Project 40: 23::: Sadism, Masochism, Sexuality & Shadow
Starts right after the New Moon in Leo on Monday, July 28th.
It is a known fact that pain and pleasure are the two most basic elements of life. But the secret is to simplify that fact. ― Bauvard
Frequently, and not only in the popular usage, sadomasochism is confounded with love. Masochistic phenomena, especially, are looked upon as expressions of love. An attitude of complete self-denial for the sake of another person and the surrender of one's own rights and claims to another person have been praised as examples of "great love". It seems that there is no better proof for "love" than sacrifice and the readiness to give oneself up for the sake of the beloved person. Actually, in these cases, "love" is essentially a masochistic yearning and rooted in the symbiotic need of the person involved. ― Erich From
Saturn and Mars will join up in Scorpio during this next 40 Days, pushing us to become conscious of our relationship with power and submission. We will look at how we unconsciously undermine our own strength through the destructive shadow/shame energies of the psyche, opening up deeper channels of sexual pleasure and uncovering wellsprings of powerful creativity. We will confront those shadows of jealousy, envy, possessiveness and fear of loss that possess us at the root. We will delve deeply into how we use our sexual energy or kundalini (or it uses us) through the powerful sadomasochistic continuum lying deep in all of our psyches. We will explore the shadows of sexuality, intimacy, attachment and how they are related to the destructive side of the narcissistic ego and our unconscious relationship to power and fear.
Where are we too hard on ourselves? How do we give others power over us? When do we fall into a position of submission out of fear of not being loved? What does it mean to be in full possession of your authentic desire?
During the next 40 Days, we will learn the true meaning of the phrase “self-possession” by unsheathing the darker tendencies of our psyches, and thus revealing the hidden potential of our sexual fire. The fierce feminine has been subjugated for centuries precisely because of its awe-inspiring power.The joining of Mars and Saturn in Scorpio inspires us to ignite this fire once again, from within. Yet in order to tap into the infinite creative power of sexuality, first we must peel back the layers of shame born of living on a deeply patriarchal planet. In order to reveal the full landscape of the sometimes-overwhelming power of feminine desire – the kind that can fuel projects, manifest world-changing visions and foster healthy, productive relationships.
You will find your anima, your inner phallus, and wield it without shame. You will tap into your kundalini and use simple tantric techniques to nourish your body with pleasure, transforming shame into love. From the first moment you felt a surge of desire, you have been throttled with an equal or greater amount of shame. Every time we look at our naked and clothed bodies, we negotiate this landscape of humiliation. This dance of shame goes back to Eve and her apple, and Lilith, the one who refused to obey Adam and left the Garden of Eden – but the one seldom heard about or discussed.
For the next 40 Days you will unpack and reshape your sexual history, your relationships, and your early parental patterning, especially as it has informed your sexuality. You will tap into the courage of Mars in his native Scorpio – freeing yourself to feel angry about what you’ve been denied or denied yourself, the ways in which you’ve been lied to about the true nature of your divine power, and how that has caused any unhealthy sadomasochism in your relationships. In order to repossess this fire within, experiencing and burning through a bit of rage is almost a prerequisite.
You will encounter the energy of the Dark Goddess, Kali, inviting us to dance on the funeral pyre of our false selves and face ego-laden lies about love and our divine power. By going deep into this process, you'll learn that S & M isn’t always negative – it’s just harmful when it remains unconscious. We will first make it conscious and then learn how to use BDSM as a positive tool for growth and deeper levels of pleasure and self-awareness.
During this journey, we will transform our shame into pleasure, allowing it to heal our deepest wounds. We will learn that we have a right to pleasure on a daily basis, and that there is no shame in claiming it. And in fact – we must claim it in order to live full, healthy, creative, dynamic lives. No one can give it to you – you must give it to yourself. Get ready for the kind of deeps that contain our most potent shadows and portals for self-realization.
*****Sorry this option is sold out!!! Option #1: $230:
Includes: 60 Minute Private Jungian Session with Sherene. We will focus on where the sadomasochistic tendencies show up in your horoscope. 60 minute Sexuality & Astrology Session with Stefanie Iris Weiss. 40 Days of Journaling Questions, Guided Emails and Rituals. (Optional) Private Group Forum
40 Days of Journaling Questions, Guided Emails and Rituals. (Optional) Private Group Forum
I conceived of Project 40 as a way to help those who could not afford to come for regular therapy sessions. I also wanted to find a way to leverage the daily experiential tools and rituals we can all use. The Internet allows me to do this and I invest a great deal of time and energy in order to make each Project 40 journey a highly personal and "of the moment" journey. Nothing cookie-cutter or generic like you might expect with many Internet packages and programs. Project 40 is extremely unique and will take you just as deep as very intensive one-on-one Jungian psychoanalytic work. If you were to actually pay my going hourly rate, for the amount of time you get in this program, it would be very costly. At 200.00 / hour and approximately 20-30 hours per person per P40 session, we would be into the thousands of dollars. So I am happy and grateful for the Internet, as it allows us to connect in a way that is affordable for you and allows us to be engaged on a daily basis. Project 40 has healed me and so I have decided to share it as a service to the world under the blessing of my Guru, Mata Amritanandamayi who blessed it in Amritapuri in 2009.
A Necessary Rant: As a diehard, classically -trained Jungian with seventeen years of analysis and supervision from some of the best Jungian analysts in Zurich, NYC and now San Francisco, it's painful for me to see how so much of the elegance and depth of Jung's work is lost and misused by those with very little if any actual experience or training (not to mention their own analytic process). Jung says that the unconscious is both beautiful and terrible but not something to "play around with" or take lightly by any means. Would you throw yourself out into the middle of a dark ocean without a reliable person at the helm... or worse, without a boat or a paddle? Unless you're trying to live the life of Pi, this is probably not wise. The danger of superficial systems that I have seen claiming to explore "shadow work" is frankly downright disturbing when you realize how tricky it is to navigate the depths of one's unconscious without the proper clinical training, supervision and experience. This is another reason why I am trying to make this work more pervasive as a way to undo some of the damage that has been done to Jung's work and credibility in so many "new age" and "self-help" circles that have sadly cheapened the work. A complex is something that must be worked at daily and consistently and with a skilled analyst to help you unravel the many layers. It is not something that can be magically "fixed" in one weekend, covered up with medication or removed with a juice cleanse.
You Receive: *Daily personal emails that I create on that particular day itself (nothing is pre-baked, half-baked or it would lose the essence of tapping into the powerful messages of that particular space and time--and thus lose the power of synchronicity so fundamental to the magic of Jungian therapy). *A system designed to bust through any laziness, blocks, and other BS that keep you from going beyond the normal 10% of mediocre consciousness and self-awareness. *Daily probing questions that make you stop and reflect in ways that create lasting transformation. *A powerful collective of kindred souls seeking radical transformation and willing to do the hard work in order to uncover the limitless potential and authenticity buried in the unconscious. *Accountability partners on a daily basis to keep you inspired and staying on top of your inner work. *Stopping and expanding time instead of the feeling that another month just flew by without any noticeable change in your life. *A sacred container built on seventeen years of research and private practice with a classically trained Jungian therapist and astrologer. *40 Days of powerful tools you can use and re-use for the rest of your life that will totally transform your sexuality, your relationships and most importantly your Self. *Daily astrological guidance and reflection on the collective unconscious influences as revealed by the current astrological weather. I am thrilled to see how much Project 40 has grown and expanded over the past three years, and thus in order to keep up with the demand this will be the last round of Project 40 where I can offer such a low price. I am also keeping the groups down to only 13 people in order to be able to respond to everyone more individually, so don't wait to register if you want to do this! I know you're going to love how powerful and unique this 40 Day journaling paradigm is!
The Saturn Sisters
Sherene Schostak, M.A. is a Jungian therapist, astrologer and intuitive medium in private practice in NYC for the past seventeen years. She specializes in depression, shadow work, anxiety, creative blocks, eating disorders, and relationships. She is the co-author of Transpersonal Astrology: Explorations at the Frontier, Surviving Saturn’s Return: (McGrawHill) and The Fate of Your Date (Chronicle Books.) She holds a Master’s Degree from New York University in Clinical Psychology, a Masters in Developmental Psychology from Pace University and advanced graduate work in psychoanalytic studies from The New School and ISAP, Zurich. She is the resident astrologer for Elle Magazine: UK- Netherlands-Turkey. Her work incorporates the subtle body/psyche/spiritual with the physical and psychological through work with Polarity Therapy, Tarot and dream work. Writing credits/features include: The Fox Morning Show; The Benjamin Moore Aurascope Campaign; Pottery Barn astrology calendar; “Star Signs” for NBC/iVillage; Astrology.com, Bravotv.com, Lifescript; & The Mountain Astrologer. Sherene teaches classes and workshops internationally on Astrology, Archetypal Psychology, Eastern Philosophy and Authentic Movement.
Stefanie Iris Weiss, MA, is a writer and professional astrologer in private practice based in New York City. She is the author of nine books, including her latest–Eco-Sex: Go Green Between the Sheets and Make Your Love Life Sustainable (Crown Publishing/Ten Speed Press, 2010). Her column, Sexual Healing, posts at Ecosalon.com every Saturday. Stefanie has covered countless topics in the realm of sexuality, from monogamy/polyamory, infidelity, compulsory motherhood and toxic masculinity to jealousy, the Madonna-Whore complex, feminist porn, masturbation, tantra, orgasmic meditation, and much more. As the in-house astrologers first for Teen Vogue and more recently for ELLE UK, Stefanie worked with co-writer Sherene Schostak on both Surviving Saturn’s Return (Contemporary Books, 2004) and Fate of Your Date (Chronicle Books, 2006). Stefanie’s other book from Chronicle, Spirit Animals: Unlocking the Secrets of Our Animal Companions was published in 2009. Sherene and Stefanie co-hosted the entertainment show "Star Signs" for NBC/iVillage. Stefanie's other writing credits include Marie Claire, ELLEgirl.com, GOOD Magazine, Nerve.com, astrology.com, Huffington Post, Above Magazine (for which she interviewed Isabella Rossellini) and much more. Stefanie’s numerous media credits (radio, TV, and print) include The Morning Show with Mike and Juliet (FOX), Playboy Radio, Oprah Radio, The New York Post, Huffpost Live, NBC News, and The Young Turks, to name a few. Stefanie's work has been covered by the international press in the UK, Canada, Germany, France, South Africa, Italy, Poland, the Netherlands and beyond.
