Behind Greatness by Inspire North 214. Fr. Seán ÓLaoire – Former Catholic Priest / Clinical Psychologist / Author – Giving Death the Middle Finger
May 6, 2025
Fr. Seán ÓLaoire, a former Catholic priest with a PhD in transpersonal psychology, shares his multifaceted journey from priesthood to exploring spirituality and reincarnation. He discusses the vibrant Irish customs surrounding death, the role of storytelling in preserving culture, and the interplay of masculine and feminine energies. Seán reflects on living in Africa, encounters with the Vatican, and the significance of language in personal growth. A captivating conversation that challenges conventional beliefs and embraces a holistic view of life and death.
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The Irish Wake Tradition
- Traditional Irish wakes involved keeping the body at home for three days with neighbors visiting for food, drink, music, storytelling, and dancing with the corpse.
- The Catholic Church banned this practice in the early 1900s for perceived disrespect towards the dead.
Fusing Feminine and Masculine Energy
- Spirituality should fuse feminine and masculine energies rather than substitute one for the other.
- Different situations call for demonstrating either yin or yang energy in balance.
Stories as Wisdom Archives
- Stories archive a culture's wisdom and allow listeners to journey through imagination and transformation.
- Imagination is a volitional shift in consciousness, unlike fantasy which invents unreal things.
