Jessica Depatie
Hi, I’m Jessica.
For the first part of my journey here on Substack, I’ll be writing for myself.
But if you're navigating your own contradictions and complexities this might be a place for you too.
Not because I have answers, but because I might be asking similar questions.
Confusion shared is better than certainty isolated.
So, I’m not going to write as someone who’s found the secret, but as a fellow traveler inviting you into my process of meaning-making.
For collaborations, conversations, or to learn more about upcoming projects: jessica@shadowmedia.group
I write about the in between places:
Where philosophy meets lived experience
Where spiritual inquiry intersects with cultural analysis
Where personal narrative opens into universal questions.
I'm interested in:
How we discover rather than invent our authentic paths
The role of pilgrimage, both literal and metaphorical, in human transformation
Why the most enlightened people I've met still struggle to human
How the exchange of value relates to our fundamental human need to contribute to something beyond ourselves
In “Finding Meru,” I’m ultimately exploring these questions:
How can we recognize our own truth amid endless external narratives?
And how might that commitment leave our world better than we found it.
About Me
I’m originally from Los Angeles, but now my partner and I live nomadically in a sense. Bouncing around from country to country until we settle on a liveaboard yacht to continue our adventures at sea.
I'm the creator of the "Shadow Work Library" podcast, where I explore the depths of human experience and the transformative potential of engaging with our shadows through the work of Richard Rudd’s Gene Keys.
As a documentary producer, I'm currently in post-production for "Dark Night of Our Soul," a film examining the evolutionary purpose of trauma and how our deepest wounds can become sources of wisdom and connection.
I'm also developing "Pilgrimage Unknown," a documentary which follows one man's transformative journey to the Vatican, exploring how physical pilgrimage mirrors inner spiritual seeking.
For a significant part of my career, I worked in marketing, developing an insider's understanding of how cultural desire is manufactured and meaning is created. This background gives me a unique lens to analyze phenomena that informs my critical perspective on attention economics and lifestyle optimization.
My path also led me to apprentice with a medicine woman, exploring the ancient wisdom of plant medicines and their capacity to heal and transform consciousness.
This experience deepened my understanding of the relationship between the natural world, human psychology, and spiritual development.
Finding Meru
"Finding Meru" chronicles my journey from muggle to muse. It's an exploration of what happens when we pursue a full life well lived.
The name "Meru" comes from various Eastern traditions.
It’s a sacred mountain considered the center of all physical, metaphysical, and spiritual universes.
My Meru isn't a destination but a state of congruence, sovereignty, and intentionality.
