In this episode of Gatherings, we unpack the enduring power of the vampire archetype. We trace its evolution from the gothic shadows of Dracula to today’s romanticized immortal figures, revealing how the vampire reflects the repressed, unintegrated, and wounded parts of the psyche. Drawing on insights from Marion Woodman and Michael Singer, we explore the vampire as a symbol of psychic energy turned inward—what happens when life force becomes blocked or possessed by the shadow. We also situate the myth in its social context, connecting its late-Victorian rise to cultural fears around feminism, sexuality, and capitalism. The conversation closes by asking why our current moment is again obsessed with the vampire and what this collective fascination might tell us about trauma, desire, and the hunger for aliveness.

What do a Renaissance magician, a modern neuroscientist, and a forgotten philosopher of language have in common? In this episode, I dive into a wild, mythically-informed rabbit hole that took me from the Corpus Hermeticum to the divided brain model of Iain McGilchrist and the linguistic revelations of Owen Barfield. Together, these three worldviews—Hermeticism, brain lateralization, and the evolution of consciousness—seem to be providing us with the same message: that the world is not dead, but alive… if only we remember how to see it.

This is a journey through magic, metaphysics, language, and psyche—a kind of Jungian time-travel into the heart of our disenchanted world. I explore how perception is not passive but participatory, how imagination might just be the bridge back to meaning, and why the way we attend to reality could be the most urgent moral act of our time.

If you've ever felt like something sacred has gone missing, or that the modern world has forgotten how to listen—this episode is for you.

Books Mentioned:

In this episode, Béa sits down with author Shylashri Shankar for a rich and layered conversation about her debut novel, Blood Caste. Set in 1895 Hyderabad and loosely inspired by the mystery of Jack the Ripper, the novel becomes a launching point for a deeper exploration of themes like prejudice, identity, and the tensions between cultures and values.

Shankar shares how writing the book was more than a creative project—it was a personal journey of transformation. The discussion moves fluidly between the novel’s historical roots and the inner landscapes both authors navigate in their own creative processes. Along the way, they reflect on the role of fiction in uncovering truth, the power of inner work, and why audiobooks can offer a more embodied reading experience.

Blood Caste is published in the UK and in all English-speaking countries by Canelo Crime, [DK/Random House]. It will be available on Audio on August 7th.

Shylashri Shankar | Canelo Crime

In this episode Béa interviews award-winning literary scholar, poet, and Jungian thinker Roula Maria Dib. Together, they explore Jung’s evolving place within feminist thought, the role of the feminine archetype in the psyche, and the power of poetry and art as healing practices. The conversation moves through themes of visionary art, dreams, creativity, and how artists serve as vessels for the collective unconscious. Roula offers insights into her own work, including her books The Jungian Metaphor: Modernist Literature and Simply Being--and speaks to the necessity of creating spaces for meaningful dialogue and community.

The episode also features a powerful personal story about how a dream helped Roula recognize a life-threatening illness in her daughter—underscoring the importance of cultivating an ongoing relationship with the unconscious. For anyone drawn to Jungian depth psychology, feminist perspectives, and the transformative nature of art and dreams, this conversation offers rich ground for reflection.

Books & Links Mentioned in This Episode:

• The Jungian Metaphor: Modernist Literature (2020) by Roula Maria Dib https://labrc.co.uk/roula-maria-dib/

In this episode of Gatherings, we welcome writer and mythic guide Carly Mountain, author of Descent and Rising. Together, we explore the ancient Sumerian myth of Inanna, a powerful narrative of descent, embodiment, and feminine transformation.

Carly shares how the myth mirrored her own personal journey and why it continues to speak to modern women facing burnout, identity shifts, or creative rebirth. We explore the myth’s cultural resurgence, its symbolic contrast to artificial intelligence, and its call to reclaim erotic intelligence, surrender, and embodied wisdom. Carly reframes surrender not as weakness but as the courage to meet what’s real—and sees descent not as failure, but as the doorway to collective healing.

For those navigating inner thresholds, this episode may serve as both map and medicine.

For more information about Carly’s book and workshops: Writer, Psychotherapist and Women's Initiatory Guide.

In this episode, Béa sits down with author and depth psychologist Connie Zweig to explore what it really means to “romance the shadow.” We speak about the lifelong task of making the unconscious conscious, the myths that still live in us, and how shadow work becomes even more essential as we age.

Drawing from her decades of writing and teaching—from Meeting the Shadow to The Inner Work of Age—Connie offers insight into how the parts we reject hold the keys to our vitality, our creativity, and even our spiritual growth.

This is a conversation about memory, myth, inner figures, and the radical courage it takes to turn toward what we’ve exiled within.

Connie Zweig, Ph.D. is a retired Jungian therapist and author of Meeting the Shadow (A New Edition is now available) and Romancing the Shadow (A New Edition is now available). Her award-winning book, The Inner Work of Age: Shifting from Role to Soul, extends Shadow-work into midlife and beyond and explores aging as a spiritual practice. Her book, Meeting the Shadow on the Spiritual Path: The Dance of Darkness and Light in Our Search for Awakening, extends shadow-work into religion and spirituality. Her new PODCAST, Dr. Neil’s Spiritual Awakening to Non-Duality, posts on all podcast platforms. See her new SUBSTACK for livestreams and new writing: https://www.shadowworkawareness.com/about.

In this episode, we explore the creative process. Is it limited to the material work we produce, or is the true creative path the inner work we do as part of the individuation journey? What kinds of conversations should we be having? How does dream work factor into the process? And does an artist need to reveal something meaningful to the collective for their work to be considered art?

Books mentioned in this episode:

The Creative Act: A Way of Being (Rick Rubin)

The Archetypal Artist: Reimagining Creativity and the Call to Create (Mary Antonia Wood)

Carl Jung and Arnold Toynbee: The Social Meaning of Inner Work (J. Gary Sparks)

Quote from Long Life: Essays and Other Writings, by Mary Oliver:

"And that is just the point: how the world, moist and bountiful, calls to each of us to make a new and serious response. That's the big question, the one the world throws at you every morning. 'Here you are, alive. Would you like to make a comment?'"

Do you ever feel like something's off with the way we think as a society? In this episode, we explore the groundbreaking work of Iain McGilchrist, who argues that an imbalance in our brains, favoring the left hemisphere's focus on control, could be leading us down a dangerous path. The discussion delves into how McGilchrist's theories connect with Jungian psychology and the importance of and the importance of a holistic view of things. Tune in to learn more about this fascinating perspective!

Show notes:

Books mentioned

The Master and His Emissary (McGilchrist)

The Matter With Things (McGilchrist)

The Dream of the Cosmos: A Quest for the Soul (Anne Baring)

Addiction to Perfection: The Still Unravished Bride (Marion Woodman)

Podcast episodes mentioned

Understanding The Matter with Things Dialogues Episode 28: Ch 28 The sense of the sacred

A Revolution in Thought? Lecture by Dr. Ian McGilchrist