Gatherings

Béa and Jay wrestle with the question of whether doing inner work is enough to change things in the external world as well. Does doing shadow work and wrestling with our inner demons rid the world sufficiently of the burdens we place on others---or do we have a duty to address the social problems of the day as well? If so, how does doing inner work help us in that regard? Books explored include those written by Keiron Le Grice, Richard Rohr, Dale Mathers, Herbert Barks, Robert A. Johnson and more. Musical artist Jay is listening to is Patti Smith. The song used in this episode is Jay's "Lead me to Gardens" recorded this year.    

In this episode, we discuss Jeffrey Kripal's book, “The Flip” which is an exploration of what happens to people who have an experience that is life transforming but which cannot be explained in rational terms. Other thinkers mentioned include Bernardo Kastrup [More than Allegory] and Rupert Sheldrake [Dogs That Know When Their Owners Are Coming Home]. Jay also talks about the song, Rain and Gold, from his album "Harvesting James".

In this episode we explore how landscape might map onto Jung's typological system. What do the landscapes that attract us say about our typological orientation? We also discuss Lance Owen's book, "Jung in Love" and the Jeff Buckley biography, "Dream Brother: The Lives and Music of Jeff and Tim Buckley" by David Browne.  The song in this episode is from Jay's album, Harvesting James, "In the Summertime."

Jay and Béa are back after a summer break to discuss some of the issues they have with the way the word "spiritual" is used. What does the word mean? How can we approach what it encompasses? We also discuss how the word drifts into a subject that keeps showing up---UFOs and the search for intelligent life in the universe. Is this part of an age old phenomenon appearing in a new guise? Books mentioned include "American Cosmic: UFOs, Religion, Technology" by DW Pasulka and "The Re-enchantment of Everyday Life" by Thomas Moore. The song in this episode is "And the Angels now Are Singing" from Jay's album, "Harvesting James".

We are back after a brief hiatus with an exploration of the "anti-hero". We discuss how the film industry has changed its portrayal of the figure of the anti-hero--from "Bonnie and Clyde" and "The Godfather" to "The Sopranos" and "Succession". We also look at how this has been explored in literature [Lazarillo de Tormes, The Idiot, Catcher in the Rye] and in music [the rock and roll mythos and how it connects to Lord Byron.] Is the anti-hero something we relate to because we are attempting to outrun our shadows?   The music featured in this episode is Jay's newly recorded song, "Sunshine".   The CBC podcast we mention is "Under the Influence with Terry O'Reilly" and the episode we specifically refer to is: https://www.cbc.ca/listen/live-radio/1-70/clip/15988412        

Jay wanted to talk about "The Wizard of Oz" and so we did. This led us into a discussion about the importance of fairy tales and to my book recommendations for the month which are all by Marie-Louise von Franz. Begin with "The Interpretation of Fairy Tales" and then read all of her other books that deal with these stories. She was a great master in understanding their psychological importance. On the music side, Jay did not come up with any songs to match our conversation but I have one---his song, "Lead me to Gardens".  It was featured in the last episode and is one of my favourites. You should all listen and share it with friends. You can find it on Spotify, Apple Music, Pandora, YouTube and all other music platforms. He is very talented and his music is sublime.         

In this episode, Béa and Jay explore the subject of dreams and how to approach them. The books mentioned include: "The Way of the Dream", Marie-Louise von Franz; "Dreams", CG Jung [Bollingen]; "Inner Work", Robert A. Johnson.  The song featured in this episode is a new release by Jay---"Lead me to Gardens". You can find it on all music distribution platforms and on YouTube here: Lead Me To Gardens - YouTube        

Books discussed in this episode: The Gnostic Gospels, Elaine Pagels; The Gnostic Jung, Stephan Hoeller; Answer to Job, CG Jung. Music: Sigur Rós, Björk, Radiohead. Béa laments the burning of the library at Alexandria and Jay explores the notion of mystery and how it applies to music. Song: This 'Ol World from Jay's album, Harvesting James. You can find Jay's music on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon and all other music distribution services.        

Sylvia Brinton Perera, an author renowned for her exploration of goddess mythology, delves into the transformative power of descent. She discusses Inanna's journey into the underworld, linking it to personal growth and emotional vulnerability. The conversation touches on how struggles inform artistic expression, especially in music, and the societal pressures that often steer people away from confronting their inner demons. Perera also tackles the complexities of interpreting faith through both allegorical and literal lenses, enriching our understanding of historical narratives.

In this episode, Béa and Jay discuss what they love the most--books and music. Both make recommendations for books/music you must read/listen to and why; books/music they are currently reading and listening to; and how this is all translating creatively. Themes that come up are: shadow work, the Apollonian and the Dionysian in music and how a book can change the course of your life. ​The song used in this episode is  "The Gathering" from  Jay's new [as yet untitled] album.   Links from the Episode abebooks.com [used books] Books Recommendations: Meeting the Shadow, Connie Zweig Pedro Páramo, Juan Rulfo   Music Recommendations: Beatles, Revolver The Doors , Albums: The Doors, Strange Days   Other books/music mentioned: The Call of Destiny, J. Gary Sparks One Hundred Years of Solitude, Gabriel García Márquez Gabriel García Márquez – A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings | Genius Music: Interpol Angel Olsen the Moth and the Flame   Link to Jay's GOFUNDME campaign: Fundraiser by Jay Redelsperger : Fund my 2nd album. (gofundme.com)   Link to Béa's new novel on Amazon.com: Invocation: Gonzalez, Béa: 9781738762309: Amazon.com: Books on Barnes and Noble: Invocation by Béa Gonzalez, Paperback | Barnes & Noble® (barnesandnoble.com)