Psychological Maps for the Spiritual Journey

We made it home safely and without incident.

It was a great adventure.

I want to be sure to express my appreciation to Hardin-Simmons University and the Cullen Fund for Faculty Enrichment for making this sabbatical trip possible.  It was a blessing from beginning to end.

As I indicated earlier, I plan to continue to work on this blog so drop by from time to time.

Thanks for following us along the way.

Enjoyed Madrid very much. Leaving for London early in the morning. Mixed feelings–we’re sad to leave the last city of our trip, but tired and looking towards home.

Barcelona

. . . we cannot maintain warp speed!

We discovered that the power cord to my laptop was left in Zurich.  Luckily, the hotel staff found it and are mailing it back home for us.  And yes, it’s is also a metaphor of how we’re feeling after this much traveling.

I have about an hour of power left so this may be my last blog entry.  I may try a short update or two via Ipod/Iphone.

Barcelona’s weather has been great–70’s and 80’s.  We’ll leave for Madrid in the morning (Saturday) and stay until the 19th.  We’ll then fly from Madrid to Paris and catch a train to London.  Yes, it’s a roundabout way to get back to London but it involves trying to save money (and you know by now my penchant for adventure).

We’re homeward bound on July 21 and should arrive in Abilene around 5:15 PM.

Thanks for following all of this.  I’ll probably finish out the blog after we return home and maybe continue it in terms of ongoing reflections.

Quick list of things we’ve done:  Sagrada Familia – beautiful cathedral; Segways, Monastery at Montserrat tour, cable car ride to top of Montjuic, lots of good eating, lots of walking and people-watching, laundry.

Bye for now!

Barcelona Aquarium

Barcelona is another beautiful city.  Lots to do.  We visited the Aquarium (above picture) on Sunday and rode Segways (below) on Monday.  The rest of the week is well planned out.  You’ll have to come back here to find out what we did!

Look out! Segway newbies coming through!

It was a sad good-bye to Switzerland at about 7:30 PM on Friday, July 8, 2011.  We had a great time, my studies were interesting and helpful, and the people I met at the Institut were thoughtful and engaging.  I will be bringing home material and memories that I will be working through for quite some time.

Our train ride was an overnight train from Zurich to Barcelona, Spain.  It was a clanging, bouncy, noisy experience.  Linda slept like a log.  I slept in between frequent awakenings and the girls reported that they hardly slept at all. Despite a number of amenities and a pretty good supper and breakfast, the consensus is that it was not all that great.  But it only took 15 hours!  OK, so we should have flown.  But where’s the adventure in that?

We are now in a great two bedroom apartment in Barcelona.  Wi-fi is free and so will try to keep up with the blog.  We’ll be here for one week.

Thanks to all who are keeping up with this.  Your interest and  prayers are appreciated.  Your comments are as well.

The C.G. Jung Institut

I won’t write in detail about my studies at the C.G. Jung Institut as that would no doubt bore the reader.  Jung was a Swiss psychologist who developed a very complex theory about human psychology.  Unlike most early psychologists, Jung (1875-1961) had an important place for religion and spirituality in his view of human beings.

The setting on lake Zurich is beautiful.  I have a great 5 minute walk from the hotel to the Institut.

A park on the way to the Institut

A dock on the way

Over a brook

And down the walkway . . .

I don’t know if it was all the planning and preparation . . .

or the fact that I am traveling with my family . . .

or the positive experiences we’ve had of people and places . . .

But I have felt at home everywhere I’ve gone.

When I was a child growing up on the east coast of Florida, I would often stand on the beach and look out to the horizon and wonder about people on the other shore.

Were they looking back at me?

It’s been good to explore these other shores.

We are in a beautiful hotel on Lake Zurich.  I’m about a 5 minute walk from the C.G. Jung Institute where I’ll be studying.

Hotel website:  http://www.sonne.ch/en/index.html

We were warned about the high prices in Switzerland and nobody was exaggerating!  McDonalds today: $52.97 (c0nverted from Swiss Francs).  That was for 2 Big Macs, 1 chicken wrap, a regular hamburger, 3 orders  of fries, and 4 drinks.

We’ve gone to the grocery store . . .

But it is beautiful!  Really, can you put a price on the view of the Swiss Alps? (they would if they could).

We are in Monterosso, Italy.  There is something about mountains reaching the sea that is majestic and beautiful.  Though I have done some exploring of old churches here (one almost next to our hotel), this is a time to relax.  Lauren and Lynsi said this was the first time on this trip that it felt like a vacation.  They have enjoyed everything but we have really been on the go.

I planned this 3-night stopover to get some rest before I start the more academic part of my sabbatical in Zurich, Switzerland.  We will be leaving Monterosso for Zurich early in the morning (Saturday, June 25).

We are about halfway now on this adventure.

God’s blessings!

Panorama of Rome

Here’s what we like and dislike about Rome:

Thumbs UP!:  It’s Rome!, Italian food, ancient ruins, statues, fountains, gelato!!

Thumbs DOWN!:  Very crowded, dirty, hot and humid, crowded, heavy traffic, motorcycles will run you over, did I mention it was crowded.

On to Monterosso tomorrow.

Beautiful art

Our last night in Vienna was spent at a concert of Mozart and Strauss music.  It was held in a small hall in which Mozart actually played.  The concert was a string quartet and piano and was accompanied by ballet dancers and an opera singer.  

High falutin is what I call it.

The trip to Venice was long–4 hrs. of a train ride followed by 4 hrs. of a bus ride.  It actually went better than it sounds.  Venice was beautiful.  We only stayed one night but it was sufficient as we were ready to move onto Rome.

We are in Rome at the time of this writing (Sunday, June 19).  The hotel is very nice.  Check out their website:  http://www.napoleon.it/

We saw the colliseum today–impressive.  I’ll get pics up of Rome soon–finally have wi-fi in the room!

Took  short trip to a small village (Klosterneuberg) outside of Vienna to visit a monastery.  I’m very interested in art and architecture and its psychological effects in regards to religious expression and devotion.  We have been in many beautiful cathedrals.  Below is a picture from inside the cathedral at the Klosterneuberg Abbey.  The picture cannot do justice.

Cross and mountains above Salzburg

I’m making a couple of posts at one time because Salzburg did not have a Starbucks and my computer would not connect to the hotel wi-fi for some reason.

Salzburg is a stunningly beautiful city. Majestic mountains surround it and the city has that old world charm. If you have seen Sound of Music, you have an idea what’s it’s like. We walked around the city the first day and enjoyed a Mozart museum (he was born and worked here).

The second day was full. First, we took the morning Sound of Music tour where we visited the sites used for the filming of the movie. The tour was well done and we all had a great time. They play the movie in the hotel rooms almost continuously (also the movie “Amadeus”–a Mozart movie). We enjoyed watching the movie that evening and pointing out to each other the places in the movie that we visited that day. After the tour, we took a cable car ride high above the city. The scenery was spectacular. Large crosses were placed on some of the peaks. I thought of the Creator God who is also the Redeemer God—high and lifted up as both.

We enjoyed the famous Glockenspiel—the musical clock that chimes with mechanical dancers.

We also visited the Munich zoo on the last day. Why would we choose to do something that required more walking is a profound mystery. We enjoyed Munich but got back to the hotel quite exhausted. Munich has quite a bit of charm for a big city—very ornate buildings and they love their fountains.

 Looking forward to Salzburg and the Sound of Music . . .

Awwwwww . . .

It’s what’s for breakfast! Apparently, the Germans like savory (salty and sweet combination) for breakfast—lots of cheese, jams and jellies, and cold cuts. Breakfast also includes plenty of fruit, breads, nuts, grains, cereals, and yogurt. Good and filling!

 Incidentally, we get “pig liver pate’” in the States under the name “Braunschweiger.” Also, I’m calling it “pig liver pate’” for literary effect; they don’t call it that.

For those of you who would like more information about how we are managing this trip, here are some details.

We are traveling light–two medium/large suitcases and one small one.  Additionally, we have two backpacks which contain my laptop, train tickets, cameras, and plenty of miscellaneous “stuff.”  I also carry all passports in a hidden pouch in my pants attached to my belt.  My wallet I keep in my front pocket which is what I normally do.

We do have a budget.  For example, we have budgeted $100  day for food (that’s for 4 people!).  That comes out to about 68 euros.  We have been eating very well.  Almost all our hotels have a breakfast included and they have been quite hearty.  So far, we have been at or below our budget!

The day before we are to leave for our next destination, I get online and google map our hotel and train station to get directions.

We have a rail pass which allows us to get on any train and at any time.  Trains run very frequently.  We choose the train and off we go.

When we arrive and before leaving the train station, we get a rail/bus map for the city and try to figure out how to get to the hotel.

Then, we go for it.  Have we gotten lost?  Yes, but that’s part of the adventure!  After our first day in Europe (read my first few posts for May) everything else seems a breeze.

Munich is beautiful, big, but beautiful.  We attended Mass at the oldest Renaissance church in Europe this morning.  It was beautiful and awe-inspiring.  Plan to visit the city park and perhap the zoo today.

God’s blessings on you all.

Arrived in Munich around 12:30 PM.  Hotel was about two blocks from train station–a welcomed relief.

We checked in and then hopped another train for a 30 minute trip to Dachau to visit the concentration camp memorial.  The weather was rainy and dreary and somehow seemed  to fit the occasion.  Hard to believe the inhumanity that is possible.

On a lighter note, we are thoroughly enjoying Starbucks and their free wi-fi on this trip.  Starbucks has become our daily rest stop and is where I check emails and write this blog.

We still need to figure out some things to do in Munich in addition to some of my sabbatical places.  Shouldn’t be  problem as there is a lot to this city (though we have yet to explore much more than the train station and our hotel).

Keep us in prayer.

Did laundry this morning–haven’t since London.  Made plans for leaving tomorrow morning (what bus or train to take from hotel to train station, etc).

Visited a monastery–very quiet and serene.

The rest of the day is for relaxing and enjoying our last day in Heidelberg.  Munich will be a big city before we are on to Austria.

Feeling very comfortable traveling, especially in Germany.  Basically, people are people no matter where you go.

As you enter inside Heidelberg Castle:

Now this is Germany!  Cobblestone streets, flowerboxes on the windows, old world charm, and a castle to boot!

After a bit of confusion catching a connecting train, we arrived in Heidelberg about 9:30 this morning.   It was a long walk to our hotel but the hotel room is large and everyone has their own bed (Lauren and Lynsi have been sharing a sofa bed since London),

We went to the Castle and enjoyed it very much.  We’re tired but having a ball.  Everyone is loving Germany.

Hope to visit a monastery tomorrow.

We’ll be here today and tomorrow and then on to Munich on Saturday.

Day started with lots of overcast and very cool.  Cleared by early afternoon.  We took a cable car across the Rhein and enjoyed a park on the other side.

Will leave for Heidelberg tomorrow morning.

After the quick post about Paris I thought I should  write further about our experiences in that interesting city.

Like every big city, some areas are great while others are not so good.  We visited Notre Dame Cathedral and greatly enjoyed the cathedral along with the surrounding neighborhood.  Afterwards, we visited the Sacre Coer (another cathedral).  It sat high on a hill with a panoramic view of Paris.  It was all amazing and helped to create a very enjoyable last day in Paris.

I’m writing now in a Starbucks in Cologne, Germany. The 2 hr. 45 min train ride here was pleasant and restful this morning.  Upon leaving the train station, you enter into the shadow of the Cologne Cathedral.  We had a great time exploring it (well, at least I did since this is why I’m on this sabbatical).

Tomorrow is free time exploring the city (as well as is the rest of today).  No plans–just want to enjoy the city, the people, and the culture.

So far, in spite of some problems that are probably inevitable in a trip like this, it has been a great experience.  Standing in these cathedrals that are hundreds of years old, connects one to Christian history in a remarkable way.  Truly inspiring.

On steps of Sacre Coer looking over Paris:

We arrived in Paris on Saturday.  Eiffel Tower was fun.  Louvre was amazing.  City is dirty.  Glad we came but looking forward to going to Germany (Cologne) Tuesday morning (6/7/2011).  Need to get away from the big cities.

A couple of hot and humid days in London.  Went to a couple of museums.

The girls will be glad to get off a sleeper sofa.

Will be leaving tommorrow morning for Paris via high speed train.

Beautiful paintings from Monet, Renoir, Van Gogh, etc. 

We’re doing a lot of walking!  Enjoying the food and London culture.

Looking foward to our trip to Paris this Saturday. 

Big Ben:

My professional journey, studying psychology and religion and working with a wide variety of persons, some with profound psychiatric problems, has convinced me that we are more then we think.  We tend to function from a very limited part of ourselves, what psychologists call the “ego”–that very conscious part of ourselves.  Our unconscious resources are usually ignored.

So this blog is a reminder that:

We are more then we think.

God loves us more then we think.

Our strengths are more then we think.

Our needs are more then we think.

Our gifts and talents are more then we think.

Can you think of others?

June 1

Ate fish and chips for dinner last night–very good.

The luggage was waiting for us when we arrived back at the hotel last night (Tuesday, May 31)–we’ve worn the same clothes since Saturday!  What a great ending to another great day in London.

Clean clothes!  Today I visited St. Paul’s Cathedral–Handel played the organ there!  The cathedral was beautiful–climbed over 300 steps for the view.

May 28, 2011

They say that a journey begins with the first step. I’ve also heard that the first step is always the hardest. After sitting in a plane on the tarmac in the sweltering heat for 30 minutes, the pilot informed us that we would need to deplane (I thought that’s what Tattoo said to Mr. Rourke—Deplane! Deplane!). So we sat in the Abilene airport knowing that we will not make our connection in Dallas to London. In about 20 minutes we were informed that the next plane to London was booked. Eventually we made it to Dallas, was put up in a hotel and given meal vouchers from American Airlines after they booked us on a 5:45 AM flight to London. Instead of arriving in London at 10:45AM we’ll arrive at 10:45 PM–a loss of a day.

May 29, 2011

Arrived in London but no luggage and too late to catch the subway to the hotel. Spent an hour trying to figure out our options. Ended up on a double-decker bus for one hour only to be dropped off in the heart of London with no way to get to the hotel. Finally, found a cab. Arrived at hotel at 3:00 AM!

Slept in our clothes for about 6 hrs. Had a good breakfast at the hotel. The airlines found our bags—still in Dallas. Hopefully will get them sometime today.

May 30, 2011

Had a great day in London! Went to Westminster Abbey and a couple of smaller cathedrals. Had a mini picnic of cereal and oranges confiscated from the hotel breakfast. Supper was at Wagamama—a Thai style noodle house that was very good.

May 31, 2011

Another fun day—some rain. Visited Buckingham Palace and saw the changing of the guard.

Still no luggage but airlines assured us we’d have them today.

Will try to get pics up soon.

One can travel this world and see nothing.   To achieve understanding it is necessary not to see many things, but to look hard at what you do see.  
–Giorgio Morandi (Italian artist)

My family and I will be leaving on May 28, 2011 for a 55 day trip across Western Europe.  This trip is part of my sabbatical.  As a professor of psychology and an ordained minister, I have a special interest in the psychology of religion. 

This trip is an exploration, a pilgrimage, and a journey of the soul (I think I’ll also just have some fun along the way).

Enjoy!