“As far as we can discern the sole purpose of human existence is to kindle a light of meaning in the darkness of mere being.” C. G. Jung.
The Centre for Applied Jungian Studies South Africa is an institution focused on the teaching of Jungian and post-Jungian thought. The emphasis of the institute is teaching the practical application of Jungian studies for the expansion of consciousness, the deepening of meaning, the promotion of authentic ethics, the growth of personality, and connection with the transcendent principal
What the Centre stands for
Personal value in a de-personalised world
Meaning in a world of utilitarian values
The value of the individual ethics set against mass mindedness
The promotion of human dignity in a post human age
The realisation of transcendence, opposing a culture of reductionism
The centre is based in Johannesburg, South Africa. However seminars are held at various locations in South Africa.
About the Centre
The centre’s focus is on teaching Jungian psychology as a practical, accessible, and real tool of transformation. Jung’s work is amongst the most potent, deeply mysterious and radical systems of thought developed during the 20th century, he truly deserves the title of Gnostic alchemist.
Usually access to Jung’s work is reserved for those who are able and inclined to enter analysis, or for those exceptional and privileged enough to spend many years studying the Collect Works (20 volumes) and the last eighty years of Jungian and post Jungian literature, in other words – the privileged few.
The intention of the centre through ongoing classes, short courses, workshops and intense one on one intervention is to provide access to Jung’s work for those who neither have the time nor orientation to enter analysis, formal intuitional training or years of self study.
Our method of delivery is neither academic nor esoteric, focusing instead on the practical application of Jung’s work in the student’s life for the purposes of personal transformation, increased consciousness and individuation.
This is not meant to reduce the depth, complexity nor subtlety of Jung’s opus and in no way denigrates the invaluable work being provided by Jungian analyst around the world. We stress that the teaching and facilitation offered is not of a clinical nature and is thus not a substitute for those requiring or seeking analysis.
About the Blog
In Pursuit of Meaning is a blog dedicated to a single purpose, to understand and answer the question: where is the meaning of life to be found and how might we connect with it once found.
Towards this end many different aspects of life, philosophy, psychology and what it is to be are considered:
• what does it mean: to find meaning
• how can you live a meaningful life
• how can you live an extraordinary life
• love of self, life and God
• the issue of genius (and in particular the genius of meaning)
• applied Jungian theory
• philosophy (especially existentialism)
• understanding the purpose of your life
• courage
• dreams
• alchemy
• Gnosis
About the Categories
Personally
These are posts where the story or content which we are writing about concerns either Anja, Stephen or the guest writer personally. It is something which has actually happened to us or or which we would like to happen 
.
Practically
These posts have a practical orientation. They are written with the intention of giving you practical and useful information and ideas you can apply in your life.
Philosophically
These posts concern the big ideas and are my attempt to make some sense of them for both you and us.
Jungian Themes
Posts dealing directly with one or other Jungian concept
Quite a few posts fall into multiple categories.
More about the Blog
The best way to understand certain concepts from philosophy or psychology is to place them in context, how they play themselves out in our lives.
We usually give examples either from our own life or someone we are intimately acquainted with. Our posts frequently contain stories; which convey truth in a more profound way than abstractions.
We are always honest in what we write, even at the risk of offending. If we do offend you, please accept our apologies in advance and know that it is not our intention but a risk every writer runs, especially if he or she doesn’t wish to sanitise.
About Stephen
My name is Stephen Anthony Farah. I have spent my entire life in search of an answer to the three great questions:
Why am I here, where do I come from, and where am I going?
I have found many answers to these questions, some more helpful than others. I have had the privilege of meeting some extraordinary teachers personally and reading the teaching of many of the greatest teachers the world has known.
Of all the teaching I have encountered the work of Carl Gustav Jung has answered more questions for me than any other single teacher. In discovering the Jung I felt as though I had come home. I was privileged to study under a master, a Jungian scholar by the name of Chatillon Coque who, for ten years mentored me.
Subsequently I have continued to study Jung’s work and the many diverse areas of philosophy, science, psychology, metaphysics, theology, divination, history and cultural studies that come along with a serious study of Jung’s work.
In 2011 I was awarded a Masters’ Degree in Jungian and post Jungian studies (with distinction) from the University of Essex. My supervisors whilst I was at Essex were Professor Andrew Samuels and Dr. Kevin Lu.
I am a South African of mixed Afrikaans and Lebanese heritage. I am married, live in Johannesburg South Africa and have three beautiful children, two sons Ruarc Alexander and Teague Noa and a daughter Kiva Elizabeth.
I jointly own and run a successful company in the Information Industry called Andromeda Mobile.
I have a passion for writing and have written my first novel An Existentialist Dream- A Jungian Novel.
My interests include depth psychology, philosophy, futurism, the virtual world, good literature, the sea and meaningful human contact.
My superpower: meeting and winning over strangers in strange lands
My Kryptonite (Achilles heel): routine (I struggle to sustain it).
About Anja
Hi, my name is Anja van Kralingen.
I live in Johannesburg but was born and raised in Cape Town.
All my life I have been driven by a need to find out what is really going on. This may sound weird, but from a young age, I found the world strange and suspected that there is more to life than we can see. At heart I am an optimist, but with a good dose of reason, so it has been quite a journey to find a system that could explain in a rational way why we behave the way we do, the intricacies of our relatedness to other people and our value systems.
I have seen over the years that what you believe has a powerful effect on your reality and what happens around you, and to you. This is what has encouraged me to pursue my interest in Jungian psychology, since it is the only system that I have found able to deliver powerful tools for understanding myself and those around me and to create meaningful change.
Jungian psychology opened my eyes to my personal magic and the wonders around me.
I have recently started studying Anthroposophy, so a lot of my blogs refer to some Anthroposophical ideas and concepts.
I am a loyal South African and love this country and the proud, brave, caring people who live in it.
So join us on this journey to consciousness, wonder, magic and potential.
I leave you with one of my favourite quotes by Rumi:
“Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing, there is a field. I will meet you there. When the soul lies down in that grass, the world is too full to talk about language, ideas, even the phrase each other doesn’t make any sense.”
About C. G. Jung
Carl Gustav Jung (1875-1961) is the founder of Analytical Psychology. Along with Sigmund Freud he is the father and pioneer of the science of depth psychology or psychodynamics.
Amongst many other things, Jung contributed to psychology are the concepts of the collective unconscious, archetypes, personality typology, and a unique system of accessing the unconscious through dreams, active imagination and play. The systems of play, drama and art therapy all draw heavily on his work.
He is also known for the 12 step programme for addiction recovery; the word association test – the forerunner to all modern psychometric testing as well the lie detector test. Jung gave us the first psychological reading of mythology and fable and his work with the Nobel physicist Wolfgang Pauli in describing universal principals that underpin both physical and psychic reality. Perhaps more than any of these though Jung’s greatest contribution was the possibility of meaningful soul life in the modern world, in the face of scientific reductionism, without resorting to esotericism and without dismissing the undeniable truths of science.
He was undoubtedly one of the greatest minds of the twentieth century; the results of his researth and work is contained in the 20 volumes of The Collected Works of C. G. Jung.