In the Hunter’s Shadow: Predator Archetypes in Dreams and Waking Life

Predators move through both the natural world and the human imagination. At a time when harmful behavior is being exposed across many areas of public and private life, the predator archetype offers a powerful lens for examining threat, instinct, power, vulnerability, and survival. In this workshop, participants will explore how predatory figures and dynamics appear in dreams, relationships, institutions, and situations that can be approached as waking dreams.

Using the framework of bright and dark shadow, we will consider the predator’s destructive expressions as well as its potentially protective qualities, including discernment, boundary awareness, strategic action, and the capacity to confront danger. Through discussion and reflective practice, participants will develop a more nuanced understanding of predatory energy in themselves and others, along with practical ways to respond to it.

Together we'll explore:

• Animal hunting methods and behaviors as archetypal images

• Human expressions of predatory behavior in personal and collective life