In this bonus episode, we revisit the phenomenon of synchronicity — a concept Jung used to describe events that are meaningfully connected, yet not causally related. Often labeled as mystical or esoteric, synchronicity takes on a different light when viewed through the lens of narrative psychology. Building on our previous discussions about personal life stories, we explore how this seemingly irrational idea can, in fact, be understood in a rational and psychologically grounded way.

"There are no accidents." — Master Oogway, Kung Fu Panda

Mentioned resources:

Carl Gustav Jung, Synchronicity: An Acausal Connecting Principle (CW, v.8)

The Emerald Tablet (Tabula Smaragdina)

In this episode, we return to the themes we’ve been exploring throughout the previous thirteen conversations — the Midlife Passage and what it asks of us. We revisit key ideas from earlier episodes and take a step further by using the symbolic language of alchemy to understand what is happening within us during this profound life transition. As Jung suggested, alchemy offers a powerful metaphor for inner transformation — one that helps illuminate the psychological processes at work when our old identity begins to dissolve and something new, yet unknown, starts to emerge.Sources of quotes in this episode:

Carl Jung, Letters, Vol. 1, p. 483

Carl Jung, Collected Works (CW 17, §308)

James Hollis, The Middle Passage: From Misery to Meaning in Midlife

Zen Flesh, Zen Bones: A Collection of Zen and Pre-Zen Writings

If you've lost the meaning of life, should you be upset and rush to find it again?

A traditional psychological issue for a person standing at the midpoint of life’s journey is a crisis of meaning. The goals and purposes that once worked no longer do, and new ones have yet to emerge. But is that really the root of the problem?

In this episode, we’ll explore a different perspective—one in which meaninglessness is seen as a symptom — and see what kind of conclusions we arrive at in the end.

Authors and Thinkers Mentioned in This Episode:

- Carl Gustav Jung

- Viktor Frankl

- Jordan Peterson

- Søren Kierkegaard

- Paul Tillich

- James Hollis