APRIL - MAY 2025

The Heroine’s Journey

pioneering jungian women reading group

hosted by Irina Avdeeva, M.A.

Thursdays • Apr. 3 - May 15

7:00pm-8:30pm EST, Zoom
7 Sessions

The Heroine’s Journey

Inspired by Joseph Campbell's model of the Hero's Journey that offers an archetypal lens to understanding the common structures of myths found around the globe that feature predominantly male characters and their struggles, the Jungian author Maureen Murdock invites us to explore another type of journey - The Heroine's Journey.  Reading together her book with the same title, we will reflect on different stages of a female individuation. Driven both by authentic internal drives and often contradictory messages originating from the collective, the development of a female psyche follows a path that is different from a hero's quest, making her individuation journey and trials she encounters on her search for wholeness unique and worthy of our conscious reflection. 

This class continues our series of reading books by pioneering Jungian female authors. Despite the book's title, we encourage everyone, regardless of their gender, to sign up and join the group! Working with different perspectives and experiences enriches our understanding of the concepts presented in the book.    

In preparation for each session, students will be asked to read one or two chapters from the book (approximately 25-30 pages each week). In addition, students will receive short prompts that will encourage them to actively engage with the text by taking notes of their experiences, journaling, drawing, etc. During our sessions, we will work in small groups of 3-4 people in Zoom breakout rooms to reflect on the reading and discuss the prompts that students were working with at home prior to the session. Reading the chapters and working with the prompts in preparation for each session is a mandatory requirement for participation in this group. Please ensure that you can join us from a computer as breakout rooms don't always work on the phone or other devices.

Since we would like to provide a safe container for everybody to feel comfortable to share their experiences with the book and its various themes, the sessions will not be recorded.    

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The Heroine's Journey. Woman's Quest for Wholeness by Maureen Murdock

Thursdays, April 3 - May 15, 7 weeks

4:00pm-5:30pm Pacific / 7:00pm-8:30pm EST on Zoom

weekly reading:

April 3, Session 1:
Introduction and Chapter 1 ("Separation From the Feminine"),
pp. 1-31 (30 pages)

April 10, Session 2:

Chapters 2 & 3 ("Identification With the Masculine" and "The Road of Trials"),
pp. 31-64 (33 pages) 

April 17, Session 3:
Chapters 4 & 5 ("The Illusory Boon of Success" and "Strong Women Can Say No"),
pp. 64-91 (27 pages)

April 24, Session 4:
Chapter 6 ("The Initiation and Descent to the Goddess"),
pp. 91-115 (24 pages)

May 1, Session 5:
Chapter 7 ("Urgent Yearning to Reconnect With the Feminine"),
pp. 115-136 (21 pages)

May 8, Session 6:
Chapter 8 ("Healing the Mother/Daughter Split"),
pp. 136-162 (26 pages)

May 15, Session 7:
Chapters 9 & 10 ("Finding the Inner Man With Heart" and "Beyond Duality"),
pp. 162-193 (31 pages)

PIONEERING JUNGIAN WOMEN READING GROUP

Your Host:

Irina Avdeeva, M.A.

Irina has a strong background in analytical work at international organizations and international education projects. She holds two Master's degrees in International Affairs from Berlin, Germany and from the Elliott School of International Affairs in Washington, DC. Irina has published academic articles on global energy politics and has been organizing political debating workshops in Europe and North America. Having lived in several countries and being proficient in multiple languages, she has learned to appreciate the importance of the collective unconscious in shaping the dynamics within different cultures and across the borders. Irina has a passion for studying the works of C.G. Jung and applying the archetypal lenses to the analysis of world politics.

The Heroine’s Journey Reading Group

Thursdays, April 3 - May 15, 7 weeks

4:00pm-5:30pm Pacific / 7:00pm-8:30pm EST on Zoom

• LIVE ONLY - Sessions will not be recorded •