This Jungian Life Podcast

This podcast dissects the myth of Narcissus and the spectrum of narcissism, from healthy developmental narcissism to toxic psychopathy. They explore the lack of empathy common in all forms of narcissism, and offer insights on identifying and dealing with narcissists in relationships. The Dream segment reveals a scenario where an ex-wife moves back in, triggering assertiveness and boundaries.

What does it mean to separate from one’s parents and parental complexes—the attitudes and values that have been deeply instilled since infancy? How do we discern when we are in a parental complex, whether we are aligned with it or rebelling against it? What can we do to resolve the hold these complexes can have over us and become more of our unique, individuated selves? The Dream: I was in front of a white house. I felt like it belonged to me. Some creatures attacked. I remember two of them, one was blue and the other one red. The red one was called Prometheus. I also had allies with me, but I paid no attention to them as they were behind me. It was a fierce fight. We fought with the creatures and after awhile the creatures fled, except Prometheus. I fought with him, and in the end I subdued him, grabbing him by the head and speaking some kind of banishment to him. He collapsed. After the battle I withdrew to the house to rest. As I was catching my breath, I turned around and see Prometheus, now transformed into a lion with a fiery mane and glowing eyes. I roared like a lion trying to protect its territory and he roared back. We stood there for awhile and then he comes closer and tells me: “Don’t you see you’re everything to me?” Kwame Scruggs’ work with young men can be accessed through: alchemyinc.net/g-kwame-scruggs-ph-d/

Loneliness is a universal experience, affecting individuals differently across the lifespan. The speakers highlight the human need for connection and its ties to well-being. They explore how narratives, like those in 'Buffy, the Vampire Slayer,' illustrate isolation's psychological impact. The dark side of loneliness is examined, particularly concerning destructive ideologies in the incel community. Additionally, a fascinating dream is analyzed, reflecting themes of motherhood and personal growth. The discussion emphasizes that loneliness can inspire self-discovery and meaningful relationships.

The archetype of the scapegoat is explored through ancient rituals and their modern implications. The complex relationship between society's shadow self and scapegoating reveals how marginalized groups are often unfairly blamed. Insights from dreams highlight the importance of empathy in personal growth. The podcast dissects the emotional burden of being a scapegoat, weaving in themes from fairy tales that demonstrate transformation through adversity. Ultimately, it encourages confronting our darker impulses for healthier relationships.

Lisa, Joseph, and Deb circumambulate the difficult issue of gender reassignment. They discuss the significance of teen girls wishing to transition and the current tendency to foreclose the meaning of this and move rapidly into medical procedures, a process of concretization instead of curiosity and exploration. Lisa discusses previous examples of symptoms and their diagnoses in history, leading to an understanding of the influence of cultural factors on mental illnesses and diagnosis. Finally, gender reassignment is considered as a Promethean venture, and although it is now possible to challenge the gods of genetics, it is also truly awe-full. We suggest that gender transitioning, like much else, can be psychologically transformative only if there is a conscious relationship to it. Lisa's writings on the topic include three articles in Quillette: Misunderstanding a New Kind of Gender Dysphoria Transgenderism and the Social Construction of Diagnosis Trans Activism's Dangerous Myth of Parental Rejection This article in the Jungian journal Psychological Perspectives: Outbreak: On Transgender Teens and Psychic Epidemics And a chapter in this book, which also includes a chapter from UK Jungian analyst Bob Withers: Transgender Children and Young People: Born in Your Own Body     The dream: I am lying in bed with a man I do not know and we are both naked. We are covered by a thin blanket. The man's right hand man comes in the room to discuss something with him. The man in bed with me gets up and does not clothe himself but nonchalantly takes off his penis and hands it to me. It is not bloody or gory and he seems to know that he can put it back on; I am just holding it for him. I'm not sure what to do so I take it under the blanket and lay it on my lower abdomen. The man tells his partner, as he points at me, that he should take a picture for his Dad because they see the outline of the penis under the blanket.

What happens when one is held captive by the mud of messiness? We try to understand sloppiness as a defense against overwhelming emotions, ongoing enmeshment in the primal maternal matrix, a regression to a younger and less differentiated self, and a tendency to overvalue objects as compensation for an inadequate ability to symbolize.   The dream: I am swimming in an indoor public pool with others when waves begin to occur for no apparent or antecedent reason. I am in a pool that shouldn’t have waves. As the waves begin to bob me around, the water level rises dramatically, quickly. The water reaches nearly to the top of a cinderblock retaining wall that is protecting a sunny, sacred green forest glade with a shrine far down below. Another person I don’t recognize, also male about my age begins to chip away at the retaining wall, cracking, crumbling it until it gives way. Darkness rushes in violently, and I awake to see myself in the third person floating in dank, dark blue, murky water that is endless in form and size. A graphic overlay of five hearts (much like a Zelda video game’s heart display) is shown on top of me as I float, alive but ultimately devoured by the flood.

Compulsive eating is a complicated psychological and biological problem. Food addiction can be a way of defending against unmet needs by displacing emotional hunger onto food. We discuss how infant experiences with eating and soothing can shape one’s relationship to food in adulthood. Two fairy tales tell of parents with insatiably devouring babies and illustrate the consequences of failure to develop affect regulation and how that can lead to various vulnerabilities to addiction.   The dream: My skin (not sure what body part) had green mold on it, like the intense green mold that grows on an orange. When I try to peel it off, I discover it is about a centimeter thick and that it comes away in spongy chunks leaving a very uneven skin surface—once again, like the contrast between peel, pith, and segments of an orange. I feel alarmed. I stop peeling worrying the whole structure will collapse.    

We consider literalism as a normal state in childhood; children’s literalism can be funny and charming. We grow first into the ability to understand metaphor and conceptualize symbols and levels of meaning. Literalism can then serve as a defense against uncertainty, as ego’s resistance to any threat to its power, and as a refusal to  confront unwelcome truths from the unconscious. A symbolic attitude, however, opens the inner world to adventure, mystery and creativity.   The dream: I had a wild animal skin. At first, I thought it was a zebra skin but then I realized it something more rare and dangerous, the skin of a white tiger. I knew it was wrong and illegal to have it but I loved it and it felt so warm, comfortable, and safe to be inside of it.  

Dive into the fascinating dynamics of envy and jealousy, tracing their roots back to childhood experiences and parental relationships. Discover how these emotions are intertwined with narcissism and can lead to destructive behaviors. Explore the significance of introspection and gratitude in overcoming these feelings to build healthier connections. The discussion also weaves in poignant reflections on longing and self-worth, supported by dream analysis and the wisdom of Rumi, illuminating the complexities of our emotional landscapes.

Boredom is not depression or dissociation, sadness or loneliness…but what is it? We consider boredom from various perspectives: lack of access to one’s inner world, a relational deficit, a defense against unwanted feelings, a byproduct of reliance on technology to command attention, and lack of access to enlivening transpersonal energies. We surmise that the antidote to boredom lies in the ability to pay attention, as this can generate connection and meaning.   The dream: I had a rather strange dream the other night where I was on a bridge. A very long bridge and on this bridge were statues of people. They were all in different positions but seemed like they were marching but frozen in place. When I intensely looked at one of them it started to move and break open free. I think I did the same thing to other statues and they moved. The next part of the dream I was at the beginning of the bridge and I saw that tall giant woman. It was an uncle’s wife, she is a doctor, very beautiful, and she looked like a queen or had that feeling of wearing a crown. Very regal. And she talked down to me giving me advice that I can’t remember. The next part of the dream she was wearing alluring black top and shorts.