In this episode I am once again joined by Mary Shutan: author, occultist, and spiritual teacher.

Mary discusses her new book “Shadow Work for the Soul”, shares her lifelong fascination with the psychological power of dark fairytales, and explains the function of social masks and personae.

Mary remarks on a notable increase in spiritual emergencies, a rise in nihilism and the “dark feminine”, and offers advice for those facing spiritual crisis.

Mary then takes a deep dive into shadow work, challenges common misconceptions, and offers surprising reflections on both new age masculine-feminine trends and “The Work” of Byron Katie.

Mary also reveals how to perceive the shadow in popular culture, warns about the danger of spiritual bypass, and explains how to identify and disarm the ego defences to go beyond one’s limitations.

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Video version: https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep294-shadow-work-for-the-soul-mary-shutan

Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’.

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Topics include:

00:00 - Intro

01:03 - An notable increase in spiritual emergencies

03:51 - Nihilism and other trends on the increase

05:30 - Collective shadows and the dark feminine

07:25 - How to work with nihilism

08:27 - Mary’s advice for those in spiritual crisis

09:39 - The psychological power of myths and fairy tales

11:26 - What can myths and fairy tales teach us?

12:19 - Archetypes and mythic figures

13:18 - Princess and the Pea and Sisyphus

15:21 - Seeing oneself reflected in myths and fairy tales

16:50 - Trauma isolates

18:00 - What is the shadow?

19:43 - What is shadow work?

20:08 - How concepts change when they become mainstream

21:36 - The evolution of acupuncture

23:51 - Limitations of the pop-culture version of shadow work

26:58 - Comments on Byron Katie and “The Work”

31:27 - The healthy ego and ego defences

33:33 - How to identify the ego’s defence mechanisms

34:33 - Intellectualisation vs embodiment

35:32 - Superiority/inferiority loop

37:09 - The world as a mirror

40:02 - Pop culture and politics

41:29 - Dangers of spiritual bypass

45:50 - Masks, personae, and perfectionism

47:36 - The importance of mentors

48:47 - Self enquiry traps and the dangers of labels

50:47 - Identifying with spiritual attainments

53:30 - When did Mary call off the search?

55:35 - Letting go of the high-achiever identity

58:03 - Anima, animus, and the masculine-feminine continuum

59:34 - Masculine and feminine dynamics in the occult

01:02:13 - Identifying collective shadows through pop culture figures

01:04:12- Today’s cultural focus on narcissism

01:05:41 - Noting your personal reactions to celebrity

01:06:02 - The cultural phenomenon of Taylor Swift

01:08:36 - Shadows of light

01:10:02 - Dark feminine rising

01:10:56 - Why “dark feminine?”

01:12:48 - How do we emerge from times of change?

01:14:48 - Mary’s view of the future

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Previous episode with Mary Shutan:

- https://www.guruviking.com/search?q=shutan

To find out more about Mary Shutan, visit:

- http://maryshutan.com/

For more interviews, videos, and more visit:

- www.guruviking.com

Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James