History of the Conference
The Conference was begun in 1975 by Robert Bly, and at the time one of its major themes was the goddess or "Great Mother" as she has been known throughout human history. Much of Bly’s 1973 book of poems Sleepers Joining Hands is concerned with this theme, and was influenced by the thinking of C.G. Jung and his students Marie Louise Von-Franz and Erich Neumann (author of the comprehensive book The Great Mother). In the context of America’s war with Vietnam, a focus on the divine feminine was seen as urgent and necessary.
Since that time the Conference has expanded to consider a wide variety of poetic, mythological, and fairy tale traditions, but the name has stuck. In the ’80s and ’90s there was much discussion among the conference community about the changes contemporary men were (and are) going through; "the New Father" was then added to the Conference title, in recognition of this and in order to keep the Conference as inclusive as possible.
Through its history the Conference has been honored to welcome such teachers as: Joseph Campbell, William Stafford, Jane Hirshfield, Galway Kinnell, Naomi Shihab Nye, Li Young Lee, and many others.
You can listen to Robert Bly talk about beginning and developing the Conference in a radio interview conducted by WERU 89.9 FM of Blue Hill, Maine on 5/30/2007 here: Powerful Peace Special. (Link goes to external site in new window or tab)
Appreciative words from past attendees:
"As two people who have attended The Great Mother Conference from the beginning as a couple, we are grateful for how this community has enabled us to grow both in our relationship and in our work as artists. The conference has become an extended family which we return to with delight each year to sing, write, listen, and shore ourselves up for the long year of political and community work ahead."
-- Ann Arbor
& John Rosenwald
