Self

This episode is an interview/discussion between MJDorian and I, where we talk about MJDorian’s background as well as Carl Jung’s The Red Book and certain themes that relate to it like free will, the unconscious vs. the conscious mind, and creativity.

MJDorian is many things (artist, composer, musician) but he is most known for his production of his podcast titled Creative Codex. The framework for this discussion rose from my afterthoughts of listening to MJ’s miniseries on The Red Book. The link to those episodes, MJ’s website, and much more can be found below.

This conversation takes many twists and turns and was a very open discussion of both agreements and disagreements on certain aspects of Jung’s ideology as well as our world today.

This episode is much different than the first four – it is an update on what I’ve been working on recently and where I see this podcast and other works of mine progressing. This being the first Progress Update, I cover what I’ve done since the release of my first book and how it led me to this podcast. You’ll learn a lot about the purpose behind this podcast and the type of information I intend to share. I discuss why I’m currently researching books on the topics like free will, the power of choice, and the psychology of decision-making.

I plan to provide more Progress Updates periodically in the future so I can give some insight on what books I intend to read and other content I intend to cover in the upcoming episodes.

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This episode cover's Carl Jung's Modern Man in Search of a Soul, a book that guides psychotherapists on how to treat patients as well as individuals on how to improve their spiritual sense and mental health. Jung was one of the founders of analytical psychology, along with Sigmund Freud and Alfred Adler but much of his work was overshadowed since Jung showed some disagreement with Freud's work.

Jung has had a major influence on personality typing, being the creator of the words introvert and extrovert as well as being the #1 influence of the extremely popular Meyers-Briggs Type Indicator (today's most trusted personality test), which was discussed in Episode 2. In this episode, we'll learn about his view on the importance of dreams, spirituality, religion, and the unconscious mind. Through helping thousands of patients who needed mental help, Jung has a very unique and educational perspective on these topics.

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This episode has 2 parts. Part 1 is a summary of Benjamin Franklin’s life based on Walter Isaacson’s biography of him titled Benjamin Franklin – An American Life. You’ll hear his background as a printer/businessman, a scientist/inventor, and in American politics/diplomacy. Part 2 discusses some of the key aspects of Benjamin Franklin’s values, including: the importance of American individuals being industrious, his support of the Native Americans, and the importance of religious tolerance.

There’s far more to learn from reading Isaacson’s book but the purpose is to just share some of the key points I’ve found valuable.

People and things mentioned in this episode:

Episode 2 discusses the value that can be found from taking the Meyers Briggs Personality Assessment as well as reading Do What You Are. Whether you are between jobs or not, knowing your personality type helps you understand your strengths and weaknesses so you know what roles you are best suited for and what areas you need to work on most.

I break down the differences in personality types so that you may be able to figure out your type while listening and with a figure provided on my website, you’ll also be able to figure out your biggest strengths and weaknesses.

People and things mentioned in this episode:

Episode 1 includes a summary and tips taken from Ray Dalio’s book Principles. This is a book that I’ve read a few times and it has led me down an enormous rabbit hole that will lead to future episodes on personality types and other authors like Walter Isaacson and Adam Grant.

If you would rather read the manuscript for this podcast episode or to read along while you’re listening, it can be found on my website – www.twelvepaths.com.

People and things mentioned in this episode:

This is a short introduction, describing my background in the areas of self-improvement and self-discovery that led to this podcast.