Rendering Unconscious Podcast: Psychoanalysis, Art, Occulture, Politics

In this podcast episode, Carl Abrahamsson explores the concept of finding one's own path in life, emphasizing the balance between societal expectations and personal authenticity. Drawing on Daoist philosophy, he uses the metaphor of water, which flows effortlessly around obstacles, to illustrate the importance of adapting to one's natural inclinations rather than conforming to rigid structures. Abrahamsson argues that while traditions and systems can provide valuable guidance, they should not be mistaken for absolute truths. Instead, individuals should approach them with discernment and respect, understanding that their unique experiences shape their journeys. He highlights the significance of cultivating stillness, observing one's inclinations without judgment, and embracing paradoxes in life. The episode encourages listeners to practice non-attachment to outcomes and to develop a nuanced relationship with established frameworks. Ultimately, Abrahamsson asserts that the most authentic path arises not from rebellion or conformity but from a natural flow that honors one's true self while participating in the broader journey of existence. LINKS OF RELEVANCE CONTACT/SOURCE MAGIC MENTORSHIP & RUNACLES: carl AT carlabrahamsson DOT com NEWSLETTER/WEBSITE: https://thefenriswolf.substack.com THE FENRIS WOLF @ AMAZON: https://amzn.to/3AUS9iM CARL ABRAHAMSSON @ AMAZON: https://amzn.to/3CyEu1d PUBLISHER: https://www.trapart.net PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/vanessa23carl ART & CULTURE: https://anartapart.substack.com ABOUT CARL: https://www.carlabrahamsson.com MAGIC: http://www.societyofsentience.org VANESSA SINCLAIR: https://www.drvanessasinclair.net RENDERING UNCONSCIOUS PODCAST: https://renderingunconscious.substack.com

New at Rendering Unconscious! I just posted a talk on “The Vampire’s Gaze: Libido, Death Drive & the Nosferatu Legacy”. Watch the full episode here: https://renderingunconscious.substack.com/p/ru341-the-vampires-gaze-libido-death RU341: THE VAMPIRE'S GAZE: LIBIDO, DEATH DRIVE & THE NOSFERATU LEGACY WITH DR. VANESSA SINCLAIR https://renderingunconscious.substack.com/p/ru341-the-vampires-gaze-libido-death The discussion delves into the psychological aspects of vampires, particularly Nosferatu, through three pivotal films: Murnau's 1922 classic, Herzog's 1979 reimagining, and Eggers' 2024 version. Each film reflects contemporary psychological landscapes, highlighting the vampire's enduring role in exploring human desires and fears. Vanessa Sinclair, PsyD is a psychoanalyst in private practice, who works remotely online with people all over the world. For those interested in entering into psychoanalysis with me, I provide remote psychoanalytic treatment online, as well as consultation services for those in psychoanalytic formation. For more information visit my website https://www.drvanessasinclair.net Feel free to email me directly at vs [AT] drvanessasinclair [DOT] net www.drvanessasinclair.net/contact/ News and updates: I have a few events coming up! Saturday, May 3rd, I’ll be giving an online talk on “Scansion in Psychoanalysis & Art” for Corpo Freudiano Vancouver. https://corpofreudianovancouver.com/event/scansion-in-psychoanalysis-and-art-with-vanessa-sinclair-psyd/ Join me Saturday, May 10th, for an online workshop as I explore “Dreams as Art” with writer Emmalea Russo. We’ll be delving into dreamwork, artwork, psychoanalysis as a creative practice, and the varying relationships Freud, Jung, Lacan had with art. More info & register here: DREAMS AS ART: Freud, Jung, Lacan: https://emmalearusso.com/new-products/p/psychoanalysis-as-art-freud-jung-lacan Then beginning Sunday, May 25th, I’ll be giving a 4-week online course via Morbid Anatomy Museum: The Cut in Creation: Exploring the Avant-Garde, Dada, Surrealism, Modern Art, Noise Music, and Performance Art through a Psychoanalytic Lens: https://www.morbidanatomy.org/classes/p/the-cut-in-creation-exploring-the-avant-garde-dada-surrealism-modern-art-noise-music-and-performance-art-through-a-psychoanalytic-lens-led-by-vanessa-sinclair-psyd Thank you for being a paid subscriber to Rendering Unconscious Podcast. It makes my work possible. If you are so far a free subscriber, thanks to you too. Please consider becoming a paid subscriber to gain access to all the material on the site. https://renderingunconscious.substack.com

THIS WEEK on Rendering Unconscious Podcast! https://renderingunconscious.substack.com RU340: KATHERINE MARSHALL WOODS ON BLACK FILM THROUGH A PSYCHODYNAMIC LENS: https://renderingunconscious.substack.com/p/ru340-katherine-marshall-woods-on Rendering Unconscious welcomes Dr. Katherine Marshall Woods back to the podcast! She’s here to talk about her newest book Black Film Through A Psychodynamic Lens (Routledge, 2025). https://www.routledge.com/Black-Film-Through-a-Psychodynamic-Lens/MarshallWoods/p/book/9781032508399 Watch the full episode now at https://renderingunconscious.substack.com/p/ru340-katherine-marshall-woods-on Katherine Marshall Woods, Psy.D. is a media psychologist and licensed clinical psychologist in Washington, DC. She is a member of core faculty with The George Washington University Professional Psychology Program and is in private practice serving those with a history of trauma. Dr. Marshall Woods spearheads PsychMinded Media that affords her the opportunity to work with actors, screenwriters, producers, and directors and collaborate with film festivals in the US and abroad. Follow her at Instagram @psychmindedmedia https://www.instagram.com/psychmindedmedia/ As a bonus, this week I also posted our prior conversation, RU93: where Katherine joined me to discuss her book Best Psychology in Film (2018). https://amzn.to/3Eigh0m In this episode, Dr. Katherine Marshall Woods discusses her multifaceted career as a licensed clinical psychologist in Washington, DC, she teaches at GW University, supervises students, and conducting psychological assessments. Her book, "Best Psychology in Film," analyzes diverse Oscar-nominated films. With PsychMinded Media, she collaborates with filmmakers to ensure authentic portrayals of psychological dynamics. In this episode, she emphasizes making psychology accessible and discusses the impact of the current social crises on mental health, as this episode was recorded in 2020 during the height of the covid pandemic. She also highlights the importance of integrating personal and professional passions, drawing from her background in both psychology and the arts. Tune in now at https://renderingunconscious.substack.com/p/ru93-katherine-marshall-woods-on Join Emmalea Russo and Vanessa Sinclair for a free-associative workshop exploring psychoanalysis as art. DREAMS AS ART: Freud, Jung, Lacan, SATURDAY MAY 10th 11am ET - 2pm ET. https://emmalearusso.com/new-products/p/psychoanalysis-as-art-freud-jung-lacan Then beginning Sunday, May 25th, I’ll be giving a 4-week online course The Cut in Creation: Exploring the Avant-Garde, Dada, Surrealism, Modern Art, Noise Music, and Performance Art through a Psychoanalytic Lens via Morbid Anatomy Museum. https://www.morbidanatomy.org/classes/p/the-cut-in-creation-exploring-the-avant-garde-dada-surrealism-modern-art-noise-music-and-performance-art-through-a-psychoanalytic-lens-led-by-vanessa-sinclair-psyd For those interested in entering into psychoanalysis with me, I provide remote psychoanalytic treatment online, as well as consultation services for those undergoing psychoanalytic formation. For more information visit my website drvanessasinclair.net Feel free to email me directly at vs [AT] drvanessasinclair [DOT] net https://www.drvanessasinclair.net/contact/

Watch the video of this discussion here: https://renderingunconscious.substack.com/p/ru339-emmalea-russo-and-vanessa-sinclair Become a paid subscriber to Rendering Unconscious Podcast for access to all new and archived episodes: https://renderingunconscious.substack.com RU339: EMMALEA RUSSO & VANESSA SINCLAIR ON PSYCHOANALYSIS, DREAMS & LIFE AS ART Rendering Unconscious episode 339. Emmalea Russo is here to discuss her ongoing course PSYCHO-COSMOS and the upcoming workshop we are hosting together DREAMS AS ART: Freud, Jung, Lacan In this discussion we dive into Emmalea's year-long class, "Psycho Cosmos," which explores the intersections of psychoanalysis, astrology, and art. The class features visuals, slides, and conversations, and has attracted a diverse group of artists, astrologers, and psychoanalysts. We highlight synchronicities, such as references to Freud’s seminal dream “Irma’s Injection” and Louise Bourgeois’ spiders, and discuss the astrological significance of Neptune entering Aries. We discuss our upcoming workshop on Freud, Lacan, and Jung, and their relationship to art, where we’ll explore dreams and life as creative expressions, and artworks as mirroring dreamwork. I also mention my upcoming classes on avant-garde art and psychoanalysis at Morbid Anatomy, and love for encouraging independent research and diverse perspectives. EMMALEA RUSSO is a writer. She is the author of four books of poetry and her first novel, Vivienne, was published in 2024. She has taught at various institutions including Saint Peters University, Northeastern University, The Melbourne School of Continental Philosophy, and GCAS. She teaches classes independently on art, literature, psychoanalysis, and the occult and works with clients online via her private astrology practice. https://emmalearusso.com/ Join Emmalea Russo and Vanessa Sinclair for a free-associative workshop exploring psychoanalysis as art. DREAMS AS ART: Freud, Jung, Lacan, SATURDAY MAY 10th 11am ET - 2pm ET. https://emmalearusso.com/new-products/p/psychoanalysis-as-art-freud-jung-lacan Then beginning Sunday, May 25th, I’ll be giving a 4-week online course The Cut in Creation: Exploring the Avant-Garde, Dada, Surrealism, Modern Art, Noise Music, and Performance Art through a Psychoanalytic Lens via Morbid Anatomy Museum. https://www.morbidanatomy.org/classes/p/the-cut-in-creation-exploring-the-avant-garde-dada-surrealism-modern-art-noise-music-and-performance-art-through-a-psychoanalytic-lens-led-by-vanessa-sinclair-psyd For those interested in entering into psychoanalysis with me, I provide remote psychoanalytic treatment online, as well as consultation services for those undergoing psychoanalytic formation. For more information visit my website drvanessasinclair.net Feel free to email me directly at vs [AT] drvanessasinclair [DOT] net https://www.drvanessasinclair.net/contact/ As always thanks to Carl Abrahamsson for producing Rendering Unconscious podcast and book series. Follow him at Linktree: https://linktr.ee/CarlAbrahamsson The Fenris Wolf Substack: https://thefenriswolf.substack.com An Art Apart Substack: https://anartapart.substack.com The song at the end of the episode is “Spiraling colors” from the album “Things are happening” by Vanessa Sinclair and Pete Murphy. Available at Pete Murphy’s Bandcamp Page: https://petemurphy.bandcamp.com Our music is also available at Spotify and other streaming services: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3xKEE2NPGatImt46OgaemY?si=jaSKCqnmSD-NsSlBLjrBXA Image: Woman Leaving the Psychoanalyst, Remedios Varo, 1961

In the second episode of The Fenris Wolf Podcast, Carl Abrahamsson explores the evolution of contemporary occultism and the relationship between artistic creation and magic. He reflects on how historical occult practices were structured and hierarchical, contrasting them with the more fluid and individualistic approaches seen today. Abrahamsson notes that current societal chaos and instability have led to the rise of personal practices that blend various traditions, emphasizing adaptability and individual empowerment. He discusses the importance of collective action and personal development, suggesting that true change comes from individuals working on themselves as part of a larger interconnected web of transformation. He introduces the idea that the "Great Work" involves each person recognizing their role in the collective, working not in isolation but as part of a greater pattern. Abrahamsson emphasizes the transformative power of artistic creation as a form of practical alchemy, arguing that art can facilitate profound personal and societal change. He shares a story about a mentee who found healing through creating music, illustrating how artistic expression can encode intentions and emotions that resonate on a collective level. He encourages listeners to integrate artistic practices into their magical work as a way to harness this transformative potential. Ultimately, he posits that the merging of magic and art is key to navigating the challenges of modern life. https://thefenriswolf.substack.com

In this podcast episode, Carl Abrahamsson explores the contemporary occult scene, emphasizing its dual role as both a reflection of our collective consciousness and a potential catalyst for social change. The term "occult," derived from the Latin "occultus," highlights practices historically shrouded in mystery. However, today's modern occultism has emerged into the open, resonating with contemporary anxieties and aspirations. Abrahamsson examines the rise of astrology and pop witchcraft among millennials and Gen Z, linking these trends to broader societal issues like economic instability and environmental crises. The commercialization of occult practices, from crystal shops to tarot subscriptions, reflects the tensions of consumer culture while modern aesthetics and technology integrate seamlessly with traditional practices, fostering a highly individualistic spiritual landscape. He argues that while the occult scene's diversity poses challenges for achieving consensus, it also allows for organic cultural influence. Shared themes—such as ecological awareness and psychological transformation—emerge across varied practices. Additionally, the internet facilitates connections among different traditions, enabling a dialogue that can inspire collective change. Ultimately, Abrahamsson posits that the contemporary occult is not merely escapism but a vibrant cultural laboratory where new models of meaning and community can evolve. In a disenchanted world, the occult's enchantment offers pathways to engage with pressing societal questions, blurring the lines between the occult and the mainstream and shaping our cultural future. https://thefenriswolf.substack.com CONTACT/SOURCE MAGIC MENTORSHIP: carl AT carlabrahamsson DOT com

THIS WEEK on Rendering Unconscious! https://renderingunconscious.substack.com RU338: RICHARD LEDES ON HIS LATEST FILM "V13" STARRING ALAN CUMMING AS FREUD: https://renderingunconscious.substack.com/p/ru338-richard-ledes-on-his-latest I sat down for a talk with Director Richard Ledes to discuss his new film "V13." The film, set in contemporary New York, explores events and the intersecting lives of persons in Vienna in the year 1913. The film features acclaimed actor Alan Cumming as Freud. Watch the full episode now exclusively at https://renderingunconscious.substack.com/p/ru338-richard-ledes-on-his-latest Richard C. Ledes is a New York City filmmaker, artist and writer. Visit his website https://www.richardledes.com/ and Follow him at Instagram https://www.instagram.com/rledes/ As a bonus, this week I also posted the video of our prior conversation, RU198, this time I spoke with Richard and actor David Patrick Kelly, who portrays Lacan in Richard’s previous film "Adieu Lacan," which received acclaim in the psychoanalytic community and beyond. Watch the full episode now exclusively at https://renderingunconscious.substack.com/p/ru198-actor-david-patrick-kelly-and Join Richard Ledes and Alan Cumming this Thursday, April 3, for a live in-person event at IFC, where they will be present for a Q&A following the 7PM screening of V13. The event is already sold out but you can find more information at https://www.ifccenter.com/films/v13/ For those interested in entering into psychoanalsysis with me, I provide remote psychoanalytic treatment online, as well as consultation services for those undergoing psychoanalytic formation. For more information visit my website https://www.drvanessasinclair.net Feel free to email me directly at vs [AT] drvanessasinclair [DOT] net https://www.drvanessasinclair.net/contact/

Join Tobias Wiggins, an expert in transgender mental health, Myriam Sauer, a PhD candidate focused on queer psychoanalysis, Griffin Hansbury, a practicing psychoanalyst, and M.E. O'Brien, an analytic clinician advocating for systemic change, as they delve into the intriguing intersections of psychoanalysis and queerness. They discuss representation, challenges faced by trans individuals in the field, and the transformative power of psychoanalysis. Explore activism through trans narratives and the vibrant responses of queer communities to post-lockdown life.

THIS WEEK on Rendering Unconscious! https://renderingunconscious.substack.com RU178: TODD MCGOWAN ON PSYCHOANALYSIS, FILM, POLITICS, PHILOSOPHY, HITCHCOCK, BREAKING BAD: https://renderingunconscious.substack.com/p/ru178-todd-mcgowan-on-psychoanalysis On this episode of Rendering Unconscious, I sat down with one of my favorite guests, Todd McGowan. Todd discusses the book he’s writing on right-wing and left-wing enjoyment and the class he’s teaching on Breaking Bad. He mentions using philosophers like Kant, Peter Singer, and Martha Nussbaum. We also discuss the impact of technology on social interactions, the role of language in psychoanalysis, and the challenges of teaching and analyzing in the digital age. Mentioned in this episode: RU164: CRESTON DAVIS, BRACHA ETTINGER, ISABEL MILLAR, JULIE RESHE, HELEN ROLLINS, VANESSA SINCLAIR ON GCAS CERTIFICATE IN PSYCHOANALYSIS: https://www.renderingunconscious.org/psychoanalysis/ru164-bracha-ettinger-isabel-millar-julie-reshe-helen-rollins-vanessa-sinclair-creston-davis-on-the-certificate-of-psychoanalysis-program-gcas/ The LATEST episode of Rendering Unconscious was just posted! RU337: Myriam Sauer, Griffin Hansbury, M.E. O’Brien & Tobias Wiggins on The Queerness of Psychoanalysis: https://renderingunconscious.substack.com/p/ru337-myriam-sauer-griffin-hansbury Myriam Sauer, Griffin Hansbury, M.E. O’Brien, and Tobias Wiggins are here to discuss their contributions to The Queerness of Psychoanalysis: From Freud and Lacan to Laplanche and Beyond (Routledge 2025) edited by Vanessa Sinclair, Elisabeth Punzi, and Myriam Sauer: https://amzn.to/4l84P8q The Queerness of Psychoanalysis: From Freud and Lacan to Laplanche and Beyond is an exploration of psychoanalysis’ often complicated and fraught history with thinking about queerness, as well as its multifaceted heritage. Throughout the chapters, the contributors write about psychoanalysis’ relationship with queerness, the ways in which queerness is represented in the psychoanalytic archive, and how that archive endures in the present and creates various disruptive effects both within and beyond the clinic. Each chapter from the global cohort of contributors approaches queerness from a different angle: they consider the literary aspects of queerness’ presence in the analytic world; the clinical complexities of working with queer and trans people; metapsychological inclusion and exclusion of queerness, and many other subjects. Taken together these contributions constitute a decisive intervention into the psychoanalytic canon. They are an unabashed demand for accepting and furthering the representation and inclusion of queer, and in particular trans, people within psychoanalysis. It is a call for action to utilize and deepen psychoanalysis’ enormous explicatory powers and bring together voices that have so far been denied a unity of expression, while critically reevaluating psychoanalysis’ historical relationship to queerness. Written almost exclusively by analysts, scholars, and activists who identify as trans and/or queer, this important volume puts theory into practice by centering queer and trans voices. The Transgender Psychoanalysts are Coming, Friday March 28, 2025, 6:30 PM, 81 Court St, Brooklyn. Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-transgender-psychoanalysts-are-coming-tickets-1143110808199?aff=oddtdtcreator For those interested in entering into psychoanalsysis with me, I provide remote psychoanalytic treatment online, as well as consultation services for those undergoing psychoanalytic formation. For more information visit my website drvanessasinclair.net Feel free to email me directly at vs [AT] drvanessasinclair [DOT] net https://www.drvanessasinclair.net/contact/ Photo: Dr. Sinclair

RU336: BLANCHE BARTON ON DANCING IN THE GRAVEYARD: DEATH IMAGERY IN SATANISM & CARL ABRAHAMSSON PRESENTS MEMENTO MORI FOREVER: https://renderingunconscious.substack.com/p/ru336-psychoanalysis-art-and-the Join Rendering Unconscious at Substack: https://renderingunconscious.substack.com Rendering Unconscious episode 336. For this episode, we have two lectures from the Psychoanalysis, Art and the Occult series of events at Morbid Anatomy Museum: Dancing in the Graveyard: Death Imagery in Satanism by Blanche Barton and Memento Mori Forever by Carl Abrahamsson. Dancing in the Graveyard: Death Imagery in Satanism by Blanche Barton “Life is the great indulgence—death, the great abstinence. Therefore, make the most of life—HERE AND NOW!” So reads a phrase from the opening chapter of The Satanic Bible. But if Satanism, true Satanism as defined by Anton LaVey in 1966, is a profoundly life-loving religion, why all the black candles, skulls, and funerary trappings? The use of a coffin in the ceremony known as “L’air Epais—the Ceremony of the Stifling Air”, for example, goes well beyond a simple memento mori to remind ourselves how fleeting is our time here on Earth. The coffin becomes, like the Hanged Man in the tarot, a symbol of both death and transformation. Memento Mori Forever by Carl Abrahamsson For the human individual, there is no greater arbiter than death itself. Anxiety and fear are the very shadow-side fundaments of human religiosity, and nowhere is magical thinking as present as in thoughts and emotions touching upon (the fear of) death. One reason why human neurosis reaches ever new heights in contemporary culture is our distancing from death itself, and our painting ourselves into a corner of abstracted and compensatory imagination. How to cope? How to improve this highly detrimental neurosis and its dangerous side effects, such as monotheism? Carl Abrahamsson is a Swedish author, photographer, and filmmaker. He is also the editor and publisher of the highly renowned anthologies in The Fenris Wolf series. https://amzn.to/4bFDWnP Follow him at Linktree: https://linktr.ee/CarlAbrahamsson The Fenris Wolf Substack: https://thefenriswolf.substack.com An Art Apart Substack: https://anartapart.substack.com Blanche Barton is the present Magistra Templi Rex of the Church of Satan, having been a member for 45 years. She is the author of The Secret Life of a Satanist: The Authorized Biography of Anton Szandor LaVey (2014), as well as her most recent book, We Are Satanists: The History and Future of the Church of Satan (2021). https://amzn.to/4ikE4f2 News & updates: Beginning this Sunday, Carl and I are hosting monthly workshops! Introducing: The Sentient Solar Cycle, with author Carl Abrahamsson and psychoanalyst Vanessa Sinclair. Join us for a year long empowering psychic refinement process, with monthly meetings via Zoom. Each 23rd of the month, we will shine the light on what’s ahead in the coming month, using astrological concepts, oracular pointers, (twenty)third mind dialogs, guided meditations, and more. After each session there will also be time for Q & A and discussions. Read more here: https://thefenriswolf.substack.com/p/the-sentient-solar-cycle https://www.patreon.com/c/vanessa23carl Photo of Blanche Barton, Carl Abrahamsson, Ruth Waytz.