Why life speeds up before transformation: Jill Marshall explores the quickening through stories, Jungian psychology and lived experience.

Why does life feel as though nothing happens for ages and then suddenly everything arrives at once? In this episode of The Download, Jill Marshall explores the archetypal rhythm of the quickening, that moment when long periods of waiting give way to sudden acceleration, synchronicities and transformation. 

Drawing on her work mentoring fiction editors and as an author, Jill shows how the pacing of novels mirrors the psyche’s own cycles. Her mentees are at the final stretch of their training, moving from slow, steady exercises into the rush of a full professional edit, and their experience becomes a mirror of this larger pattern. 

Jill connects this to Carl Jung’s idea of enantiodromia, Marie-Louise von Franz’s reflections on the unconscious, and her own recent experiences of events clustering together in uncanny ways. She explains how times of stillness are not wasted but act as a gestation before the sudden rush forward, and how the appearance of opposites at these moments is part of the transformation rather than a regression. 

Whether you find yourself in a season of waiting or in the swirl of too much happening at once, this episode offers perspective, encouragement and practical wisdom for recognising and navigating your own quickening.

00:00 Welcome to The Download with host Jill Marshall 
 00:34 Exploring the quickening in stories and life
 01:08 The final stretch for Jill's fiction editors
 03:47 The archetypal pattern of quickening
 07:11 Personal experiences of quickening
 10:41 Embracing the quickening and what it means
 13:53 Congratulations, conclusion and farewell

 If you’re curious to go deeper into these rhythms of waiting, transformation, shadow and integration, you might also enjoy: Letting Go of the Log, where we release survival patterns; The Invisible Child Archetype, where we sit with the shadows of self-abandonment; and Patterns Within Patterns, which explores the hidden cycles that weave through art, psyche and daily life. Those episodes sit right beside this one on the same journey. 

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Find out more about Jill’s best-selling fiction and storyworlds on girlpowerpublishing.com.

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We all carry invisible threads from our ancestry - imprints, wounds, and archetypes that shape our lives. In this episode, Jill maps these three layers and shows how recognising them leads to personal healing.

We all carry more than personal experience —-we carry ancestral imprints, family wounds, and archetypal roles that shape who we become. In this episode of The Download, Jill Marshall introduces a three-layered map of the self:

• Imprints — recurring family themes passed through generations
• Wounds — the sharper ruptures or traumas that scar a lineage
• Archetypes — the roles we unconsciously step into as a result

Through personal stories, a vivid past-life dream, and insights from Carl Jung, Caroline Myss, Robert Ohotto, It Didn’t Start With You, and The Heroine’s Journey, Jill explores how recognising these layers can reveal hidden patterns and open the way to sustainable individuation and personal healing.

Episode Guide
00:00 – Introduction: Why We Carry More Than Personal Experience
00:45 – Imprints: The Ancestral Echoes and Family Themes
05:16 – Wounds: How Trauma Creates Ruptures Across Generations
07:44 – Archetypes: The Roles We Unconsciously Step Into
10:14 – Case Study: A Past-Life Dream of Exile and Survival
12:30 – Integration: Bringing the Layers Together for Sustainable Individuation
16:07 – Reflection: Questions to Recognise and Transform Your Own Layers

Related Episodes You May Enjoy

• Float or Flow: The Courage to Let Go of the Log of Survival – Explore the metaphor of holding onto survival mechanisms—and what happens when we finally release them to embrace our creative flow.
• Everyday Angels: Subtle Support That’s Seen, Unseen, and Everywhere Between – Reflect on the small but profound acts of kindness that shape our lives, often without fanfare.

 ✨ Want to dive deeper? Watch this episode in full on The Download Connection YouTube Channel. And if you’re enjoying The Download, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who’s ready to unlock new ways of seeing and creating. 

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Find out more about Jill’s best-selling fiction and storyworlds on girlpowerpublishing.com.

Find The Download Podcast on YouTube, FaceBook, Instagram,
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How a novel foreshadowed a presidential reckoning, narcissist archetypes, and the prophetic power of fiction. 

Can a novel written years ago hold a prophecy for our times? In this episode of The Download, Jill Marshall explores the uncanny intersections between fiction and reality — and how stories can mirror the hidden truths of collective destiny.

Flagged up by an image of her novel The Most Beautiful Man in the World, Jill recounts a startling download she received in the wake of the 2024 US election: the sense that a personal presidential reckoning was unfolding, rooted in long-buried patterns. Through the dreamlike process of writing, Jill unknowingly tapped into the archetype of the dangerous narcissist — a figure whose rise and fall continues to echo in real time.

Furthermore, the novel itself had been developing since being published, seemingly on its own, with more dark secrets coming to the surface. 

This conversation dives into the mystery of whether writers and creators unconsciously predict the future by tuning into the undercurrents of the collective unconscious. It’s both a reflection on the prophetic power of art and an invitation to trust your own creative downloads as guides to the hidden truths shaping our world.

Key Takeaways

• How fiction can reveal and even foreshadow real-world events.
• The archetype of the narcissist: why it repeats, and what it teaches.
• Why writers often access the “collective unconscious” without realising it.
• How to notice when your creative work is carrying a prophecy for you — or for the world.

Timestamps
00:00 Welcome to The Download
00:34 Introducing Today’s Uncanny Episode
01:22 A Prophetic Download in December 2024
03:15 The Unexpected Novel: The Most Beautiful Man in the World
04:36 Writing in a Dreamlike State
06:13 Unveiling the Hidden Darkness
07:46 The Narcissist’s Pattern
11:48 A Prophecy or Psychic Echo?
12:41 Conclusion and Call to Action

About Jill Marshall
Jill Marshall is a bestselling novelist and storyworld creator whose work spans children’s and adult fiction, television development, and immersive cross-media projects. As host of The Download, she explores the patterns, archetypes, and intuitive currents that underpin powerful storytelling and guided lives. Through her books and voice-led platforms, Jill invites audiences to step into richly imagined worlds that mirror and illuminate our own — showing how fiction itself can reveal hidden truths and spark transformation. 

 ✨ Connect with Jill: girlpowerpublishing.com
🎧 Subscribe and leave a review to help more listeners find The Download.

Related Episodes

Creative Prophesy: How Books and Other Downloads Can Predict the Future

How Downloads Find You and Help You Find Yourself

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Find out more about Jill’s best-selling fiction and storyworlds on girlpowerpublishing.com.

Find The Download Podcast on YouTube, FaceBook, Instagram,
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What Stephen Bartlett’s advice about killing ideas teaches us about adaptability, creativity, and the pivoting power of mental liquidity. 

What if your “best idea” is actually holding you back? In this episode of The Download, Jill Marshall unpacks Stephen Bartlett’s provocative advice about killing ideas — and explores the deeper archetype behind it: mental liquidity.

Drawing on Jungian insights, storytelling, and her own creative practice, Jill reveals why adaptability is more powerful than certainty. By learning to let go of the concepts, identities, and even dreams that no longer serve us, we open ourselves to the deeper current of creativity and transformation.

Whether you’re a writer, founder, or seeker, this conversation invites you to embrace flow, shed rigidity, and discover the power of mental liquidity in your own story.

🕒 Chapter Markers

00:00 Welcome to The Download
 00:42 Stephen Bartlett on Killing Ideas
 02:10 What Is Mental Liquidity?
 03:55 When Holding On Blocks Flow
 05:20 Archetypes of Rigidity vs Adaptability
 07:15 How to Practice Letting Go of Ideas
 09:48 Mental Liquidity in the Creative Process
 12:20 Finding Freedom in Fluidity
 14:10 Conclusion: Flow, Don’t Cling

📌Related Episode Links

Letting Go of the Log: Embracing Your True Self (Ep. 24)

Patterns, Prophecy, and the Stories We Tell (Ep. 25)

✨ Want to dive deeper? Watch this episode in full on The Download Connection YouTube Channel And if you’re enjoying The Download, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who’s ready to unlock new ways of seeing and creating. 

Message Us!

Find out more about Jill’s best-selling fiction and storyworlds on girlpowerpublishing.com.

Find The Download Podcast on YouTube, FaceBook, Instagram,
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 How outdated survival patterns like the Invisible Child archetype can hold you back, and how to release them into flow. 

What if the very thing that once kept you safe is now the thing that holds you back? In this episode of The Download, Jill Marshall dives into the powerful metaphor of “letting go of the log” to uncover how survival strategies can turn into barriers to growth.

Inspired by the work of Debra and Dr. Rob Maldonado, Jill shares the image of a man in a river, clinging to a log to survive — but realising that to reach the shore, he must let go. She connects this to her own experiences with the Invisible Child archetype, revealing how outdated safety mechanisms can keep us small and unseen. Through story, metaphor and Jungian insight, this episode invites you to notice the “logs” you’re still holding on to — and to step into your authentic, creative flow by releasing them.

Key Takeaways

• Why survival strategies can turn into life-limiting patterns.
• The Invisible Child archetype and how it shows up in adult life.
• How to recognise when safety mechanisms are keeping you stuck.
• What it means to let go — and embrace your true flow.

Timestamps
00:00 Welcome to The Download
00:37 Today’s Metaphor: Letting Go of the Log
02:07 Types of Survival Logs
03:14 A Personal Log: the Invisible Child Archetype
05:25 The Invisible Child as an Adult
06:30 When Our Safety Mechanisms Backfire
08:28 Recognising and Releasing Life-Limiting Logs
09:24 How to Let Go
11:27 Embracing Your True Flow
12:00 The Hero’s Journey Still to Face
14:40 The Wisdom of Bridget Jones’ Dad
15:08 Conclusion: Let Go and Live Fully

About Jill Marshall
Jill Marshall is a bestselling novelist and storyworld creator, and host of The Download. Through her books and voice-led platforms, she explores the patterns, archetypes, and intuitive currents that shape our lives, inviting listeners to see creativity as both a mirror and a pathway to transformation.

Links + Calls to Action
🎧 Watch the accompanying meditation on YouTube: The Download Connection
✨ Connect with Jill: girlpowerpublishing.com
🎧 Subscribe and leave a review to help more listeners find The Download.

Message Us!

Find out more about Jill’s best-selling fiction and storyworlds on girlpowerpublishing.com.

Find The Download Podcast on YouTube, FaceBook, Instagram,
Apple Podcasts, Spotify and LinkedIn

In this episode of The Download, bestselling novelist Jill Marshall explores how resonance connects us in unexpected ways. Drawing on her experiences with two New Zealand Prime Ministers — Jacinda Ardern and Helen Clark — Jill shares how their leadership left lasting impressions, including a strange synchronicity involving a song about Helen Clark. 

This story isn’t just about politics; it’s about intuition, frequency, and the invisible patterns that ripple through our lives. Tune in to discover how synchronicity and resonance shape creativity, leadership, and your own hidden connections.

⏱ Chapters:
 00:00 Welcome to The Download
 00:26 A Curious Incident: The Power of Patterns
 01:26 Leadership in Action: Jacinda and A Tale of Two Prime Ministers
 03:26 The Resonance of Leadership: Helen Clark’s Influence
 05:25 A Serendipitous Encounter: The Helen Clark Frequency
 08:54 The Science of Resonance: Beyond the Mystical
 10:48 Your Invitation: Tuning into the Field
 11:08 Conclusion: Stay Connected and Keep Tuning In

Related Episodes:

• Synchronicities – the 1, 2, 3 Steps of Little Downloads
• Divine Timing or Coincidence? Where Synchronicity Meets Serendipity
• The Pattern Behind the Pattern: Following Intuitive Threads into Real-World Impact

 ✨ Want to dive deeper? Watch this episode in full on The Download Connection YouTube Channel. And if you’re enjoying The Download, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who’s ready to unlock new ways of seeing and creating. 

Message Us!

Find out more about Jill’s best-selling fiction and storyworlds on girlpowerpublishing.com.

Find The Download Podcast on YouTube, FaceBook, Instagram,
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Not every gut feeling is true intuition — sometimes it’s ego, conditioning, or the trickster in disguise. 

What if your inner voice wasn’t guiding you forward, but leading you astray? In this milestone 30th episode of The Download, bestselling novelist and storyworld creator Jill Marshall unpacks the difference between real intuition and its clever impersonators — from the ego in costume to trauma-driven impulses and archetypal saboteurs. Through stories, psychology and spiritual insight, Jill shows how to train your inner knowing with discernment, so you can combine intuition with strategy for decisions that are truly aligned.

If you’ve ever struggled to trust yourself, made a big decision that felt right but wasn’t, or been hijacked by your Inner Saboteur, this episode will give you clarity, courage, and confidence.

⏱️ Timestamps & Topics

00:00 | Welcome & Episode 30 Milestone
 00:26 | Intuition Isn’t Madness
 02:44 | Jung, MBTI & Types of Intuitives
 04:18 | Intuition as a Trainable Skill
 05:40 | Archetypes & Inner Voices: Mistaking Pattern for Intuition
 07:04 | Instinct vs. Intuition: The Five Levels of Intuitive Experience
 08:06 | When NOT to Trust Your Gut – three “false flags” of intuition:
 • Ego in Costume (Elizabeth Gilbert)
• Other People’s Voices (Oprah & Beloved)
• The Trickster / Trauma Impulse (Steve Jobs, Jill’s own Reckless Optimist + Saboteur)
14:00 | The Body as Barometer
14:30 | Intuition + Strategy = Real Magic (stories from Chris Hadfield & Arianna Huffington)
16:04 | The Download: A Discernment Practice
16:25 | Closing & Call to Action

🧰 Mentioned in This Episode

• Practical Intuition & The Prism by Laura Day
• Carl Jung’s Four Functions (Intuition, Thinking, Feeling, Sensation)
• Myers-Briggs Personality Types (INFJ, INFP, ENFP, INTJ)
• Archetype work by Robert Ohotto & Caroline Myss
• Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert
• Oprah on Beloved
• Steve Jobs and Apple
• Astronaut Chris Hadfield
• Arianna Huffington & Thrive Global

🎧 Related Episodes

• Synchronicities – the 1, 2, 3 Steps of Little Downloads
  
  
• Divine Timing or Coincidence? Where Synchronicity Meets Serendipity
  
  
• The Pattern Behind the Pattern: Following Intuitive Threads into Real-World Impact

Message Us!

Find out more about Jill’s best-selling fiction and storyworlds on girlpowerpublishing.com.

Find The Download Podcast on YouTube, FaceBook, Instagram,
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The Power of Patterns: Understanding the Spiral of Intuitive Downloads

In Episode 29 of 'The Download' from Wise Woman and Wordsmith, host Jill Marshall delves into the significance of patterns formed from the intuition in our lives. This episode explores how seemingly random events like gut feelings, dreams and synchronicities may form part of a larger, intelligent pattern guiding us. Jill discusses the phases of recognising, naming and integrating these patterns, whether in creative endeavors or business strategies. Using examples from nature, science, and personal experiences, she encourages listeners to trust their intuition as a form of deeper intelligence. Intuition is not just spiritual but also practical, merging the mystical with the strategic.

00:00 Welcome to The Download
00:36 Episode 29: The Magic of Patterns
01:11 Understanding Patterns in Life and Science
03:43 Intuition as Intelligence
05:13 Evolution of The Download Podcast Spiral
05:58 Phase 1: The Spark
06:55 Phase 2: Archetypes and Language
08:16 Phase 3: The Edge-Walker
10:15 Phase 4: Integration
10:57 The Ubiquity of Patterns
11:50 Conclusion and Future Directions

Related Episodes:

Listener-Favourite Episodes & Highlights

a. “Synchronicities: 1‑2‑3 Steps to Little Downloads”
We broke down synchronicity into simple steps - and listeners responded in kind.
One comment particularly stands out:

“I felt a buzz when you talked about noticing Wet Wet Wet and Bill Nighy synchronicities - it was like permission to tune in.”

This moment resonated deeply, giving others permission to trust their own inner signals.

b. “Creative Prophecy: How Books and Other Downloads Predict the Future”
In this episode, we dove into how fiction, dreams, and everyday texts can act as mirrors - or even guides - to future possibility. Listeners were amazed by how recognising these patterns in their own reading opened them to deeper intuitive insight and creative clarity.

c. “Through the Doors of Destiny: How Doors Unlock Intuition” (Episode 15)
This time‑slip episode featured a story where reality folded and past/future became fluid. Many listeners commented: “Yes! That’s happened to me too!” Moments like these helped others understand the power of intuitive thresholds in their own lives.

Message Us!

Find out more about Jill’s best-selling fiction and storyworlds on girlpowerpublishing.com.

Find The Download Podcast on YouTube, FaceBook, Instagram,
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Creativity in the Age of AI: A Personal Journey with Jill Marshall

In this episode of 'Wise Woman and Wordsmith,' host Jill Marshall delves into the intersection of creativity and AI. Addressing the fears and complexities surrounding artificial intelligence in creative fields, Jill explores issues of copyright, intellectual property and the integrity of the creative process. She shares personal anecdotes of using AI to build an app and generate writing material, emphasising AI's potential as a collaborative tool rather than a threat. The episode highlights the importance of embracing AI's capabilities while maintaining the human essence of creativity. Jill also suggests ways to question and talk to AI agents to make the most of the process and get the most nuanced response, with the example of her creative collaborations with designer Katie Gannon. This script, recorded episode and song at the end - and these very shownotes! - are co-shaped with AI, illustrating the theme of human-AI collaboration.

00:00 Welcome to Wise Woman and Wordsmith
00:43 The Intersection of Creativity and AI
00:57 Concerns and Challenges with AI
02:39 Personal Experiences with AI
05:19 The Joy of Creation
06:12  Co-creation with Katie G
07:00 AI as a Creative Collaborator
08:29 Final Thoughts: Power, Potential, and Partnership
10:21 The Wisewoman & Wordsmith Song from ChatGPT and Videogen
13:48 Closing Remarks and Call to Action

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Find out more about Jill’s best-selling fiction and storyworlds on girlpowerpublishing.com.

Find The Download Podcast on YouTube, FaceBook, Instagram,
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Unseen Angels: Embracing Everyday Acts of Kindness

In this episode of The Download from Wise Woman and Wordsmith, host Jill Marshall explores the concept of everyday angels - ordinary people who show up in moments of need to provide extraordinary help. Through personal anecdotes and reflections, Jill discusses the impact of subtle acts of kindness and the profound effect they have on our lives. Drawing on insights from spiritual teachings and real-life examples, she encourages listeners to be more aware and responsive to the opportunities for compassion around them. Join the conversation about paying it forward and the unseen forces that guide us through life's challenges.

 

00:00 Welcome to the Download

00:41 Exploring Everyday Angels

03:34 A Personal Encounter with Everyday Angels

09:16 The Importance of Paying It Forward

11:15 Judgment vs. Compassion

15:08 Final Reflections on Everyday Angels

Message Us!

Find out more about Jill’s best-selling fiction and storyworlds on girlpowerpublishing.com.

Find The Download Podcast on YouTube, FaceBook, Instagram,
Apple Podcasts, Spotify and LinkedIn