I Hear Dead People‪™‬ I Hear Dead People™

Tom and Dorion give their collective (and) conscious take on the conversation with Carl Jung, exploring his insights on personality and psychological traits and revealing aspects of Jung’s complicated personal life — which may have led to some of his greatest work.

Topics discussed:


What’s your psychological “brand”?
The difference between serendipity and synchronicity (including some fascinating real-life examples)
Jung’s idea of the persona
The impact of Jung’s relationship with patient, student, colleague, and lover, Toni Wolff, on his personal and professional life
A magical illustration of what Jung was trying to do (courtesy of Doug Henning)
What Carl Jung and UFOs have in common (no, it’s not a joke — it’s a true story! Although there is a great Freud-themed dad joke in the main Jung episode…)

You’re not dreaming: finally, an in-depth conversation with Carl Jung, the father of analytic psychology, about the vast and varied power of the unconscious mind (personal and collective). As you’ll hear from the source, Jung’s psychological theories never get old; not only did he introduce terms you hear in today’s casual conversation (like “introvert” and “extrovert”), but he also influenced popular personality assessments, like the Myers-Briggs test.

Topics discussed:


The inside scoop on Jung’s falling out with his inspiration and mentor, Sigmund Freud


Jung’s belief that spirituality provides psychological value (and vice versa)


The benefit of understanding and working with your “shadow” self


The enduring power of the archetype in storytelling and life and how it informs our popular culture (Hint: It’s what Star Wars, The Wizard of Oz, and The Hobbit have in common)


The ever-evolving nature of personality and why, with intention and conscious work to become whole and integrated, you can enjoy a more fulfilling, authentic life


The lessons of a golden scarab and why life’s synchronicities should be treasured

Tom and Dorion reveal themselves to be the ultimate Marcus Aurelius stans as they review their conversation with the ever-popular Stoic philosopher. You’ll probably agree our world would be much better off if our leaders had even one iota of Aurelius’ character — and philosophy.

Topics discussed:


Virtue-driven vs. ambition-driven leadership (and, relatedly, a musing on if politicians had garage sales…)
What Stoicism and Buddhism have in common
The pitfalls of human reasoning
A dog’s tale about how to view your enemies, plus the consequences of rage
The power of Nature (and how doing what comes naturally can be the most heroic move of all)
Why everyone in Cirque du Soleil owes Aurelius a debt of gratitude

We’d say Marcus Aurelius was a rock star philosopher, but that would fly in the face of what being a Stoic is all about. Imagine being the most powerful person in the world yet taking time every night to jot notes to yourself about how to be a better person. That’s the kind of guy Aurelius was, and it’s also why his wisdom on navigating life’s complexities is as relevant to this day as they were in his time — and clearly something to, well, meditate on.

Topics discussed:


What Aurelius’ famed “Meditations” really were — and why his deeply personal observations weren’t meant to be shared
Why the mind is the battlefield that this Roman Emperor was most focused upon, even as he led the Romans through 12 years of war (the Roman–Parthian War of 161–66 and the Marcomannic Wars)
The dance between the ebb and flow of nature and that of the will of human beings… and how that impacts the future
How Aurelius embraced the Stoic doctrine and how he deviated from it (Hint: Cue the song “Feelings” by Morris Albert)
The best way to handle anger (along with all of your impulses and emotions)
Plus a few biggies: how to find true happiness, what’s the purpose of life, and what the heck he meant by “the universe is transformation: life is opinion”

Tom and Dorion dive back into the depths of their conversation with Friedrich Nietzsche to surface the core personal development golden nuggets that have only gotten more valuable over time.

Topics discussed:


How Nietzsche’s concepts are forerunners to today’s pop positivity, encouraging us to passionately embrace life, live authentically, and fully engage with each moment
Why we’ve got to be active — not passive — players in our own lives
A closer look at the Will to Power, and how our state of mind and character traits can help us drive toward excellence
The “why” of life — and why it’s all about self-expression vs. an endgame goal or purpose
Why suffering and struggle are essential components of growth and self-mastery
The double-edged nature of hope

The ever-memeable, often misunderstood, always compelling Friedrich Nietzsche might be best known for declaring “God is dead,” but it doesn’t mean he lived without beliefs, faith, and convictions. Join Dorion and Tom as they go deep with the rebel prodigy who urges us to become who we think we are by embracing suffering, rejecting absolute truths, and celebrating our individual creativity and expression. (Not what you’d expect from a renowned nihilist, is it?)

Topics discussed:


Why and how to welcome boredom and despair
Insights into his core concepts, including the ideals of the Übermensch (or Overman) and the Will to Power, and why nefarious actors, notably the Nazis, misappropriated them
How the Greek Gods Apollo and Dionysus can help us understand the inherent struggle of life: reason and rational thinking vs. feeling and intuition
The joys of embracing your fate (“Amor Fati”) — both the good and the bad — to affirm life
Nietzsche’s take on morality (Hint: it’s not what others say/do/impose; it’s an inside job)
The secret to a happy marriage (from this famously never-married philosopher)