Dialogues with Sir Laurens Van der Post: A Mythic Journey, Parts 1-3

Program Description

From his home in London, this is a rare and fascinating series of talks with one of the giants of the 20th century, the late, Sir Laurens Van der Post. You will surely be inspired by his most amazing life. Adventurer, soldier, statesman, writer, storyteller, and philosopher, Van der Post addresses the major issues of our time—and the results are riveting. You’ll hear about his sojourn in the Kalahari Desert after WWII, his friendship with Carl Jung, and his time in a Japanese prisoner of war camp, and much more. Two major Hollywood films based on his writings, A Faraway Place and Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence, were released in the U.S. Awarded a knighthood (the C.B.E.) in 1981, Sir Laurens died after his 90th birthday, in December, 1996.

In Part I you will hear about:

• What is the future of South Africa and Nelson Mandela
• Why the the end of “the age of leaders” is relevant today
• What are the mythic origins of Hitler and Nazism
• How to recognize Evil and the Christ within
• What is the importance of personal dreams
• How his extraordinary experience in a Japanese prisoner-of-war camp relates to the present day
• Why his sojourn in the Kalahari desert after World War II is important now

In Part II you will hear about:

• Why his longtime friendship with Carl Jung is important today
• What is the significance of Jung’s work
• What are the essential differences between Freud and Jung
• Why Jung’s death and events surrounding it is a compelling story
• How history prepares us to face the future
• What are his perspectives on the I Ching and the nature of time
• Why the feminine and the coming age of Sophia is prescient

In Part III you will hear about:

• What are Sir Laurens’ views on China, Asia and “the East”
• How the collective and the individual dream relate to these changing times
• What is the emergence of new meaning and hope for the future
• What are the alchemical aspects of suffering
• How he handles mountains of correspondence
• What is his thought-provoking outlook, at age 86, on living and dying
• How Sir Laurens is described by Jane Bedford, his longtime assistant