2026 Conference Theme for the 84th Conference of FCRP
Embracing the Inner Light of the Self – Carl Jung, Psychedelics and the Modern Spiritual Journey
Plenary Speaker: Dr. John W. Price
We live in challenging and uncertain times.
Many of us feel the strain—socially, politically, and personally.
And yet, alongside this turbulence, there is another truth: we are spiritual beings, each of us on a journey of awakening and belonging.
This spring, we invite you to pause, gather, and reflect with us.
Over three days on Memorial Day weekend, the Friends Conference on Religion & Psychology will meet at the Pendle Hill retreat center in Wallingford, Pennsylvania, where we will nurture resilience and explore the enduring nature of the Self.
In a spirit of openness and care, we will name—and seek to understand—the transcendent experiences that many people report. Today these experiences often arise through deep encounters with nature. For some, they also come through the careful, clinical use of what are often called “sacred medicines.”
Such awakening experiences are not new. As the pioneering psychoanalyst Carl Jung understood, transformative states come in many ways. They may arise in worship, through dreams and meaningful coincidences (what Jung called synchronicities), through deep I–Thou relationships with others, or during moments when life breaks us open and calls us to become more than we were before.
As we try to integrate these sacred encounters, important questions emerge—both within us and within our communities of faith and practice:
How do we live in service to what we have seen and felt?
How do we stay grounded and accountable, avoiding the dangers of spiritual inflation?
How do we walk an authentic path shaped by love, humility, purpose, and joy?
These questions lie at the heart of the 84th gathering of the Friends Conference on Religion & Psychology, held at the Pendle Hill retreat center in suburban Philadelphia.
Our guide for this intimate and reflective weekend will be Dr. John W. Price, a Jungian-oriented depth psychotherapist and co-founder of the Center for Healing Arts and Sciences in Houston, Texas. John is a gifted teacher and clinician whose work draws from psychology, anthropology, religion, and spiritual traditions across cultures. He is especially known for speaking with clarity and compassion about mystical states—and about the challenges of bringing those experiences into a deeper understanding of what they mean for everyday life.
As John has said, “There is something mysterious working on all of us—working for our initiation, expansion, and growth.” Sometimes that mystery lifts us to the mountaintop for moments of wonder and insight. At other times, it leads us into loss, confusion and despair. Both are part of the soul’s unfolding.
Many people know John through his widely respected podcast, The Sacred Speaks. There, he engages scholars, therapists, spiritual teachers, and cultural voices in thoughtful conversations about consciousness, suffering, meaning, and transformation. Since 2018, his guests have included leading researchers in the field of psychedelics, along with thinkers grounded in Jungian ideas, the boundaries of consciousness and depth psychology.
Across these conversations runs a consistent theme: the human psyche longs for connection with the sacred. And John knows our suffering is not meaningless when it is witnessed, held, and integrated into a larger story of the soul. He’s found that this holy work can lead to the re-enchantment of our inner and outer life.
Over the course of Memorial Day weekend, John will offer plenary talks and experiential exercises to help us re-enchant our world. He will invite us to reflect on our journeys, as we consider how our spiritual encounters—however they arise—can be lived with integrity and care. (And for anyone wondering, the taking of psychedelics at Pendle Hill, is not part of the weekend.)
If you are new to FCRP, you may be interested to know that our conference began in the shadow of World War II, when Quakers sought counsel from Carl Jung and his wife, Emma Jung, about how psychology might help modern individuals heal inner wounds and become more skillful peacemakers in a wounded world.
That spirit endures. We continue to hold that healing the inner life is essential work—especially in troubled times. Our gatherings have long been a safe and welcoming space where people can speak honestly, listen deeply, and be seen for who they are.
Over the decades, seekers of many kinds have been drawn to FCRP: social workers, psychologists, spiritual leaders, and those simply called toward growth and understanding. Mental health professionals often help shape our programs, while participants come from a wide range of spiritual backgrounds and life paths. (You should also know FCRP has been approved to offer up to 13 CEU's at no extra charge for Pennsylvania LCSW's, MFT's and LPC's. Click here to find out more about CEU’s)
This year, we will gather on the tranquil 24-acre campus of Pendle Hill in Wallingford, Pennsylvania—a wooded retreat and study center that offers both quiet reflection and warm community. Our three-day schedule allows participants to return home in time to celebrate Memorial Day with friends and family.
We invite you to join us Friday, May 24 through Sunday, May 26, and to become part of this ongoing community of reflection and depth.
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