Lori Jean is a singer-songwriter and a student in the M.A. Depth Psychology and Creativity with Emphasis in the Arts and Humanities at Pacifica. She has just recorded and released seven songs about psyche. I’m delighted to continue the conversation about her creative process in this dynamic and unique program. Part II of II.
Angela Borda: Can you share with us the origins, archetypal or otherwise, of your song “Goldilox”?
Lori Jean: A classmate of mine was sharing a re-imagining of the story of Goldilocks that she wrote, and it really got me pondering how crazy it is that we villainize this little girl for desiring something as simple as a home. She’s painted as a selfish, careless thief for looking for a good meal and a warm bed. At the time I was already working on my song “Home” and reflecting on this archetype, so it was a really natural flow to move into how that archetypal energy can really drive a person into an almost manic search to find where one belongs. But I felt a really painful connection to her character both on a personal as well as a societal level as conveyed in the lyrics “she didn’t mean no harm, but all the hurt was gettin’ old, a little tired, a little worn, only did what she had to do. So someone tell me why Goldilox was damned, she was just looking for, a soft place to land.”
Angela: Have you deepened your artform or come to understand it differently through your time at Pacifica? Was there a particular purpose you held in enrolling in the Psychology and Creativity program that pertained to this or was it simply a call you answered to learn more about depth psychology?
Lori: I wasn’t familiar with the archetypal world, the nature of psyche and ego, when I started at Pacifica. The only thing I thought of before Pacifica was courting the muse. I would sit down and write and “make” something happen. Once I was at Pacifica, learning about depth psychology with this specific cohort in this specific program has been so formative, I’m really lucky to be around other artists at Pacifica who take seriously creativity as soul work, it’s very humbling. You’re surrounded by other people who are supportive of one another, and the faculty, who take it seriously. I undervalued being an artist and songwriter as just being a coping mechanism. But when I got to Pacifica and met both students and faculty who valued creativity on equal footing with the academic work, it was an Aha! moment. This isn’t just support work, it’s equally important. This program is so special; the artistry and creative work is such a core part of the learning.
Angela: What have you most loved about the HMC program? I understand that you were able to take time off from your studies to create this album. What was that like?
Lori: I told Dr. Mary Wood, our program Chair, “I feel psyche pushing me in this direction” and she was immediately supportive. It’s easy to want to be a completionist toward academia and just “Get it done.” But I’m enjoying this so much and there’s so much creativity coming out of me now. Now instead, I’m asking how I can make this last as long as possible, so I can make sure to leave no stone unturned. I don’t want to rush it. My goals have changed since I first applied. It’s about how to have respect for and do right by Psyche, because Psyche clearly brought me here. I need to be in the passenger seat and let her drive and see where we go with each passing class.
Angela: This year during the holidays, Pacifica is focusing on and talking about our core values of logos, eros, consciousness, integrity, service, and stewardship. Eros being about open communication, respectful relationships, care, and a heartfelt regard for a diverse community. What does eros mean in your own life and in your experience of your cohort at Pacifica? Has being in a program among other people with deep creative wells and a passion for depth psychology impacted you and your art?
Lori: I love the way Joseph Campbell talks about Eros. He reminds us that Eros is not just Cupid, or this cute baby in diapers. In India, the god of love is Kama, and he’s a big, vigorous youth with a bow and a quiver of arrows, with names on them like “Death-Bringing Agony” and “Open Up,” and he almost mercilessly drives them into you. So Eros is a physiological, psychological explosion that takes place, it’s a seizure! And it’s unpredictable, unbridled, there is no harnessing it. Being in Pacifica’s Depth Psychology and Creativity program has an unpredictable and far-reaching effect that you don’t realize until you sit down to do your work and then something someone said in class just breaks through your psyche.
Angela: Looking ahead, what do you have planned that you might like us to know about? Any other projects on the horizon?
Lori: I plan to make a new album in the new year called Psyche Songs. So follow me on Instagram for that. Psyche Songs will be more music I’ve written but haven’t yet recorded. More themes around communications of psyche coming down and having this wise, calm presence or message. A lot of new material about the current landscape of life in America and the importance of remembering the power of love. A couple songs for my daughters that are a little like me stepping into the role of Psyche and conveying to them my presence during their times of fear and doubt. Each of the songs are so different. More archetypal images and reimaging stories. Wonder tales, as I like calling them now. The other thing is that I’m hoping to represent the songs at the JSSS conference in Chicago this summer.
Angela: Thank you so much for your time and for sharing today. It takes a lot of bravery and dedication to put your music into the world in the way that you have, and I wish you the very best of fortune in bringing it to the ears of the world. I’d like to encourage anyone who is interested to find Lori’s music on spotify here, and on Apple Music here.
For those who would like to know more about the M.A. Depth Psychology and Creativity with Emphasis in the Arts and Humanities at Pacifica, visit us here.
To read Part I of the interview, click here.
As a folk singer-songwriter, Lori Jean stands out as a captivating storyteller, weaving melodic tales that resonate with anyone. Lori’s music transcends traditional boundaries, blending folk elements with a distinctive style that reads like pages torn from the chapters of her life. Her music explores the joys and challenges of universal themes like love, death, the transformative power of heartbreak, and planetary stardust. Lori’s journey as a storyteller extends beyond the stage and studio. She is gifted at asking the question “is this in service to the song?” when producing in the studio, which is why she so seamlessly moves between genres. With so many stories to tell, she fearlessly ventures into artistic endeavors like essay-writing, poetry, video storytelling, and parenting, where she explores many of the themes found in her music. All her artistic endeavors serve as companion pieces to her songs, offering fans an intimate glimpse into the inspiration behind her art. In a world where boundaries between artistic disciplines are increasingly blurred, Lori Jean stands at the intersection of it all as a transdisciplinarian, inviting audiences to embark on a multifaceted journey through her creative landscape. With her guitar in hand and stories to tell, Lori continues to enchant, leaving an indelible mark on any room where her voice is heard.
Angela Borda is a writer for Pacifica Graduate Institute, as well as the editor of the Santa Barbara Literary Journal. Her work has been published in Food & Home, Peregrine, Hurricanes & Swan Songs, Delirium Corridor, Still Arts Quarterly, Danse Macabre, and is forthcoming in The Tertiary Lodger and Running Wild Anthology of Stories, Vol. 5.
