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Call for Proposal

Join us in Bali, a passage between worlds

In Balinese cosmology the visible world (Sekala) and the invisible world (Niskala) are integrated realities, dimensions of a shared mysterium.   We approach Bali’s mystery with reverence, exploring our calling in her dynamic balance of opposing forces.   We are welcomed by her serenity, the initiatory force of her beauty, her mountains, oceans, sands, temples and stories.   We honor the matter and mystery reflected in her landscape, culture, and her deities.

For Sandplay, Bali holds a fervent echo of Kalff’s reverence for the Living Psyche, for the spirit in daily life and for healing through the timeless wisdom of the Self.  Through Sandplay, image, and symbol, we move between the conscious and unconscious, known and unknown, matter and mystery. The psyche is living, creative, and continually unfolding.

The Living Psyche calls for our presence, our contributions, and our evolving wisdom.  We hold in mind and heart our many therapists, teachers, researchers, students and friends of Sandplay whose passion continues to nourish others and our field, strengthening our bond around the world.  Through our work, the living psyche continues to find expression across cultures, generations, and communities.

Matter therefore would contain the seed of spirit and spirit the seed of matter … the symbol has the great advantage of being able to unite … factors in a single image.

— C. G. Jung, Collected Works, Vol. 9, Part I, para. 197

Call for Proposals 

You are now invited to contribute to the 28th ISST Congress.

We welcome proposals that address the conference theme from ISST members, sandplay therapists and advanced trainees, Jungian Analysts, and ISST affiliates.

Topics that align with the theme Matter and Mystery: The Living Psyche in Sandplay might include:

  • The seen and unseen- psyche’s living bridge in Sandplay
  • Matter, mystery, and shared presence in Sandplay healing
  • Body, psyche, and symbolic expression
  • The numinous and presence of awe in Sandplay
  • Unity of opposites and activating the transcendent in Sandplay
  • Dora Kalff's legacy and reverence for the Living Psyche
  • Culture and the collective psyche in Sandplay
  • Research, innovation, and future directions in Sandplay
     

Guidelines for Submission

Important Dates

Website portal will open for submissions: August 1, 2026
Deadline (firm) for submissions: October 31, 2026
Registration Opens (including room reservations at special rate): September 15, 2026
Notification of Acceptance: January 31, 2027
Handouts due from presenters (electronic version): August 1, 2027
Conference: August 16-20, 2027