Keep Talking Episode 146: James Hollis - How To Be Who You Are
Mar 14, 2025
James Hollis, a Jungian psychoanalyst and author of *A Life of Meaning*, dives into the importance of confronting our shadows and discovering our true selves. He discusses how modern distractions can lead to lethargy, urging listeners to embrace their personal journeys and find meaning. Hollis reflects on his transition from introversion to public education and the challenges of authenticity in a world that often prioritizes niceness. He emphasizes the need for courage to face fears and the significance of finding one’s vocation beyond societal roles.
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Episode notes
Large Questions Expand Life
- Large questions expand your life by forcing engagement with otherness and growth.
- Reading answers won't replace the personal discovery that makes life interesting.
Face The Shadow To Reduce Harm
- The shadow holds traits we deny that still shape our choices and relationships.
- Making the shadow conscious cleans your backyard and reduces its harm to family and society.
Rabbi On An Island Story
- Hollis shares a rabbi-on-an-island story to illustrate shadow-driven duplication and exclusion.
- He uses the two-synagogue joke to show how people build institutions they then won't enter.
