“I appreciated everyone’s insight and honest comments. I thought many of the heartfelt conversations revealed a real need for open dialogue. I wonder how much of that would have occurred in a face-to-face meeting.”

—Rev. Bruce Frogge, pastor

Baseball, Ghosts,
and Fields of Dreams:
A Journey Toward Wholeness

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April 7-25, 2008
Facilitators: Jim Mahanes and Chris Hammon
12.0 contact hours

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Carl Jung coined the term synchronicity to refer to a “meaningful coincidence”. Such can be said of a recent film Field of Dreams, which was adapted from the book, Shoeless Joe, by J.D.Kinsella. Neither the writer nor the screen producer intended it, but the film provides a powerful dramatization of Jung’s theory of the mid-life transition and the process of “individuation,” which is the process of coming into “wholeness,” a mid-life journey of integration of our outer driven “ego” with the center of existence, the “self” or soul. The film provides a vivid portrayal of this inner journey of the self through the use of mandala symbolism and active imagination.

Since the film’s release many thousands of pilgrims have traveled to visit and play on the baseball field in Dyersville, Iowa where the film was made. As one visitor has said," I don’t think the movie was about baseball, or even a man’s relationship with his father, it was about other things.” Indeed, the movie IS about other things….deep, profound archetypal themes that resonate with the unconscious of the viewer.

After viewing of the film on their own prior to or at the beginning of the seminar, participants will use reflective dialogue to explore personal narratives and the development of these themes and clarify such fundamental Jungian categories as self, anima, shadow, collective unconscious and the process of individuation.

Additionally, this seminar will contrast “Field of Dreams” with other films that provide meaningful coincidence, such as “Fried Green Tomatoes” and “A River Runs Through It” each having similar offerings to explore our search for wholeness, spiritual integration, and integration of conscious and unconscious material.

Learning Objectives:

Following this seminar participants should be able to:

1. Use an experiential approach for understanding adult stages of development, particularly the “mid-life transition."
2. Reflect an awareness of Carl Jung’s concept of “Individuation” as a journey of self toward wholeness.
3. Use films such as Field of Dreams to explore the “Heroic Journey” into self-awareness.
4. Help others in the use of personal narratives to explore one's journey in life.
5. See “synchronistic” or meaningful coincidence in one's own life and to use “active imagination” to find meaning.

Please note:

Participants are asked to view three films in conjunction with this seminar. The films are:

• Field of Dreams
• Fried Green Tomatoes
• River Runs Through It

Prior to the seminar recipients will receive instructions for how to view these films.

Jim Mahanes is a human relations consultant, teacher of organizational behavior, and an employee assistance program conselor. He is a sought after corporate presenterfor his work in conflict resolution and emotional intelligence and part of Webster University's adjunct faculty. Jim is also a watercolorist and brings an artist's eye and perspective to this conversation. He is also a frequent Oates Institute presenter, who has been working with exploring the power of dialogue and narrative.

Registration: