New Dimensions

Wheatley shares the importance of creating "islands of sanity" in disruptive times to restore and awaken the human spirit. She outlines five stages for solving complex problems: deep listening, understanding diverse perspectives, inviting missing voices, letting go of old patterns, and creating conscious communities. Margaret J Wheatley, Ph.D. is an internationally acclaimed writer, speaker, and teacher. She is cofounder and President Emerita of The Berkana Institute, a charitable foundation that works with people around the world to strengthen their communities using the wisdom and wealth already present in their people, traditions, and environment. Her many books include: Leadership and the New Science (Berrett-Kohler 1998) and Restoring Sanity: Practices to Awaken Generosity, Creativity & Kindness in Ourselves and Our Organizations (Berrett Kohler 2024)Interview Date: 3/14/2025 Tags: Margaret J Wheatley, Meg Wheatley, dwelling mind, complex systems, Personal Transformation, Psychology, Social Change/Politics

Here we delve into Bolen's Japanese-American heritage and some of the mystical moments that have been guideposts in her life including a transformative moment as a Girl Scout in the mountains and sleeping under the stars. Bolen emphasizes the importance of love, joy, and curiosity in life, and the potential for spiritual support and collective consciousness. Jean Shinoda Bolen, M.D. is a psychiatrist, a Jungian analyst, and an internationally known speaker. She is a former board member of the Ms. Foundation, an advocate for a 5th UN World Conference on Women and a convener of the Millionth Circle Initiative, as well as a permanent representative to the UN for the NGO, Pathways to Peace. She is the author of many books, including Ring of Power: Symbols and Themes Love Vs. Power in Wagner's Ring Cycle and in Us: A Jungian-Feminist Perspective (Jung on the Hudson Book Series) (Nicolas-Hays, Inc 1999) and Ever Widening Circles and Mystical Moments (Chiron Publications 2025)Interview Date: 2/14/2025 Tags: Jean Shinoda Bolen, Girl Scouts, Milky Way, mystical moments, Japanese American, resilience, spirit guides, synchronicity, life assignment, love, delight, joyfulness, Personal Transformation, Psychology

Microdosing involves taking small amounts of psychedelics such as LSD and psilocybin mushrooms to enhance physical health and cognitive function. Here, we discuss protocols, legality, safety, and other collective knowledge. James Fadiman, Ph.D. is a former president of the Institute of Noetic Sciences and professor of psychology. Jordan Gruber was awarded a Juris Doctor degree, and has forged and sculpted authoritative volumes in forensic law. He is the author of The Bounce: The Complete SuperBound® Guidebook to 21st-Century Rebound Exercise (co-author Joy Daniels) (SuperBound 2020), James Fadiman and Jordan Gruber are the co-authors of Your Symphony of Selves: Discover and Understand More of Who We Are (Park Street Press 2020) and Microdosing for Health, Healing, and Enhanced Performance (St. Martin's Essentials 2025)Interview Date: 2/21/2025 Tags: James Fadiman, Jordan Gruber, microdosing, LSD, psilocybin mushrooms, autism, depression, long-COVID, Paul Stamets, Health & Healing, Personal Transformation, Psychology

After having a life-altering dream of a dragonfly, Williams contemplates the re-enchantment of our world to rediscover wonder, mystery, and meaning in our relationship with nature and the environment. He invites us to consider new perspectives on nature, consciousness, and the practice of re-enchantment in our modern world. Brooke Williams is a naturalist and environmental writer who covers subjects such as evolution, consciousness, and his own ventures exploring both the inner and outer wilderness. He advocates for the preservation of wilderness. His writings also take us with him on his many treks into the deserts of Utah, where he lives with his wife and partner, the writer and New Dimensions guest Terry Tempest Williams. He is the author of several books including: Half-Lives: Reconciling Work and Wildness (Johnson Books 1999) and · Encountering Dragonfly: Notes on the Practice of Re-Enchantment (Uphill Books 2025)Interview Date: 1/17/2025 Tags: Brooke Williams, Kathryn “Mimi” Blackett, dragonfly, enchantment, Galapagos, Desert Fathers, climate change, imaginal world, Ecology/Nature/Environment, Personal Transformation, Psychology

Williamson stresses the importance of love over fear and explores the concept of Jesus as an internal teacher and the transformative power of forgiveness. She uses the analogy of cancer cells and quantum physics to illustrate the interconnectedness of all things and advises maintaining respect and openness in political discourse to foster moral persuasion and unity. Marianne Williamson is the author of many books. Throughout her career she has worked on such issues as poverty, anti-hunger, and racial reconciliation. She is a leader of a spiritually progressive circle, and six of her published books have been New York Times bestsellers, including A Return to Love. She has participated in two Presidential campaigns and is the founder of Project Angel Food, a Meals-on-Wheels program that serves homebound people with AIDS in the Los Angeles area. In 2004 she co-founded The Peace Alliance and supported the creation of a U.S. Department of Peace. Interview Date: 12/20/2024 Tags: Marianne Williamson, A Course in Miracles, ACIM, forgiveness, Jesus, true spiritual north, quantum physics, mental prison, atonement, Holy Spirit, natural intelligence, miracles, Martin Luther King Jr., Personal Transformation, Social Change/Politics, Religion, Spirituality

Brown shares his experiences of exploring the most unlikely zones of urban industrial wastelands where wild nature is eking out its existence outside the human realm. He encourages us to explore these exciting urban edgelands which are teaming with life. Christopher Brown is an accomplished lawyer who has worked on two Supreme Court confirmation hearings. He has also been general counsel for several technology companies. His varied experiences span from restoring prairies to reporting from Central American war zones. He's author of three award-nominated science fiction novels and The Natural History of Empty. His current nonfiction book explores the natural world in urban settings: Lots: Field Notes from Urban Edgelands, Back Alleys, and Other Wild Places (Timber Press 2024).Interview Date: 12/2/2024. Tags: Christopher Brown, biodiversity, abandoned lots, industrial sites, urban creeks, brownfields, Neolithic, agriculture, Kiva, pit house, colony of Harvester ants, Edgeland home Austin, wastelands, Tesla plant in Austin, biodiversity, climate change, Animals, Ecology/Nature/Environment, Social Change/Politics

Orsborn shares the concept of embracing old age as a transformative process. She emphasizes the importance of accepting reality, embracing mortality, and recognizing one's belovedness. She also touches on the evolutionary purpose of old age and the role of spiritual practices in navigating life's challenges, including illness and loss. Carol Orsborn, Ph.D. received her Masters of Theological Studies and Doctorate in History and Critical Theory of Religion from Vanderbilt University, with post-graduate work in Spiritual Counseling at the New Seminary in Manhattan. She specialized in adult development and ritual studies. She has served on the faculties of Pepperdine, Loyola Marymount, and Georgetown Universities. She is the author of Older, Wiser, Fiercer: The Wisdom Collection (self-published 2019), The Making of an Old Soul: Aging as the Fulfillment of Life's Promise (White River Press 2021)and Spiritual Aging: Weekly Reflections for Embracing Life (Park Street Press 2024).Interview Date: 1/10/2025 Tags: Carol Orsborn, Joan Chittister, fear, denial, God, grace, Tolstoy, Death of Ivan Illich, Ram Dass, hope, expectation, curiosity, Personal Transformation, Spirituality, Aging

What drags us under when we experience setbacks, failures, criticism while working for a cause, person, or place? Wheatley advises us to work with as much diligence as we can. She says that in the end it is about feeling that it is our work to do and doing it with vigor and enjoyment even though we don't know what the outcome will be. Margaret Wheatley is an internationally acclaimed writer, speaker, and teacher. She is co-founder and President Emerita of The Berkana Institute, a charitable foundation that works with people around the world who strengthen their communities using the wisdom and wealth already present in their people, traditions, and environment. Her books include Leadership and the New Science (Berrett-Kohler 1998), Perseverance (Berrett-Koehler 2010), Turning To One Another: Simple Conversations to Restore Hope in the Future (Berrett-Koehler 2009), So Far from Home: Lost and Found In Our Brave New World (Berrett-Koehler 2012) and Who Do We Choose To Be: Facing Reality, Claiming Leadership, Restoring Sanity (Berrett-Koehler 2017).Interview Date: 8/19/2010 Tags: T. S. Eliot, "only don't know”, bravery, Carlos Castaneda, Chogyam Trungpa, creativity, curiosity, Don Juan, Hopi Nation, mp3, personal transformation, righteous anger, steadfastness, vision, Margaret Wheatley, Personal Transformation

Grunther states that we're in the midst of a New Renaissance when the greatest knowledge and wisdom, both ancient and contemporary, is just a few keystrokes away through digital screens that billions around the planet can access. He shares the three key shifts in human consciousness taking place today, ranging from quantum physics to AI and left/right-brain thinking. Douglas Grunther is the creator and host of the Woodstock Roundtable an award winning radio talk show covering philosophy, depth psychology, and spiritual insight. He is also a dream work facilitator. He is the author of The Quantum & The Dream: Visionary Consciousness, AI, and The New Renaissance (Epigraph Books 2024)Interview Date: 11/15/2024 Tags: Douglas Grunther, AI, Right hemisphere of the brain, left hemisphere of the brain, Lynn Margulis, Elisabet Sahtouris, Albert Einstein, Iain McGilchrist, Wolfgang Pauli, Carl Jung, Sigmond Freud, Max Planck, Wermer Heinsenberg, Niels Bohr, Yin-Yang, Gaia theory, Plato, Marshall McLuhan, Science, Personal Transformation, History, Social Change/Politics

Writing your memoir is a powerful process for discovering elusive elements in your psyche. It forces you to see your life from an entirely different perspective. Peterson encourages us to explore the untold story of you — and the inner hero, heroine, angel, or villain you have yet to meet. She gives a simple writing exercise to help you get started. Brenda Peterson is a novelist, nature writer, and writing teacher. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, Chicago Tribune, Orion Magazine, and O: The Oprah Magazine. She's a regular commentator for Seattle NPR and the Huffington Post. Her books include Build Me an Ark: A Life with Animals (W. W. Norton 2001), Duck and Cover (Backinprint.com 2004), I Want to Be Left Behind: Finding Rapture Here on Earth (Da Capo Press 2010) and Your Life is a Book: How to Craft & Publish Your Memoir (co-author Sarah Jane Freymann) (Sasquatch Books 2014), Wolf Haven: Sanctuary and the Future of Wolves in North America (coauthor Annie Marie Musselman) (Sasquatch Books 2016) and Wolf Nation: The Life, Death, and Return of Wild American Wolves (De Capo 2017)Interview Date: 2/10/2010 Tags: Brenda Peterson, family, memoir, inner critic, fundamentalists, the Rapture, humor, Writing, Religion, Family/Community, Ecology/Nature/Environment, Spirituality, Philosophy

Magsamen and Ross emphasize the transformative power of art, in all its forms. It impacts neural circuitry, physiology, and behavior, enhancing physical and mental well-being, reducing stress, improving cognitive function, and fostering social connections. They highlight the importance of integrating the arts in healthcare, education, and community building. Susan Magsamen is the founder and executive director of the International Arts + Mind Lab, Center for Applied Neuroaesthethics (known as the IAM Lab) at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, where she's a faculty member in the Department of Neurology. Ivy Ross is Chief Design Officer of Consumer Devices at Google and has led teams that have won hundreds of design awards. She's a National Endowment for the Arts grant recipient and was ninth on Fast Company's list of the 100 Most Creative People in Business in 2019. Susan Magsamen and Ivy Ross are Co-authors of Your Brain on Art: How the Arts Transform Us. (Random House 2023)Interview Date: 10/14/2024 Tags: Susan Magsamen, Ivy Ross, doodling, E.O. Wilson, salience, neuro arts, neuroaesthetics, improv, endocrine system, James Pennebaker, Stuart Brown, play, neurosynapses, John Krakauer, Art & Creativity, Health & Healing, Personal Transformation

Johnson shares her personal journey of engaging with A Course in Miracles, and speaks of its value in transforming our perception of the world and activating our innate intelligence, thus launching us into living a life of joy and fulfillment. According to ACIM, true miracles occur when our perception shifts from fear to love. Hope Johnson is a teacher of mysticism who draws on the teachings of Jesus from A Course in Miracles, as well as the Buddha, the Bhagavad Gita, yogic philosophy, quantum physics and other traditions. She leads free weekly online wisdom dialogues and free daily lessons on A Course in Miracles that involve reading a lesson with insightful commentary for practical applications in daily life. She also offers one-to-one guidance towards recognizing and embracing the ever-present reality of love. She is the founder and creator of Miracle Botanicals Essential Oils. She is the author of Unschooling For Parents: Protecting Innocence, A Mystics Guide To Awakening With Children (Hope Johnson 2019)Interview Date: 11/1/2024 Tags: Hope Johnson, A Course in Miracles, miracle, perception beliefs, dream, fear, love, negative thoughts, ego, suffering, Meditation, Personal Transformation, Psychology, Religion, Spirituality, parenting

In this conversation, Mirabai Starr, acclaimed author and translator of mystical texts, shares how ordinary moments invite us to explore how the sacred can be woven into daily life. She reveals how we can transform the mundane into moments of deep spiritual connection. Mirabai Starr has taught philosophy and world religions at the University of New Mexico, Taos, for 20 years and now teaches and speaks internationally on contemplative practice and the interspiritual dialogue. She's a certified bereavement counselor and travels the world speaking and giving workshops on contemplative practice and the teachings of the mystics. She is the author and editor of many books including: Dark Night of the Soul: St. John of the Cross (Riverhead 2003), The Interior Castle: St. Teresa of Ávila (Riverhead 2004), Devotion, Prayers & Living Wisdom (Sounds True - six-volume Christian mystics series 2008), God of Love: A Guide to the Heart of Judaism, Christianity & Islam (Monkfish 2012), Wild Mercy: Living the Fierce and Tender Wisdom of the Women Mystics (Sounds True 2018) and Ordinary Mysticism: Your Life As Sacred Ground (HarperOne 2024)Interview Date: 9/13/2024 Tags: Mirabai Starr, Daily mysticism, spiritual practice, intimate relationships, deconstructing religion, direct spiritual experience, creativity, nature, rituals, personal growth, Spirituality, Personal Transformation, Religion, Women's Studies, Relationships, Nature, Arts & Creativity

This dialogue highlights the benefits and dynamics of walking well, including comfort, vitality, and inspiration. He highlights the benefits of walking for creativity and problem-solving as well as connecting us with nature. In business, walking with others can enhance teambuilding. Gelb encourages us to feel a sense of sacredness with every step. Michael Gelb, Ph.D. is a fifth-degree black belt in Aikido and a teacher of Tai Chi and the Alexander Technique. He's a pioneer in the fields of creative thinking, accelerated learning, and innovative leadership. Gelb leads seminars for organizations such as DuPont, Merck, Microsoft, Nike, and many others. He' s the author of Innovate Like Edison: The Success System of America's Greatest Inventor (co-author Sarah Miller Caldicott) (Dutton 2007), How To Think Like Leonardo da Vinci (Dell 2000), Brain Power: Improve Your Mind as You Age (co-author Kelly Howell) (New World Library 2012), Creativity On Demand: How to Ignite and Sustain the Fire of Genius (Sounds True 2014), Walking Well: A New Approach for Comfort, Vitality, and Inspiration In Every Step (co-author Bruce Fertman) (New World Library 2024)Interview Date: 8/30/2024 Tags: Michael Gelb, walking, Mary Oliver, John Forney, improv, creativity, physical balance, Julie Brock poem, standing meditation, Abraham Path Initiative, Camino de Santiago, Elizabeth Lesser, Health & Healing, Personal Transformation, Philosophy, Psychology

Susan Perry reveals how Aikido principles extend beyond the mat into everyday life. She explains "beginner's mind" and how Aikido's philosophy of blending rather than opposing can transform conflicts. Perry offers insights on cultivating inner peace and applying Aikido wisdom to achieve harmony in daily interactions. Susan Perry, Ph.D., is a 6th-degree black belt in Aikido, philosopher, author, artist, and teacher. With nearly 50 years of Aikido practice, she has dedicated her life to understanding and sharing the most profound principles of this martial art. Perry is the founder of Aikido Today Magazine. She is the author of The Hidden Power of Aikido: Transcending Conflict and Cultivating Inner Peace (Park Street Press, 2024), Aikido Talks, Conversations with American Aikidoists (Arete Press, 2001) and Remembering O-Sensei, Living and training with Morihei Ueshiba (Shambhala Publications, 2002)Interview Date: 8/23/2024 Tags: Susan Perry, Aikido, conflict resolution, personal transformation, beginner's mind, virtue ethics, Aristotle, Morihei Ueshiba, O-Sensei, martial arts, inner peace, breath work, Japanese philosophy, Personal Transformation, Philosophy, Spirituality

Casey shares personal and historical highlights of the complexity and ecological importance of the ocean's depths. She reports on her dive to the Twilight Zone (600-3300 feet) that is filled with bioluminescent creatures that sparkle and glow. Despite these delights, Casey points to the terrestrial bias and lack of funding for ocean exploration compared to space. Susan Casey is a premiere chronicler of the aquatic world. Most recently she traversed the globe and gives first-hand accounts of joining scientists and explorers on dives to the deepest places on the planet. She stands in for us with her insightful questions of the lives and motivations of marine geologists, marine biologists, and oceanographers who are searching for knowledge in this vast unseen realm. She takes us on a fascinating journey through the history of deep-sea exploration, from the myths and legends of the ancient world to storied shipwrecks, to the first intrepid bathysphere pilots, to the scientists who are just beginning to understand the mind-blowing complexity and, most importantly, the ecological importance of the home of the quadrillions of creatures who live in realms long thought to be devoid of life. She is the author of several books including Devil's Teeth: A True Story of Survival and Obsession Among American's Great White Sharks (Henry Holt 2005), The Wave: In Pursuit of the Rogues, Freaks and Giants of the Ocean (Doubleday 2010), Voices in the Ocean: A Journey into the Wild and Haunting World of Dolphins (Anchor 2016) and Underworld: Journeys to the Depths of the Ocean (Doubleday 2023)Interview Date: 8/5/2024. Tags: Susan Casey, ocean, bathysphere, bathyscaphe, submersibles, ocean depths, twilight zone, William Beebe, Otis Barton, Mariana Trench, Wyville Thompson, John Murray, deep sea mining, bottom trawling, ghost nets, Patrick Lahey, Victor Vescovo, Tonga Trench, hydrothermal vents, Ecology/Nature/Environment, History, Science, Technology, Travel

Sunny Strasburg explores the intersection of art, psychotherapy, and psychedelics in healing. She discusses creative expression in therapy, the potential of psychedelics for mental health, and the importance of trauma-informed approaches. Strasburg introduces the PANTHER protocol, emphasizing preparation, attunement, and integration in psychedelic-assisted therapy. Sunny Strasburg, LMFT is a licensed psychotherapist and trainer. She is trained in Internal Family Systems and is an EMDR-certified trauma specialist. Her practice includes an integration of psychotherapy, art, archetypal psychology, and psychedelic-assisted healing. Strasburg is a graduate of the Certification for Psychedelic Assisted Therapy from the California Institute of Integral Studies. She offers Ketamine Assisted Therapy and retreats and co-leads trainings with Richard Schwartz, Ph.D., the originator of Internal Family Systems. She is the author of The Theradelic Approach: Integrating Psychotherapy and Psychedelics for Healing (Sunny Strasburg, LMFT 2023)Interview Date: 06/26/24 Tags: Sunny Strasburg, psychotherapy, art therapy, psychedelics, mental health, trauma healing, group therapy, MDMA, psilocybin, LSD, ketamine, hero's journey, archetypal psychology, Psychology, Health & Healing, Arts & Creativity

Here the many complex dimensions of home are explored including the human need to find a home in nature. Andrews says,” Once you find a home in nature, you are never lost.” She also shares insights on those caretaking family members and other loved ones to age in place including those who choose to die at home and many other aspects of home. Valerie Andrews is a writer, editor, and seminar leader specializing in Jungian psychology and the inner life of home. She's a graduate of the Guild for Spiritual Guidance and the editor of the digital magazine Reinventing Home: Culture, Creativity, Character. She's also a contributor to many journals and magazines and was the host of the PBS documentary featuring Thomas Moore, author of Care of the Soul. She is the author and editor of A Passion for This Earth (Harper Collins 1994) and Sanctuary: The Inner Life of Home (Editor) (Chiron Publications 2024)Interview Date: 7/19/2024. Tags: Valerie Andrews, Jungian psychology, Sisyphus, Kaiser ACE study, plus-one proton, Ursula Le Guin, aging at home, Peggy Fleming, In the Evening of Life, Grassland Woman, Mary Reynolds Thompson, Eckart Tolle, James Hollis, Maslow's hierarchy of needs, Gilda Frantz, storage lockers, Bayo Akomolafe, Starhawk, Community, Personal Transformation, Psychology

This writing process takes the raw material of our lives and transforms it into healing. Heller shares her journey of leaving home when she was thirteen years old and living on the streets to later guide others to use generative writing for self-discovery. Generative writing will reveal your inner wisdom for healing, creative magic, and personal transformation. Meredith Heller is a poet, singer-songwriter, avid nature lover, and educator with degrees in writing and education. She leads writing workshops online and in person. She also teaches in schools, juvenile detention centers, women's prisons, and wellness retreats. She is the author of. Write a Poem, Save Your Life: A Guide for Teens, Teachers, and Writers of All Ages (New World Publishers 2021) and Writing by Heart: A Poetry Path to Healing and Self-Discovery (New World Library 2024)Interview Date: 6/14/2024. Tags: Meredith Heller, homelessness, poetry, generative writing, radical honesty, ancestors, prayer, the Moon, Health & Healing, Personal Transformation, Writing

Despite our strongest intentions, there are common reasons we may find ourselves defeated in our efforts to make sustainable changes in eating and exercise. Segar gives us new frameworks to finally achieve our goals as she outlines areas of behavior based on the science of sustainable change. Michelle Segar, Ph.D., is an award-winning researcher at the University of Michigan and health coach. For nearly three decades, she has pioneered methods to create sustainable healthy behavior changes that are being used to boost patient health, employee well-being, and gym membership retention. She advises global organizations on these issues and delivers keynotes and trainings. Her books include: No Sweat: How the Simple Science of Motivation Can Bring You a Lifetime of Fitness (Harper Collins Leadership 2015) and The Joy Choice: How to Finally Achieve Lasting Changes in Eating and Exercise (Hachette Go, 2022) Interview Date: 6/16/2023 Tags: Michelle Segar, sustainability, behavior change, habits, motivation, mindfulness, exercise, eating, self-compassion, flexibility, Health & Healing

Our present media landscape poses significant challenges in the current political climate as they continue to exacerbate the perception that most U.S. citizens are hopelessly divided. Research shows this is not the reality. Outlined here are examples of many groups that have built alliances and have crossed boundaries to build a better future for all. Diana McLain Smith, Ph.D. has worked with families, organizations, communities, and in some of America's most iconic businesses and entrepreneurial nonprofits. She has developed an approach that converts debilitating intergroup conflict into constructive outcomes. This work is known as Leading through Relationships (LTR™). She's a former partner at the Monitor Group and former chief executive partner at New Profit. Her approach is to educate practitioners to develop the skill for engaging and fact-based dialogues, learning from different perspectives, and partnering across boundaries. Her books include Divide or Conquer: How Great Teams Turn Conflict Into Strength (Portfolio 2008), The Elephant in the Room: How Relationships Make or Break the Success of Leaders and Organizations (Jossey-Bass 2011) and Remaking The Space Between Us: How Citizens Can Work Together To Build A Better Future For All (Ballast Books 2024) Interview Date: 7/5/2024 Tags: Diana McLain Smith, Not in Our Town, Derek Black, Eli Saslow, friendship, Billings Montana, Patrice O'Neil, Allison Gornick, Media, Social Change/Politics

Jurs has been on a 30-year worldwide trek to join elders, activists, and diverse communities to ceremonially bury Earth Treasure Vases around the planet in service to Gaia. This practice is deeply rooted in the feminine, honoring indigenous traditions, and the teachings of an embodied, engaged, sacred activism dedicated to global healing and collective awakening. Cynthia Jurs is a Dharmacharya in the Order of Interbeing of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh. In 2018, she was made an Honorary Lama in recognition of her dedication in the practice of Earth Treasure Vases and her commitment in relationship with elders, activists, and diverse communities to ceremonially bury the clay vases all around the planet in service to Gaia. Jurs offers monthly full moon meditations, retreats, and pilgrimages through the Gaia Mandala Global Healing Community. She is the author of: Summoned by the Earth: Becoming a Holy Vessel for Healing Our World (Prospecta Press 2024)Interview Date: 5/24/2024 Tags: Cynthia Jurs, Earth Treasure Vases, Tibetan clay vases, Thich Nhat Hanh, Charok Rinpoche, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Gaia Mandala Global Healing Community, full moon meditations, Ganges, samsara, Buddhist Dakini Tara, The Buddha, Personal Transformation, Ecology/Nature/Environment, Community, Indigenous Wisdom, Buddhism, Global Culture

Little compares to the powerful spiritual force of joining voices to harmonize in songs of freedom. It's a transformative occasion when done with the fullness of our being that creates a sense of communal solidarity. We become part of something larger than ourselves. It plants the seeds of hope and compassion in the face of face of oppression and injustice. Benjamin Mertz is a bi-racial man who is the Director of Diversity & Inclusion for the Berkeley Executive Coaching Institute (BECI). He serves on the board of directors of the Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity and is the founder and director of the Joyful Noise! Gospel Singers. He's a composer, performer, and song leader who specializes in the music of the Black Spiritual tradition and is a human rights and racial justice activist. When not performing music he writes and speaks on issues of racial justice, economic justice and Black History, and he works on creating interfaith and interracial alliances. He can often be found leading songs at benefit concerts, vigils, protest actions, sacred services, and workshops. His albums include: Climbing Up the Mountain (Benjamin Mertz 2019) and I Dream: Joyful Noise! Gospel Singers (Joyful Noise! Gospel Singers 2020)Interview Date: 5/13/2024. Tags: Benjamin Mertz, Michael Cochran, Sir Roland Hanna, The Drinking Gourd, Ysaye Barnwell, AME Church in Charleston, Ilana Simmons, Dr. Cornel West, Confederate monuments, Michele Norris, Africa, Kumbaya, Music, Social Change/Politics

Here we explore one of the most important aspects of being human—the power of friendship. Friendship is an island of safety and intimacy as we share our joys, sorrows, challenges, and authenticity. They give us the courage to be our full self, flaws and all, and love us even when we don't love ourselves. Mark Nepo is a poet, philosopher, and a most eloquent spiritual teacher. In 2015, he was given a Life-Achievement Award by AgeNation and in 2016 was named by Watkins: Mind Body Spirit as one of the Most Spiritually Influential Living People. He was part of Oprah Winfrey's The Life You Want Tour in 2014 and has appeared several times with Oprah on her Super Soul Sunday program on OWN TV. As a cancer survivor, Mark devotes his writing and teaching to the journey of inner transformation and the life of relationship. He is the author of many audio learning projects and over 20 books including: Reduced To Joy (Cleis Press 2013), Seven Thousand Ways to Listen: Staying Close To What Is Sacred (Free Press 2012), The One Life We're Given: Finding the Wisdom That Waits in Your heart (Atria Books 2016), More Together Than Alone: Discovering the Power and Spirit of Community in Our Lives and in the World (Atria Books 2018), Falling Down and Getting Up: Discovering Your Inner Resilience and Strength (St. Martin's Essentials 2023), You Don't Have To Do It Alone: The Power Of Friendship (St. Martin's Essentials 2024)Interview Date: 4/19/2024 Tags: Mark Nepo, honor, friendship, compassion, Organ master Lonnie Smith, Endora Welty, E.M. Forster, Personal Transformation, Philosophy, Relationship

Buddha was a revolutionary and he left us with a map of how to effectively live our lives with skillful means. He gave us wise words for effective living through the Four Noble Truths, The Eightfold Path, and the Thirteen Precepts. Here Coyote expands on the concept of "life is suffering" to mean life's afflictions cannot be avoided. Stuff happens. Peter Coyote is a master of many crafts, including being an award-winning actor, improv teacher, author, director, screenwriter, and narrator who has worked with some of the world's most distinguished filmmakers, including Ken Burns. He's won several Emmys for his narration and was ordained as a Zen priest in 2011. In 2015, he received transmission from his teacher making him an independent Zen teacher. His books includeThe Rainman's Third Cure: An Irregular Education (Counterpoint 1998/2015), Sleeping Where I Fall: A Chronicle (Counterpoint 2015), Tongue of a Crow: A Book of Poetry (Four Way Books 2021), The Lone Ranger and Tonto Meet Buddha: Masks, Meditation & Improvised Play to Induce Liberated States (Inner Traditions 2021), Zen in the Vernacular: Things As It Is (Inner Traditions 2024)Interview Date: 5/3/2024 Tags: Peter Coyote, Gary Snyder, San Francisco Zen Center, David Brazier, David Harris, eight-fold path, 8-fold path, Zen Mates Fuketsu, James Carse, injustice, slavery , Buddhism, Meditation, Personal Transformation, Social Change/Politics

Acclaimed singer-songwriter shares insights from her journey of psychological and spiritual exploration through the lens of her song lyrics. Here she delves into themes of community, vulnerability, parenting, and living a life of service and curious inquiry. Morissette offers a powerful invitation to embrace our interconnectivity and keep the light in our eyes ablaze. Alanis Morissette is a multiple Juno and Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter. Her albums have sold over 75 million copies worldwide. Morissette's music explores themes of the feminine movement, leadership, spirituality, and self-empowerment. Her albums include Jagged Little Pill, Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie, Flavors of Entanglement, Such Pretty Forks in the Road and The Storm Before the CalmInterview Date: 4/09/2024 Tags: Alanis Morissette, singer-songwriter, vulnerability, songwriting, wholeness, interconnectivity, empath, HSP, curiosity, trauma, attachment theory, Harville Hendrix, support, connection, agape, Peter Levine, Enneagram, The Hurried Child, Arianna Huffington, friendship, boundaries, silence, corrective experience, vulnerability, Elaine Aron, introversion, Internal Family Systems, parts work, Arts & Creativity, Personal Transformation, Spirituality, Women's Studies, Psychology, Parenting, Meditation

Hudson guides us in the transformative power of the Enneagram and how it can foster self-awareness, empathy, and personal growth. From his decades of studying this significant framework he shares how it assists us in assessing a spectrum of possible personality types that, when applied to oneself, offers a unique pathway to living a more authentic and fulfilling life. Russ Hudson is a world-renowned teacher, author, and scholar who has dedicated over 30 years to studying and sharing the gifts of the Enneagram. He is the author of The Wisdom of the Enneagram: The Complete Guide to Psychological and Spiritual Growth For The And Nine Personality Types (coauthor with Don Richard Riso) (Bantam Books 1999) and The Enneagram: Nine Gateways to Presence (Sounds True 2021)Interview Date: 3/22/2024 Tags: Russ Hudson, Enneagram, personality types, self-awareness, empathy, personal growth, transformation, presence, Fourth Way, George Gurdjieff, Oscar Ichazo, Claudio Naranjo, Don Richard Riso, A. H. Almaas, Hameed Ali, David Byrne, Dolly Parton, Joni Mitchell, Prince, Philip Glass, John Cage, Merce Cunningham, David Bowie, self-discovery, mindfulness, integration, relationships, work, spirituality, ancient wisdom, symbolism, ego, essence, inner work, guidance, awakening, Personal Transformation, Psychology, Spirituality, Philosophy

Keeping chickens in an urban setting has become increasingly popular in recent years. They not only produce eggs, they give us the delightful pleasure of their company. When feeling stressed and anxious just take a moment or two to pull up a chair outside a chicken coop and let these feathered friends entertain you, erase your anxiety, and connect you to nature. Tedra Hamel (known as Teddi) is a critical care nurse in Washington state and a backyard chicken enthusiast. Through the inspiration of her feathered friends she has become an artist, and her hens have established some fame on Instagram. She is the author and artist illustrator of Therapy Chickens: Let the Wisdom of the Flock Bring You Joy (Quarto Publishing Group 2024)Interview Date: 3/20/2024 Tags: Tedra Hamel, pecking order, chicken coops, roosting, chicken poop as fertilizer, egg laying, Hen Power, community chicken coops, Animals, Community, Ecology/Nature/Environment, Personal Transformation

Coleman suggests that we take our meditation practice outside. This can move us from an interior-focused self-referential world to one of connecting with the living web that is our ecosystem. He often asks the question of his students: As you are a part of the Earth, what is an effective way to live your life that's an expression of care for the Earth, which is also yourself? Mark Coleman is a mindfulness meditation teacher who has been teaching Insight meditation and nature retreats worldwide since 1997. He regularly leads wilderness retreats through his organization, Awake in the Wild, where he introduces others to nature-based meditation practices. These retreats include a wide variety of contemplative activities like hiking, backpacking, forest bathing, kayaking, river rafting, cross-country skiing, rowing, canoeing, and more. Mark is also the co-founder of the Mindfulness Training Institute, where he co-leads yearlong mindfulness-teacher trainings in Europe and the U.S. He is also a senior meditation teacher at Spirit Rock Meditation Center in Northern California. His books include Awake in the Wild: Mindfulness in Nature as a Path of Self-Discovery (New World Library 2006), Make Peace with Your Mind: How Mindfulness and Compassion Can Free You from Your Inner Critic (New World Library 2016), From Suffering to Peace: The True Promise of Mindfulness (New World Library 2019) and A Field Guide to Nature Meditation: 52 Mindfulness Practices for Joy, Wisdom and Wonder (Awake in the Wild 2022) Interview Date: 3/6/2024 Tags: Mark Coleman, mindfulness meditation, meandering, John O'Donohue, inner presence, nature, the natural world, Redwoods, silence, eco crisis, attention economy, Buddhism, Meditation, Personal Transformation, Ecology/Nature/Environment

Peterson is directing us to look beyond the companionship we enjoy with our domesticated animal friends and invites us to explore how wild animals can become our guides and fellow travelers, helping us navigate the stresses of daily life in a rapidly changing planet. Here she delights us with her many adventures with dolphins, beluga whales, orcas, and wolves.Brenda Peterson is an award-winning nature writer, memoirist, novelist, and writing teacher. She's been featured on NPR, and in theNew York Times, Orion Magazine, O: The Oprah Magazine, and many other prestigious magazines and newspapers. She's the author of more than twenty books for adults and children. Her books include BuildMe an Ark: A Life with Animals (W. W. Norton 2001), Duck and Cover (Backinprint.com 2004), I Want to Be Left Behind: Finding Rapture Here on Earth (Da Capo Press 2010) and Wild Chorus: Finding Harmony with Whales, Wolves, and Other Animals (Mountaineers Books 2024)Interview Date:3/5/2024 Tags: Brenda Peterson, Noah'sArk, Orcas, beluga whales, dolphins, wolves, animal allies, StuartBrown, Jane Goodall, Animals, Ecology/Nature/ Environment

Terry teaches the practice of relational mindfulness. He advises us to shift our view of relationship from a zero-sum situation where one person wins and the other loses, one is right and the other is wrong, he gives us examples of how to conduct skillful and effective communication in order to get off the treadmill of repetitive fights with our partners. Terry Real is a family therapist and author. He's the founder of the Relational Life Institute, which offers Relational Life Therapy (RLT) courses online and in-person workshops for couples, individuals, parents, and professionals. He is the author of I Don't Want to Talk About It: Overcoming the Secret Legacy of Male Depression (Scribner 1998), How Can I Get Through to You? Closing the Gap Between Men and Women (Simon & Schuster 2002), The New Rules of Marriage: What You Need to Know to Make Love Work (Ballantine Books 2008), Us: Getting Past You and Me to Build a More Loving Relationship (Rodale Books 2022) Interview Date: 2/14/2024 Tags: Terry Real, hyper-individualism, toxic individualism, relational mindfulness, Relational Life Therapy, RLT, disharmony, repair, James Framo, marriage, patriarchy, non-binary, false binary, Thomas Hubl, wounded child, brain, interconnectedness, Relationship, Personal Transformation, Psychology

Orloff suggests that empathy is a bedrock of healing in difficult situations and needs to be a daily priority to become a habit. Beyond transforming difficult Interactions studies have shown that an act of empathy can have a positive effect on our immune response. Empathy is imperative for our happiness, our intimacy, and our connection with others and the earth. Judith Orloff, M.D. is a member of the UCLA Psychiatric Clinical Staff and specializes in treating empaths and sensitive people in her private practice. She offers Empathy Training Programs to businesses and organizations and teaches empathic tools to doctors, corporate teams, leaders, managers, customer service and trainers, as well as individuals. She's been called the “godmother of the empath movement” and has written several books about intuition, life strategies for sensitive people, and empathy. Interview Date: 2/19/2024 Tags: Judith Orloff, narcissist, compassion, suffering, heart meditation, caregiving, caregivers, caretaking, Kristi Nelson, gratefulness, Personal Transformation, Psychology

Here we explore what the Internal Family Systems [IFS] model encompasses and how healing our own inner world can create ripples of compassion that extend from ourselves to our communities. Schwartz encourages people to listen to these parts with spaciousness and personal curiosity so as to ultimately live a more balanced life. Richard C. Schwartz, Ph.D. is the creator of the therapeutic model known as Internal Family Systems [IFS] and founder of the IFS Institute which offers training for professionals and the general public. Formerly an associate professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Illinois at Chicago and later at Northwestern University, he is currently on the faculty of Harvard Medical School. He is the author of many books including No Bad Parts: Healing Trauma, and Restoring Wholeness with The Internal Family Systems Model (Sounds True 2021)Interview Date: 1/26/2024 Tags: Richard C. Schwartz, Hakomi, inner critic, attachment theory, shame, Personal Transformation, Psychology

Here Williams shares that the size of the action isn't the point. What matters is taking regular action. Small actions have a cumulative effect that is disproportionate to the individual effort they require. Together these millions of incremental steps lead to a tipping point. Indeed, over and over history has shown this to be true. Omkari L. Williams has devoted her life to change-making. She leads activism workshops and trainings and is the host of the podcast Stepping into Truth, where she interviews activists from all walks of life. She is the author of Micro Activism: How You Can Make a Difference in the World (without a Bullhorn): Small Actions Equal Big Results. (Storey publishing 2023)Interview Date: 12/15/2023 Tags: Omkari L Williams, collaboration, March on Washington, William McDonough, Personal Transformation, Social Change/Politics, Community

Skillful leadership is needed in all aspects of our everyday lives even if we're not employed full-time. These skills can be applied in our households and the many other groups in which we participate. We all need to be lifelong learners in developing strong and effective leadership and problem-solving skills as we continue to engage with others. Marguerite Callaway is the founder and CEO of the Callaway Leadership Institute, an international leadership development and strategy company whose mission is to help current and aspiring leaders reach their full potential. She is the author of The Energetics of Business: A Practical Guide for Bringing Your Business to Life (Lincoln Park Productions 2006)Interview Date: 12/20/2023. Tags: Marguerite Callaway, leadership, authenticity, extraversion, introversion, extrovert, introvert, delegation, delegate, fixed mindset, growth mindset, Rick Hanson, neuroplasticity, mirror neurons, empathy, emotional intelligence, sympathy, constructive conflict, quick fixes, deep listening. Personal Transformation, Psychology, Business

Leider and Shapiro suggest there is a difference between growing old and merely getting old. They write: “We're not denying time advances, but we are advocating to reimagine old age and the earlier we begin, the better.” Join Leider and Shapiro as they guide us in aging into the fullness of life. Richard J. Leider is the founder of Inventure -The Purpose Company, whose mission is to help people “unlock the power of purpose.” He is the author of many books including: The Power of Purpose: Find Meaning, Live Longer, Better (Berrett-Koehler Publishing 2016). David A Shapiro is a philosopher, educator, and tenured philosophy professor at Cascadia College in Seattle. Leider and Shapiro are the co-authors of many books considered classics in the personal growth field. They include: Repacking Your Bags and The Power of Purpose (Mjf Books 1996) and Who Do You Want to Be When You Grow Old? The Path of Purposeful Aging. (Berrett-Koehler Publishing 2021)Interview Date: 12/8/2023 Tags: Richard Leider, David Shapiro, Viktor Frankl, aging, eldership, eldering, Hersch Wilson, storytelling, legacy, purpose, Richard Bolles, poet Jack Gilbert, life purpose, Personal Transformation, Psychology, Aging

In our deep desire to be of help, Sofer provides clarity in how to increase our resilience and engage more effectively with the infinite complexities of the 21st century. He sheds light on how such qualities as integrity, concentration, gratitude, and generosity lead us to become more skillful in positive activism in the world. Oren Jay Sofer teaches meditation, mindfulness, and nonviolent communication in secular and Buddhist contexts. He received his degree in comparative religion from Columbia University and is a Certified Trainer of Nonviolent Communication as well as a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner for the healing of trauma. He serves as a member of the Teachers Council of the Spirit Rock Meditation Center in Northern California. He is the author of Say What You Mean: A Mindful Approach to Nonviolent Communication (Shambala Publications 2018) and Your Heart Was Made for This: Contemplative Practice for Meeting a World in Crisis with Courage, Integrity & Love (Shambala Publications 2023)Interview Date: 10/24/2023 Tags: Oren Jay Sofer, inner life, aspiration, nonviolent communication, mindfulness, resilient, resilience, privilege, entitlement, empathy, isolation, rescuing hug, Martin Luther King Jr, Harry Dunn, curiosity, resolve, self-discipline, willpower, willingness, attention, Howard Thurman, Buddhism, Personal Transformation, Social Change/Politics

As a stage IV cancer survivor, Nelson knows living with gratefulness is more than just another task to perform, it's an orientation to life. She counsels us to avoid getting caught in the hamster wheel of life, forgetting again and again that the present moment is truly all we have, and it's both precious and fleeting. It adds to the stamina we need for our journey. Kristi Nelson is an ambassador for the nonprofit organization Grateful Living which is founded by the internationally beloved “Grandfather of Gratitude, and former guest of New Dimensions, Brother David Steindl-Rast. From 2014 to 2022 Nelson served as its Executive Director. Kristi Nelson has spent more than 30 years in nonprofit leadership, development, and consulting, working at the Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health, and the Soul of Money Institute. Nelson is a stage IV cancer survivor. She is the author of Wake up Grateful: The Practice of Taking Nothing for Granted. (Storey Publishing 2020)Interview Date: 1/31/2024 Tags: Kristi Nelson, grateful, gratitude, gratefulness, Brother David Steindl-Rast, poignancy, poignant, not knowing, curiosity, Personal Transformation, Psychology

Emerson's transformational and prescient wisdom addresses the current and pressing needs of the world today. He encourages us to pay attention to our angle of vision because it is the first step toward self-awareness and will aid us in separating truth from falsehood. He guides us with inclusive thinking rather than the limitations of binary, either/or thinking.Mark Matousek is a teacher, spiritual seeker and award-winning author of many books. He leads transformative workshops, intensives, and guided writing sessions that mentor participants to reach their artistic and personal goals by using writing as a tool for insight, innovation, and clarity of purpose. He's the founder of the Seekers Forum, an online community for self-inquiry. His books include: Sex Death Enlightenment: A True Story (Riverhead 2000), The Boy He Left Behind: A Man's Search for His Lost Father (Riverhead 1997), When You're Falling, Dive: Lessons in the Art of Living (Bloomsbury 2009), Ethical Wisdom: The Search for a Moral Life (Anchor Books 2011), Writing to Awaken: A Journey of Truth, Transformation, and Self-Discovery (Reveal Press 2017) and Lessons from an American Stoic: How Emerson Can Change Your Life (HarperOne 2023)Interview Date: 10/24/2023 Tags: Mark Matousek, transcendentalism, transcendentalist, self-reliance, ecstasy, materialism, rationality, Stoicism, Stoics, implicit bias, Pauline Boss, Lucius Annaeus Seneca, Christ, Buddha, Jesus, Bhagavad Gita, Henry David Thoreau, Advaita Vedanta, nondualism, pantheism, Personal Transformation, Philosophy, History, Social Change/Politics

Humanity is straddling unprecedented, threshold times. This situational crisis is more than climate change. It's a whole system change. Yet, despite the extreme nature of our situation, we're also living in a moment of immense possibility. We live in an immense sea of a living universe within a domain of aliveness with new kinds of potentials that are going to emerge. Duane Elgin, Ph.D.(hon) is a visionary futurist, educator, and Citizen-Voice Activist who received the Goi Pace Award in Japan in recognition of his contributions to a global vision that fosters a “more sustainable and spiritual culture”. Duane is currently the Co-director of the Choosing Earth Project. He is the author of many books including Awakening Earth: Exploring the Evolution of Human Culture and Consciousness (William Morrow 1993), Voluntary Simplicity: Toward a Way of Life That Is Outwardly Simple, Inwardly Rich (Harper 2010), The Living Universe: Where Are We? Who Are We? Where Are We Going? (Barrett Koehler Publishers 2009), Promise Ahead: A Vision of Hope and Action for Humanity's Future the Living Universe (William Morrow 2000) and Choosing Earth: Humanity's Journey of Initiation through Breakdown and Collapse to Mature Planetary Community (Revised Edition) (Duane Elgin 2022)Interview Date: 10/20/2023. Tags: Duane Elgin, initiation, Christopher Alexander, mutual symbiosis, pocket neighborhoods, eco-villages, digital authoritarianism, digital dictatorship, electronic meetings, ETMs, electronic Town Meetings, The Little Prince, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, Personal Transformation, Psychology, Community, Social Change/Politics, Ecology/Nature/Environment, Global Culture

Johnson suggests by opening to the possibility of wonder from surprising sources, we recognize that, even in the bleakest of times, beauty is possible. Although that beauty can't permanently replace our losses, our sorrow, and the dire problems we're facing, it can break through the walls of powerlessness and melt despair. Trebbe Johnson is the founder and director of the global community Radical Joy for Hard Times, and she's devoted to finding and making beauty in hurt places. She has camped alone in the Arctic wilderness; studied classical Indian dance; worked as an artist's model, has been a street sweeper in an English village, and is an award-winning multimedia producer. She's led wilderness rites of passage and contemplative journeys in clear-cut forests, Ground Zero in New York, in EPA's toxic Superfund sites, the Sahara Desert, and other places. She participates in Global Earth Exchange—bringing people around the world together to go to places they care about that have been damaged or endangered: share stores, listen to the land, and make a simple gift of beauty for the place out of materials the place itself offers. She is the author of several books including Radical Joy for Hard Times: Finding Meaning and Making Beauty in Earth's Broken Places. (North Atlantic Books 2018) and Fierce Consciousness: Surviving the Sorrows of Earth and Self (Calliope Books, 2023).Interview Date: 10/6/2023 Tags: Trebbe Johnson, Michael Meade, The Woman in the Cave, Dylan Thomas, green fuse, grief, beauty, Kim Stanley Robinson, Ministry Of The Future, disbelieving, disbelief, Halaco Plant, hurt places, superfund places, Global Earth Exchange, Personal Transformation, Health & Healing, Ecology/Nature/Environment

Here you'll learn how to start a circle of your own for honest, safe conversations and cooperation in a divisive world. Hear examples of how to maintain the integrity and mutual support in a circle. Oliver says “You don't need to go somewhere or pay someone to start your circle. You can do it yourself.” Lauren J Oliver, Ph.D. received her baccalaureate degree from Harvard University and her doctorate in Clinical Psychology from UCLA. She currently provides coaching and organization development consultations for leaders, businesses, organizations, families, and individuals. She was co-founder with Dr. Robert Harrison Simmons of the California nonprofit Support Group Network. She is the author of Circle Culture: Tools for Cooperative Work (Bonnie Burstein) (Circle Culture 2023)Interview Date: 9/21/2023 Tags: Lauren J Oliver, special needs, Peer Counseling Program, circles, circling, Social Change/Politics, Personal Transformation

Dogs are the best kind of teachers because they teach us just by being themselves. Wilson describes the undiluted love of a dog when we come home after an absence, “You can have a stressful day but having a dog greet you just changes everything.” Dog and cat companions have much to teach us if we take the time to pay attention and open ourselves enough to listen and learn. Hersch Wilson is an organizational consultant, pilot, former professional dancer, newspaper columnist, and 30-year volunteer firefighter-EMT. He is also a consultant who has worked extensively with leadership teams from a variety of organizations including IBM Japan, the US Postal Service, and the CIA, to name a few. He writes a monthly column on dogs for the Santa Fe New Mexican. He lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico with his wife Laurie, a daughter, and two dogs, a Great Pyrenees and a Chihuahua-Terrier mix. He is the author of Play to Win!: Choosing Growth Over Fear In Work And Life (coauthor with his late father, Larry Wilson)(Bard Press; Revised Edition 2004), Firefighter Zen: A Field Guide To Thriving In Tough Times (New World Library 2020) and Dog Lessons: Learning the Important Stuff from Our Best Friends (New World Library 2023)Interview Date: 9/11/2023 Tags: Hersch Wilson, dogs, animal guardians, veterinary care, pet insurance, animal shelters, Animals

Poetry, at its best, takes us beyond our analytical minds and lands us in an embodied experience. It helps us meet the despair which inevitably rises up in the darkest moments. Poetry can cut windows and doors in your despair and give you a way to walk back into the world with others. Jane Hirshfield is an award-winning poet, essayist and translator. She's the author of ten books of poetry and two collections of essays. She has edited and co-translated four books presenting the work of world poets from the past. Her books have received the Poetry Center Book Award, the California Book Award, and the Donald Hall-Jane Kenyon Prize in American Poetry. Her poems appear in a wide range of prestigious outlets. A resident of Northern California, she is a chancellor emerita of the Academy of American Poets. She presents her work at literary and interdisciplinary events worldwide. In 2017, in conjunction with the March for Science in Washington DC, she founded Poets for Science, an interactive exhibit of science poems and writing invitation housed at Kent State's Wick Poetry Center, which has traveled to venues across the country.Jane Hirshfield has authored many books including The October Palace (HarperCollins 1994), The Lives of the Heart (Harper Collins 1997), Women in Praise of the Sacred (HarperCollins 1994), Nine Gates: Entering the Mind of Poetry (Perennial 1998), After (Harper Collins 2006), Given Sugar, Given Salt (Harper Collins 2001), Come, Thief (Knopf 2011), Ten Windows: How Great Poems Transform the World (Alfred A. Knopf 2015), The Beauty: Poems (Alfred A. Knopf 2015), Ledger (Alfred A. Knopf 2020) and The Asking: New and Selected Poems (Alfred A. Knopf 2023)Interview Date: 9/1/2023 Tags: Jane Hirshfield, Poetry, Hersch Wilson, bryophyta, mosses, kinship of all life, despair, March for Science, beauty, Poetry, Art & Creativity, Ecology/Nature/Environment, Philosophy

If we are to grasp Willis Barnstone's greatest contribution to culture over the course of his 87 years, we can focus on his role first and foremost as a poet – a lover of words, both his own and those of others, and on what he believes are sacred words from our earliest written records down to present day mystics and poets. Willis Barnstone is a poet, translator, biblical scholar, memoirist, anthologist, teacher, and painter. He is a former O'Connor Professor of Greek at Colgate University, Distinguished Professor of Comparative Literature at Indiana University, a Guggenheim Fellow, and winner of numerous literary awards, including the Emily Dickinson, Lannon, and W. H. Auden awards. In 2015 he was recipient of the Fred Cody Lifetime Achievement Award. He is translator of the Greek Lyric Poets, a literary historical version of the New Testament, and poets as diverse as Sappho, Rainer Maria Rilke, Jorge Luis Borges, Antonio Machado, Wang Wei, and St. John of the Cross.Barnstone's life's work includes over 75 books including With Borges on an Ordinary Evening in Buenos Aires (University of Illinois Press 1999), The Poems of Jesus Christ (W.W. Norton & Company 2012), The Poetics of Ecstasy: Varieties of Ekstasis from Sappho to Borges (Holmes & Meier Pub 1983), The Poetics of Translation: History, Theory, Practice (Yale University Press 1995), Sappho and the Greek Lyric Poets (Pantheon 1988), The Other Bible (HarperOne 2005), The Apocalypse (editor, translator) (New Directions 2000), The Gnostic Bible (Shambhala 2009), The Restored New Testament: A New Translation with Commentary, Including the Gnostic Gospels Thomas, Mary, and Judas (W.W. Norton and Company 2009) and A Book of Women Poets from Antiquity to Now (editor with Aiki Barnstone) (Schocken1992)Interview Date: 3/9/2015 Tags: Willis Barnstone, poetry, prose, metaphor, literature, Antonio Machado, Robert Fitzgerald, Jack Kerouac, Eve of the Bible, Jack Kerouac, St. John of the Cross, Jesus, translation, art of conversation, Jorge Luis Borges, Arts & Creativity

Are we living in a material universe or a simulated one? Are we living in a massive, multiplayer, online, role-playing game where our deeds and quests are being kept track of in the “cloud” like an angel recording our lives? If so, who is running the game? And what is the connection between computer science, video game physics, and the great spiritual traditions? Rizwan Virk (known as Riz) is a successful entrepreneur, a video game pioneer, a venture capitalist, and founder of the start-up accelerator Play Labs @ MIT. His interest and expertise ranges from video games, the metaverse, simulation theory, meditation, consciousness, and the intersection of science, science fiction, religion, and philosophy. He's a graduate of MIT and Stanford and is currently a faculty associate at Arizona State University. He is the author of Zen Entrepreneurship: Walking the Path of the Career Warrior (BayView Labs 2013), Startup Myths and Models: What You Won't Learn in Business School (Columbia Business School Publishing 2020), Treasure Hunt: Follow Your Inner Clues to Find True Success (Watkins Publishing 2017), The Simulation Hypothesis: An MIT Computer Scientist Shows Why AI, Quantum Physics and Eastern Mystics Agree We Are in a Video Game. (Bayview books 2019), Wisdom of a Yogi: Lessons for Modern Seekers from Autobiography of a Yogi (Bayview Books 2023), The Zen Entrepreneur & the Dream: An MIT Grad's Quest for Success & Enlightenment in Silicon Valley (2023)Interview Date: 7/14/2023 Tags: Rizwan Virk, Riz Virk, video games, Hindu Vedas, Atari, ChatGPT, reincarnation, dialup computer modems, augmented reality, Nick Bostrom, The Matrix film, Elon Musk, multiple universes, parallel universes, John Wheeler, 20th century physics, consciousness, entanglement, nonlocality, Star Trek Holodecks and replicas, Claude Shannon, Galileo, Schrödinger's cat, quantum physics, probability wave, optimization, conditional rendering, chaos theory, complexity theory, Stephen Wolfram, quenched disorder, Paramahansa Yogananda, Science, Philosophy, Technology, Spirituality

How we talk to ourselves sets the tone for every experience in our life. Our voice is a powerful guide in releasing emotions, traumas, and difficult memories. It can be dramatically effective in transforming our lives in meaningful ways. As we start speaking to ourselves out loud with kindness and curiosity, our body will loosen up and speak back to us. Vasavi Kumar is a first generation Indian American, a life coach and licensed therapist who holds degrees in social work and special education from Hofstra and Columbia Universities. She runs the Say It out Loud Safe Haven community for coaches, creatives, and entrepreneurs. She is the author of Say It out Loud: Using the Power of Your Voice to Listen to Your Deepest Thoughts and Courageously Pursue Your Dreams. (New World Library 2023)Interview Date: 7/7/2023 Tags: Vasavi Kumar, trigger points, procrastinating, procrastination, Gabor Maté, curiosity, Personal Transformation

Margaret Renkl inspires us to make an “untidy” garden that will nurture our soul and the natural world. She encourages us to fall in love with the natural companions in our lives: the spiders, the hummingbirds, crickets, and racoons, and all the other species who are living right beside us. When we fall in love with them, we can't help but want to save them. Renkl is a contributing opinion writer for The New York Times, where her essays appear weekly. She has been recognized with numerous prestigious awards for her writing. She is the founding editor of Chapter 16, a daily literary publication of Humanities Tennessee. A graduate of Auburn University and the University of South Carolina, she now lives in Nashville. She is the author of Late Migrations: A Natural History of Love and Loss (Milkweed Editions 2019), Graceland, At Last: Notes on Hope and Heartache from the American South. (Milkweed Editions 2021) and The Comfort of Crows: A Backyard Year (Spiegel and Grau 2023)Interview Date: 6/19/2023 Tags: Margaret Renkl, birding tradition, blue jays, crows, bird language, tadpoles, amphibians, frogs, toads, endocrine disruptors, chemical fertilizers, insecticides, pesticides, monarch butterflies, Methuselah generation, Roundup, glyphosate, pollinator plants, rabbits, manicured lawns, spiders, hummingbirds, walking, Ecology/Nature/Environment, Writing

Mark Nepo shares how we can have direct connection to the attending guiding spirit within. He further suggests that we describe three reliable truths which are our personal foundation to return to as we meet the challenges of daily life. Nepo writes about how the net of relationship distributes our suffering. He is the author of many audio learning projects and over 20 books including Reduced To Joy (Cleis Press 2013), Seven Thousand Ways to Listen: Staying Close To What Is Sacred (Free Press 2012), The One Life We're Given: Finding the Wisdom That Waits in Your heart (Atria Books 2016), More Together Than Alone: Discovering the Power and Spirit of Community in Our Lives and in the World (Atria Books 2018), Drinking from the River of Light: The Life of Expression (Sounds True 2019), The Book of Soul: 52 Paths to Living What Matters (St. Martin's Essentials 2020), Surviving Storms: Finding the Strength to Meet Adversity (St. Martins' Essentials 2022) and Falling Down and Getting Up: Discovering Your Inner Resilience and Strength (St. Martins' Essentials 2023)Interview Date: 6/30/2023 Tags: Mark Nepo, heart mind, head mind, Dante, The Divine Comedy, inner guiding spirit, honor, Indra's net, fear, inner guide, Philosophy, Personal Transformation, Relationship

Casey experienced a literal angel knocking on her door which moved her from the potential of committing suicide to a path of discovering how God is present on the other side of the abyss of depression and despair and shares how she connected with her Higher Power that has served as her guide ever since. Karen Casey, Ph.D. received her doctorate in philosophy with an emphasis on Native American studies. She's an accomplished author with over two dozen books and is the 2007 winner of the Johnson Institute American Honors Recovery Award for her contribution to the field of recovery. Karen's focus as a writer and spiritual teacher is to strengthen our connection to a Higher Power, which is the invisible source of inspiration, guidance, strength, and wisdom available to each of us. Her books include Each Day a New Beginning: Daily Meditations for Women (40th anniversary edition, Hazeldon 2022), 52 Ways to Live the Course in Miracles: Cultivate a Simpler, Slower, More Loved-Filled Life. (Conari Press 2016) and Let Go Now: Embraced Detachment As a Path to Freedom (Conari Press 2022)Interview Date: 5/19/2023 Tags: Karen Casey, Al Anon, codependence, alcoholism, AA, Alcoholics Anonymous, Higher Power, isolation, Catherine Ponder, Spirit, ego, nonreisistance, Aesop Fable Hercules and the Apple, kindness, Personal Transformation, Spirituality

Here we explore scientific findings of the continuity of human consciousness beyond the physical body. There is much that is constantly going on beyond our ordinary senses. Drasin explores the comparison that the “greater reality” beyond physical life might be analogous to an ocean and the soul is analogous to a surfer's wave that has form and endurance but is not separate from the ocean. Dan Drasin is an award-winning documentary filmmaker and has been a photographer and media producer for more than six decades. He's also the Operations Manager of New Dimensions and the announcer whose voice you hear on each program. His short 1961 documentary film titled Sunday was widely acknowledged as the first social-protest film of the 1960s and is part of the permanent film collection at New York's Museum of Modern Art. Since the early 1990s, Drasin has been actively investigating the field of afterlife communication through traditional mental and physical mediumship, as well as modern electronics as featured in his documentary film, Calling Earth. He is the author of A New Science of the Afterlife: Space, Time, and the Consciousness Code (Park Street Press 2023)Interview Date: 5/5/2023. Tags: MP3, Dan Drasin, scientific materialism, space time, causation, Matrix films, habits of mind, language, consciousness, skeptics, Rupert Sheldrake, curiosity, afterlife, electronic voice phenomenon, instrumental trans-communication, Konstantin Raudive, Mark Macy, Friedrich Jürgenson, soul group, hypnotherapist Michael Newton, Parapsychology/Paranormal, Science, Philosophy, Intuition/Psychic