It was this week in 1907 that Jung & Freud met for the first time, and I was interviewed for the History Channel’s podcast HISTORY: This Week to talk all about it. (If you love James Hollis, as I do, he’s in the episode too!) Listen here.
At his home outside of Zurich, Jung carved the phrase Vocatus Atque Non Vocatus, Deus Aderit above the entryway: "Called or not called, God is present."
I spoke to this phrase in our recent Sunday gathering, reflecting on the unusual lineup of Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune in the night sky, and the overall feeling that the times in which we are living are… mythic.
“May you live in interesting times,” the apocryphal curse goes. And so we do.
I’ve committed to focusing our initial three gatherings in 2025 on a ritual process: an alchemical transformation of grief and fear into… something else. This is not to banish the feelings (not at all) but to ensure that we don’t become isolated, disoriented, or overwhelmed by the insanity. We are in this now for the long haul, and there is no end in sight. Whether or not we can metabolize what is happening will determine whether we can stand up to the onslaught of cruelty, one small step at a time.
A Ritual Recap:
As we began, I spoke about the potential of these times to really activate a sense of meaning and purpose for each of us. We are no longer simply sleeping consumers in a culture with no center. These “interesting” times provide a pulsing opportunity for each person to clarify their individual role.
I did a small reading* from Audre Lorde—just one quote!—and spoke to the fact that individual life force is a necessary component of change.
We entered into a short, silent free-write, journaling for 10 minutes to dump out all that we’re holding onto the page.
I shared the six themes I outlined after the election to help define a personal path forward. We entered into a free-write again, journaling on each point (related questions for contemplation are included in the recording and can be found here).
Take care of yourself.
Choose one creative project to commit yourself to in a sustained way.
Choose one area of activism, one cause, to which you feel particularly drawn, and commit yourself to that one thing for the long term.
Practice going underground and develop an intentional persona.
Lean into history, mythology, and science fiction.
Lean into love.
We then opened the space up for other voices, and I invited anyone who wanted to share verbally or in the chat:
One thing you’re feeling. What arose in the first free-write?
One thing you’re doing. What arose in the second free-write from any of the prompting themes and questions?
Some final sharing from the community. It’s always so good to be with you.
*Lorde’s essay is attached below as a PDF.
If you were with us live and want to share anything else that arose or has stayed with you, please do so in the comments below. Similarly, if you watch the recording and want to add your voice to the mix, please do!
The recording and comments are only for paid subscribers to protect privacy and create a closed container.
Paid subscribers* can watch the full recording, access the Lorde reading, and share comments below. Free subscribers can upgrade anytime to see the full video and join the conversation.
*If you’re drawn to participate but finances prohibit a paid subscription, please reply to this email or send me a note at satyadoylebyock[@]substack.com — I don’t ask for any explanation, just your honesty. All emails go directly to me.
