Digital Jung

Jason E. Smith

Living a Symbolic Life in a Technological Age. Our digital age presents unique challenges for the practice of the inner life. What can the insights of Jungian Psychology offer for dealing with these challenges? In this series, we explore Carl Jung's idea of "the symbolic life" through the lenses of depth psychology, mythology, fairy tales, poetry, religion, and more. We focus on three core questions: 1. What is the symbolic life? 2. Why do we need a symbolic life? and 3. How can we cultivate and live a symbolic life? This is a companion podcast to the book 'Religious but Not Religious: Living a Symbolic Life' by Jungian analyst Jason E. Smith.

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Top 10 Digital Jung Episodes

Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Digital Jung episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Digital Jung for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Digital Jung episode by adding your comments to the episode page.

The Art of Reflection

Digital Jung

05/06/21 • 25 min

In this episode:
We explore Jung's thoughts about the capacity for reflection and why he sees it as an essential component of our humanity.

Sources for quotes and more:

"'Reflection' should be understood not simply as an act of thought, but rather as an attitude. It is a privilege born of human freedom in contradistinction to the compulsion of natural law...." ~ C.G. Jung from A Psychological Approach to the Dogma of the Trinity (footnote, par. 235) in 'Collected Works, vol. 11.'
"It cannot be denied that our current age is a distracted one." ~ 'Religious but Not Religious: Living a Symbolic Life.'
Episode 27: Working With Your Dreams
Discussion of bios and zoê in The Experience of God: Icons of the Mystery by Raimon Panikkar.
Discussion of events and experiences in Healing Fiction by James Hillman.
The Psychology of the Transference by C.G. Jung, 'Collected Works, vol. 16.' *
"[It is] indeed wonderful to see how human beings, besides their life in the concrete, always live a second life in the abstract...." ~ Arthur Schopenhauer in 'The World as Will and Representation.' *
'Concerning the Inner Life.' by Evelyn Underhill
Adaptation, Individuation, Collectivity by C.G. Jung in 'Collected Works, vol. 18.' *
'Memories, Dreams, Reflections.' by C.G. Jung
'The Rhythm of Being.' by Raimon Panikkar*

*Some quotes have been adapted to reflect gender neutral language. There has been no change made to the essential meaning of those quotes.

Music:
"Dreaming Days," "Slow Vibing," and "The Return" by Ketsa are licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
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Please consider leaving a review at one of the following sites:
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Connect with me:
Instagram (@digital.jung)
Facebook (facebook.com/jungiananalyst)
Bluesky (@digitaljung.bsky.social)
Subscribe to the Digital Jung Newsletter (https://digitaljung.substack.com/)
For more on living a symbolic life:
Please check out my book, Religious but Not Religious: Living a Symbolic Life.

Being What We Are

Digital Jung

11/19/20 • 25 min

In this episode:
We discuss how we can know and express what Carl Jung calls “the unique and unrepeatable experience” that we are.
Sources for quotes and more:

"The whole of yourself is certainly an irrational entity, but this is just precisely yourself..." ~ C.G. Jung from 'C.G. Jung Speaking.'
Each person “represents the unique, the very special and always significant and remarkable point at which the world's phenomena intersect, only once in this way, and never again.” ~ Hermann Hesse from 'Demian.'
"The mystery of the psyche is that we are haunted not by what we want out of life, but by what life wants out of us." ~ D. Stephenson Bond from 'Living Myth: Personal Meaning as a Way of Life.'
The Three Feathers from 'Grimm's Tales.'
"If one doesn't understand a person one tends to regard him as a fool." ~ C.G. Jung from 'Collected Works, vol. 14.'
"Very often we look God-knows-where for the solution of our problem and do not see that it is right in front of our noses. We are not humble enough to look downward but stick our noses up in the air." ~ Marie-Louise von Franz from 'The Interpretation of Fairy Tales.'
"The quiet eminence of our being." ~ Abraham Joshua Heschel from 'Man is Not Alone.'
"I am not a spare part which can be exchanged. If I do not enact what I am, no one else will." ~ Raimon Panikkar from 'A Dwelling Place for Wisdom.'

Music:
"Dreaming Days" and "Slow Vibing" by Ketsa are licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
Like this podcast?
Please consider leaving a review at one of the following sites:
Apple Podcasts
Spotify
Or, if you are able, support the show with a donation at Buy Me a Coffee:

Support the show

Taking Dreams Seriously

Digital Jung

02/18/21 • 19 min

In this episode:
We confront the dismissive attitudes that many people have about dreams and explore recent research that confirms the meaning and value of dreams.

Sources for quotes and more:

“The dream is often occupied with apparently very silly details, thus producing an impression of absurdity..." ~ C.G. Jung in On the Psychology of the Unconscious from 'Collected Works, vol. 7.'
Episode 19: Dreaming and Reality
Francis Crick's "garbage dump theory of dreams" discussed in 'The Committee of Sleep' by Deirdre Barrett.
Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare
Dreams That Warn of Breast Cancer
Robert Bosnak's work on the post-surgical dreams of heart transplant patients discussed in 'The Committee of Sleep.'
“Wakefulness may be described as a dreamlike state modulated by sensory experience.” ~ Llinas and Pare, quoted in 'The Neurobiology of the Gods' by Erik Goodwyn.
“What proof could you give if anyone should ask us now, at the present moment, whether we are asleep and our thoughts are a dream, or whether we are awake and talking to each other in a waking condition?” ~ Socrates in Plato's 'Theaetetus.'
“In waking life, too, we continue to dream beneath the threshold of consciousness.” ~ C.G. Jung in Problems of Modern Psychotherapy from 'Collected Works, vol. 16.'
"Who Says Words With My Mouth?" ~ poem by Rumi, translated by Coleman Barks.
“All dreams reveal spiritual experiences.” ~ C.G. Jung in 'C.G. Jung Speaking.'

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The Life of the Spirit

Digital Jung

06/01/23 • 27 min

In this episode:
I begin an exploration of the fairytale 'The Iron Stove' and explore what it means to be called beyond the limitations of the ego to an experience of the spirit.

Let's make this a conversation:
Do you have a comment or question about this episode, or about something you would like me to address in a future episode? Please contact me on Instagram (@digital.jung), Facebook(facebook.com/jungiananalyst), or Twitter (@Jason_E_Smith)
Or: Subscribe to the Digital Jung Newsletter (https://digitaljung.substack.com/)
For more on living a symbolic life:
Please check out my book, Religious but Not Religious: Living a Symbolic Life, available from Chiron Publications.
Sources for quotes and more:

Spirit and Life in ‘Collected Works, vol. 8’ by C.G. Jung
The Iron Stove, Grimm's Fairy Tales
'Rites and Symbols of Initiation' by Mircea Eliade
'Religious but Not Religious: Living a Symbolic Life' by Jason E. Smith
'The Grail Legend' by Emma Jung & Marie-Louise von Franz
Circles in ‘Essays: First Series’ by Ralph Waldo Emerson
Song of a Man Who Has Come Through, poem by D. H. Lawrence

For text and narration of The Iron Stove, visit: https://digitaljung.substack.com/p/the-iron-stove
Enjoy the birdsong in the background!

Like this podcast?
Please consider leaving a review at one of the following sites:
Apple Podcasts
Spotify
Podchaser
Or, if you are able, support the show with a donation at Buy Me a Coffee (link below)

Music:
"Dreaming Days," "Slow Vibing," and "The Return" by Ketsa are lice

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The Stages of the Alchemical Opus

Digital Jung

02/09/23 • 29 min

In this episode:
I continue with the third part of a four-part series on alchemy, this time looking at the stages of the alchemical opus and their meaning for the work of the symbolic life.

Psychology and Alchemy in 'Collected Works, vol. 12' by C.G. Jung
'Alchemy' by Marie-Louise von Franz
Aion in 'Collected Works, vol. 9ii' by C.G. Jung
S3, Ep. 8: Alchemy: Mirror of the Soul
'C.G. Jung Speaking' edited by William McGuire & R.F.C. Hull
The Psychology of the Transference in 'Collected Works, vol. 16' by C.G. Jung

Music:
"Dreaming Days," "Slow Vibing," and "The Return" by Ketsa are licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

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The Nature of Individuation

Digital Jung

11/11/21 • 28 min

In this episode:
We discuss the experience of nature and its connection to the important work of individuation.

Let's make this a conversation:
Do you have a comment or question about this episode, or about something you would like me to address in a future episode? Please contact me on Facebook (facebook.com/jungiananalyst) or Twitter (@Jason_E_Smith).
For more on living a symbolic life:
Please check out my book, Religious but Not Religious: Living a Symbolic Life, available from Chiron Publications.
Sources for quotes and more:

“At Bollingen I am in the midst of my true life..." ~ C.G. Jung, in 'Memories, Dreams, Reflections.'
"Individuation is a process by which a [person] becomes the definite, unique being that he [or she] in fact is." ~ C.G. Jung in 'Collected Works, vol. 7.'
"Individuation is an expression of that biological process ..." ~ C.G. Jung in 'Collected Works, vol. 11.'
"Individuation is a natural process. It is what makes a tree turn into a tree...." ~ C.G. Jung in 'C.G. Jung Speaking.'
“Dreams are impartial, spontaneous products of the unconscious psyche...” ~ C.G. Jung in 'Collected Works, vol. 10.'
S1 Ep. 1: What is the Symbolic Life?
"My self is not confined to my body..." ~ C.G. Jung in 'C.G. Jung Speaking.'
"Rather than taking us out of ourselves, nature coaxes us deeper inwards..." ~ John O'Donohue in 'Beauty: The Invisible Embrace.'
"The reason why the world lacks unity, and lies broken and in heaps is because man is disunited with himself." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson in 'Nature.'
“In a standardized milieu, it is easy to lose the sense of one's own personality...” ~ C.G. Jung in 'C.G. Jung Speaking.'
Just Looking at Photos of Nature Could Be Enough to Lower Your Work Stress Levels
When I Heard the Learn’d Astronomer, poem by Walt Whitman
“I come to my solitary woodland walk as the homesick go home” ~ Henry David Thoreau, quoted in The Winged Life (ed. by R. Bly).
“Love the world as your own self, then you can truly care for all things.” ~ Tao Te Ching
"We shall not discover the real situation we are in, collectively as well as individually, if our hearts are not pure..."

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The Fact of Fantasy

Digital Jung

10/28/21 • 28 min

In this episode:
We discuss fantasy and explore the important role that it plays in our psychological life.

“When you observe the world you see people, you see houses, you see the sky, you see tangible objects..." ~ C.G. Jung, from The Houston Films in 'C.G. Jung Speaking.'
S2E1: The Struggle of the Creative Life
Taoist parable from the Lieh-Tzu.
“Where Id was, there Ego shall be." ~ Sigmund Freud in 'New introductory lectures on psycho-analysis.'
“From the psychoanalytic point of view it would seem that were reality more adequate, imagination might cease to dream.” ~ Mary Watkins in 'Invisible Guests.'
“It is true that there are unprofitable, futile, morbid, and unsatisfying fantasies..." ~ Jung from The Aims of Psychotherapy in 'Collected Works, vol. 16.'
“In sleep, fantasy takes the form of dreams..." ~ Jung from The Practice of Psychotherapy in 'Collected Works, vol. 16.'
“Wakefulness may be described as a dreamlike state modulated by sensory experience.” ~ Llinas and Pare, quoted in 'The Neurobiology of the Gods' by Erik Goodwyn.
The Dhammapada, translation by Gil Fronsdal
“I try to funnel the fantasies of the unconscious into the conscious mind...” ~ Jung in Three Versions of a Press Conference in Vienna from 'C.G. Jung Speaking.'
“As a ship aground is battered by the waves, so we, imprisoned in mortal life, lie open to the mercy of coming events..." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson in Intellect from 'Essays: First Series.'
“We are immersed in beauty, but our eyes have no clear vision.” ~ Emerson in Art from 'Essays: First Series.'
S2E2: Encountering the Archetype
On Angels, poem by Czeslaw Milosz
“Developing fantasy means perfecting our

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Encountering the Archetype

Digital Jung

09/30/21 • 27 min

In this episode:
We look at Jung’s concept of the archetype and the implications it holds for our inner lives.

“The mere use of words is futile when you do not know what they stand for. This is particularly true in psychology, where we speak of archetypes like the anima and animus, the wise man, the great mother, and so on...." ~ C.G. Jung, from 'Man and His Symbols.'
"[Archetypes] are typical energy configurations which are activated by situations and problems, both outer and inner, by people, emotional conflicts, maturational needs, etc...." ~ Edward Whitmont, from 'The Symbolic Quest.'
The Gold-Giving Snake from 'The Panchatantra.'
Discussion of "Experiential Consciousness" in 'Religious but Not Religious: Living a Symbolic Life.'
“[It] confers life and effectuality upon them. Hate and love, fear and reverence, enter the scene of the confrontation and raise it to a drama...." ~ C.G. Jung from 'Memories, Dreams, Reflections.'

Like this podcast?
Please consider leaving a review at one of the following sites:
Apple Podcasts
Spotify
Podchaser
...or support the show with a donation at Buy Me a Coffee (link below)

Music:
"Dreaming Days," "Slow Vibing," and "The Return" by Ketsa are licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Support the show

The Struggle of the Creative Life

Digital Jung

09/16/21 • 28 min

In this episode:
We discuss the challenges that confront us on the path of psychological growth and how we might respond to them.

“The serious problems in life, however, are never fully solved. If ever they should appear to be so it is a sure sign that something has been lost..." ~ C.G. Jung, from The Stages of Life in 'Collected Works, vol. 8.'
S1, Ep. 30: Knowing and Not-Knowing
'Longing For Paradise' by Mario Jacoby
Having Too Little or Too Much Time Is Linked to Lower Subjective Well-Being in 'Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.'
All of the quotes from Frances Wickes in this episode are taken from her book, 'The Inner World of Choice.'
All of the quotes from Jung in this episode are taken from The Stages of Life in 'Collected Works, vol. 8.'
Ferdinand the Faithful from 'Grimms' Tales,' translated by Margaret Hunt.
Discussion of "Well-being" and "Salvation" in Adolf Guggenbühl-Craig's Marriage Dead or Alive.
'Our Real Work,' poem by Wendell Berry.

Like this podcast?
Please consider leaving a review at one of the following sites:
Apple Podcasts
Spotify
Podchaser
...or support the show with a donation at Buy Me a Coffee (link below)

Music:
"Dreaming Days," "Slow Vibing," and "

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The Paradox of Happiness

Digital Jung

01/06/22 • 25 min

In this episode:
We talk about happiness, and discover why Jung believed it was better for us not to pursue it.

Let's make this a conversation:
Do you have a comment or question about this episode, or about something you would like me to address in a future episode? Please contact me on Instagram (@digital.jung), Facebook (facebook.com/jungiananalyst), or Twitter (@Jason_E_Smith).
For more on living a symbolic life:
Please check out my book, Religious but Not Religious: Living a Symbolic Life, available from Chiron Publications.
Sources for quotes and more:

Except where otherwise noted, all quotes from Jung are taken from The Art of Living in 'C.G. Jung Speaking.'
'Tao Te Ching,' Translated by Red Pine.
'A Wrinkle in Time' by Madeleine L’Engle.
'A Room of One's Own' by Virginia Woolf.
“The challenge I face is how to actualize the quiet eminence of our being.” ~ Abraham Joshua Heschel, 'I Asked For Wonder.'
Letter to Harriet Hardy from C.G. Jung ("Carl Jung on Happiness")
“...a civilization that has forgotten that man’s life should be sacrificial, that is, offered up to an idea greater than himself.” ~ C.G. Jung, in 'Collected Works, vol. 11.'
“Again and again I therefore admonish my students both in Europe and in America: ‘Don't aim at success..." ~ Viktor Frankl in 'Man's Search For Meaning.'

Like this podcast?
Please consider leaving a review at one of the following sites:
Apple Podcasts
Spotify
Podchaser
...or support the show with a donation at Buy Me a Coffee (link below)

Music:
"Dreaming Days," "Slow Vibing," and "The Return" by Ketsa are licensed und

Support the show

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FAQ

How many episodes does Digital Jung have?

Digital Jung currently has 82 episodes available.

What topics does Digital Jung cover?

The podcast is about Mythology, Health & Fitness, Psychology, Mental Health, Religion & Spirituality, Podcasts, Religion and Jungian.

What is the most popular episode on Digital Jung?

The episode title 'The Fact of Fantasy' is the most popular.

What is the average episode length on Digital Jung?

The average episode length on Digital Jung is 26 minutes.

How often are episodes of Digital Jung released?

Episodes of Digital Jung are typically released every 13 days, 23 hours.

When was the first episode of Digital Jung?

The first episode of Digital Jung was released on Sep 29, 2020.

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Digital Jung

Jason E. Smith

Top 10 Digital Jung Episodes

FAQ

How many episodes does Digital Jung have?

What topics does Digital Jung cover?

What is the most popular episode on Digital Jung?

What is the average episode length on Digital Jung?

How often are episodes of Digital Jung released?

When was the first episode of Digital Jung?

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