Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 hours ago
Throughout human history, prayer has been a constant. Jung referred to it as “not only one of the most original but also the most frequent means to change the condition of mind”.
This week Jungian analyst ROBERT SHEAVLY joins Lisa Marchiano and Deborah Stewart for a Jungian exploration of prayer.
Everyone at some point in their lives will pray (even if we do not call it that). When we reach out for help, or to express gratitude for life’s blessings, we are reaching for a connection with the eternal and the infinite.
Prayer can be examined from the lens of the ego-self axis. When we pray, it can be understood as ego asking the guiding self for wisdom, from a position of humility and supplication.
Prayer is also linked to our mortality. It is integral to grief rituals. In desperate times, it gives us an act to perform that acknowledges our helplessness but also offers comfort. When we say grace at the dinner table, we offer expiation and acknowledgement of the life we’ve taken from the world in order to sustain our own life.
Visit our website to read today’s dream and follow up on the resources we mention in the episode:
thisjungianlife.com/prayerandpsyche
GO DIRECTLY TO THE DREAM: 48:48
Connect With This Jungian Life
Download our free Dream Recall Meditation Guide: tinyurl.com/DreamRecallMeditation
Send a dream for us to analyze on the show: tinyurl.com/senddream
Take a look at This Jungian Life Dream School, our online course in Jungian dream analysis: tinyurl.com/TJLdreamschool
Follow This Jungian Life on Instagram: instagram.com/thisjungianlifepodcast
Throughout human history, prayer has been a constant. Jung referred to it as “not only one of the most original but also the most frequent means to change the condition of mind”.
This week Jungian analyst ROBERT SHEAVLY joins Lisa Marchiano and Deborah Stewart for a Jungian exploration of prayer.
Everyone at some point in their lives will pray (even if we do not call it that). When we reach out for help, or to express gratitude for life’s blessings, we are reaching for a connection with the eternal and the infinite.
Prayer can be examined from the lens of the ego-self axis. When we pray, it can be understood as ego asking the guiding self for wisdom, from a position of humility and supplication.
Prayer is also linked to our mortality. It is integral to grief rituals. In desperate times, it gives us an act to perform that acknowledges our helplessness but also offers comfort. When we say grace at the dinner table, we offer expiation and acknowledgement of the life we’ve taken from the world in order to sustain our own life.
Visit our website to read today’s dream and follow up on the resources we mention in the episode:
thisjungianlife.com/prayerandpsyche
GO DIRECTLY TO THE DREAM: 48:48
Connect With This Jungian Life
Download our free Dream Recall Meditation Guide: tinyurl.com/DreamRecallMeditation
Send a dream for us to analyze on the show: tinyurl.com/senddream
Take a look at This Jungian Life Dream School, our online course in Jungian dream analysis: tinyurl.com/TJLdreamschool
Follow This Jungian Life on Instagram: instagram.com/thisjungianlifepodcast
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In this free edition of Jung Love, our subscriber bonus content, a Patron asks:
What are the dynamics in a womans psyche of the collusion between the negative mother and the negative animus?
Support This Jungian Life on Patreon and ask Lisa, Deb, and Joseph your questions for a chance to have them answered on Jung Love: https://tinyurl.com/TJLPatreon")
![[SUBSCRIBER BONUS] Dream Analysis: Anima Effigy](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/36aEDQ2SWSk/mqdefault.jpg "[SUBSCRIBER BONUS] Dream Analysis: Anima Effigy
In this free edition of Jung Love, our subscriber bonus content, a 37-year-old who is a musician and freelancer asks:
Im in a group of friends, all male. Were a band of thieves, artists, and squatters, all living together in close quarters. Im in love with one of them.
He plays Neil Young songs and I sing along confidently, knowing that my voice is beautiful. He is aloof and says to me, I want to set you on fire. And, I took an interest in you and listened to your music. Its too safe, too pretty, that is, not interesting to him.
Support This Jungian Life on Patreon and ask Lisa, Deb, and Joseph your questions for a chance to have them answered on Jung Love: https://tinyurl.com/TJLPatreon")
