A Life of Meaning

Exploring Our Deepest Questions and Motivations

By: James Hollis PhD

Narrated by: James Hollis PhD

Length: 8 hrs and 17 mins

Publisher's Summary

A masterful author and Jungian analyst examines the qualities that bring meaning to our human journey

What is it that brings meaning to your life? Our culture tells us to seek wealth, power, prestige, or even enrollment in someone else’s idea of a worthy cause - yet where do we turn when these myths fail to fulfill our need for purpose? “When the old stories and beliefs that once defined us have played out and grown exhausted”, teaches Dr. James Hollis, “our task is to access our inner compass, the promptings of the psyche that help us find our way through the complex thickets of choice”. 

Investigate the mystery of your existence through the portal of depth psychology

A Life of Meaning is a profound audio exploration of the nature of meaning and how we can orient toward it or away from it with the choices we make. Through examination of myth, literature, historical figures, and the wisdom of depth psychology, Hollis provides penetrating insight into the search for purpose. Here you’ll explore:  

• How our story-seeking mind forms our sense of meaning from early experience 
• Why these early stories inevitably fail as we are called to our own path 
• Skillfully accessing the inner oracle of your dreams 
• Shadow work - where we fear to tread, yet where our greatest treasures may be found 
• Missing the mark - examining the archetype of the Seven Deadly Sins through a psychological lens 
• Dispelling the “ghosts” that haunt our memories and possess our psyche 
• Finding personal resilience in times of internal and external change 
• Living more fully in the presence of our mortality 
• Guidance for coming into alignment with your soul’s abiding quest for meaning at any stage of your life 

Nobody else can provide you with a sense of meaning. Anyone who tries is attempting to enroll you in their own version. In A Life of Meaning, James Hollis offers no easy answers or feel-good certainties - instead, he shares his most valuable questions and reflections to help you find the courage, persistence, and inspiration to navigate your own odyssey. “It’s humbling work, this process of getting our lives back”, he teaches. “Yet I submit to you that's worth the price of the ticket, for in the journey our lives become ever more luminous”.

Download the accompanying reference guide.

©2020 James Hollis, PhD (P)2020 Sounds True

My Favorite Jungian

Another great lecture series from James Hollis. Hollis simplifies Jung's concepts, and makes them accessible to a layman like myself. I've read and listened to most of his work, and I feel that this audio book is my favorite. Further Recommendations are: What Matters Most, Swamplands of the Soul, and On This Journey We Call Our Life.

The clearest explanation of Jungian psychology

I have read a lot of James Hollis' books and other books about Jungian psychology. These lectures are the clearest, most interesting explanations of Jungian concepts and depth psychology I have ever heard. if you have never read or listened to one word of psychology, this recording will speak to your life. James Hollis is the most amazing interpreter of the modern human condition in psychological terms.

Meaningful and relevant and extremely well read

this book was more than a book it felt like a wise conversation with someone capable and caring and extremely knowledgeable the expansive
view of the author into the psyche was made even more beneficial by his references to great literature and poems ultimately this book has to be listened to several times in my opinion even with a pen in your hand taking notes because this man at this stage of his life has so much to offer most everyone

Profound wisdom for life

🥰 James Hollis has a way of speaking the truth in a way we can understand it.

Great Book

This book is a great source of wisdom and insights about life. I highly recommend this book.

Deeply moving, deeply profound,

James Hollis at his most meaningful, very personal and totally relational at the same time.

Excellent

Hollis digs at existential questions with dexterity sharpened by wisdom and experience. Authentic and resonate.

Insightful, thought provoking, and relevant

This is the second audiobook from Dr. Hollis in my collection, the other which is Through the Dark Wood which I have listened to many many times over the years. I really enjoy hearing him speak, his eloquent use of words and way of framing concepts which touch on the mysteries of life. Every time I listen I find inspiration and learn something new, and this lecture is no exception.

Being now in my mid forties I find Dr. Hollis' sage view points relevant to my own life, as well as reaffirming to my choices thus far and revealing areas I still have to grow. While someone younger could certainly gain wisdom and insight from listening to this, I have found in my own experience that I relate to his words more the older I get. I do not think that Through the Dark Wood, although powerful when I listened to it 10 years ago, landed as much as it did hearing it again recently. And I have a notion that A Life of Meaning may still yet reveal new significance to me in the years to come.

Regardless of age, I recommend this for anyone with an open mind that has a disposition for thoughtful reflection. Dr. Hollis does not provide the answers, but certainly asks meaningful questions with insightful anecdotes and brings light whereby one may find their own path. I'm sure I'll be listening to this one again.

Deep and Moving

James Hollis is a brilliant man, erudite, educated, compassionate, uniquely capable of guiding a person through the difficult landscapes of the psyche and beyond. His understanding of human psychology is grounded you Jung to be sure, but he calls upon poetry, mythology, world religions, literature and more to gorgeously illustrate the points he makes in each chapter of this book. There is much here to consider and this will be a book that one can return to often for support and insights.

A summary of his messages

C.G. Jung has many ideas that revolutionize modern psychology-- collective unconsciousness, personality attributes as introverts or extroverts, psyche as soul, non-sexual libido etc. Dr. Hollis' works focus on one of these concepts--individuation-- a psychological process that stresses the developmental aspect of human beings, especially after the mid-life (after age 40 or 50), and sometimes known as the second half of life.

Dr. Hollis has written 18 books centering on various issues and means to achieve a fulfilling life, and every book is worth reading or listening. To me this audio product is a summary of his lifetime works so far, except the last two chapters on ageing and mortality which are relatively new (I think that this is the first time he spends so much time on these two topics, in two independently separate chapters, though the themes and stories in these two chapters are not really new). If you are new to his messages, this would be a good listening that allows a level of familiarity with his works and a guide for his other books (my favourites being "Hauntings", "Through the dark wood", and "the Archetypal imagination", and this book). If you are already familiar with his works, the messages are a worthy repeat on how to live our lives--- how to deal with fear, gain personal authority, and link to the larger forces in nature or divinity.

I am a practicing buddhist and have long relied on teachings of Eckhart Tolle, Thich Nhat Hang, Ekharth Easwaran, Dalai Lama and many others for guide. Both Jungian psychology and Buddhism have a very clear view on the Ego and the suffering it causes. While Buddhism has a detachment approach to the illusion created by the Ego which is tremendously liberating, Jungian psychology calls for a deeper understanding on the roots of the psychological suffering (childhood conditioning) and take actions to outgrow it and become stronger as the result. The two approaches are complementary in the sense that the former invokes a state of being (attitude) that leads to peace, while the latter offers a recipe of doing (actions) that generates energy for life. A good listening. Thank you very much Dr. Hollis

James Hollis at his best

James Hollis has been a brilliant voice in the many discussions around mental health, and on the many questions on to how to navigate the uncertain journey of the second part of life. I admire all his writing till now, but this wise and compassionate book, and it’s elegant delivery, is nothing short of superb.

Profound

Dr Hollis once again offers us his marvellous insights and poses some searching questions on the nature of the deeper part of ourselves. It's great to hear him narrate this presentation in his usual relaxed way. Very special indeed.

Nourishment for the soul

I’m always stunned by how much wisdom Jim Hollis can cram into a single sentence. For me his books are a nourishing meditation for the soul that both lift and soothe in equal measure. Whether listening or reading Hollis’ work always invites me to walk in bigger shoes.

Saying yes to a life of meaning

Meaningful and inspiring. What a gift to be guided by James Hollis in this audio series.

The reader is not doing a great job here

The reader sighs and even clearly yawns at some point. There's little energy put into reading, the voice drags on and on, which makes the book difficult to follow.

If a person is serious about living a free life, they would do well to listen to Hollis

All reviews are personal. All I can say is that Hollis is well worth listening to/reading if you are feeling stuck or confused. In a very gentle and straightforward way he leads the listener through a tangled web of individual thought to see with clarity. If you hold on and keep listening (which is very easy by the way) one might just find your life can be very different and it’s all done with kindness and compassion. He takes the listener through early life, parental influence and other events that shape who we are. He asks the listener to check in with their ego and see it for what it is and then offer an alternative way of seeing what’s unfolding. He talks about the 2 halves of life giving the listener the chance to check out what they are hearing with their personal experiences. One eventually lands at a better understanding of the psyche and an invitation to befriend it. As I said at the beginning of the review, all reviews are personal reflections and I have been greatly encouraged and held by Hollis. I’m assuming he’s reading a script, but it never sounds like that but more like listening to a sage who knows what’s in the heart, offering a road less travelled. He offers a hand to help steer the listener through clouds that may have been unseen. Throughout he uses quotes and references which help orient each chapter.
A thoroughly good purchase from Audible. I whole heartedly recommend you invest some time reflecting on his take. He is easy and gentle. One doesn’t have to believe everything he says but this book may just change your life.

Excellent

Rarely write a review but had to say thank you, James. Thoroughly engaging and no nonsense. Already recommending this book to close friends. A great resource for these fundamental questions in life. Expertly delivered by the author himself. Thank you.

All I Need and Know to be True

Beautifully and humbly articulated truths about life and questions to ask yourself in order to discover how interesting and full life can be. Meaning comes from finding ways to flourish. James Hollis tells you how. Will recommend to all.

Simply Exceptional.

For many years I have been on a quest for self knowledge to deal with a traumatic past. I have tried Buddhism, the Yogic Suttra’s, the Bhagavad Gita, Mindfulness. Nothing worked. Mostly I find them too esoteric. Mindfulness annoyed because I believe it is a corporate productivity tool.
I now discovered Jungian, James Hollis. In one audiobook he has made more sense to me in a few hours. If you are on a path of self discovery then this is a great book to start. I have purchased other books of his since as well as books by Jung. This is not touchy feely, this is hard work that works. Thank you James Hollis for this new road of self discovery to rid myself of my false self and to understand my shadows.