Gatherings

Episode 21 | Venus, Inanna and Modern Perspectives

Uncover the Journey of the Feminine Archetype through Time
In this episode, Jay and Béa discuss the myth of Inanna, the two Venuses, and the evolution of the feminine archetype across various cultures and eras. They initiate the conversation with an in-depth exploration of Inanna's myth, drawing parallels with the movie Barbie while emphasizing the continual relevance and transformative power of this ancient archetype. They also explore how Venus, a symbol of beauty and love, has transformed from an androgynous warrior to an emblem of love and connection. Finally, they discuss the need to shift from the binary perception of such themes towards viewing them as ongoing, transformative stories that are accessible to all individuals, regardless of gender.
Book Discussed: Descent to the Goddess, Sylvia Brinton Perera
 

Episode 20 | The Healing Journey

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", Peter Levine: "The Body Keeps the Score", Bessel van der Kolk. 
 
Song: "The Gathering" Jay Redelsperger
 

Episode 19 | Ways of Seeing | Conversation with Geneviève Caron

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 more.
Here is the link to her website: Geneviève Caron Photography (genevievecaron.com)
The documentary: Geneviève Caron Photography | Motion | 2 (genevievecaron.com)
Jay is busy at work on his new album, but we still get to listen to some of his gorgeous music! The song used in this episode is "In the Summertime" from his album, Harvesting James. Jay's music can be found all major streaming platforms including Apple, Spotify, Google and more.
 
 

Episode 18 | Is Doing Inner Work enough to Change Things?

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.
 
 

Episode 17 | The Limits of Rational Thought

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".

Episode 16 | Landscape and Typology, Jung in Love

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."

Episode 15| The Problem with the Word ”Spiritual”

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".

Episode14 | The Anti-hero

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
 
 
 
 

Episode 13 | The Wizard of Oz and other tales

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. 
 
 
 
 

Episode 12 | Dreams and Dream Interpretation

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