Blogs

 For many years now I have been intrigued with Mary Shelley’s story, Frankenstein; or, the Modern Prometheus. In many ways her story is a prophecy of themes that characterize our technological world-view. In the book that I am now writing, The Frankenstein Prophecies: The Untold Story, I explore seven of those prophecies. The triumph over death, which is the dream of Victor Frankenstein, is the central theme.

That theme lingers today in films that are our collective dreams. Jurassic Park is a goo

Archetypal Reflections: Dr. Keiron Le Grice on Jungian and Depth Psychologies

C.G. Jung contended that our personalities are made up of a multitude of archetypes, Dr. Keiron Le Grice, Chair of the Jungian and Archetypal Studies program at Pacifica Graduate Institute, reminded me when he recently sat down with me to share his insights into the field of depth psychology. Each archetype asserts its own aims, moods, and ideas on our personalities, influencing our lives on a day-to-day basis. Jungian

Islam and Peace

"Even though you are of the earth in form, still, you are the fine
spiritual thread made of the very substance of Certainty.

You are the trusted guardian of the treasury of the Light of God.
Come, at last, to the Source of the source of your own self!

Know that when you have bound yourself to selflessness, you will
escape from attachment to self-ness [ego].

And then you will leap away from the bonds of a thousand traps.
Come, at last, to the Source of the source of your own

Islamophobia in America: A Case Study

of the Scapegoat Archetype  

"A majority may not impose its religious values on others, nor limit minority religious rights. The fact that a majority of Americans do not share the beliefs of a minority faith does not make those beliefs and practices any less protected. Unless all Americans are assured of religious freedom, the freedom of all Americans is in question...Good citizenship includes the civic duty to uphold religious freedom for all. Religious l

When problems seem overwhelming, the Trickster archetype often is called for. I’ve long been fascinated by its potential for liberation or con artistry. In fact, my doctoral dissertation looked at Trickster figures in books like One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Catch-22, and Invisible Man. Dionysus, in my new book, Persephone Rising, is one also. This blog is triggered by Donald Trump’s candidacy, but it actually is about much more. All the attention on him suggests to me that the Trickster arch

Ecotherapy: Nature Reconnection as a Powerful, Transformational Healing Practice: A Short Interview with Linda Buzzell

by Bonnie Bright

If the name, Linda Buzzell, sounds familiar to you, it’s no surprise—particularly if you are moved as I am by the growing ecological crisis that is unfolding around us. Linda Buzzell, MA, LMFT, PDC (Permaculture Design Certificate) has been a psychotherapist for more than 30 years and has specialized in ecopsychology and ecotherapy since 2000. She co-edited the 2

PART ONE: 1492 to 1942

1492 was the year the Jews were expelled from Spain, after having lived there, according to historical sources, for some 2,000 years. Think about that number: one could argue that they had lived in Spain for nearly as long as they had lived in Palestine. Much of Spain – then called Al-Andalus – had been Muslim for over 700 years. For parts of that time Muslims, Jews and Christians had lived in a “golden age,” brief, shining moments of tolerance and harmony, producing works

You who seek do not need to seek me, for I am always here. I have not left. It is as it has always been and always will be. The past is present and will continue. You cannot escape because I am what you know. You know me too well and worship me, which makes me stronger in you.

Medusa by Gian Lorenzo Bernini 1630

I am the Medusa, the destroyer. I am the darkness where light fades. I am the event horizon into which all things are drawn. I will crush them into nothingness

Depth Psychology is often associated with “soul.” Many great thinkers in the field have shared some important thoughts on the topic, and perhaps none more so than psychologist and author, Thomas Moore, whose best-selling book, Care of the Soul, is one of the most recognized and appreciated works on the topic. Thomas Moore is speaking at the upcoming Climates of Change conference in celebration of Pacifica’s 40th anniversary in April 2016.

When I sat down recently with Thomas to discuss the topic

Happiness is a Warm Gun:
A Community Conversation on Gun Violence in America

Last June the Depth Psychology Alliance hosted its first community conversation. The topic of this event was “What is Depth Psychology?” However, a few days before the event a young white man entered the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in downtown Charleston, South Carolina and murdered nine innocent African American worshippers in the middle of their worship service. This tragic act of violence, like so m

When I met Chris Hedges online for our recent interview together, I could see why Pacifica Graduate Institute invited him to speak at their milestone 40^th anniversary celebration conference, Climates of Change and the Therapy of Ideas, which takes place April 21-24, 2016, in Santa Barbara, CA.

As a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist, Hedges carries with him nearly two decades of experience reporting from war-torn countries like Yugoslavia, El Salvador, and also Gaza and South Sudan. In this capaci

For those who have experienced it first hand, the connection between racism and trauma is all too real. In previous posts we’ve discussed at length the horrific history of racism in America, specifically the history of the racist oppression of people of African descent in the Americas, and the genocidal treatment of the native peoples of the Americas. Unfortunately, as we see daily in the news and postings across diverse media, racism is not simply an historical event. It is ever present in o

EXCERPT from my new blog post and interview with Dr. Joseph Cambray, Jungian analyst and Provost at Pacifica Graduate Institute:

"...Recent analyses of the fractal qualities that are inherent in Jackson Pollock’s drip paintings, which reveal Pollock had “spontaneously intuited a way to get at the optimal amount of fractal density.” It’s that kind of intuitive knowing from nature—not from a cognitive rational process—which, when they emerge in therapy and supervision, are art forms...."

Psychothera

The brilliant use of alchemy as a symbolic language and process for psychological and spiritual development is arguably one of C. G. Jung’s greatest contributions to the field of depth psychology. While alchemy may appear to be a mystical—and mysterious—domain, Jung developed a powerful and inspired method for accessing it by entering into dialogue with the rich manifestations of the unconscious and applying it to our daily lives for transformation and growth.

“True knowledge of oneself is the kn

“Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars.” ― Kahlil Gibran

We are all intimately familiar with suffering. And, while we might wish it away when it is painfully present, it is a normal part of human life, Dr. Lionel Corbett, M.D., Jungian analyst and professor at Pacifica Graduate Institute reminded me when I recently sat down for a depth discussion with him on the topic.

Etymologically, the word “suffering” comes from two Latin roots: su

Dear Community,

We are excited to be here.

FYI: We have a free James Hillman Title for a limited time only from our site

"Beauty Without Nature - Re Imagining The City"

http://www.betterlisten.com/collections/free/products/beauty-without-nature-by-james-hillman

More soon.

Thanks

Steve Stein

BetterListen! CEO

The situation is bleak. The dark side has taken over again, the proof of which is how regimented and violent its soldiers are, and the light is being held only by a rebel band, guarded by a republic. The two great masculine heroes—Luke Skywalker and Han Solo—have lost faith in their power to create change, so Han has gone back to trading and Luke is hiding out.

But Princess Leia has not lost faith. She is a general for the Resistance to the Nazi-like First Order, having traded her royal status fo