information. Register online or call the office: 845-256-0191, we will be happy to help you register, provide more information, and/or help with your travel plans.
Payment in full is due by January 19, 2024. Subject to availability of space, participants may still register after this date, at a cost of $3150 per progrm.
Stay for both weeks and the extra night is on us.
Register for both programs and your overnight accommodations on April 11 are free, along with transportation from Limerick to Galway.
Participation
Teachings are appropriate for health care professionals as well as the public. Health care professionals will be able to incorporate the tools and practices offered in this program in ways beneficial to clients or patients. No prerequisites are required. The April 5–11, 2024 program at Glenstal Abbey is limited to 40 participants.
Arrangements can be made for family or friends interested in accompanying participants (but not attending) either or both programs. Call our office for more information
Continuing Education Credits
Both programs in the Ireland Series offer continuing education credits as well as certificates of attendance.
Complete details are available here.
Travel Arrangements for Jung in Ireland
April 5–11, 2024 Glenstal Abbey Program in Limerick Transportation by coach from the Radisson Blu Dublin Airport Hotel to the Castletroy Park Hotel on April 5, and from the Castletroy Park Hotel to Dublin airport on April 11, will be available at a cost of 40 euros per person in each direction. Please call our office for details and departure times before you make your airline reservation.
April 12–19, 2024 Seminar in Galway Transportation by coach from the Radisson Blu Dublin Airport Hotel to the Connemara Coast Hotel in Galway on March 12 and from the Connemara Coast Hotel to Dublin Airport on April 19, will be available at a cost of 40 euros per person in each direction. Please call our office for details and departure times before you make your airline reservation.
Help with Travel Arrangements One of the services we supply, at no additional charge, is to help with your travel arrangements. Our knowledgeable and patient staff can assist you in making your travel plans — including booking reservations that are available from the various airlines. If you need help booking your flight, contact our office at 845-256-0191, or email us.
Trip Cancellation Insurance
Participants are strongly urged to purchase travel insurance for losses necessitated by having to cancel participation. For your convenience, insurance information will be sent upon registration — or consult your own insurance agent.
Other Information
Tax Deductions Seminars of this type generally meet the requirements for IRS deductions.
Faculty and Other Changes All rights are reserved by the program directors to make faculty substitutions and/or modify the program (including hotels) if needed. All rights are reserved to ask a participant to leave who is disruptive to a program.
Cancellations and Refunds Deposit is refundable, less $175 administrative fee, if request is received in writing on or before December 1, 2023. No refunds after this date.
Disclaimer of Responsibility: By registering for this program, participant and/or accompanying guest specifically waives any and all claims of action against the New York Center for Jungian Studies and their respective staffs for damages, loss, injury, accident, sickness, or death incurred by any person in connection with this tour. The New York Center for Jungian Studies and their respective staffs assume no responsibility or liability in connection with the service of any train, vessel, carriage, aircraft, or other conveyance which may be used wholly or in part in the performance of their duty to the passengers. Neither will the New York Center for Jungian Studies or their staff be responsible for any injury, death, loss, accident, sickness, delay or irregularity through neglect or default of any company or person engaged in carrying out the purposes for which tickets, vouchers, or coupons are issued. No responsibility is accepted for losses or expenses due to sickness, viruses, weather, strikes, hostilities, wars, terrorist acts, or acts of nature, local laws, or other causes, or for any baggage or personal effects of any individual, or their accompanying guests, participating in one of the New York Center for Jungian Studies programs. In the event it becomes necessary or advisable for any reason whatsoever to alter the itinerary or arrangements for reasons outside the control of the New York Center for Jungian Studies, such alterations, including hotels, guides, scholars, or postponement of a program be made without penalty. All rights are reserved to require any participant, and/or their accompanying guests to withdraw from the program at his/her own expense when such an action is determined by the program staff to be in the best interest of the participant’s or accompanying guest’s health and safety, and/or that of the group in general. This agreement shall be governed and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, where it was made, and any action or proceeding concerning the subject of this agreement shall be commenced in the District Court of the County of Nassau.