Craig San Roque

Annotation. THE LONG WEEKEND is a graphic novel that has been adapted from an essay that explores the idea of the Cultural Complex; one of Carl Jung's early ideas about group behaviour that was left largely unexplored until very recently in the academic world. Craig San Roque, the author the original essay, acts as narrator and protagonist. He takes the reader throughout a long series of poetic thoughts, places and over the course of a long weekend in the central Australian desert town of Alice Springs whilst he grapples with an analysis of his own culture and the pain which it intentionally and unintentionally inflicts upon other cultures. Moving, challenging and dangerous, THE LONG WEEKEND is a haunting comic, both shockingly funny and supremely uncomfortable to read. It's images will linger with you after you've placed it upon your bedside table, turned off the lamp and settled into a restless sleep. Joshua Santospirito read the essay A LONG WEEKEND IN ALICE SPRINGS whilst living and working as a psychiatric nurse in Central Australian Aboriginal communities. It was contained in a collection of essays in The Cultural Complex - contemporary Jungian Perspectives on Psyche and Society, edited by Tom Singer published in 2004 by Routledge. At the time of reading, Josh found it very useful for reframing all of the seeming chaos around him. In 2007, as a form of cathartic meditation on the world, Josh began to draw parts of the essay into comic form which slowly became a much larger task and a labour of love. As a companion to this comic-adaption of his essay, Craig San Roque responds with a new piece of writing to be included in this book TITLED A BOOK OF SAND which further expands the poem that is central, not only to THE LONG WEEKEND, but all of Craig's writings. This book was supported by the Tasmanian Minister for the Arts through Arts Tasmania and by Nadine Kessler Design. Nadine designed the book into the beautiful object that it is.

Craig San Roque's The Long Weekend in Alice Springs

Jules Cashford

Thomas Singer

Do the ancient Greek poets, playwrights, philosophers and mythologies have anything to say to modern human beings? Is their time finished, or do their insights have as much relevance to the human condition as they did 2,500 years ago? When the Soul Remembers Itself continues the exploration of the connections between ancient and modern psyche with a resounding affirmation of its ongoing relevance. Uniquely combining poetry, drama and storytelling in a pioneering collection, an international selection of contributors each explore a character, myth or theme from ancient Greece in the context of its relevance to the modern psyche. Each author enters an imaginative dialogue that pieces and bridges together fragments of the past with the present, exploring themes such as initiation, war, love, paranoia, tragedy and the soul’s journey through the vicissitudes of life on earth, through characters such as Ajax, Persephone, Orpheus, Electra, the Apostle Paul, Perpetua and Jocasta. Understanding myth is crucial in Jungian analysis, and by connecting the modern person with the age-old questions of life and death, the contributors bring truly archetypal narratives to life and speak to the human condition throughout the ages. When the Soul Remembers Itself will be of great interest to academics and students of Jungian and post-Jungian studies, classics, ancient religion, archetypal studies and mythology. As the contributors’ conclusions apply to both contemporary theory and clinical practice, it will also appeal to Jungian analysts and psychotherapists in practice and training.

Craig San Roque

Books

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