Laurie Layton Schapira is a Jungian analyst and filmmaker in Brooklyn, New York.

She earned a Master of Science in psychiatric/mental health nursing from the University of Pennsylvania and worked in private practice for many years as a clinical specialist. Her training as a Jungian analyst was with the C.G. Jung Institute of New York, which was completed in 1987. She became a member of their faculty and has been serving on their board of directors and as head of admissions since the 1990s, and served as president of the board from 2011-2014.

Laurie is also director of the Jung Institute’s Introduction to Jungian Clinical Process (IJCP), launched in the Fall of 2019. The program functions as a prerequisite for individuals without mental health credentials who wish to apply to the training program in Jungian psychoanalysis.

Her book, The Cassandra Complex: Living with Disbelief – A Modern Perspective on Hysteria (https://amzn.to/3MNTOtK), was published by Inner City Books in 1988 and has been re-issued just this year. Since its publication, Laurie has lectured worldwide and appeared on television and radio discussing the subjects of feminine psychology and Greek and Norse mythology.

In 1993, she founded Cassandra Productions, writing, directing, editing, and producing a variety of films including the narrative “The Prophecy of the Seeress,” available on Amazon’s Prime Video, and the award-winning “Women in China: Up Against the Wall,” named Best Documentary at the New York Film & Video Festival in 1997.

Upon the release of The Red Book in 2009, Laurie participated in the Rubin Museum’s Red Book Dialogues which paired individuals from different walks of life with a psychoanalyst to take the stage for a freewheeling discussion. A link to photos from her dialogue with documentary filmmaker Albert Maysles can be found in the show notes.

Laurie is a member of the New York Association for Analytical Psychology, the National Association for the Advancement of Psychoanalysis, and New York Women in Film & Television. Her life’s work has been focused on lifting the patriarchal curse on feminine intuition so that the modern Cassandra can be believed.

➡️ SHOW NOTES + AUDIO:
https://speakingofjung.com/podcast/2023/5/25/episode-120-the-cassandra-complex

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LINKS:

The Cassandra Complex from Amazon (Affiliate Link) – https://amzn.to/3MNTOtK

The Cassandra Complex from Inner City Books – https://innercitybooks.net/bookshop/author/laurie-l-schapira/the-cassandra-complex/

The Prophecy of the Seeress from Prime Video (Affiliate Link) – https://amzn.to/3Wo7cHW

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SPEAKING OF JUNG:
Website – https://speakingofjung.com​​​
Episodes – https://speakingofjung.com/episodes
Apple Podcasts – https://apple.co/3MIL8C1
Spotify – https://spoti.fi/39qpNPn

CONNECT:
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University of Chicago Professor and online game designer Patrick Jagoda, PhD talks with Patricia Martin about ways that online games and new media apply Jungian theory to create emotional bonds with users.

https://jungchicago.org/blog/jung-in-the-world-technology-the-self-3-myth-archetypes-and-avatar-personas-in-online-games-with-patrick-jagoda/

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“We must not forget that only a very few people are artists in life; that the art of life is the most distinguished and rarest of all the arts. Whoever succeeded in draining the whole cup with grace?” — C.G. Jung

“The meaning of life is to build a life as if it were a work of art.” — Abraham Joshua Heschel

The image of fire expresses an elemental force that can be both creative and destructive. When it is contained and focused, fire is transformative, enhancing what has been placed in it, such as in the shaping and strengthening of metal or in the cooking of food. Uncontained, fire can rage and incinerate, like wildfires consuming forests and homes. In this presentation, we will explore the symbol of fire through poetry, story, and myth. In particular, we will trace the role of this symbol as a psychological energy that is implicated in the creative life of the individual. This talk will explore such questions as: What does it mean to live life “as if it were a work of art?” What prevents us from knowing and living our creative depths? What are the consequences of not living from these depths? In pondering these questions and encountering this powerful symbol, we will begin to uncover ways that we might connect with our own creative spark and fan it into a vitalizing and transforming flame.

Jason E. Smith, is a Jungian Analyst (IAAP) in private practice in Manchester-by-the-Sea, MA. He is the creator and host of the podcast Digital Jung and the author of Religious but Not Religious: Living a Symbolic Life (Chiron Publications). Jason is a past president of the C.G. Jung Institute of Boston (now of New England) and serves as a training analyst and faculty member for the New England Institute.

On this episode I welcome back Thomas Moore to talk about his new book The Eloquence of Silence.

While modern culture tends to avoid emptiness as much as possible, inThe Eloquence of Silence: Surprising Wisdom in Tales of Emptiness, New York Times bestselling author Thomas Moore makes a compelling case for an easier, lighter way of moving through life by embracing the peace, calm, and spaciousness that emptiness offers.

The Eloquence of Silence offers a collection of traditional stories and ideas about emptiness that explore the value of silence, empty space, and letting go.

The Eloquence of Silence is ultimately about simplifying our way of living and being in the world with transparency. Tom encourages readers to consider that the habit of constant multitasking, like listening to a podcast while taking a walk or constantly being distracted by our phones, often means missing the heart and soul of what is happening around us. And the daily recognition of quiet spaciousness is not a retreat from reality, but a rich and full opportunity to experience all that is most meaningful and real.
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GUEST BIO
Thomas Moore is the author of the number one New York Times bestseller Care of the Soul. He has written twenty-four other books about bringing soul to personal life and culture, deepening spirituality, humanizing medicine, finding meaningful work, imagining sexuality with soul and doing religion in a fresh way. In his youth he was a Catholic monk and studied music composition. He has a Ph.D. in Religious Studies from Syracuse University and was a university professor for a number of years. He is also a psychotherapist influenced mainly by C. G. Jung and James Hillman. In his work he brings together spirituality, mythology, depth psychology and the arts, emphasizing the importance of images and imagination. He often travels and lectures, hoping to help create a more soulful society. His family members are also deeply involved in spiritual approaches to the arts: His wife, Hari Kirin, is an accomplished painter and teaches a course she has created on Yoga and Art; his daughter Ajeet is a musician and recording artist and spiritual teacher; his stepson Abraham is an architect focusing on design related to the social aspects of building. Thomas also writes fiction, arranges music and plays golf in New Hampshire, where he has lived for twenty years.
https://www.thomasmooresoul.com/

Something about a cat wearing clothes has captured our imagination for over 500 years, so it’s about time we tackle a Jungian analysis of Puss in Boots.

For half a millennium, anthropomorphized felines have enthralled us, making Puss in Boots perfect for our discussion. Enchanting fairytales of yore to modern viral videos, our fascination with pets in human attire and mannerisms persists. Whether a parrot blurting expletives or a dog seemingly uttering human words, we’re captivated. Through Puss in Boots, we might better comprehend this instinct to imbue our pets with our psychological traits.

This tale can be traced back to various oral traditions, but the rendition most recognized in the West is Charles Perrault’s adaptation during France’s fairytale golden era in the late 1600s. In this period of societal flux, with feudalism dissolving, bourgeoisie emerging, and royal power consolidating, Perrault’s cat symbolizes a social opportunist reflecting the aspirations of the rising middle class. The cat’s shrewd maneuvering through societal ranks and achieving change through cleverness rather than lineage resonated with the changing society.

While these socio-political shifts were relevant, they don’t fully explain the tale’s longevity. The enduring appeal of the shrewd, charming cat and his moral dilemmas suggest deeper, archetypal themes. Historically, cats have been associated with supernatural instincts, independence, adaptability, and boldness. Puss’ attributes echo these, drawing parallels to the feline goddess Bastet from ancient Egypt, renowned for her protective, nurturing powers and her ability to speak like humans.

As modernity progressed and Cartesian dualism prevailed, animals and their symbolism lost their depth and voice. Freud, in studying the silent afflictions of the nervous system, gave voice to suppressed instincts. Jung, however, restored their wisdom.

Fairytales, through symbolic imagery and archetypal motifs, still convey ancient wisdom our conscious minds have forgotten, appealing to our personal unconscious and reviving dormant truths. Puss in Boots epitomizes this restoration of life-affirming instinct.

The story starts with an old miller dividing his estate among his sons. Through a Jungian lens, we can see that the inheritance, physical and psychological, shapes each son’s destiny. The eldest son inherits his father’s life, forsaking his individual path. The middle son aligns with the donkey’s value of unthinking hard labor. The youngest, bestowed the cat’s independent instincts, sets forth on a journey that will surprise him.

When our ego feels isolated and the world’s promises seem hollow, we may finally turn to our instincts, symbolized by the feral barn cats of our unconscious. As we reconcile ego and instinct, our inner creatures are granted voices. This process translates archetypal images and emotions into thoughts and plans. With Puss’ first request being boots, it signifies the alignment of ego and instinct, marking the start of a spirited life journey.

The instinct to survive often overrides moral judgment, bringing forth the Trickster archetype. This is seen across the natural world as creatures employ deception and evasion for survival.
The war between human ideals and animal instincts defines us. An imbalance can have repercussions. The ultimate goal is an integrated stance that promotes a fulfilling life while contributing to civilization. The miller’s youngest son’s journey, from despair to royal rule, symbolizes the process of individuation, encoded in the symbols of this enduring fairytale.

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REFERENCES
The Original Folk and Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm: The Complete First Edition by Jacob Grimm (Author), Wilhelm Grimm (Author), Andrea Dezsö (Illustrator), Jack Zipes (Translator). https://a.co/d/8mNyInK

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✨This episode was recorded on May 27, 2016.

John Todd received a Ph.D. in depth psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute and a Diploma in Analytical Psychology (the degree of a Jungian analyst) from the Inter-Regional Society of Jungian Analysts.

He has been in the mental health field for over 23 years. A native of Florida, he began his career spending over a decade as a children and families counselor for Hospice of the Florida Suncoast before beginning his private practice in Evergreen, Colorado, in 2006.

In addition to being a Nationally Certified Licensed Professional Counselor, Dr. Todd is a member of the International Association of Analytical Psychology and is currently on the Board of the C.G. Jung Institute of Colorado.

We discuss his work on the #shadow side of #bats which later went on to be published as "The Shadow of the Bat: Batman as Archetypal Shaman," in the 2023 book 'A New Gnosis,' and as "Dreaming the Bat Out of the Shadow," published in Psychological Perspectives in 2016.

➡️ SHOW NOTES + AUDIO:
https://speakingofjung.com/podcast/2016/5/31/episode-18-john-todd

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LINKS:

"The Shadow of the Bat: Batman as Archetypal Shaman" in the book, A New Gnosis: Comic Books, Comparative Mythology, and Depth Psychology (Palgrave Macmillan, 2023) – Affiliate Link: https://amzn.to/41e1IR0

"Dreaming the Bat Out of the Shadow" in Psychological Perspectives, Vol. 59: Issue 2, 2016 – https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00332925.2016.1170566?journalCode=upyp20

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SPEAKING OF JUNG:
Website – https://speakingofjung.com​​​
Episodes – https://speakingofjung.com/episodes
Apple Podcasts – https://apple.co/3MIL8C1
Spotify – https://spoti.fi/39qpNPn

CONNECT:
Email – https://speakingofjung.com/contact
Support – https://speakingofjung.com/support
Twitter – https://twitter.com/jungianLaura
Instagram – https://instagram.com/jungianlaura

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THE ELEUSINIAN MYSTERIES

In the Imagination of ancient Greece, Gaia was never left behind as a legend at the beginning. Whenever the drive of creation was required to reach a new level, she continued to play an essential role and, crucially, in the movement of the Seasons and the renewal of the year, which involve the rhythmic cycles of life, death and rebirth in all creation. This drama was explored through the myth of Gaia’s grand-daughter, Demeter, and the death and rebirth of Demeter’s own daughter, Persephone. Gaia initiates the drama by growing a magical narcissus with a hundred blooms as a ‘snare’ for Persephone - whose other name, Kore, means ‘shoot.’ So enticing is the narcissus that Persephone picks it (ending its life above ground) and so falls into the dark underworld (herself dropping as the seed) and becomes the bride of Hades (Death). Through Demeter’s rage at the loss of her daughter which turns the land barren, Persephone returns every spring as the reborn shoot to her mother Demeter, Goddess of the Harvest. This natural drama was the source of the Eleusinian Mysteries.

The relationship between the ‘Mother of Corn’ and her child, who dies as the seed and is reborn as the new shoot, was also understood as disclosing the possibility of a shared reality with the life, death and rebirth of human beings. This was originally inspired by the monthly drama of the Moon’s birth, death and rebirth, so the timing of the Mysteries also followed the waning and rebirth of the Moon.

In Eleusis, beside the sea not far from Athens, the Mysteries lasted for almost 2,000 years, from around 1500 BCE until 392 CE, when they were proscribed by the Christian Emperor Theodosius. And later the temples were sacked by the Goths. Yet, much was saved: the writings, images and sculptures of many Greeks and Romans - philosophers, artists and poets - so the memory of the Mysteries was never lost.

This film follows the art, poetry, rituals and ceremonies - which brought the participants to their final vision. We will try to explore how and why the culmination of the Mysteries was experienced - by so many people, for so long – as bringing about a radical change in consciousness.