Episode 234 - A Vital Union of Opposites

An old psychological idea suggests that when an inner situation is not made conscious, it must appear in the outside world as fate. On this episode of Living Myth, Michael Meade connects our increasingly divided world with the need to face and embrace conflicts and divisions within ourselves. “If we are to bring a greater sense of unity to the world, our work must include facing and seeking to resolve the tension of opposites that exists with our own psyches.”   Using ideas and images from alchemy and myth, Meade examines the process of polarization into opposites as an unconscious search for the sense of wholeness and unity that humanity has lost both collectively and individually. When seen in terms of depth psychology and alchemy, “separatio” describes a transformative process intended to lead to both revelation and greater unity.   Seen this way all conflicts and oppositions harbor a hidden lament for the loss of healing and wholeness. All arguments secretly point to the original split in the world, but also to its healing in a “conjunctio” or union at a deeper level. “Something ancient and knowing in us bends back towards the origins of life, instinctively knowing that what we're trying to find is the hidden unity, the lost Eros that is the glue of life, the longing for love and the felt sense of the divine.”   Thank you for listening to and supporting this podcast.  You can hear Michael Meade live by joining his new online series and workshop beginning on July 16.  Register and learn more at mosaicvoices.org/events.    You can save 30% on these events and further support this podcast by becoming a member of Living Myth Premium. Learn more and join this community of listeners at patreon.com/livingmyth.   As always, you can also support this podcast by leaving a review on iTunes and sharing it with your friends. On behalf of Michael Meade and the whole Mosaic staff, we wish you continued well-being and deep community connection during this period of great uncertainty and transformation.