Speaking of Jung: Interviews with Jungian Analysts Episode 156: Gita Dorothy Morena
Mar 12, 2026
Gita Dorothy Morena, Jungian psychoanalyst, sandplay therapist and great-granddaughter of L. Frank Baum, blends Jungian psychology with Eastern spirituality. She discusses growing up in the Oz legacy, how Oz maps inner and outer worlds, archetypes behind Baum’s characters, shadow work in the witch scene, poppies as shortcuts vs integration, and perspectives on psychedelics and feminine balance.
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Changing Name At Osho To Escape The Oz Legacy
- Gita recounts her path from pre-med and family therapy into meditation at Osho's ashram and a name change to Dorothy.
- She links that renaming and spiritual retreat to escaping the family Oz legacy and finding her own identity.
Oz As An Archetypal Map Of Inner Life
- The Wizard of Oz serves as an archetypal template connecting inner and outer worlds through Dorothy's journey.
- Gita Dorothy Morena maps Oz figures to inner processes: Scarecrow (self-worth), Tin Woodsman (feeling/trauma), Lion (courage), Glinda (great mother).
Film Turns Oz Into A Dismissed Dream
- The MGM film reframes Oz as a dream and diminishes Dorothy's agency compared with Baum's book.
- Gita argues the 1939 movie reflects its era, patting women on the head, while the book presents Dorothy as stronger and tied to suffragist influences.
