Digital Jung
Living a Symbolic Life in a Technological Age. Our digital age presents unique challenges for the practice of the inner life. What can the insights of Jungian Psychology offer for dealing with these challenges? In this series, we explore Carl Jung's idea of "the symbolic life" through the lenses of depth psychology, mythology, fairy tales, poetry, religion, and more. We focus on three core questions: 1. What is the symbolic life? 2. Why do we need a symbolic life? and 3. How can we cultivate and live a symbolic life? This is a companion podcast to the book 'Religious but Not Religious: Living...
The Doors of Perception
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In this episode:
I introduce the fifth season of Digital Jung with its special focus on the book Practical Mysticism by Evelyn Underhill.Ā
Listen to the preface of Practical Mysticism Here
Sources for quotes and more:
'Practical Mysticism: A Little Book for Normal People' by Evelyn Underhill'The Marriage of Heaven and Hell' by William Blake'The Aims of Psychotherapy' by C.G. Jung in Collected Works vol. 16'The Undiscovered Self' by C.G. Jung in Collected Works vol. 10'Mysticism: A Study in the Nature a...The Mystic Way
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In this episode:
I discuss the figures of Ahab, Starbuck, and Ishmael as representatives of three possible responses to the encounter with the numinous. I look at the contrast between the Iron Way of Ahab and what I call Ishmaelās Mystic Way, suggesting that Ishmael's way is a path of self-emptying that makes possible a deeper experience of life.Ā
Sources for quotes and more:
'Moby-Dick' by Herman Melville (Chapter 1: Loomings; Chapter 16: The Ship; Chapter 35: The Mast-Head; Chapter 37: Sunset; Chapter 41: Moby Dick; Chapter 49: The Hyena; Cha...Symbols of the Mystery
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In this episode:
I look at the image of the whale as a symbol of both Jung's notion of the Self, as well as the numinous experience of the divine mystery: the mysterium tremendum et fascinans.Ā
Sources for quotes and more:
'Moby-Dick' by Herman Melville (Etymology; Extracts; Chapter 32: Cetology; Chapter 36: The Quarter-Deck; Chapter 41: Moby Dick; Chapter 42: The Whiteness of the Whale; Chapter 55: Monstrous Pictures of Whales; Chapter 85: The Fountain; Chapter 86: The Tail; Chapter 104: The Fossil Whale; Chapter 105: Does the Whaleās Magnitude Diminish? ā Will He Peris...Long Time No See
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In this episode:
I announce the return of the podcast and share a little bit about where I have been and what to expect for the podcast going forward.
Sources for quotes and more:
Poem #22 from 'A Book for the Hours of Prayer' by Rainer Maria Rilke (Robert Bly translation)S4, Announcement: In Search of a Song'Psychology and Alchemy' by C.G. Jung in Collected Works, vol. 12Ā Psalm 30, The Book of Common Prayer, 1979'On Psychological and Visionary Art' by C.G. JungMusic:
Becoming (Merely) Human
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In this episode:
I return to the relationship between Ahab and Starbuck, focusing on a pivotal scene from Chapter 132, 'The Symphony'. I explore the ways our ideas of psychological change often involve a hidden quality of inflation.
Sources for quotes and more:
'Moby-Dick' by Herman Melville (Chapter 132: The Symphony) Ā S4 Ep. 9: The Gorgon's Eye'The Interpretation of Fairy Tales' by Marie-Louise von FranzMatthew 18:3 (NIV)'The Psychology of Child Archetype' by C.G. Jung in Collected Works, vol. 9i'The Development of the Personality' by C.G. Jung i...The Gorgon's Eye
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In this episode:
I explore the tension between Captain Ahab and his first mate, Starbuck. Through this dynamic we examine themes of the relationship to nature and the nature of inner work.Ā
Sources for quotes and more:
'Moby-Dick' by Herman Melville (Chapter 16: The Ship; Chapter 26: Knights and Squires; Chapter 28: Ahab; Chapter 29: Enter Ahab; To Him Stubb; Chapter 36: The Quarter-Deck; Chapter 38: Dusk; Chapter 41: Moby-Dick)Ā S4 Ep. 8: A Collision Course With Life'After the Catastrophe' by C.G. Jung (CW10)'Alchemy: An Introduction to the Symbolism and the Ps...A Collision Course With Life
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In this episode:
I delve into the character of Captain Ahab. Ahab is a tragic figure who draws his whole crew into the orbit of his psychological atmosphere. I go on to look at the tension between the will of the ego and the will of fate and discuss the hard work involved in becoming conscious.
Sources for quotes and more:
'Moby-Dick' by Herman Melville (Chapter 16: The Ship; Chapter 20: All Astir; Chapter 28: Ahab; Chapter 51: The Spirit-Spout)Ā S4, Ep. 2: Outcasts of the Spirit1 Kings 16:30 (NIV)'A P...Moby-Dick: An American Myth, Part 2
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In this episode:
I explore the search for meaning, the alienation from nature, and the role of art in healing and connection. The contrasting paths of Ishmael and Ahab are presented and the need to understand the interconnectedness of all existence is discussed.
Sources for quotes and more:
'Moby-Dick' by Herman Melville (Chapter 1: Loomings; Chapter 10: A Bosom Friend; Chapter 28: Ahab; Chapter 36: The Quarter-Deck; Chapter 72: The Monkey-rope; Chapter 135: The Chase - The Third Day)Ā S4 Ep. 2: Outcasts of the SpiritS4 Ep. 4: Healing the Splintered Heart'On the R...Moby-Dick: An American Myth, Part 1
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In this episode:
I explore the creative process, the nature of art, and the psychological depths of the human experience through the lens of Herman Melville's 'Moby-Dick.'
Sources for quotes and more:
'Moby-Dick' by Herman Melville (Chapter 1: Loomings; Chapter 87: The Grand Armada; Chapter 104: The Fossil Whale)Ā 'Melville's Moby-Dick: A Jungian Commentary' by Edward Edinger'Psychology and Literature' by C.G. Jung (CW15)'On the Relation of Analytical Psychology and Poetry' by C.G. Jung (CW15)'Mysterium Coniunctionis' by C.G. Jung (CW14)'Is Life Worth L...The Call of the Shoreless Sea
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In this episode:
I explore one of the more challenging aspects of the symbolic life: the call to leave behind the comfort of the known, the safe, and the familiar.
Sources for quotes and more:
'Moby-Dick' by Herman Melville (Chapter 3: The Spouter-Inn; Chapter 16: The Ship; Chapter 22: Merry Christmas; Chapter 23: The Lee Shore)Ā 'The Development of the Personality' by C.G. Jung (CW17)The Bible -- Matthew 8:18 - 27'New Seeds of Contemplation' by Thomas Merton'Religious but Not Religious' by Jason E. SmithM...
Healing the Splintered Heart
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In this episode:
I discuss the psychic split brought on by the experience of the modern world and the need for a connection with the soul and the mythic dimension of life.
Sources for quotes and more:
Tending the Spiritual Imagination
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In this episode:
I explore the role of suffering and darkness as factors that awaken us to the need for what Jung calls a religious outlook. We look at ways that we can cultivate that outlook in an authentic way.
Sources for quotes and more:
Outcasts of the Spirit
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In this episode:
I examine the figure of Ishmael from Moby-Dick as a symbol of the human experience of alienation. I explore the question of how this experience comes about and what we can do to respond to it.
Sources for quotes and more:
Unfathomable Depths: Jung Aboard the Pequod
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In this episode:
I introduce the theme for this fourth season: Jung Aboard the Pequod -- a Jungian appreciation of Moby-Dick. I then explore the need for stories that are expansive enough to meet the call for meaning and purpose.
Sources for quotes and more:
In Search of a Song: Season 4 Announcement
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In this episode:
The podcast returns after an extended hiatus to begin a new season.
Connect with me:
Instagram(@digital.jung)
Facebook (facebook.com/jungiananalyst)
Twitter(@DigitalJungPod)
Subscribe to the Digital Jung Newsletter (https://digitaljung.substack.com/)
For more on living a symbolic life:
Please check out my book, Religious but Not Religious: Living a Symbolic Life.
Sources for quotes and more:
The Goal of the Symbolic Life
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In this episode:
I conclude this series on the fairytale The Iron Stove with a discussion of just what constitutes the goal of the symbolic life.
Let's make this a conversation:
Do you have a comment orĀ question about this episode, or about something you would like me to address in a future episode? Please contact me on Instagram(@digital.jung), Facebook (facebook.com/jungiananalyst), or Twitter(@Jason_E_Smith)
Or: Subscribe to the Digital Jung Newsletter (https://digitaljung.substack.com/)
Embodying the Spirit
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In this episode:
In this third part of my series on the fairytale The Iron Stove, I explore the importance of bringing together the mind and the body in the work of the symbolic life.
Let's make this a conversation:
Do you have a comment orĀ question about this episode, or about something you would like me to address in a future episode? Please contact me on Instagram (@digital.jung), Facebook (facebook.com/jungiananalyst), or Twitter (@Jason_E_Smith)
Or: Subscribe to t...
Resisting Change
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In this episode:
I continue to explore the riches of the fairytale The Iron Stove, this time looking at the ways we resist the necessity of change in our lives.
Let's make this a conversation:
Do you have a comment orĀ question about this episode, or about something you would like me to address in a future episode? Please contact me on Instagram (@digital.jung), Facebook(facebook.com/jungiananalyst), or Twitter (@Jason_E_Smith)
Or: Subscribe to the Digital Jung Newsletter (https://digitaljung.s...
The Life of the Spirit
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In this episode:
I begin an exploration of the fairytale 'The Iron Stove' and explore what it means to be called beyond the limitations of the ego to an experience of the spirit.
Let's make this a conversation:
Do you have a comment orĀ question about this episode, or about something you would like me to address in a future episode? Please contact me on Instagram (@digital.jung), Facebook(facebook.com/jungiananalyst), or Twitter (@Jason_E_Smith)
Or: Subscribe to the Digital Jung N...
When the Soul Retreats
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In this episode:
I look at one of the more difficult experiences of the symbolic life, an experience best known by its religious name: the "dark night of the soul."
Let's make this a conversation:
Do you have a comment orĀ question about this episode, or about something you would like me to address in a future episode? Please contact me on Instagram (@digital.jung), Facebook(facebook.com/jungiananalyst), or Twitter (@Jason_E_Smith)
Or: Subscribe to the Digital Jung Newsletter (https://digitaljung.s...
Healing and the Unconscious
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In this episode:
I explore Jungās concept of the unconscious ā what it is, how it is experienced, and what it suggests about the idea of healing in analysis.
Let's make this a conversation:
Do you have a comment orĀ question about this episode, or about something you would like me to address in a future episode? Please contact me on Instagram (@digital.jung), Facebook(facebook.com/jungiananalyst), or Twitter (@Jason_E_Smith)
Or: Subscribe to the Digital Jung Newsletter (https://digitaljung.substack.com...
The Philosophers' Stone: Solid Ground of Wisdom
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In this episode:
I conclude this series on the symbolism of alchemy by looking at the all-important image of the goal of the alchemical opus: The Philosophersā Stone.
Let's make this a conversation:
Do you have a comment orĀ question about this episode, or about something you would like me to address in a future episode? Please contact me on Instagram (@digital.jung), Facebook(facebook.com/jungiananalyst), or Twitter (@Jason_E_Smith)
Or: Subscribe to the Digital Jung Newsletter (https://digitaljung.substack.com/)
The Stages of the Alchemical Opus
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In this episode:
I continue with the third part of a four-part series on alchemy, this time looking at the stages of the alchemical opus and their meaning for the work of the symbolic life.
Let's make this a conversation:
Do you have a comment orĀ question about this episode, or about something you would like me to address in a future episode? Please contact me on Instagram (@digital.jung), Facebook(facebook.com/jungiananalyst), or Twitter (@Jason_E_Smith)
Or: Subscribe to the D...
The Heart of the Matter: Alchemy and the Prima Materia
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In this episode:
I continue with the second part of a four-part series on alchemy, looking at the symbol and the psychological meaning of what the alchemists called the prima materia.
Let's make this a conversation:
Do you have a comment orĀ question about this episode, or about something you would like me to address in a future episode? Please contact me on Instagram (@digital.jung), Facebook(facebook.com/jungiananalyst), or Twitter (@Jason_E_Smith)
Or: Subscribe to the Digital Jung Newsletter (https://d...
Alchemy: Mirror of the Soul
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In this episode:
I begin a series on the strange world of alchemy ā exploring what it is and how it is relevant to the practice of the symbolic life.
Let's make this a conversation:
Do you have a comment orĀ question about this episode, or about something you would like me to address in a future episode? Please contact me on Instagram (@digital.jung), Facebook (facebook.com/jungiananalyst), or Twitter (@Jason_E_Smith)
Or: Subscribe to the Digital Jung Newsletter (https://digitaljung.substack.com...
Bonus Episode: A Christmas Card
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In this episode:
An audio Christmas card from me to you.
Let's make this a conversation:
Do you have a comment orĀ question about this episode, or about something you would like me to address in a future episode? Please contact me on Instagram (@digital.jung), Facebook (facebook.com/jungiananalyst), or Twitter (@Jason_E_Smith)
Or: Subscribe to the Digital Jung Newsletter (https://digitaljung.substack.com/)
For more on living a symbolic life:
Please check out my book, R...
Learning To Say 'Yes'
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In this episode:
I discuss how times of struggle, and even suffering, can open us up to an experience that Jung calls āan affirmation of things as they are.ā
Let's make this a conversation:
Do you have a comment orĀ question about this episode, or about something you would like me to address in a future episode? Please contact me on Instagram (@digital.jung), Facebook (facebook.com/jungiananalyst), or Twitter (@Jason_E_Smith)
Or: Subscribe to the Digital Jung Newsletter (https://digitaljung.substack.com...
Learning To Say 'No'
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In this episode:
I explore the idea of everyday asceticism, the art of setting limits for ourselves in order to stand more firmly and authentically in our lives.Ā
Let's make this a conversation:
Do you have a comment orĀ question about this episode, or about something you would like me to address in a future episode? Please contact me on Instagram (@digital.jung), Facebook (facebook.com/jungiananalyst), or Twitter (@Jason_E_Smith)
Or: Subscribe to the Digital Jung Newsletter (https://digitaljung.substack.com/)
Imagining Our Proper Life-Task
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In this episode:
I discuss the idea of vocation -- what Jung calls āour proper life-taskā -- and explore the challenges that come with taking up such a task in our own lives.
Let's make this a conversation:
Do you have a comment orĀ question about this episode, or about something you would like me to address in a future episode? Please contact me on Instagram (@digital.jung), Facebook (facebook.com/jungiananalyst), or Twitter (@Jason_E_Smith).
Or: Subscribe to the Digital Jung Newsl...
Receiving One's True Name
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In this episode:
We explore the symbolism of āoneās true nameā and the challenges that we meet in learning how to hear it.
Let's make this a conversation:
Do you have a comment orĀ question about this episode, or about something you would like me to address in a future episode? Please contact me on Instagram (@digital.jung), Facebook (facebook.com/jungiananalyst), or Twitter (@Jason_E_Smith).
Or: Subscribe to the Digital Jung Newsletter (https://digitaljung.substack.com/)
For more on...
The Temptation of Inflation
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In this episode:
We discuss one of the dangers inherent in the symbolic life ā the ever-present specter of inflation.
Let's make this a conversation:
Do you have a comment orĀ question about this episode, or about something you would like me to address in a future episode? Please contact me on Instagram (@digital.jung), Facebook (facebook.com/jungiananalyst), or Twitter (@Jason_E_Smith).
Or: Subscribe to the Digital Jung Newsletter (https://digitaljung.substack.com/)
For more on living a symbolic lif...
Invoking the Imagination
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In this episode:
We look at the question of how to begin -- that is, what preparations are needed to begin the work of the symbolic life?
Let's make this a conversation:
Do you have a comment orĀ question about this episode, or about something you would like me to address in a future episode? Please contact me on Instagram (@digital.jung), Facebook (facebook.com/jungiananalyst), or Twitter (@Jason_E_Smith).
Or: Subscribe to the Digital Jung Newsletter (https://digitaljung.substack.com/)
Season 3 Announcement
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In this episode:
I announce the start of Season 3 of Digital Jung
For more on living a symbolic life:
Please check out my book, Religious but Not Religious: Living a Symbolic Life, available from Chiron Publications.
Subscribe to the Digital Jung Newsletter (https://digitaljung.substack.com/)
Sources for quotes and more:
To Become What One Is
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In this episode:
We explore the work of becoming what one is and the fears we often feel when we begin it.
Let's make this a conversation:
Do you have a comment orĀ question about this episode, or about something you would like me to address in a future episode? Please contact me on Instagram (@digital.jung), Facebook (facebook.com/jungiananalyst), or Twitter (@Jason_E_Smith).
For more on living a symbolic life:
Please check out my book, Religious but N...
Living a Symbolic Life (Highlights)
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In this episode:
I present some highlights and excerpts from a recent talk that I gave titled, Living a Symbolic Life.Ā
Let's make this a conversation:
Do you have a comment orĀ question about this episode, or about something you would like me to address in a future episode? Please contact me on Instagram (@digital.jung), Facebook (facebook.com/jungiananalyst), or Twitter (@Jason_E_Smith).
For more on living a symbolic life:
Please check out my book, Religious but Not Re...
A Visit From The Trickster
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In this episode:
The trickster makes an appearance to caution us against the dangers of taking ourselves too seriously.
Let's make this a conversation:
Do you have a comment orĀ question about this episode, or about something you would like me to address in a future episode? Please contact me on Instagram (@digital.jung), Facebook (facebook.com/jungiananalyst), or Twitter (@Jason_E_Smith).
For more on living a symbolic life:
Please check out my book, Religious but Not Religious: Living a...
Recovering the Spirit: The Seven Ravens, pt. 2
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In this episode:
We finish our reading of the tale, The Seven Ravens, and discuss the difficulties that come with the work of recovering our lost wholeness.
Let's make this a conversation:
Do you have a comment orĀ question about this episode, or about something you would like me to address in a future episode? Please contact me on Instagram (@digital.jung), Facebook (facebook.com/jungiananalyst), or Twitter (@Jason_E_Smith).
For more on living a symbolic life:
Please check o...
Losing the Spirit: The Seven Ravens
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In this episode:
We begin to read through the tale The Seven Ravens and to explore the challenges of reconciling the different sides of our nature.
Let's make this a conversation:
Do you have a comment orĀ question about this episode, or about something you would like me to address in a future episode? Please contact me on Instagram (@digital.jung), Facebook (facebook.com/jungiananalyst), or Twitter (@Jason_E_Smith).
For more on living a symbolic life:
Please check out m...
Accepting Ourselves As We Are
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In this episode:
We discuss those times in the symbolic life that call on us to bring tolerance, kindness, and patience to ourselves.
Let's make this a conversation:
Do you have a comment orĀ question about this episode, or about something you would like me to address in a future episode? Please contact me on Instagram (@digital.jung), Facebook (facebook.com/jungiananalyst), or Twitter (@Jason_E_Smith).
For more on living a symbolic life:
Please check out my book, Religious b...
Thresholds of Creativity
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In this episode:
We look at the mythic background of the creative life to discover both its challenges and its rewards.
Let's make this a conversation:
Do you have a comment orĀ question about this episode, or about something you would like me to address in a future episode? Please contact me on Instagram (@digital.jung), Facebook (facebook.com/jungiananalyst), or Twitter (@Jason_E_Smith).
For more on living a symbolic life:
Please check out my book, Religious but Not R...
