Please join us on Saturday, October 18 from 11:00 am - 12:30 pm as we welcome Barnaby Willet as our guide through the theory and practice of Ally Work. Barnaby was mentored in the practice of Ally Work by its creator Jeffrey Raff. Jeffrey Raff, a Jungian Analyst and student of Marie-Louise von Franz, authored Jung and the Alchemical Imagination
In this program, Barnaby will share his journey in stumbling upon ally work and the profound shift within him from the practice. Barnaby will share Raff's methodology with us. Drawing from cross-cultural research, including in-depth study of Ibn 'Arabi, we'll examine how to develop ally work individually and in community.
WHAT IS ALLY WORK?
Ally Work is an embodied contemplative practice facilitated by the heart - which Henry Corbin called "the organ of active imagination.” The practice of Ally Work teaches us to connect with our ally and cultivate a dialogic relationship in support of individuation.
ACCESSIBLE AND PROFOUND
To apply this concrete approach, a person poses a question to their ally by writing it on paper and allows a response to emerge through pen and paper. Often people work with a dream image or use active imagination. Over time, a living relationship - that offers guidance, challenge, and transformation - will develop.
BARNABY WILLETT
As a Garrison Institute Fellow, Barnaby focuses on developing ally work as a catalyst for personal and collective transformation. He created AllyWork.org to support this emerging practice.
Barnaby was instrumental in creating the first mindfulness class in U.S. public high schools through Peace in Schools (2014). The program taught over 700 students and lead groundbreaking research with Johns Hopkins University on mindfulness and childhood trauma. This was the first global study of its kind.
Barnaby is a contemplative educator from Portland, Oregon. Since 1994, he has studied with teachers from Vipassana, Zen, Tibetan Buddhism, Nonduality, Jungian psychology, and Sufi Islam. He has studied closely under Toni Packer, Peter Fenner, and Caverly Morgan and is currently engaged in line-by-line study of Ibn 'Arabi's Futūḥāt with Dr. Eric Winkel. Barnaby serves as a mindfulness teacher with iBme teen retreats and is a member of Dr. Dan Siegel's MWe Council. He has presented at Johns Hopkins University, University of Oregon, Wisdom 2.0, Science and Nonduality Conference, and Esalen. You can learn more at barnabywillett.com.
Saturday, Oct. 18, from 11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Please register by Oct. 15, 2025
We will meet at the Parma Library - Powers Avenue Location.
We will connect with Barnaby via Zoom.
We suggest attendees bring a pen and paper for practicing this method.