December 14, 2023

It’s my practice every December to write an end-of-year review. Each time, I’m surprised by how much I’ve already forgotten about the nearly fifty-two weeks that have passed. Months fly by at remarkable speed while events on this planet don’t give us rest. When I take time annually to look back, I’m reminded over and over of my gratitude for this community and the space we hold together.

In 2023, we gathered together thirty-one times across continents and time zones to study, discuss, ask questions, and explore our dreams.

Specifically, we held three salons, including one wisdom-filled one on Disability as The Human Experience, and five seminars, including on The Life of Christiana Morgan, Community Dreamwork + Active Imagination, Jung’s Red Book and Black Books, and The Integration of the Masculine and Feminine.

This year we provided over $21,000 worth of scholarships and discounts for our seminars to anyone in financial need who made a request. We have done the same every year since the start of our online programming and we’re committed to continuing this practice every year going forward to ensure the accessibility of our programming.

I also sent many newsletters. I’m delighted that we got to share two guest pieces about disability from Charles Hall and Jenny Montgomery—both of which are brilliant and worth a review. I wrote about the 20th anniversary of the beginning of the Iraq War and the correlations to The Red Book, and I wrote a reflection on my grandparents’ marriage and the legacy of Christiana Morgan. I did a deep dive into the mystery woman in image 155 in Jung’s Red Book here, and I shared recommendations for ten books I adored here. I also wrote a bunch of posts about the masculine and feminine in Jung’s work and, of course, I documented the extraordinary trip to visit Ann of Maine and Christiana Morgan’s Tower on the Marsh: here’s Part 1 and Part 2. Finally, sadly, I wrote a couple of pieces about trying to find my center with the start of yet another horrific war.

A New Look for the Newsletter

Our explorations here of socially relevant psychology will continue via newsletters in your inbox that look just a little different than this one.

This is the last email you’ll see that has The Salome Institute header!

You’ll soon receive a notification that I’ve shifted to the Substack platform with a bit more information. The new newsletter, Self & Society, will arrive in your inbox a few times a month—just like this one.

It’ll look a little like this:

And like this:

All subscribers will receive the writing I share, just as before. All subscribers will also now be able to share thoughts on the articles in Substack’s comments feature, which has not previously been possible with our newsletter. I’ll invite questions and host discussions there. I’m excited to be able to engage more fully in dialogue with you outside of our seminars.

Paid subscribers will receive additional benefits, much like the community subscription we launched here in 2022—but, hopefully, much more accessible.

To that point, I’m closing out this year with one final event and would love to have you there.

New Year’s Eve Gathering

On Sunday, December 31st at 10 am PST / 6 pm GMT, we’ll gather online for some year-end rituals and an exploration of The I Ching. Please join me!

This gathering is a kick-off event for Self & Society and all paid subscribers* will receive automatic access to the end-of-year gathering. I’ll write once more about that before the end of the year so you’ll have another heads-up.

Until then, happy holidays and happy solstice, with prayers for peace for all nations, all people, and all living things.

xo, Satya

Satya Doyle Byock, Director of The Salome Institute of Jungian Studies

*Please just send an email with a brief note if you can’t afford the monthly subscription but want to be a part of the New Year’s Gathering.