The Explorer Poet Podcast
by Josh Mortensen
When we listen intently, we become guests in the sitting rooms of other people’s minds, and in a small way experience each other’s version of consciousness. Through conversation we can check our abstract reality against the abstract realities of others, ensuring we move forward as a whole. All we need to do is make sure we keep talking.
Episodes
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The Kore Goddess - Retrieving Lost Feminine Archetypes with Safron Rossi
In this conversation with Safron Rossi we explore the significance of myths and archetypes in understanding the human psyche, personal journeys into mythology, the role of the Kore Goddess archetype in modern society, how myths serve various functions in our lives, from providing meaning and...
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Institutions and Authority in the Mental Health Industry with Nick Taber
In this conversation with Nick Taber, we explore the complexities of personal development, the impact of institutional environments, the nuances of emotional validation, the importance of questioning authority, the role of meditation in self-discovery, the challenges of navigating the mental…
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Exploring the Mysteries of Carl Jung's Red Book with Katerina Sarafidou
In this conversation with Katerina Sarafidou, we delve into Carl Jung's 'Red Book', exploring its significance in the field of psychology, its unique language, and its impact on modern consciousness. We discussed the importance of individuation, the role of myths, and the tension of opposites in...
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The Psychology of Immigration with Robert Tyminski
In this conversation with Robert Tyminski, we explore the intersection of Jungian psychology and immigration, the psychological effects of migration, the fluidity of identity, and the importance of community building for immigrants. Tyminski shares personal anecdotes and historical context,...
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The Human Psyche and Technology with Glen Slater
Description In this conversation with Glen Slater delve we into the intersection of technology, psychology, and humanity, how advancements in technology, particularly artificial intelligence, are reshaping our understanding of the human psyche, the historical context of industrialization and its...
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Discerning the Influence of Myths in Modern Society and Politics with Bill
In this engaging conversation, with YouTuber Bill, we explore Bill's journey into Jungian psychology, the impact of Jordan Peterson, the significance of myths and archetypes, the complexities of political discourse, the importance of confronting one's shadow, the emotional resonance of…
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Unconscious Beliefs and Dark Religions with Vladislav Šolc
In this conversation with Vladislav Šolc, we explore the intersection of Jungian psychology and religion, discussing personal journeys through faith, the concept of dark religion, the importance of self-knowledge, how unconscious beliefs shape our understanding of reality, the role of symbolism…
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Dissolving Repetition Compulsion and Encountering the Shadow Feminine with Roy Wang
In this conversation with Roy Wang, we delved into the complexities of human emotions, particularly focusing on repetition compulsion, anger, shame, and the dynamics of masculine and feminine energies. We explored how childhood experiences shape emotional patterns and the importance of compassion...
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Arts-Based Research, Surprising Ourselves Creatively, and Turning Defeat Into a Superpower with Susan Rowland
In this conversation with Susan Rowland, we explored arts-based research, the role of spontaneity in creativity, the intersection of art and psychology, the relationship between religion and imagination, subjective experiences, science versus religion, cultural myths, the role of mystery in...
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Stop Trying to Be Happy — Take off the Mask and Be Whole with Camille Fioranelli
In this conversation with Camille Fioranelli, we explore the themes of identity, the nature of consciousness, and the role of archetypes in human experience. Camille shares her journey of self-discovery through writing and the importance of confronting the darker aspects of the self. Our...
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Epics of Transformation and the Search for the Inner Holy Grail with Paul Bishop
In this conversation with Paul Bishop, we discuss the complexities of Carl Jung's theories, particularly focusing on the significance of symbols and storytelling in understanding the psyche, highlighting Jung’s focus on personal transformation. We then discuss the metaphor of the grail as a...
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Creativity and Art’s Transformative Power on the Soul with Dr. Catherine Svehla
In this conversation with Dr. Catherine Svehla, we discuss her journey through creativity and psyche, exploring the intersection of art, myth, and personal transformation. She discusses her own experiences with the 'Dark Night of the Soul' and how it led her to embrace painting as a form of...
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Unlocking the Spiritual Power of Alchemical Meditation with Luke McBain
In this conversation with Luke McBain, we discuss his journey into meditation, exploring its benefits, and the alchemical approach he has adopted. He delves into the psychological aspects of meditation, particularly the concept of the shadow and self-integration, while also examining the cultural...
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Interpreting Religious Myths from a Mystic or Psychological Perspective with Laura Lewis-Barr
In this engaging conversation with Laura Lewis-Barr, we explore the intersections of spirituality, community, and personal interpretation of religious texts. We discuss the importance of myth and psychological perspectives in understanding religious narratives, the challenges of balancing...
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How to Start Shadow Work and Eventually Romance Your Shadow with Dr. Connie Zweig
In this episode with Dr. Connie Zweig, we discuss her journey into depth psychology, shadow work, and the influence of Carl Jung. She shares her personal experiences with Transcendental Meditation, the challenges of group dynamics, and the importance of shadow awareness in personal and societal...
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Synchronicity as an Acausal Connecting Principle with Robert Hopcke
In this conversation with Robert Hopcke, we discuss his journey into Jungian psychology, the intersection of religion and psychology, and the Jungian concept of acausal synchronicity. He shares personal experiences and insights on how Jung's ideas have shaped his understanding of the psyche, the...
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Exploring Frivolity as a Tool for Understanding the Self and Fostering Creativity
In this engaging conversation with Leigh Melander, we explore the profound impact of myth and storytelling on our understanding of ourselves and the world. We discuss the importance of frivolity and play in fostering creativity, the duality of good and evil in myths, and the significance of...
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Exploring the Connections Between Creativity, Psychology, Personal Transformation, and Technology with Nathalie Nahai
Description: In this conversation, with Nathalie Nahai, we explore the intricate connections between art, music, psychology, and personal transformation. We delve into the significance of creativity as a means of expression and healing, the exploration of shamanism, and the journey of leaving...
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Exploring the Evolutionary Intersection of Religion, Politics, and Family with Laura Betzig
In this thought-provoking conversation anthropologist Laura Betzig delves into the intricate connections between religion, politics, and family dynamics. Discover how historical shifts in societal structures have influenced modern ideologies and personal freedoms. Laura shares her journey from...
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Exploring Archetypes and Myths in Group Dynamics with Aodhán Moran and Brant Elwood
In this conversation, Aodhán Moran and Brant Elwood discuss their collaborative work on the book ‘Gods, Heroes and Groups: Relational Dynamics Through Mythic Archetypes’. They share their personal journeys into the world of archetypes, the role of myth in psychology, and how unconscious drives...
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E95: Danielle Layne - Being a Good Platonist and the Founding of Palinode
My guest today is Professor Danielle Layne, whose areas of expertise and publishing are within the domain of Ancient Philosophy, particularly Plato and the later Platonic tradition. Her interests in this area are diverse and wide-ranging with publications in Socratic studies, Platonic…
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E94: Mike Berger - Personal Causation and Psychedelics
My guest today is Mike Berger, the founder of Psychedelic STL. Mike stands at the intersection of consciousness exploration, community building, and advocacy. Having dedicated his life to the study of the mind, Mike has established himself as a key figure in the psychedelic community of St.…
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E93: JLM Morton - Compulsion to Creativity and the Practice of Art
My guest today is J.L.M. Morton, writer, poet, editor, celebrant and teacher based near Stroud in Gloucestershire, England. Her work explores contemporary rural experience and belonging, ancestry, place and practices of care, repair and solidarity across human and more-than-human worlds. Her…
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E92: Dr. Paul Turke - Evolutionary Pediatrics and the Role of Kinship Networks
My guest today is Dr. Paul Turke, the world’s first Darwinian pediatrician. He is board-certified and has been practicing pediatrics for 25 years. In addition to his formal medical education, Dr. Turke has done fieldwork in anthropology and demography on the Micronesian islands of Ifaluk and Yap,...
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E91: Jacob Nordby - Blessed are the Weird and Our Greatest Creative Project
My guest today is Jacob Nordby, co-founder of A Writing Room Collective, Heal + Create, The Institute for Creative Living Foundation 501(c)3, and the author of several books, including Blessed Are the Weird – A Manifesto for Creatives and The Creative Cure. He previously worked as the marketing...
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E90: John Bucher - Following Your Bliss and the Collective Heroic Journey
My guest today is John Bucher, a renowned mythologist and story expert who has been featured on the BBC, the History Channel, the LA Times, The Hollywood Reporter and on numerous other international outlets . He serves as Executive Director for the Joseph Campbell Foundation and is a writer,...
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E89: Teddy Hamstra - Mysticism, Enchantment, and Myth
My guest today is Teddy Hamstra, a writer and seeker in Los Angeles. He is the recipient of a PhD from the University of Southern California, where he completed and successfully defended a dissertation entitled 'Enchantment as a Form of Care: Joseph Campbell and the Power of Mysticism.' Recently,...
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E88: Monica Martinez - Narratives, Archetypes, and Wisdom
My guest today is Dr. Monica Martinez, an author, professor, podcaster, and Jungian psychotherapist who works in São Paulo and Granja Viana, Brazil. The aim of Monica’s practice is to encourage self-knowledge through tools and processes that encourage a fuller and healthier physical, emotional…
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E87: Aaron Balick - Human Psychology, Technology, and Artificial Intelligence
My guest today is Aaron Balick, a psychotherapist, academic, and a leading voice in the psychology of technology. As the author of the groundbreaking book The Psychodynamics of Social Networking, he pioneered the exploration of the psychological dimensions of technology, with a particular focus…
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E86: John Bonaduce - Mythobiogenesis and the Origins of Story
My guest today is John Bonaduce, a writer, lecturer, and theorist in “Mythobiogenesis”. John earned a doctorate in mythological studies with an emphasis in depth psychology. His specific expertise lies in his work on Mythobiogenesis, a term and theory he coined during his doctoral studies. John…
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E85: Randolph Nesse - Evolutionary Explanations for Biology and Psychiatry
My guest today is Randolph Nesse, a founder of evolutionary medicine whose work with George Williams inspired many to expand explanations of disease from descriptions of why and how mechanisms fail in some individuals, to evolutionary explanations for traits that leave all individuals in a…
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E84: Drew Norton - The Everyday Leader and Helping the Person We Used to Be
My guest today is Drew Norton, a dynamic coach and co-host of The Everyday Leader Podcast and The Climb. With a background spanning sales, hiring, recruiting, leadership, and training across diverse industries, he's a seasoned expert in cultivating individual and organizational success. His…
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E83: Cynthia Poorbaugh - Astrology and Mapping the Objective Psyche
My guest today is Cynthia Poorbaugh, a certified Jungian Analyst, faculty member and supervisor for the Jungian Psychoanalytic Association, and member of the Board of Directors for the C.G. Jung Foundation of NY. As an artist, Cynthia exhibited in institutions and galleries in New York from...
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E82: Dean Abbott - Reimagining Our Frameworks and Following Our Inner Guidance System
My guest today is Dean Abbott, a writer, podcaster, coach and spiritual director, who helps people live more soulfully in their relationships with self and others. We discussed X/Twitter, social media, publishing as a personal notebook, being helpful to others, personal development, asking ‘so...
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E81: Diana McKendree - The Psyche has Everything we Need
My guest today is Diana McKendree, a Jungian psychotherapist, educator, international keynote speaker, leader of women’s pilgrimages, and Iconographer. She is a senior faculty member with the Haden Institute, teaching Spiritual Direction and Dreamwork. Ordained an Interfaith Minister, Diana...
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E80: Scott Neumeister - Mythic Pathfinding and Connecting to Stories
My guest today is Scott Neumeister, Ph.D., a literary scholar, TEDx speaker, and mythic pathfinder from Tampa, Florida, where he earned his doctorate in English from the University of South Florida in 2018. His specialization in multiethnic American literature and mythology comes after careers as...
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E79: Polly Young-Eisendrath - Real Dialogue and a Dedication to Ending All War
My guest today is Polly Young-Eisendrath, Ph.D. a psychologist, writer, speaker, and Jungian analyst who is the founder and Executive Director of the Center for Real Dialogue in Vermont. She has published 19 books including, The Self-Esteem Trap: Raising Confident and Compassionate Kids in an Age...
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E78: Roy Wang - Mens Work and the Sacred Wild Man
My guest today is Roy Wang, a men's coach and believer in the renewing powers of the sacred wild man archetype. We discussed coaching, myth, beliefs, Robert Bly’s Iron John, the sacred wildman archetype, divorce, nice guys, people pleasing, mother wounds, father wounds, the Oedipus Complex, core...
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E77: Bradley Olson - The Prosaic Pronouncement of Poetic Ideas
My guest today is Bradley Olson, a writer, mythic explorer, and mythic life coach. Brad also works with the Joseph Campbell Foundation as the Publications Director, the MythBlast Series Editor, and the host of the foundation’s flagship podcast, Pathways With Joseph Campbell. We discussed mythic...
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E76: Cherron Sue - Radical Unschooling and Student Directed Education
My guest today is Cherron Sue, an unschool mom of two, a peaceful parent, a thinker, and a writer. We discussed unschooling, play, standard homeschool myths, socialization, home environments, judgement, church culture, boundaries, public school, public education, children’s emotions, public…
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E75: Bernhard Guenther - Inner and Outer Work
My guest today is Bernhard Guenther, a truth seeker, writer, lecturer, podcaster, and drummer. We discussed truth seeking, awakening, inner work, outer work, spiritual bypassing, detached objectivity, the evolution of consciousness, the psycho-spiritual, detachment without dissociation, evil…
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E74: Mina Stillwater - Spiritual Alchemy and Shadow Work
My guest today is Mina Stillwater, a writer, blogger, ceremonial magician, and avid researcher of the strange. We discussed fundamental Christianity, the Bible, historical parallels, metaphysics, grimoires, morals, values, synchronicity, the Police, alchemy, spiritual alchemy, chaos, four-fold...
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E73: Dylan Treadwell - Mythical Crossover and Dancing with Death
My guest today is Dylan Treadwell, a storyteller driven to discover and create transformative, empathetic, and cathartic experiences. You can read Dylan’s writings by subscribing to the Joseph Campbell Foundation’s MythBlast Newsletter. We discussed storytelling, campfire stories, first…
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E72: Todd Corsetti - Self-Ownership and Libertarian Values
My guest today is Todd Corsetti, the first elected Libertarian in Idaho, who ran for and won the office of Precinct Committeeman. Todd is a retired engineer and manager in the semiconductor industry, a student of Austrian Economics, and an active member of the Libertarian Party of Idaho, where he...
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E71: Matt Loesby - Libertarianism and Stop Doing Evil
My guest today is Matt Loesby, Secretary of the Libertarian Party of Idaho. By day, Matt is a full time software developer, who splits his time between volunteering for his church, developing a video game, hiking in the Rockies, and doing administrative work and activism for the Libertarian Party...
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E70: Personal Stories, Overcoming Grief, & Pathways To Healing, with Rick Belden
Welcome to the Explorer Poet Podcast. This episode will be a bit different. Rather than one guest, this is a group call, with a discussion facilitated by Rick Belden, who was first on the podcast back in Episode 51. He returns here for what was a virtual night of exploring personal stories, the...
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E69: Ron Rivers
Ron Rivers is an entrepreneur, non-profit founder, author, and lecturer. Ron’s focus is on binding systems and spirit in alignment with the single truth and relational universe. His efforts coalesce at the intersection of Spirituality, Web3, AI, Political Economy, Philanthropy, and Systemic...
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E68: Mollie Adler
Mollie Adler is a podcaster, writer and seeker, exploring emotional alchemy and the shadow side of the human psyche. She is the host of the Back From the Borderline podcast and the Night Night Bitches podcast. You can also find her writings at the Back From the Borderline substack. I’m a big fan…
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E67: Dr. Adele Lafrance
Dr. Adele Lafrance is a clinical psychologist, research scientist, author, and the co-developer of emotion-focused treatment modalities, including Emotion-Focused Family Therapy, and she’s also a psychedelics researcher, with a focus on ayahuasca, MDMA, psilocybin and ketamine. She is the…
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E66: Nick Taber
Nick Taber is a blogger and youtuber who writes about and discusses authoritarianism in school systems, the mental health industry, and the troubled-teen industry. He’s a proponent of true self-awareness and growth, and a believer in developing human potential. In our conversation we discussed...
About this show
When we listen intently, we become guests in the sitting rooms of other people’s minds, and in a small way experience each other’s version of consciousness. Through conversation we can check our abstract reality against the abstract realities of others, ensuring we move forward as a whole. All we need to do is make sure we keep talking.
Hosted by
Josh Mortensen
Categories