Anima Mundi is a series of radio lectures exploring the connection between myth and society. Hosted by Scott London, the series offers a provocative "big picture" perspective on our world at the turn of the millennium.

From the Latin for "soul of the world," Anima Mundi refers to the mythic and psychological undercurrents that shape world affairs. The idea traces back to the ancient Greeks who believed that just as individuals have a soul — an inner essence that gives meaning and purpose to each person's life — so the world has a soul, a destiny that plays itself out in everyday events.

Carl Jung, the great Swiss psychiatrist, gave new life to this idea a half-century ago. As he conceived it, the world is psychologically contained within each of us. The health and well-being of the individual, he said, is inextricably linked with the welfare of society at large.

The speakers in this series take up that idea, applying it to thorny social issues such as poverty, racism, overconsumption, and violence in our schools, showing how these vexing social problems live and breathe deep within us, both as individuals and as a culture.

The series features prominent writers, philosophers, and psychologists, including James Hillman, Richard Tarnas, Marion Woodman, and David Miller.

The series is a joint production of KCBX-FM and the Pacifica Graduate Institute. It aired on National Public Radio stations in the United States in 2000-2001.