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SHADOWS & HIGH STAKES: understanding gambling

This Jungian Life

Release Date: 05/25/2023

SATANIC PANIC: The Archetypal Slanderer and False Memory Syndrome show art SATANIC PANIC: The Archetypal Slanderer and False Memory Syndrome

This Jungian Life

What drives us to seek meaning in the shadows, and how do we discern the real from the imagined when fear and faith converge? The rise of the Satanic Panic in the 1980s drew upon ancient archetypal fears of evil embedded in the collective unconscious, merging with societal stressors like the emergence of fundamentalist Christianity in American politics and women’s increased participation in the workforce with the resultant rise of daycare use. The archetype of the Devil as slanderer can capture a community. Even as they are prompted to accuse others of devilish behavior, they themselves are...

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Jung and Gnosticism: Discovering a Universe Of Whole-Making show art Jung and Gnosticism: Discovering a Universe Of Whole-Making

This Jungian Life

What is the ultimate path to inner wholeness, and how do we reconcile the tension between the spiritual and material aspects of our existence? Take up the journey to find your lost spark this fall at Dream School: Jung’s exploration of Gnosticism enhanced his vision of the human psyche. In the Gnostic myths, Jung recognized the modern inner journey—where the Self represents the wholeness we all seek, mirroring the Gnostic Anthropos, the complete human being. Individuation, much like the Gnostic quest for spiritual awakening, becomes a journey of reclaiming our hidden divine spark,...

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CULTURAL COMPLEXES: the hidden force in modern politics show art CULTURAL COMPLEXES: the hidden force in modern politics

This Jungian Life

How do unconscious forces shape our collective behaviors and influence how we navigate societal conflicts and personal identity? Free yourself from the collective nightmare—discover the wisdom of your dreams this fall at Political dynamics are deeply influenced by underlying psychological forces known as cultural complexes, which shape group behavior, reinforce divisions, and heighten emotional responses to societal changes. Tom Singer, editor and fellow author of , explains that these social psychology phenomena, arising from emotions and ideas, affect how individuals think and feel....

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DOG SYMBOLISM IN DREAMS: companions, protectors, and guides of souls show art DOG SYMBOLISM IN DREAMS: companions, protectors, and guides of souls

This Jungian Life

How does the dream maker help us when we’re lost and alone in the wilderness of our lives? Let your inner dogs guide you to a deeper understanding of yourself—discover the wisdom in your dreams this fall at  We love dogs, and they love us. For millennia, they have held deep symbolic meaning in mythology, religion, and literature, often serving as protectors, guides, loyal companions, and a connection to our instincts. When it comes to dog symbolism in dreams, they can embody emotional support, intuition, or boundless enthusiasm. Whether acting as guardians, like in ancient myths, or...

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JUNGIAN ALCHEMY: the secret of inner transformation show art JUNGIAN ALCHEMY: the secret of inner transformation

This Jungian Life

  Do you need a map to chart a massive inner transformation? Jungian alchemy provides a symbolic framework for individuation, connecting ancient alchemical traditions with analytical psychology to illustrate the psyche's transformative process toward individuation. CG Jung saw alchemical imagery as symbols for inner psychological processes, where the work of transforming base metals into gold paralleled the transformation of unconscious material into conscious awareness. This alchemical process deepens our understanding of confronting our shadow, inspires us to differentiate our true...

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DRAGON: The Archetypal Monster and Ally Within show art DRAGON: The Archetypal Monster and Ally Within

This Jungian Life

Across the globe and through the ages, dragons lurk in our myths and dreams, haunting us as primal forces of terror and transformation. Found in almost every culture, these creatures are potent symbols of the instinctive unconscious, embodying both the dangers of the natural world and the depths of our psyche. In Western mythology, they emerge as fearsome enemies, threatening to drag us back into chaos. Eastern traditions, however, revere dragons as wise and transformative beings, symbols of transcendent power and enlightenment. The battle with the dragon mirrors our inner struggle to confront...

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STUCK IN THE COMFORT ZONE: When Wrong Feels Right, and Right Feels Wrong show art STUCK IN THE COMFORT ZONE: When Wrong Feels Right, and Right Feels Wrong

This Jungian Life

Too often, we cling to what feels familiar, even when it harms us or others. We shy away from what’s better because it feels odd or awkward. Understanding the tension between Ego-Syntonic and Ego-Dystonic behaviors is essential for personal growth. Often, we cling to familiar patterns that feel comfortable (ego-syntonic), even when they increase our suffering, while the changes that can truly transform our lives feel unsettling (ego-dystonic). By embracing the discomfort of novel actions and confronting the parts of ourselves we have long rejected, we can align with our authentic Self. True...

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PARENTAL COMPLEXES: How They Shape Your Child’s Future show art PARENTAL COMPLEXES: How They Shape Your Child’s Future

This Jungian Life

Our parent's complexes influence their behavior toward us, causing unintended consequences. It's as if we were raised by their unresolved emotional issues. Parental complexes shape our emotional and psychological development, influencing how we relate to others and perceive ourselves, often in ways we aren’t fully aware of. These feeling-toned webs of unresolved emotional struggles unconsciously shape our parent’s thoughts, feelings and behaviors. To some degree, we are raised by our parent’s complexes rooted in generational trauma, cultural pressures, and societal expectations. As...

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SHADOWLAND: Relentless Pain  - the story of Jean Campbell show art SHADOWLAND: Relentless Pain - the story of Jean Campbell

This Jungian Life

JEAN CAMPBELL  is a supermodel who from the outside looks to be living a fairy tale life. Stunningly beautiful, she has modeled on the international stage for brands including Alexander McQueen, Ralph Lauren, Louis Vuitton and Burberry. Of course, nothing is ever so simple (especially in fairy tales). After experiencing a traumatic injury at a young age, Jean had to learn how to live with chronic pain. She underwent multiple surgeries, and confronted despair induced by the extreme physical and emotional challenges she faced.  Shadowland is our This Jungian Life forum for exploring...

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Demure Social Media Trend: Elegant or Oppressive? show art Demure Social Media Trend: Elegant or Oppressive?

This Jungian Life

Does the Demure social media trend offer a path to true elegance or reinforce restrictive norms in an extroverted world? The Demure social media trend has become a countercultural movement that seems to promote elegance, modesty, and introspection in stark contrast to the flamboyant exhibitionistic behaviors often seen online. It forces us to question whether its rise signifies a return to refined values or a subtle form of oppression, as it compensates the extroverted behaviors that dominate modern society. By prioritizing simplicity, restraint, and authenticity, the demure trend resonates...

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More Episodes

Understanding gambling illuminates the amalgam of desire, risk, and reward that defines our interactions with a capricious world. The lure of gambling, entwined within the fabric of human history, irresistibly draws us to its mesmerizing dance of fortune and chance. Exploring the gambler's psyche, we'll discover the psychospiritual elements that pull us towards Lady Luck. Gambling's allure is steeped in mythology. The concept of chance, the Moirai of Greek lore, the Roman Goddess Fortuna, and the I Ching from ancient China evoke the numinous aspect of luck, symbolically guiding us through its enigmas. This mythological lens offers a universal perspective. The Gambler, a mercurial figure inhabiting conscious and unconscious realms, represents our inherent wish to transcend known boundaries. Presenting in various forms - the trickster, dreamer, and adventurer - the Gambler embodies the tension between control and surrender, resonating with our struggle to balance familiarity and novelty. Eros and Thanatos, the opposing drives of life and death, fuel the gambling world. The lure of infinite possibilities animates Eros within the gambler, who, in his euphoria, overlooks his vulnerabilities—fear and desire mix, producing a potent cocktail. Temporarily, the gambler escapes this reality through the exhilarating throws of chance, finding aliveness in this tension. The capricious Fortuna, goddess of luck, fate, and fortune, reigns over the gambling world. Her symbol, the Wheel of Fortune, reflects the perpetual rise and fall of fortunes, echoing the rhythm of life itself. In her dual nature - benevolent Fortuna Bona and disastrous Fortuna Mala - she challenges the gambler to confront control's limits and embrace uncertainty. Tyche, Greek counterpart to Fortuna, carries a cornucopia of rewards for life’s risk-takers who dare to pursue success, a heroic vision central to the modern entrepreneur. In the end, the gambler’s relationship with chance is a mirror that reflects the essential human condition, for we are all, in a sense, gamblers, poised on the precipice of the unknown. As we journey through life, we must learn to embrace the uncertainties and risks that define our existence, for it is in the very act of embracing the gamble that we find the courage to forge our destinies.

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