Gatherings

In this episode, Béa sits down with author Shylashri Shankar for a rich and layered conversation about her debut novel, Blood Caste. Set in 1895 Hyderabad and loosely inspired by the mystery of Jack the Ripper, the novel becomes a launching point for a deeper exploration of themes like prejudice, identity, and the tensions between cultures and values.

Shankar shares how writing the book was more than a creative project—it was a per...

In this episode Béa interviews award-winning literary scholar, poet, and Jungian thinker Roula Maria Dib. Together, they explore Jung’s evolving place within feminist thought, the role of the feminine archetype in the psyche, and the power of poetry and art as healing practices. The conversation moves through themes of visionary art, dreams, creativity, and how artists serve as vessels for the collective unconscious. Roula offers i...

In this episode of Gatherings, we welcome writer and mythic guide Carly Mountain, author of Descent and Rising. Together, we explore the ancient Sumerian myth of Inanna, a powerful narrative of descent, embodiment, and feminine transformation.

Carly shares how the myth mirrored her own personal journey and why it continues to speak to modern women facing burnout, identity shifts, or creative rebirth. We explore the myth’s cultural ...

In this episode, Béa sits down with author and depth psychologist Connie Zweig to explore what it really means to “romance the shadow.” We speak about the lifelong task of making the unconscious conscious, the myths that still live in us, and how shadow work becomes even more essential as we age.

Drawing from her decades of writing and teaching—from Meeting the Shadow to The Inner Work of Age—Connie offers insight into how the part...

In this episode, we explore the creative process. Is it limited to the material work we produce, or is the true creative path the inner work we do as part of the individuation journey? What kinds of conversations should we be having? How does dream work factor into the process? And does an artist need to reveal something meaningful ...

Do you ever feel like something's off with the way we think as a society? In this episode, we explore the groundbreaking work of Iain McGilchrist, who argues that an imbalance in our brains, favoring the left hemisphere's focus on control, could be leading us down a dangerous path. The discussion delves into how McGilchrist's theories connect with Jungian psychology and the importance of a holistic view of things. Tune in to learn ...

This episode takes a deep dive into the writings and influence of Jungian analyst James Hollis. We focus on four essential books to get you started: The Eden Project, Finding Meaning in the Second Half of Life, Under Saturn’s Shadow, and Swamplands of the Soul. Through these works, we examine powerful themes such as taking responsibility for our lives, embracing individuation, understanding relationship dynamics beyond romance, con...

Join Béa and Carly as they discuss their top reads from 2024. With a focus on both fiction and nonfiction, they explore Carly Mountain's 'Descent & Rising,' Roberta B. Corson's Stepping Out of the Shadows,' J. Gary Sparks’ The Call of Destiny and Andrea Wulf's 'Magnificent Rebels,' among others. The conversation delves deep into book recommendations, literary themes, and personal reflections on the significance of these works.

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Uncover the Journey of the Feminine Archetype through Time

In this episode, Jay and Béa explore the many dimensions healing can take. There seems to be a lot of attention placed on the notion of healing in the public sphere but what does this look like? Is it possible to ever fully heal? And if so, what modalities can help us on this journey?  Authors and books mentioned: Dr. Gabor Maté [The Myth of Normal]; Marion Woodman "Addiction to Perfection". Books we recommend: "Waking the Tiger", ...

In this episode, Béa has a conversation with a member of the Sophia Collective---Geneviève Caron, photographer, documentary film maker, artist and spectacular human! Geneviève has just released an exquisite 8-minute documentary where she invites the viewer to journey with the artist Ljubodrag Andric, as he travels through Jaipur, India. We talk about her background, her involvement with the Sophia Collective, shadow work and much m...

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, Ric...

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".

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,...

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...

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 ser...