Hi All: To James' point, it's critical that we first establish what our values and goals are before we will be able to ascertain whether it will serve better to keep the Alliance membership only or open it to the public (with the possibility of membership).
To that end, it's now obvious we should prioritize the articulation of the mission statement first. I'm happy to throw my two cents in and would love for you all to respond with your own thoughts, wishes, desires...I also think we should include the Alliance itself as a board member on this council and regularly as its (her?) opinion....
On my end, I feel very called to help make depth psychology accessible to everyone. I had never heard of it before a few years ago--and now feel its drastically changed my life. Thus, one argument can be made in the sense that if we establish part of our mission to "take depth psychology to the streets"--that is, to make depth psychology accessible to everyone....
Another argument might be to make the Alliance a container for academic depth psychological discussion, connection, and individuation...(but to do that, would we need a closed group?)
Other elements for consideration:
1) Do we want to keep it at more of an academic level and make educational programs for those who are in student mode or have some background in it more appealing and more available?
2) Do we want to focus on interconnections/networking among individuals?
3) Do we want it to be a "go to" place to introduce, comtemplate, and discuss current events and issues from a depth perspective? If so, would it make sense to really articulate and encourage that?
4) It is a "community." What does that mean?
Thoughts welcomed....Let the discussion begin!
Replies
Some mission statements from organizations close to our own activities:
Asheville Jung Center: Our primary focus is to offer world-class Jungian seminars through internet technology.
The C.G. Jung Society of Atlanta serves to provide a place of community for those of us drawn to the ideas of Carl Jung.
The New York Center for Jungian Studies: no identifiable mission statement
The C.G. Jung Foundation for Analytical Psychology, founded in 1962, is dedicated to helping men and women grow in conscious awareness of the psychological realities in themselves and society, find healing and meaning in their lives, reach greater depth in their relationships, and live in response to their discovered sense of purpose.
The mission of the Chicago Institute is to advance Analytical Psychology – the theoretical foundation of Jungian psychoanalysis – as a practice that speaks to the basic human need for psychological growth and consciousness.
As with the members of so many other FOJ organizations in so many cities throughout the Western world, the San Diego Friends of Jung are drawn together, in large measure, by their common desire to lead a richer inner life.
OFJ (of Oregon) is an all-volunteer organization dedicated to exploring the ideas of C.G. Jung.
Santa Barbara Friends of Jung is committed to furthering the work of depth psychology according to C.G. Jung and Marie-Louise von Franz.
The Omaha Friends of Jung is a non-profit organization that offers education, workshops, web conferences, videoconferences and on going community activities for Nebraska and Iowa.
Idaho Friends of Jung is a non-profit organization that exists to further the understanding and insight into the life, work, and spirit of Dr. Carl Gustav Jung (1875-1961), Swiss pioneer of the psyche.
Greater Cincinnati Friends of Jung (GCFJ) is a non-profit volunteer organization dedicated to exploring the ideas, studies and theories of Carl Gustav Jung, founder of analytical psychology.
or more than two decades, the Kansas City Friends of Jung (FOJ) has provided a unique opportunity for individuals to pursue their inner discoveries and personal growth.
Montana: We are a non-profit educational organization for all individuals interested in the ideas of psychoanalyst Carl Gustav Jung and an approach to daily living through depth psychology.
After copying all these I can't help but wonder whether we should be offering our "services" (however we might want to define this) to these groups, especially the smaller ones.
Ed
Diddo, Ed! What an amazing breadth of research you've done. This is extremely helpful. I (like to :) think the Alliance is unique in the world--but definitely see some comparison and contrast amongst our peer groups. This is great. Let me digest it as well and within a couple of days I think we can begin the discernment process... Thank you!
Excellent endeavor here Ed. Still sitting with it.
Thank you, Mark
Thanks Mark and Bonnie. Ed, this is a wonderful piece of research you've done collecting all of these mission statements on depth psych related themes, very evocative. Like Mark, I'm still sitting with it, but they are a wonderful addition to our process.
Thanks,
James
Hi, Bonnie and everyone:
Bonnie, I really like both your points: 1. That the site should be available for everyone, and 2. That it could be a container for academic discussion. Additionally, you mentioned on the call that you had hopes that there would be more discussion on the site around sensitive topics. I would like to see the Alliance support all of these (as well as the others you've listed), not simply choose one over the others. For example, there might be dedicated areas of emphasis and sub-missions that support the over-arching mission. We could begin with an emphasis on one important area, with a tiered plan to expand into other areas as each area begins to take shape. I look forward to seeing what emerges over the coming weeks!
I also wanted to forward some tools for brainstorming about mission statements. There are many such resources available on the web. I've gathered a few here in one place for anyone who would like to explore. In addition to the links, I've attached some PDFs below.
All the best,
James
http://www.missionstatements.com/index.html
http://www.wikihow.com/Write-a-Mission-Statement
http://nonprofit.about.com/od/nonprofitbasics/a/mission.htm
Creating Vision, Mission and Value Statements.pdf
Business Mission Statement.pdf
Demystifying Mission Statements.pdf
Thanks so much for this, James. You seem to have some experience with the process--or else it speaks to your gift for organizing information. I've just looked briefly at the sites and the docs, but they're all open on my desk and I look forward to reviewing them in more detail tonight and tomorrow and seeing what they spark for me. I agree with you completely that I'd like to have it all--and by that I'm only being partly facetious. Truly, if depth psychology is not inclusive, what is it?
Mark: I'm really struck by your image of rites of passage: in so many ways this process--and our involvement as a board--speaks to a new stage of development for the Alliance itself. Perhaps it's leaving infancy and entering adolescence as Ed has often pointed out to me. One word that keeps coming to me is "pervasive"--as if it's getting ready to launch upon the hero's journey or the shamanic quest and looks forward to being "seen" and recognized in the world...
James, these mission statements prompts you've provided are a great resource to get the juices flowing. They have me thinking about my practice in rites of passage (ROP) and an initial phase before crossing the threshold into the center of the ceremony, where establishing intention is so important for those questers that as guides we spend a lot of time helping them to craft a statement of intention sometimes through mirroring and questioning. It has been said that when in conversation around these intentions, there is quite often a moment where the quester's voice and tone drop down--and that is usually the place where the heart of the matter rests. I'll be watching in my own and other's reflections for this dropping down and into the heart of the mission.
My other association is to reflect on the mission being a response to a need. The mission holds the space for the possibility of what here-to-now has not been seen in the world. That which is missing, in this case, in the collective, is perhaps the foundation of our mission.
Mark