Rafael Lopez-Pedrazo

I'm new here and not exactly sure where to post news, but I received word a couple of days ago from Marcus Quintaes that Rafael Lopez-Pedrazo, 90, died in Caracas on Monday.

I haven't been able to find an English obituary but here's the one published in Caracas:

http://www.talcualdigital.com/Protagonistas/Viewer.aspx?id=46440

Rafael was one of the originators of archetypal psychology, although he had something of a falling out with James Hillman, according to Pat Berry, who was with both of them at the Jung Institute in Zurich. Pat told the story of Rafael and Hillman at the famous conference at Notre Dame -- the same conference, I believe, where Wolfgang Giegerich made his famous challenge to Hllman.

At her talk, Pat explained that Rafael was far too emotional for Hillman, but she also said he had not received deserving credit for his role in the development of archetypal psychology. For example, it was Rafael who coined the term "follow the image," probably the best known phrase from Hillman's work, at least in its therapeutic application. (Pat's talk was recorded but was not included in the volume of recordings from the conference.)

Among Rafael's books are "Dionysos in Exile" and "Cultural Anxiety," both great reads, although some of his thoughts seem caught in the tendency to pathologize aspects of gender and sexuality (as archetypal psychology has continued to do). I'm not sure if this remained so to the end of Rafael's life.

I was fortunate to hear Rafael speak a few times and corresponded with him. He invited me several times to Caracas to give a seminar, but I was unable to.

This is a great loss.

Hi Cliff,

Thank you so much for sharing this post. I hadn't heard, and indeed, on doing my own web search on multiple browsers for news of Rafael's death, the only notice that came up was yours here on this page. My Spanish is just decent enough to read the obituary you linked to in Spanish so I appreciate you posting it--though I wish there were a way everyone could have access.

I do own a copy of Cultural Anxiety and remember well how deeply impacted I was by his direct and insightful commentary about monotheism and the potential cultural bias inherent in western psychology.

I echo your sorrow that Jungian/Archetypal psychology has lost one of its pillars, and will post here some info and just a few of the links I found about his life/work in case others want to review them. I do find it interesting and ironic that he chose to go on 1-11-11. Maybe it was a little thumbing of the nose to Hillman about who was really "first"!

***

Rafael López-Pedraza was born in Cuba in 1920 of Spanish heritage. He attended the C.G. Jung Institute in Zurich from 1963 until 1974 and today lives in Caracas, Venezuela, where he divides his time between professorial duties, a psychotherapeutic practice and writing.

Blog mention of Rafael López-Pedraza's death> January 11, 2011: A Jungian moment: Rafael Lopez Pedraza leaves us at age 90: http://daniel-venezuela.blogspot.com/2011/01/jungian-moment-rafael-...

Foreword to Rafael López-Pedraza's book “Cultural Anxiety”> http://www.daimon.ch/3856305203_2F.htm

Essay from the Jung Society of Atlanta> "We are very grateful to Rafael López-Pedraza and to Daimon Verlag for granting us permission to publish an essay from the book Cultural Anxiety. The essay "Reflections on the Duende" is a commentary on the experience of Duende inspired by the great Spanish poet Federico García Lorca in his essay The Theory and Play of the Duende. In this masterly essay, López-Pedraza passionately describes the profound experience of duende that is best illustrated in the magic of flamenco, the temple of bullfighting and the dismemberment of Dionysus. "Duende is the very special moment of truth when the soul and a god ... are fused in confusion reaching the daimon in each one of us. Here we have indiviuality and the collective in fusion": http://www.jungatlanta.com/duende.html

Site for Lopez-Pedraza’s books from Daimon publishers> http://www.daimon.ch/catalog/index.php?manufacturers_id=30

Replies

Carol Berzonsky January 24, 2011 at 12:17pm

Thank you for posting this. Dionysos in Exile was quite influential for me when I wanted to understand more about Dionysos. I quite agree with Lopez-Padraza's observation that Dionysos is one of the most repressed gods in Western civilization.
Bonnie Bright January 13, 2011 at 9:24pm

Hi Cliff,

Thank you so much for sharing this post. I hadn't heard, and indeed, on doing my own web search on multiple browsers for news of Rafael's death, the only notice that came up was yours here on this page. My Spanish is just decent enough to read the obituary you linked to in Spanish so I appreciate you posting it--though I wish there were a way everyone could have access.

I do own a copy of Cultural Anxiety and remember well how deeply impacted I was by his direct and insightful commentary about monotheism and the potential cultural bias inherent in western psychology.

I echo your sorrow that Jungian/Archetypal psychology has lost one of its pillars, and will post here some info and just a few of the links I found about his life/work in case others want to review them. I do find it interesting and ironic that he chose to go on 1-11-11. Maybe it was a little thumbing of the nose to Hillman about who was really "first"!

***

Rafael López-Pedraza was born in Cuba in 1920 of Spanish heritage. He attended the C.G. Jung Institute in Zurich from 1963 until 1974 and today lives in Caracas, Venezuela, where he divides his time between professorial duties, a psychotherapeutic practice and writing.

Blog mention of Rafael López-Pedraza's death> January 11, 2011: A Jungian moment: Rafael Lopez Pedraza leaves us at age 90: http://daniel-venezuela.blogspot.com/2011/01/jungian-moment-rafael-...

Foreword to Rafael López-Pedraza's book “Cultural Anxiety”> http://www.daimon.ch/3856305203_2F.htm

Essay from the Jung Society of Atlanta> "We are very grateful to Rafael López-Pedraza and to Daimon Verlag for granting us permission to publish an essay from the book Cultural Anxiety. The essay "Reflections on the Duende" is a commentary on the experience of Duende inspired by the great Spanish poet Federico García Lorca in his essay The Theory and Play of the Duende. In this masterly essay, López-Pedraza passionately describes the profound experience of duende that is best illustrated in the magic of flamenco, the temple of bullfighting and the dismemberment of Dionysus. "Duende is the very special moment of truth when the soul and a god ... are fused in confusion reaching the daimon in each one of us. Here we have indiviuality and the collective in fusion": http://www.jungatlanta.com/duende.html

Site for Lopez-Pedraza’s books from Daimon publishers> http://www.daimon.ch/catalog/index.php?manufacturers_id=30
- Cliff Bostock > Bonnie Bright January 13, 2011 at 10:25pm
  
  Yes, Rafael was brought to Atlanta by the Jung Society here some years back. Unfortunately, I was not in town when he was here that time.
  
  The essay on duende was particularly important to me. I had become an obsessed fan of flamenco (and Lorca) before I read it and was going to Spain frequently. Flamenco is virtually a somatic psychology, playing with everything from the presence of death to the fluidity of gender. (See Carlos Saura's film "Carmen" for a good example.)
  
  My dissertation was also in part inspired by Rafael's writing on Priapus in "Hermes and His Children," even though I disagreed with his analysis in part.
  
  Thanks for following up my post with those links.
  - Judith Harte,Ph.D. > Cliff Bostock May 30, 2011 at 9:47pm
    
    Late to be replying to the news of Rafael Pedraza's passing. So sorry. I loved Hermes and His Children. Interesting subject as inspiration for a dissertation! Judie Harte

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