Lifefulness: Live Life Fully

Gillian Straine is a remarkable woman, who has a physics pHd, then became a priest and now runs a charity that is exploring how churches can create health. As the healthcare system in the UK faces more strain, she sees congregations as vital way we can create wellbeing. On top of that, she's great company, which means she's pretty much our ideal guest.What we found particularly thought-provoking was the rich and progressive way she viewed health. Health isn't just not being sick, but being able to really flourish and grow as part of a society that is healthy. Her theology has led her to a definition of health that is totally aligned with that of many innovators in the healthcare space today.In this podcast she speaks about the charity that she leads, how she helps local vicars see their work through a healthcare lens, her struggle within the church and much else besides.You can follow her on Twitter @gillianstraineLifefulness ProjectInterviewing Gillian is part of our work at The Lifefulness Project to create a new science of secular and inclusive congregations. We believe the lessons from spiritual communities and congregations can be adapted in a way that can be applied in an organisation or community, or an individual's life.We are dedicated to building community online which leads to connection online, and we do that through our small groups. You can become a member here.Please subscribe to the podcast wherever you hear it. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

We love Dean Burnett: neuroscientist, comedian, author, journalist and general spreader of wisdom. On the pod we talk to him about the neuroscience of grief, which became a major focus when he lost his father to CovidHearing how he had to say goodbye over the phone to his unconscious Dad will leave you in bits (or at least it got to me). What makes Dean such a great guest is that he can switching between exploring the deep pain, to discussing a key academic finding, and then he'll throw in a joke.We discuss:Socially distant funeralsThe importance of funerals in grievingThe power of grief journals The death of Robin WilliamsSeparating science writing from politicsMore about Dean:Dean Burnett is a Welsh neuroscientist and author. He is best known for writing the book ‘The Idiot Brain', which was shortlisted for the 2016 Goodreads Best Science & Technology Book Award. His books have been translated into more than twenty languages. He began his writing career as a result of his satirical science column ‘Brain Flapping‘ at the Guardian, which ran from 2012 to 2018 which was the most read on the Guardian science network, with over 15 million views since 2012. The blog now runs at the Cosmic Shambles network.Lifefulness CommunityWe always talk about the Lifefulness Community because that is what we're all about. The next intake of Lifefulness Small Groups is open now.Thanks so much for listening!Lifefulness Small Groups See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In 2013 Sunday Assembly launched, it was a new movement of non-religious congregations that spread across the world. Today we interview Dr. Josh Bullock who wrote his pHd on the sociology of Sunday Assembly through in-depth interviews with members and participants.The interview is a fascinating deep dive into a truly pioneering organisation which I should mention, I co-founded. In a world (oooh, that sounds very movie trailer-esque) where division, polarisation, atomisation and meaninglessness prowl in rosebushes, the questions that are being asked and answered in Sunday Assembly are vital.In this interview we really dive into who attends Sunday Assembly, why do people join these communities, who is the 'average' attendee, why is the congregation so white, and much else besides.Josh's phd: https://eprints.kingston.ac.uk/id/eprint/41775/ See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

It's our birthday! Or at least it was two weeks ago. Yes, the Lifefulness Podcast is 1 year old, which totally blew our minds. We decided to do a special episode reflecting on what we've learnt through 63 interviews. The 8 questions we dig into are:1) What did you learn about Lifefulness?2) What did our guests have in common?Then we dig into the 6 PIllars of Lifefulness:3) What did we learn about Ultimate Meaning?4) What did we learn about Celebration and Contemplation?5) What did we learn about Community Life?6) What did we learn about Personal Growth?7) What did we learn about Serving Others?8) What did we learn about Speaking Truth?It turns out that speaking to incredibly smart people every week, will do wonders for your thinking. We've essentially had deep-dives with thought leaders in our field once every 7 days, and boy has it helped us.Thanks so much for listening. You're amazing. We love doing this for you. Can't wait to see where it goes. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Great new podcast today with a legend in the world of online community building, Rosie Sherry. Rosie turned her first community into a $1.5 million business, before being hired by the Indie Hackers site to turbo-charge their growth. Now she's been hired to build community for a software company that builds community building software - a sure sign she's one of the best.Why are we interviewing her? Because community is vital to Lifefulness, and to living life fully, and she's been at the forefront. Rosie is part of the growing number of secret secular vicars, or stealth chaplains, who are carving their own way in the world.In this interview we talk about:What people get from community.The dangers of online community.The myths around online community.The reason business is suddenly into community.And much more....Can't wait for you to listen to the podcast. Please follow Rosie on social media and check out her work online - she's great! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Ed Gillespie is a British environmental entrepreneur, speaker, futurist, and author. His focus is on sustainability and innovation. You'll love him! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Meet the incredible Cassie Robinson. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Jillian Richardson is a loneliness expert, professional facilitator, and bestselling author. She's also the founder of The Joy List, a weekly newsletter of community-centered events in NYC.In her work she helps people learn the skills to connect more deeply to themselves and others, and has inspired thousands through her workshops, interviews, and public speaking engagements. Jillian has been featured as a source for NPR, The Wall Street Journal, NBC, and Outside Magazine, among many other outlets. Jillian is a certified coach through the Coach Training Alliance and a current Community Minister at Judson Memorial Church. She geeks out over the future of spirituality outside of organized religion and is considering becoming an interfaith minister. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Mark Vernon is psychotherapist and writer, with a keen interest in spirituality and inner life. He has a PhD in ancient philosophy, as well as degrees in physics and in theology. His latest book, A Secret History of Christianity, is out now.He has contributed to and presented a number of programmes on the radio, writes as a journalist, with his work being published by the BBC, Aeon, Church Times, and elsewhere. He teaches at The Idler Academy and also lead workshops and give talks.He's recently started working with the think tank Perspectiva on renewing our sense of relating to the spiritual aspects of life, be that at an individual or social level. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tez Ilyas is one of the most celebrated stars in British comedy, an author and an activist. The guy is also one of a new generation of British Muslims who are public and proud about their heritage. This is all explored in his new book 'The Secret Diary of a British Muslim Aged 13 3/4'. In this conversation we explore his life, have a laugh and all of that but the thrust of the conversation is to explore what Muslims get from going to mosque. What are the different practices? What does he get from them? How do they make him feel? In a country that is culturally Christian the ins and outs of Muslim life are relatively unknown. This conversation is a companion to our interview with Liz Oldfield called 'What Do People Actually Get From Church'.You'll have seen Tez on Live at The Apollo (BBC Two), The Last Leg (C4), Mock the Week (BBC Two), Live From the BBC (BBC Two), The Chris Ramsey Show (Comedy Central), Man Like Mobeen (BBC Three), Roast Battle (Comedy Central) and The Great British Bake Off: An Extra Slice (C4). Tez' Channel 4 comedy Blap Bounty was the most watched show in the strand's 10 year history. Oooooh. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Forgive the Buzzfeed headline but, sometimes, they're totally deserved. I'd been looking forward to speak to Kai Whiting for a while. Why? Because he's a Stoic philosopher lecturing at Louvain University in Belgium; sustainability campaigner with a background in environmental engineering; and author of 'Being Better: Stoicism for a World Worth Living In'.Kai already had a great start but then, at the start of the interview, he revealed something all of my research hadn't turned up. The thing I learnt about our impressive Stoic philosopher is super interesting and couldn't be more on-brand for The LIfefulness Project.Please tell us what you think. We think this conversation is epic. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Gwendoline Smith is our amazing guest today, who dives into her specialist subject of overthinking. What is overthinking? Why does it affect so many people today? And how can you break the cycle? We explore all this and more.Dr. Gwendoline Smith is a clinical psychologist, author and science celeb in New Zealand, where her 'Book of Knowing' was a surprise best-seller. Now, she's bringing her trademark bullshit free vibe to The Lifefulness Project to dig into overthinking. You'll love it. She's great. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

If you've ever been stressed or overwhelmed at work then this is the podcast for you. Cate Sevilla is an author and journalist who has written a book that's an antidote to the business guru, hustle culture propaganda that is so common. The conversation is super refreshing, realistic and full of practical ways to make work more enjoyable.We delve into:Why you shouldn't bring your whole self to work.The importance of recognising the issues you're bringing.The power of giving less of a sh*t.Finding the work you love.How To Work Without Losing Your MindCate's book is called 'How To Work Without Losing Your Mind' and you can find it here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Work-Without-Losing-Your-Mind/dp/0241439663The Lifefulness CommunityIf you like what we talk about here, then check out our community: https://www.lifefulness.io/lifefulness-membershipSocial MediaSanderson Jones on Twitter: https://twitter.com/sandersonjonesThe Lifefulness Project on FB: https://www.facebook.com/thelifefulnessproject/The Lifefulness Project on Insta: https://www.instagram.com/thelifefulnessproject/ See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Well, this episode was a lot of fun. Jon Yates is an expert in the fabric of society itself, and his latest work shows how division in society isn't just unpleasant but bad for our economy, social mobility, and even our health. The leaping off point for this conversation is his new book 'Fractured' which draws on all his experience as one of the most successful charity leaders in the UK.Today he's the Executive Director of the Youth Endowment Fund, a £200m fund focused on integrating young people into society. He got there through Oxford University, working in councils, McKinsey and as co-founder of a series of charities and initiatives including The Challenge and More in Common aimed at improving life chances and understanding. These programmes now reach 1 in 6 Britons in their lifetime. Not bad.This conversation is super important, and made James and I even more committed to the idea of community (though we also have a good old disagreement which is also fun).Jon's Book:'Fractured' by Jon Yates - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fractured-societies-coming-apart-together/dp/0008463964The Lifefulness CommunityIf you like what we talk about here, then check out our community: https://www.lifefulness.io/lifefulness-membershipSocial MediaSanderson Jones on Twitter: https://twitter.com/sandersonjonesThe Lifefulness Project on FB: https://www.facebook.com/thelifefulnessproject/The Lifefulness Project on Insta: https://www.instagram.com/thelifefulnessproject/ See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Today we interview the social and political philosopher David Rondel, who has recently edited the 'Cambridge Companion to Richard Rorty'. Why did we want to interview one philosopher about another philosopher? Because Richard Rorty wrote a seminal essay on the decline of the Left in the West that serves as a blueprint for the rise of Trump, Brexit and authoritarianism. If we are to build a world where everyone is included, we'll need to think long and hard about how we're able to do that.It's the first time we've had an interviewee come in to breakdown the work of a thinker in this way so please do let us know how it goes.If you want to read up more on the Richard Rorty's predictions of the rise of the strongman in US politics here are two great starting points:The Atlantic - https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/07/advice-for-the-left-on-achieving-a-more-perfect-union/531054/Vox - https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/2/9/14543938/donald-trump-richard-rorty-election-liberalism-conservatives See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

I love Meg-John Barker, and you will too. We met for the first time on the pod but her wisdom, kindness and laugh won me over. An esteemed academic psychologist, theraprist and author they were fascinating company for this wonderful conversation. The key things we spoke about were the problems with self-help books, the need to reimagine self-care, the centrality of trauma to all of us and the inhumane systems we all have to live in. 'Hell Yeah, Self-Care' - MJB's brilliant new book - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hell-Yeah-Self-Care-Trauma-Informed-Workbook/dp/1787752453 See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

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Today our guest is an old friend Rich Watkins who is a poet, community builder, spiritual adventurer, business strategist and much more. Rich is someone I ring up for guidance because he straddles the organisational, spiritual and community world in a way that is rare. We dig into his journey from teenage evangelical to post-church community builder and spiritual explorer.Personal site: https://www.richwatkins.com/Poetry: https://www.richwatkins.com/poetry See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

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Our food production systems are the single biggest cause of environmental change, while diseases linked to our eating habits are at epidemic levels and increasing. Our guest Dr. Cassandra Coburn uses the latest scientific research to address this vital question: can we provide a growing population with a healthy diet from sustainable food systems?Fortunately for us all, the answer is yes.Cassandra is awesome company and shows how it is possible to eat well and save the planet.Her work is all based on a seminal piece of research from 2019, the Planetary HealthDiet (PHD), Dr Coburn reveals the hidden consequences of our food choices, and how we can easily make changes which are better for ourselves and the planet. She details which food groups we should be eating, which we should avoid – and why.Changing our way of eating is something that each of us has the power to do, and she inspired me to make some changes. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Our guest is the brilliant Dr. Carlos Saba has worked with hundreds of entrepreneurs and purpose-driven business hippies through the Happy Start Up School. Carlos is an old friend of mine who is one dose wisdom to two doses of great company. We dig into how he created an international community that serves the needs of people seeking careers that contribute positively to the world, while doing work that they love. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Forgive the slightly flippant title but Emmy Brunner, psychotherapist, trauma specialist and author, makes talking about trauma fun. So, don't get put off by the word trauma, and dive in for a fascinating conversation. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

You need more conflict in your life. That's the position of Ian Leslie author of the book 'Conflicted: Why Arguments Are Tearing Us Apart and How They Can Bring Us Together'.Did you know marriages with more conflict last longer? Businesses with more conflict are more successful? Children who argue with their parents more are happier?The one caveat is that it has to be the right type of conflict. Ian is the perfect guide as he studies human behaviour then writes about about psychology, culture, technology and business for the New Statesman, the Economist, the Guardian and the Financial Times. His website is here: https://ian-leslie.com/Twitter here: https://twitter.com/mrianleslieYou can buy his book here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Conflicted-Arguments-Tearing-Apart-Together/dp/0571346944 See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

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Do you want to really feel alive? Do you to feel like you’re living a meaningful life? Do you want to feel more connected to your values?We’re spending time with Professor Tanya Luhrmann from Stanford University. She’s a psychological anthropologist known for her studies of modern-day witches, and charismatic Christians who is particularly interested in how culture shapes their spiritual experiences. Tanya Luhrmann is a rock star in the anthropology world.She was elected a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2003, president of the Society for Psychological Anthropology for 2008 and was given a Guggenheim award.Tanya's work is relevant because through her research of spiritual communities (and in this interview) she breaks down exactly how religious people bring their beliefs to life. Techniques that you - whether you're religious or non-religious - can use to make what is most important to you real in your every day.There's so much in this conversation and I can't wait for you to hear it. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

That was our guest Tiu de Haan who is a Ritual Designer, Creative Facilitator and Idea Doula. James and I will speak to this midwife of creativity about the power of rituals. There are ideas in here that can be applied to business, failed projects, grief and many more. I learnt something fascinating about Tiu’s upbringing which made me see her in a whole new light. It also helped me understand why she is able to translate esoteric creative and spiritual ideas into the language of the 21st century.You’ll find out why Tiu has worked with Google, The World Economic Forum, the UN, L’Oreal and more.If you loved the ideas in this podcast and want to delve into them deeper, then check out the Lifefulness Community. We meet online for group coaching sessions twice a month, which explore these life-changing concepts. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In Anna Karenina Leo Tolstoy famously wrote "All happy families are alike, but every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way".Join our interview with author Robert Kolker whose book 'Hidden Valley Road' explores a family that pushes that dictum to the absolute edge.This conversation explores the themes that are brought up in his extraordinary book 'Hidden Valley Road'. The book chronicles the schizophrenia that haunted the Galvin family, who were considered 'the most mentally ill family in America'.The Galvin parents had twelve children (10 sons and 2 daughters) but six of the boys would meet untimely ends due to schizophrenia.The book is a tour de force that gives an insight into schizophrenia, family dynamics, the nature of mind and much else. The characters of the Galvin family seemed plucked from The Royal Tennenbaums, the mental breakdowns from Jacob's Ladder, and the America we see is straight from Easy Rider.'Hidden Valley Road' was an instant #1 New York Times best-seller and selection of Oprah's Book Club that was named a Top Ten Book of the Year by the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, and Slate; one of the year’s best by NPR, the Boston Globe, the New York Post, and Amazon; the #1 book of the year by People; and one of President Barack Obama’s favorite books of 2020.We'll explore the science of schizophrenia, the lessons he learnt and try to take in this incredible tale. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Gabija Toleikyte is a neuroscientist who received training as a coach while doing her PhD in neuroscience. We're speaking to her because she wrote a brilliantly title book called 'Why The F*ck Can't I Change?'.Here are some takeaways from the convo:Learn about your amygdala - when it feels threatened then it can shut down your rational brain.Amygdala Soothing activities help to ‘deactivate’ your stress.When you don’t feel safe and secure your limbic (mammal) brain will take over.Taking deep breaths where you breathe out longer than you breathe in soothes your amygdala.Big changes threatened your amygdala, so take small steps when making change.Write 50 reasons why you want to start a new habit - this will make your rational brain want it.Write 50 reasons you want to stop a habit - this activates pain centres.Amygdala triggers build up over time - as you get older you’ll have to work harder to take risks.The congregation is an amygdala soothing machine - so get involve with Lifefulness.Gabija's twitter: @supergcoachingGabija's website: https://www.mybrainduringtheday.com/You can buy Gabija's book here - we heartily recommend it - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Why-Cant-Change-Insights-neuroscientist/dp/1408714167/Lifefulness CommunityWe always talk about the Lifefulness Community because that is what we're all about. The next intake of Lifefulness Small Groups are open now.Apply and find out more here.Thanks so much for listening! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

All around us the old systems of thought, meaning, belonging and identity are collapsing. Humanity is shattering into a million and one digital niches each one with their own myths, values and facts.Traditionally, the decline of one structure of meaning would lead to a new religious movement of revitalisation. But what would revitalisation look like in this secular age? Can there be a secular replacement? Can we find a society wide message of hope? Can we rebuild local communities?Greg Epstein is the perfect person to speak to about this because he's: 1) the current Humanist Chaplain at Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. 2) An ordained Humanist Rabbi.3) The author of the New York Times bestseller 'Good Without God: What a Billion Nonreligious People Do Believe'. But, more importantly than all that, he was the judge on FYI's reality TV show 'Married At First Sight'! If this guy can help two people who've only just met stay married, then maybe the world does stand a chance. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Vikas Shah MBE is a remarkable entrepreneur who started his first business aged 14, runs a thriving trading operation today and has coolest side-hustle you've never heard of.In 2007 Vikas realised the missed long-form interviews that he loved so much and decided to do them himself. Since then he has interviewed the CRAZIEST list of people you an imagine: Maya Angelou, FW de Klerk, Buzz Aldrin, Usain Bolt, Ai Wei Wei, Sir Richard Branson, Moby, Melinda Gates, Penn Jillette, and a ton more.We spoke about what he learnt from his subjects, and from over 10 years of working on the mother of all side-hustles.Here are 3 Key Takeaways.1) Purpose vs Purposefulness: we live in a world of purpose porn. Vikas doesn't think it's healthy for everyone to wave their massive missions around. His solution: Do purposeful work. You don't need to seek a life purpose.2)The real depths of forgiveness. Vikas shares a story from one of his favourite interview subjects, Holocaust survivor, Iby Knill. In an age of instant judgement, hearing that Iby forgave her captors blew my mind.3) Life and Death are intertwined mysteries. We need to get more guests on to talk about life and death. We're the Lifefulness Podcast because we're all about life, and this pod digs into it. We need more of this.You have to get his new book 'Thought Economics' which collects and collates these interviews. It's the ideal loo book. https://thoughteconomics.com/The Lifefulness Project: CommunityThe Lifefulness Project is an experiment in building meaningful community and transforming culture. At it's simplest Lifefulness is a practice dedicated to helping you live your life to the fullest in whatever way that means for you.The community meets twice a month in Support Teams that provide accountability and inspiration, and are places to discuss idea that are vital to the modern age.It's also a deep evidence-based methodology, that has been put into practice in comunities and organisations across the world. To find out more go to www.lifefulness.io/membership See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Today we have a brilliant interview with super coach Michelle Ellman and it's all about boundaries. Michelle's no-nonsense advice has led to her getting over 300 000 followers on social media.In the ep. we joke around about how on the internet everyone is always telling people to cut boundary crossers out of their life in every situation. The nuanced conversation really helped my understanding of boundary setting and how it's important to be selfish to show self-care.Here were three stand out points:1) We don't set boundaries because we don't know how we feel. This rang true for me because it'll sometimes be the next day before I click 'Oh, I should have been angry there'. We have to get in touch with our emotions first.2) Selflessness is often selfishness disguised as virtue. How often is about control? How often does it come from a place of insecurity? Or out of a feeling that we know best? Boundaries are frowned upon but our ways to protect ourselves so we can contribute to the world. 3) Boundaries can be thrilling acts of creation. Saying to yourself "I won't let someone treat me in that way" defines who you are. The boundary creates room for you to inhabit. It's basically a loft extension for your personality.4) One area we disagreed on is whether you can have different boundaries for different people and different places. My own take is that you can, Michelle thought that it was you choosing to allow your boundary to be broken. Who do you think is right?Michelle has a book out. You should get it.The Joy of Being Selfish: https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-joy-of-being-selfish/michelle-elman/9781787396777Find Michelle Ellman here:Website: https://www.michelleelman.com/Twitter: https://twitter.com/scarredntscared/Insta: https://www.instagram.com/scarrednotscared/?hl=enThe Lifefulness Community The Lifefulness Project is an experiment in building meaningful community and transforming culture. At it's simplest Lifefulness is a practice dedicated to helping you live your life to the fullest in whatever way that means for you.The community meets twice a month in Support Teams that provide accountability and inspiration, and are places to discuss ideas that are vital to the modern age.To find out more go to http://www.lifefulness.io/membership.Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thelifefulnessproject/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thelifefulnessprojectSanderson Jones on Twitter: https://twitter.com/sandersonjones See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

We've wanted to interview Nora Bateson for ages because she lives a fascinating life, does great work and is an absolute expert in the field of Complexity and Systems Thinking. The wait was worth it because at the end of our chat James (who has a doctorate from Harvard) said it was THE FIRST TIME he truly understood the subject. Take a moment to really think about that: James has sat through total brainiacs talking about Systems Theory but it was THIS PODCAST that helped him grok it.Why should you listen to this podcast?1) We're living in a world which is not just complicated but complex. This means our normal ways of planning and acting don't really work because we can't understand all the different interactions and relationships. You need to understand complexity to understand the world.2) Nora shows how taking this idea on isn't just adding an extra mental model, or hot new tool, it is a way of being. When she talks complexity becomes something more akin to spirituality than dusty theory.3) The reason she's able to communicate it so well is because of her unique background as academic royalty (if such a thing existed). Her ancestors and relations lived these ideas, which means that she is talking through people and their lives, not just through abstract concepts.Give it a go. There's loads of juiciness inside.Here's more bumpf on her:Nora Bateson is an award-winning filmmaker, writer and educator, as well as President of the International Bateson Institute, based in Sweden. Her work asks the question “How we can improve our perception of the complexity we live within, so we may improve our interaction with the world?”. An international lecturer, researcher and writer, Nora wrote, directed and produced the award-winning documentary, An Ecology of Mind, a portrait of her father, Gregory Bateson. Her work brings the fields of biology, cognition, art, anthropology, psychology, and information technology together into a study of the patterns in ecology of living systems. Find her at:The Bateson Institute: https://batesoninstitute.org/The Warm Data Lab: https://warmdatalab.net/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/norabatesonTwitter: https://twitter.com/NoraBatesonLifefulness CommunityYou can find the LIfefulness Community here: https://www.lifefulness.io/membershipThanks for listening! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Our guest today is one of my favourite people - Shamash Alidina! Shamash is an amazing teacher who spent this conversation exploring brilliant ways to cope with negative thoughts, reduce anxiety and lead a great life.Here's why you should listen to him:He is the international bestselling author of the Mindfulness For Dummies and The Mindful Way through Stress. He frequently pops up in newspapers, magazines and on radio shows.Shamash has also co-founded the world's first Museum of Happiness in London. The museum is open to the public, and currently runs events every month, popping up in different locations in London.More recently, Shamash has been training practitioners in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. This cutting-edge approach skilfully combines acceptance, flexible mindfulness, values and committed action to help people live a rich and meaningful life.He has trained with the father of ‘Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction’, Jon Kabat-Zinn PhD through the Center for Mindfulness in Massachusetts, United States. Lifefulness CommunityWe always talk about the Lifefulness Community because that is what we're all about. Check it out here: https://www.lifefulness.io/membershipThanks so much for listening! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Fred Dust was a Senior Partner and Global Managing Director at international design firm IDEO. A leading voice and practitioner of human-centered design and networked innovation, he helps organizations evolve in the face of shifts in consumer behavior, social trends, economic pressures, and new technology. Prior to IDEO, Dust worked as an architect and spent eight years working with independent artists and major art organizations.Recently he wrote an excellent book 'Making Conversations' which puts his year's as a designer of conversations out into the world. The book was fascinating for James and I as so many of the issues society is facing come from our inability to talk to each other. The website for the book is https://makingconversation.com/You can also find it at Amazon https://www.amazon.co.uk/Making-Conversation-Essential-Meaningful-Communication/dp/0062933906 See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Our guest today is Ben Keene who is an adventurer, community builder, coach and a confident reader. This makes perfect sense as he's the founder of the incredible Rebel Book Club community, which helps people accelerate their reading habits, learning, and connections. There are over 1000 members who meet online to discuss books which I'm sure most of them have read.Ben's career is fascinating and it began with Tribe Wanted a crowdfunded sustainable-tourism village on an island in Fiji (which was turned into as a 5 part BBC series and book). This idea led him to Sierra Leone, and Umbria before he ended up back in London helping people make career changes.We talk about how to develop a great reading habit, the power of community, lessons he learnt from Polynesian culture and much else besides. You'll love it.Find out more:Rebel Book Club - https://rebelbook.club/Ben's site - http://www.benkeene.com/The LIfefulness Community:As mentioned in the podcast the LIfefulness Small Groups will start again soon. We'd love to have you involved, so hit up the application form here: https://www.lifefulness.io/membershipThanks so much for listening! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Jules Evans is a brilliant philosopher who is at the forefront of research into 'Conspirituality' - the meeting of conspiracy theory and spirituality. Conspirituality is the reason why there was a Q Anon Shaman screaming in the Senate, during the attempted Trump insurrection last week. This is Part 1 of our conversation because the audio for the second half has gone peculiar. We're going to try to revive that by next week, or just record it again. Do not fret, however, we will complete this conversation.Lifefulness CommunityThe Lifefulness Project is sort of like a secular online church and our community meets in Small Groups every second week. If you want to be part of it please apply to be a member.https://www.lifefulness.io/membershipThanks so much for listening See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The title of this podcast is so us: The Spirituality of Global Supply Chains. I love it. You get to a great episode name like that by interviewing journalist and broadcaster Lucy Siegle, who has been at the forefront of communicating and campaigning around ethical and environmental questions. For years her weekly column in the Observer dealt with the sorts of issues that seem so intractable. What I loved about it was that she always took this stuff seriously but met people where they were, and knew it was impractical to go off-grid.As an author she’s written books on two books on Fast Fashion, and one on Plastic. Surprising takeaway: fish love it. But she doesn’t just write about this she campaigns setting the Green Carpet Project - that sent celebs to red carpet events in gorgeous, sustainable gowns, to show that going green doesn’t mean dressing muni-bean. Just this year she became chair of the Real Circularity Coalition.In our convo there were three big things I left with:A Truly Circular Economy: what does it mean to build and make in a way that is truly sustainable?Lucy's spiritual vision around the inter-connectedness of the planet through the supply-chains that connect us.The 93 Billion Ton Question: every year 93 billion tons are extracted from the earth - how can we change that?The only downside is that occasionally her sound goes a bit funny - which is on us. We fixed it as much as poss. but there are times she becomes a little bit clipped. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

James and I explore Changing The World - the sixth Pillar of Lifefulness. Changing The World is the secular translation of evangelism - the work of remaking the world as it should be through action and testimony. Spiritual communities have a profound sense of drive, purpose and mission which is something we long for in our own lives.For anyone wanting to have an overview of Lifefulness this TEDx talk is a good place to start: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PYN8vPaZrEThe 6 Pillars of Lifefulness are as follows:1) Ultimate Meaning.2) Celebration and Contemplation.3) Community Life.4) Personal Growth.5) Serving Others.6) Changing the World.This is a bit of an experiment and we're interested to see how some short, sharp episodes go down so hit us up with your feedback. We love the interviews but there's also something really enjoyable about being able to drill down into the nuts and bolts of Lifefulness.Lifefulness CommunityThe next phase of small groups and the LIfefulness 101 course will all kick-off in January. Find out more yourself at these links.Lifefulness Small Groups - https://www.lifefulness.io/membershipLifefulness 101 - https://www.lifefulness.io/lifefulness-101 See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This is an interview with our brilliant co-host James Croft. It's a huge delight to write this intro because I love James and listing off his accomplishments makes me feel proud as punch. Mr. Croft got his undergraduate from Cambridge where (according to his LinkedIn) he:"Graduated Double-First Class, George Peabody Prize for exceptional academic performance (Class 1) in degree Part One, Foundation Award for achieving Class 1 in every paper in degree Part Two, First recipient of Joyce Ridley Memorial Prize for best performance in the University in the Arts in Education paper, Choral Exhibition."Crazy, right?He then got a Masters in Art in Education from the Graduate School of Education at Harvard, followed by a Doctorate from the same institution. After qualifying as a minister James joined the Ethical Society of St. Louis - one of the largest humanist congregations in the world. More importantly he’s a brilliant, wise, funny, kind and considerate man, who I admire to the point of jealousy. James is living these questions. Dedicating his life to building new types of communities and congregations to answer our most pressing needs.Three TakeawaysI learnt how it was an ecstatic musical experience that led him on his path.He speaks very powerfully about the importance of vulnerability when bringing a community together.He casts a powerful vision for what an amazing secular mega-church could look like. You’ll get excited.The Lifefulness CommunityLifefulness 101There are still Early Bird Discounts available on Lifefulness 101 which starts on January 13th.Find out more: https://www.lifefulness.io/lifefulness-101Lifefulness Small GroupsYou can still apply to be part of the Lifefulness Small Groups. Follow this link: https://www.lifefulness.io/membership See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The Fifth Pillar of Lifefulness coming straight at you! This is the fifth episode of the Lifefulness Mini-Series on the 6 PIllars of Lifefulness. James and I explore Serving Others - a key part of all spiritual pathways and communities. Some people got in touch asking for an overview of LIfefulness and this TEDx talk is a good place to start: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PYN8vPaZrEFor those of you who are keeping track here are the 6 Pillars of Lifefulness:1) Ultimate Meaning.2) Celebration and Contemplation.3) Community Life.4) Personal Growth.5) Serving Others.6) Changing the World.This is a bit of an experiment and we're interested to see how some short, sharp episodes go down so hit us up with your feedback. We love the interviews but there's also something really enjoyable about being able to drill down into the nuts and bolts of Lifefulness.Lifefulness CommunityThere's loads of stuff going on in the Lifefulness Community but I'm a bit too tired to write it all up. Find out more yourself at these links.Lifefulness Small Groups - https://www.lifefulness.io/membershipLifefulness Courses - https://www.lifefulness.io/lifefulness-101 See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

It's our Christmas Special! Sanderson Jones (host) is being interviewed by James Croft (the other host). Sanderson is the founder of The Lifefulness Project, a social enterprise that is dedicated to building communities and changing culture through Lifefulness. Lifefulness is the practice of adapting the techniques of spiritual communities in a way that everyone can take part.For part one of this holiday special James interviews Sanderson. In part 2 (you'll never guess it!) Sanderson interviews James (well done if you guessed it).Lifefulness CommunityThere's loads of stuff going on in the Lifefulness Community which we create through our small groups and courses. Find out more yourself at these links.Lifefulness Small Groups - https://www.lifefulness.io/membershipLifefulness Courses - https://www.lifefulness.io/lifefulness-101Happy Christmas! Happy Holidays! And Happiness! To you all. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

BONUS EPISODE! What a delightful Christmas surprise for you, I'm sure. When James and I first launched the Lifefulness podcast we released the first 3 parts of a 6 part mini-series on the 6 Pillars of Lifefulness - this is part 4.We explore the pathway of personal growth and psychological maturity which is the part of all (to my knowledge) spiritual communities. How can you become the person that you want to be? How can you live a life in accordance with your values?In this podcast we explore the idea of personal growth from a spiritual, secular, personal, practical and scientific point of view. It's a wide ranging discussion which we hope familiarises you with this idea that we've been exploring throughout the podcast series.For those of you who are keeping track here are the 6 Pillars of Lifefulness:1) Ultimate Meaning.2) Celebration and Contemplation.3) Community Life.4) Personal Growth. 5) Serving Others.6) Changing the World.This is a bit of an experiment and we're interested to see how some short, sharp episodes go down so hit us up with your feedback. We love the interviews but there's also something really enjoyable about being able to drill down into the nuts and bolts of Lifefulness.Lifefulness Community There's loads of stuff going on in the Lifefulness Community but I'm a bit too tired to write it all up. Find out more yourself at these links.Lifefulness Small Groups - https://www.lifefulness.io/membershipLifefulness Courses - https://www.lifefulness.io/lifefulness-101 See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

OMG! It's Laura Willoughby MBE! She's a brilliant guest to have in the holiday season because even though we're social distancing, there's still going to be a lot of booze around. Laura is co-founder of Club Soda, the Mindful Drinking Movement, who has great advice on how to celebrate more mindfully.The inspiration for Club Soda was Laura’s experience of giving up drinking seven years ago. A campaigner at heart with a background in movement building and politics, she realised that one of the big sticking points was a way to support people to take a self-guided journey to change their drinking.She is hilarious, smart and has a ton of really practical ideas around being mindful about drinking which can be applied to all parts of your life.Club Soda - https://joinclubsoda.com/If anything she said resonated with you then go and check out Club Soda, which can help anyone. It's an amazing community that has changed lives.Lifefulness CommunityWe always talk about the Lifefulness Community because that is what we're all about. The next intake of Lifefulness Small Groups is in January. Apply here - https://www.lifefulness.io/membershipLifefulness 101There are still early bird tickets left for Lifefulness 101, our course to start the year. We'd love to have you onboard!Check it out - https://www.lifefulness.io/lifefulness-101 See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

We’re so excited to bring you a brilliant guest Chris Stedman, who is the ideal interviewee for a podcast about adapting spiritual practices and ideas in a way that is secular.Primo: Chris is a humanist chaplain and community builder who is not religious but whose work is informed by religious questions. He's driven by the specific ways that spirituality answers fundamental human needs. This has led him to being the humanist chaplain at Yale, before becoming a University lecturer.Secundo: He’s just written a great book that brings this sensibility to a huge question how can we be human online? And how can online help us be more human? Chris' Book is 'Finding Realness, Meaning and Belonging In Our Digital Lives' - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Irl-Finding-Realness-Meaning-Belonging/dp/1506463517These are three things this conversation made us think about:How we can think about our digital lives are in some ways just as “real” as the rest of our lives - and equally important.How vulnerability and honesty can be liberating, especially at a time when we are encouraged to always put on a facade.How we can think deeply about religion and what it might offer us without actually being religious.The LIfefulness CommunityObviously we don't just talk about creating meaning and belonging online we also bloody do it. These are two ways you can get involved.Lifefulness 101 - this is our 12 week collective learning experience, which starts in January - https://www.lifefulness.io/lifefulness-101Lifefulness Small Groups - we also gather in online small groups and you can apply to join here - https://www.lifefulness.io/membershipThanks so much for listening! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Suzanne Alderson is a mental health expert, author and community builder who founded the charity Parenting Mental Health following the attempted suicide of her daughter Issy. Whilst her work is dedicated to helping parents with mental health her story and book will resonate with anyone who has been a child, been a parent, wants to be a parent, wants good mental health or a society with mental healthy children. This is exactly the sort of conversation we created the podcast for: moving, informative and a lot fun.The story of how Suzanne turned her pain and need into an online community for parents of children and teenagers suffering from acute mental illness is stunning. Today she supports over 20,000 parents through its Facebook group, in-person events and online mentoring and training programme!Buy Her Book'Never Let Go' is a great book. James and I loved it and you can find it here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Never-Let-Go-Through-Illness/dp/1785043315Three Key Takeaways:1. It can be so difficult for parents to accept that their child is struggling with mental health challenges, but we have to accept what’s happening to help change it.2. We shouldn’t view mental health struggles as “bad behavior” on the part of our children - these are real illnesses which need to be taken seriously.3. Suzanne realized she needed to move “from parenting to partnership,” stepping away from the traditional parenting role so that she could listen to her daughter and what she needed - we explore what this means in the podcast!Our Course: Lifefulness 101There are still Early Bird Discounts available on Lifefulness 101 which starts on January 13th. Find out more: https://www.lifefulness.io/lifefulness-101Lifefulness Small GroupsYou can still apply to be part of the Lifefulness Small Groups. Follow this link: https://www.lifefulness.io/membership See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

John C. Parkin is the author of publishing phenomenon 'F*** It: The Ultimate Spiritual Way' which has sold over 600 000 copies. The book has changed people's lives with its simple message of saying 'F*** It' to unnecessary concerns, societal pressures and auto-generated stresses..This podcast is a clarion call to relax and give up any worries that are not warranted. What can you walk away from? What can you leave behind? What can you say 'I'd really rather not' to?.James and I got so much from this podcast and we're sure you will too..New Course: Lifefulness 101.In the podcast you'll hear about our new course - Lifefulness 101 - that launches in January. Lifefulness 101 is a 12 week group learning experience that will give you the skills, tools and team to thrive in 2021.You can find tickets on the link below Super Early Bird Tickets are available until December 3rd for 50% off at £90. There's a very limited number available and they're already selling fast.https://www.lifefulness.io/lifefulness-101Thanks so much for listening, and please get in touch if you've got any questions. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Our guest today is John Vervaeke - a cognitive scientist and Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto. James and I were both so excited to speak to him as he has undertaken an amazing examination and integration of modern cognitive science, ancient wisdom practices, philosophy, and history in his incredible YouTube series ‘Awakening From The Meaning Crisis’. John’s theory is this: our culture today is beset by multiple overlapping crises which make our lives difficult: financial, ecological, political - tons of crises.But underlying and connecting these is a crisis of meaning: the sense that we have lost a narrative which situates us in the world and helps us make sense of it all. Three Key Takeaways You’ll understand how our increased sense of loneliness and disconnection is related to the loss of big-picture meaning in our lives;You’ll learn, from a cognitive scientific viewpoint, how religions fulfil deep human needs which haven’t gone away in our more secular age;You’ll learn about the new science of wisdom. Obviously this is at the center of many religions and traditions throughout the ages, so how might we cultivate wisdom today?Lifefulness 101We launched a new course Lifefulness 101 which you can find here: https://www.lifefulness.io/lifefulness-101The Early Bird tickets last until December 3rd and you get a 50% discount.Lifefulness CommunityWe are also offering a discount on becoming a member of the Lifefulness Community to anyone who joins LIfefulness 101 and there are more details on the site. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Jonathan Rowson is a chess grandmaster and philosopher who is at the forefront of rethinking society at every level. Jonathan founded a research institute called Perspectiva that is publishing ideas, and organising an eco-system of change-makers dedicated to creating the world of tomorrow. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Today our guest is Shappi Khorsandi comedian, actor and author. I've known Shappi since we gigged on the stand up circuit together, and always loved her way of dealing with all manner of topics from politics to parenthood. Her passion for living a good life in a secular way led to her being elected President of the British Humanist Association in 2016 and today she is still the Vice-President. ..Shappi’s outlook is coloured by an unusual life story - her parents emigrated from Iran when she was a child and she was brought up as a sort of culturally Muslim atheist. Pretty cool. Her journey to TV stardom has not always been easy, leading to addictions and 12 step programmes...3 Key Takeaways...We deep-dive into the importance of funerals, weddings and rites of passage.You’ll learn how taking part in “I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here” created a spiritual transformation in ShappiThere’s a deep dive into how a lack of meaning, disconnection and low self-esteem led into addiction...News: Lifefulness 101..We are launching Lifefulness 101 - a new group learning experience that will help you devise meaningful goals for 2021 and give you a community of absolute legends who will inspire you to make them happen. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.