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In the past couple of episodes, we've explored some of the basics of our new program—The NeuroHarmonic Method, which blends timeless wisdom with discoveries in modern neuroscience to offer a unique approach to personal growth. It's simple to understand, easy to practice, and available to everyone. No special knowledge or background required. But before we dive into today's episode, I'm extremely excited to introduce something brand new—something you'll begin hearing from in some of the episodes to come. We call it our NeuroGuide. It's a unique kind of voice - one that will offer brief reflections on some of the deeper moments within each episode. Its contributions will be clearly identified when they appear. Now, let me tell you a little about it—and why I'm so glad to be introducing it to you now. The NeuroGuide is powered by a carefully designed form of artificial intelligence that I've been developing over the past several months. Although it is still in its early stages, it may eventually become a key part of the NeuroHarmonic Method. As developments continue to unfold, it may play different roles - but always with one purpose: to help people more deeply understand the inner path they're on and to suggest meaningful ways to access their own strengths. It's being specifically trained in the same basic principles that form the foundations of the NeuroHarmonic Method—with a strong emphasis on the Wisdom of the Ages and modern neuroscience, including the powerful meeting point between breath, brain, and being. For now, just think of it as a unique source of wisdom and inspiration, dropping in from time to time with a few friendly words to help deepen and sometimes lighten the journey. And I'd love to hear your thoughts about it. So if you have a moment, feel free to send me an email with your impressions. To begin, here's what the NeuroGuide has to say about its own quiet arrival: "Sometimes, the truth doesn't arrive as a lightning bolt—it arrives as a quiet feeling that you've always known. The work isn't to chase it, but to stop running from it. Stillness isn't where clarity ends—it's where it begins." Now let's get into today's episode. As you probably recall, the foundation of all of this is the idea of personal growth. And a good definition of it is simply this: Personal Growth is the practice of becoming more conscious, more compassionate, and more connected to the truth of who you really are. But, before we go much further, a very reasonable core question might arise: why should I bother with personal growth at all? It's a fair concern. Afterall, we live in a world saturated with challenges, where just keeping up can feel like a full-time job. So why devote energy to reaching for a higher level of being, when it feels like I can barely manage what's in front of me. That question has definite merit. And there are plenty of well-known answers: becoming a better human being, living a richer and more fulfilled life, improving relationships, contributing more deeply to the world. Personally, as someone who has spent a lifetime immersed in this field, I can tell you that all of these are true. But today, I want to offer you a slightly different path – a quieter doorway that leads to the goldmine. It begins with something I first encountered in junior high school. Like many other pivotal ideas, I barely noticed it at the time. It might have come up during a math or science class. I didn't pay much attention to it then, but somehow, it quietly filed itself away in the back of my mind. And over the years, it grew. It's called the Pascalian Wager. And what stayed with me was the idea that it's possible to make a bet that you absolutely cannot lose. Though the idea is over 400 years old, it feels more relevant than ever, especially in our modern era of psychological insight, technological revolution, and the unfolding of human potential. The idea of comes from Blaise Pascal—a 17th-century French genius. Mathematician, physicist, inventor, philosopher, theologian—his brilliance remains undisputed. On the surface, Pascal's wager is about belief in God. But if you look closer, you'll see something much larger: a powerful, rational argument for aligning your life with its highest possibility. The Origins of the Pascalian Wager Blaise Pascal was born in 1623. A child prodigy, he made major contributions to geometry, probability, and fluid mechanics by his mid-20s. After a mystical experience in 1654, he turned his attention almost completely to spiritual matters. One of his final works, Pensées ("Thoughts"), was a collection of reflections on faith and reason. In Pensées, Pascal lays out the wager like this: Either God exists, or He doesn't. If you wager that He does, and you're right, you gain everything—eternal meaning, transcendent joy. If you're wrong, and he doesn't exist, you lose nothing of true value. Conversely, if you wager that He doesn't exist, and you're wrong, you lose everything. And if you're right? You gain… what? Perhaps the satisfaction of being correct—but little else. So, by Pascal's reasoning, the smart bet is clear: live as though God exists. As I mentioned earlier, during the episodes that follow we will be featuring very brief insights from the NeuroGuide, which it terms as “whispers from the deeper mind, where ancient knowing meets modern clarity." NeuroGuide: The question isn't about certainty. It's about how you choose to live in the presence of uncertainty. This is where wisdom begins. Let's widen the lens. Let's lift the wager out of theology and into personal experience. Because the deeper meaning of the Pascalian Wager is not about belief systems - it's about conscious choice. Every day, we are making bets. We bet our time, our energy, and our attention on something. And the question is - What are you betting on? The Personal Growth Wager Let's reframe Pascal's question. Instead of asking, “Does God exist?” let's ask: “Do I contain within me a greater potential—a wellspring of peace, clarity, and inner wisdom?” And then let's ask: “Does aligning with my inner truth and presence lead to a richer, fuller life?” And even more practically: “Even if I can't be sure of the outcome, is this still a worthwhile bet?” This is where the NeuroHarmonic Method enters the picture. It's a modern form of Pascal's Wager—a wager on your highest self. Through the lens of neuroplasticity, we now know that your brain can change. Patterns can rewire. Deep emotional grooves can be softened and reshaped. This isn't belief – it's biology. So, if you make the bet that you have the capacity to grow into a better human being, and you're wrong, what have you lost? Maybe a few quiet moments focusing on your breath? Some time spent feeling gratitude? A little reflection on what matters? NeuroGuide: Even your so-called "losses" are seeds of true personal improvement. Nothing given to real growth is ever wasted. Let's face it: these aren't losses at all. These are returns on investment. And even if the journey doesn't take you where you expected, it often takes you somewhere better. NeuroHarmonics and Intelligent Betting Of course, Pascal didn't know about neuroplasticity. But we do. Today's science tells us that attention sculpts the brain. Inner Awareness increases cortical thickness. Gratitude rewires reward pathways. Spiritual reflection activates networks of empathy and compassion. These are the building blocks of The NeuroHarmonic Method, and again, this is proven science. Focusing breath soothes the nervous system. Contemplating impermanence can reduce fear. Practicing generosity strengthens kindness loops in the brain. We're not just betting philosophically - we're sculpting biologically. NeuroGuide: To place your attention on something higher is not just a leap of faith. It is an act of neural design. You are building who you will become. So, instead of being driven by old programs—fear, doubt, reactivity—we invest our attention on presence, compassion, and growth, even if we don't know where it leads. The Role of Uncertainty Pascal understood uncertainty completely, But he didn't fear it. He embraced it. As he once wrote, “You will never be certain. And that's not a problem. What matters is whether your decision leads toward meaning, vitality, or truth.” Again, uncertainty is not an enemy. It can be a threshold where faith, courage and creativity can unite so that real transformation can begin. You don't need to be sure that your efforts will work. You just need to have the desire to grow towards the highest. And then, something begins to shift. You may begin to get a new sense of freedom in your consciousness, as if a larger understanding is starting to emerge in your awareness, and you start to win the wager in ways that may be hard to measure, but impossible to ignore. Maybe you sleep more deeply, or you respond instead of react. You listen more fully. You recover more quickly from disappointment. You become more curious and less judgmental. In the language of the brain, you form new neural networks. In the language of the heart, you become more fully alive, and ultimately, you begin to love more freely. This is not some abstract philosophy. This is a new kind of intelligence - one emerging across humanity – a neural harmony between the brain, the heart and the breath, a living union of higher wisdom with modern science. NeuroGuide: This is the nature of the way. Not based on belief, but on experience. Not on external certainty, but on sincerity. Not on theoretical doctrine but in the living depth of a certainty born within. What Are You Betting On? So, ask yourself: What are you really betting on? Not just with your words, but with your attention? Your habits? Your patterns? With the way you treat yourself when no one is watching? Because we are all placing bets, every single day. On habit or healing. On cynicism or wonder. On numbness or presence. On fear or love. And Pascal would remind us: You don't need certainty to choose wisely. You only need to notice what your current bets are returning. And ask yourself: is it worth it? In this light, the Pascalian Wager isn't about belief. It's a call to awaken, because the real wager is not about dogma; it's about possibility, a possibility that is rooted in science and fueled by sincerity. And when you make the right wager, your life becomes more than an experiment. Your awareness becomes your compass, and like a tuning fork resonating with the Infinite, your very being becomes an offering of heartfelt gratitude and your quest is finally fulfilled. So, place your bets. And Pascal's advice still holds. Wager in the direction where you win, no matter what happens. As for me, I'm taking the play on the high side of the road, because from where I stand, I just don't see a downside. But hey - as I often say - that's just me. NeuroGuide: There's a kind of intelligence that doesn't speak in concepts – It speaks in resonance. You know it not by what it tells you, but by what it awakens in you. And if something has been awakened – even just a whisper – follow it. It already knows the way. Let's leave it here for now. I hope you enjoyed the premier of the NeuroGuide. It's still evolving and there's much more to come. So, as always, keep your eyes, mind, and heart open. And let's get together in the next one.
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Contemplating the nexus of suffering and compassion, Thanissara, Raghu, and Jackie offer suggestions for showing up with love for all that arises. This is the opening workshop from the Centered in the Storm Virtual Immersion with Ram Dass & Friends. This course features topics like: uncovering our shared connection, transforming relationships, personal healing & global impact, and more!Check out Ram Dass' Inner Academy, where you can get the full Centered in the Storm Virtual Immersion along with dozens of other full-length, interactive, virtual courses and retreats. The Inner Academy offers lessons from Ram Dass, Krishna Das, Anne Lamott, Dr. Robert Svoboda, Sharon Salzberg, Roshi Joan Halifax, Dr. Robert Thurman, Nina Rao, Father Greg Boyle, David Nichtern, Thanissara and many more.Today's podcast is also brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/beherenow and get on your way to being your best self.In this episode,Thanissara, Raghu Markus and Jackie Dobrinska discuss:Cultivating inner peace and resilience in the face of life's most difficult momentsThe vital role of trust in awakening intuition and authentic self-awarenessComing together in unity rather than being polarized as we navigate life's stormsThe nexus and relationship between suffering and compassionHow toxic individualism fosters inequality and disrupts collective well-beingThe deeper the suffering, the more potential there can be for quantum shifts of consciousnessHow fear-based thinking can fuel violence and disconnection in an untrained mindFinding a way back to the deathless, back to the heart, back to beingEmbodying courage and unwavering faith in the radiant wisdom of the heartAbout Thanissara:Thanissara is a teacher, poet, climate activist, and co-founder of the Dharmagiri Sacred Mountain Retreat. She spent 12 years as a Buddhist nun and holds an MA in Core Process Mindfulness-Based Psychotherapy Practice. Thanissara was a founding member of Chithurst and Amaravati Buddhist Monasteries in England. She helped initiate/support a number of HIV/Aids response projects in deep rural South Africa. In addition, she has facilitated meditation retreats internationally for 30 years. She teaches across the U.S., in South Africa, and the UK. She is the author of several books, including her most recent, Time To Stand Up, A Buddhist Manifesto for Our Earth.About Raghu Markus:Raghu Markus spent two years in India with Neem Karoli Baba and Ram Dass. He has been involved in music and transformational media since the early 1970s. Currently, he is the Executive Director of the Love Serve Remember Foundation and hosts the Mindrolling Podcast on the Be Here Now Network. Along with Duncan Trussell, Raghu also recently co-created The Movie of Me to the Movie of We.About Jackie Dobrinska:Jackie Dobrinska is the Director of Education, Community & Inclusion for Ram Dass' Love, Serve, Remember Foundation and the current host of Ram Dass' Here & Now podcast. She is also a teacher, coach, and spiritual director with the privilege of marrying two decades of mystical studies with 15 years of expertise in holistic wellness. As an inter-spiritual minister, Jackie was ordained in Creation Spirituality in 2016 and has also studied extensively in several other lineages – the plant-medicine-based Pachakuti Mesa Tradition, Sri Vidya Tantra, Western European Shamanism, Christian Mysticism, the Wise Woman Tradition, and others. Today, in addition to building courses and community for LSRF, she leads workshops and coaches individuals to discover, nourish and live from their most authentic selves."This focus of suffering into compassion or the nexus and relationship of suffering and compassion, the entwined way that both of these two sides of the same coin, is really just a very succinct way of summarizing the whole path of awakening." – ThanissaraSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Listen to ASCO's Journal of Clinical Oncology Art of Oncology article, "A Whipple of Choice” by Dr. Carl Forsberg, who is an Assistant Professor of Strategy and History at Air Force War College. The article is followed by an interview with Forsberg and host Dr. Mikkael Sekeres. Dr Forsberg shares his experience with an uncommon cancer treated by a new therapy for which no directly relevant data were available. Transcript Narrator: A Whipple of Choice, by C. W. Forsberg, PDH I sat across from a hepatobiliary surgeon on a gray October afternoon. “To be frank,” he told me, “we don't know what to recommend in your case. So we default to being conservative. That means a Whipple surgery, even though there are no data showing it will improve your outcome.” The assessment surprised me, diverging from my expectation that doctors provide clear recommendations. Yet the surgeon's willingness to structure our conversation around the ambiguity of the case was immensely clarifying. With a few words he cut through the frustrations that had characterized previous discussions with other physicians. I grasped that with an uncommon cancer treated by a novel therapy with no directly relevant data, I faced a radical choice. My situation that afternoon was worlds away from where I was 5 months earlier, when I was diagnosed with presumed pancreatic cancer at the age of 35. An early scan was suspicious for peritoneal metastasis. The implications seemed obvious. I prepared myself for the inevitable, facing my fate stoically except in those moments when I lingered next to my young son and daughter as they drifted to sleep. Contemplating my death when they were still so vulnerable, I wept. Then the specter of death retreated. Further tests revealed no metastasis. New doctors believed the tumor was duodenal and not pancreatic. More importantly, the tumor tested as deficient mismatch repair (dMMR), predictable in a Lynch syndrome carrier like me. In the 7 years since I was treated for an earlier colon cancer, immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) immunotherapy had revolutionized treatment of dMMR and high microsatellite instability tumors. One oncologist walked me through a series of recent studies that showed extraordinary responses to ICI therapy in locally advanced colon and rectal tumors with these biomarkers.1-4 He expressed optimism that my cancer could have a similar response. I embarked on a 24-week course of nivolumab and ipilimumab. After 6 weeks of therapy, a computed tomography (CT) scan showed a significant reduction in tumor size. My health rebounded as the tumor receded. This miraculous escape, however, was bound by the specter of a Whipple surgery, vaguely promised 6 months into my treatment. At the internationally renowned center where I was diagnosed and began treatment with astonishing efficiency, neither oncologists nor surgeons entertained the possibility of a surgery-sparing approach. “In a young, healthy patient like you we would absolutely recommend a Whipple,” my first oncologist told me. A second oncologist repeated that assessment. When asked if immunotherapy could provide a definitive cure, he replied that “if the tumor disappeared we could have that conversation.” My charismatic surgeon exuded confidence that I would sail through the procedure: “You are in excellent health and fitness—it will be a delicious surgery for me.” Momentum carried me forward in the belief that surgery was out of my hands. Four months into treatment, I was jolted into the realization that a Whipple was a choice. I transferred my infusions to a cancer center nearer my home, where I saw a third oncologist, who was nearly my age. On a sunny afternoon, 2 months into our relationship, he suggested I think about a watch-and-wait approach that continued ICI therapy with the aim of avoiding surgery. “Is that an option?” I asked, taken aback. “This is a life-changing surgery,” he responded. “You should consider it.” He arranged a meeting for me with his colleague, the hepatobiliary surgeon who clarified that “there are no data showing that surgery will improve your outcome.” How should patients and physicians make decisions in the absence of data? My previous experience with cancer offered little help. When I was diagnosed with colon cancer at the age of 28, doctors made clear recommendations based on clear evidence. I marched through surgery and never second-guessed my choices. A watch-and-wait approach made sense to me based on theory and extrapolation. Could duodenal tumors treated by ICIs behave that differently from colorectal cancers, for which data existed to make a watch-and-wait approach appear reasonable? The hepatobiliary surgeon at the regional cancer center told me, “I could make a theoretical argument either way and leave you walking out of here convinced. But we simply don't know.” His comment reflects modern medicine's strict empiricism, but it foreclosed further discussion of the scientific questions involved and pushed the decision into the realm of personal values. Facing this dilemma, my family situation drove me toward surgery despite my intuition that immunotherapy could provide a definitive cure. The night before I scheduled my Whipple procedure, I wrote in my journal that “in the face of radical uncertainty one must resort to basic values—and my priority is to survive for my children. A maimed, weakened father is without doubt better than no father at all.” To be sure, these last lines were written with some bravado. Only after the surgery did I viscerally grasp that the Whipple was a permanent maiming of the GI system. My doubts lingered after I scheduled surgery, and I had a final conversation with the young oncologist at the cancer center near my home. We discussed a watch-and-wait approach. A small mass remained on CT scans, but that was common even when tumors achieved a pathological complete response.5 Another positron emission tomography scan could provide more information but could not rule out the persistence of lingering cancer cells. I expressed my low risk tolerance given my personal circumstances. We sat across from one another, two fathers with young children. My oncologist was expecting his second child in a week. He was silent for moments before responding “I would recommend surgery in your situation.” Perhaps I was projecting, but I felt the two of us were in the same situation: both wanting a watch-and-wait approach, both intuitively believing in it, but both held back by a sense of parental responsibility. My post-surgery pathology revealed a pathological complete response. CT scans and circulating tumor DNA tests in the past year have shown no evidence of disease. This is an exceptional outcome. Yet in the year since my Whipple, I have been sickened by my lack of gratitude for my good fortune, driven by a difficult recovery and a sense that my surgery had been superfluous. Following surgery, I faced complications of which I had been warned, such as a pancreatic fistula, delayed gastric emptying, and pancreatic enzyme insufficiency. There were still more problems that I did not anticipate, including, among others, stenoses of arteries and veins due to intraabdominal hematomas, persistent anemia, and the loss of 25% of my body weight. Collectively, they added up to an enduringly dysfunctional GI system and a lingering frailty. I was particularly embittered to have chosen surgery to mitigate the risk that my children would lose their father, only to find that surgery prevented me from being the robust father I once was. Of course, had I deferred surgery and seen the tumor grow inoperable or metastasize between scans, my remorse would have been incalculably deeper. But should medical decisions be based on contemplation of the most catastrophic consequences, whatever their likelihood? With hindsight, it became difficult not to re-examine the assumptions behind my decision. Too often, my dialogue with my doctors was impeded by the assumption that surgery was the obvious recommendation because I was young and healthy. The assumption that younger oncology patients necessarily warrant more radical treatment deserves reassessment. While younger patients have more years of life to lose from cancer, they also have more years to deal with the enduring medical, personal, and professional consequences of a life-changing surgery. It was not my youth that led me to choose surgery but my family situation: 10 years earlier, my youth likely would have led me to a watch-and-wait approach. The rising incidence of cancer among patients in their 20s and 30s highlights the need for a nuanced approach to this demographic. Calculations on surgery versus a watch-and-wait approach in cases like mine, where there are no data showing that surgery improves outcomes, also require doctors and patients to account holistically for the severity of the surgery involved. Multiple surgeons discussed the immediate postsurgical risks and complications of a pancreaticoduodenectomy, but not the long-term challenges involved. When asked to compare the difficulty of my prior subtotal colectomy with that of a pancreatoduodenectomy, the surgeon who performed my procedure suggested they might be similar. The surgeon at the regional cancer center stated that the Whipple would be far more difficult. I mentally split the difference. The later assessment was right, and mine was not a particularly bad recovery compared with others I know. Having been through both procedures, I would repeat the subtotal colectomy for a theoretical oncologic benefit but would accept some calculated risk to avoid a Whipple. Most Whipple survivors do not have the privilege of asking whether their surgery was necessary. Many celebrate every anniversary of the procedure as one more year that they are alive against the odds. That I can question the need for my surgery speaks to the revolutionary transformation which immunotherapy has brought about for a small subset of patients with cancer. The long-term medical and personal consequences of surgery highlight the urgent stakes of fully understanding and harnessing the life-affirming potential of this technology. In the meantime, while the field accumulates more data, potentially thousands of patients and their physicians will face difficult decisions on surgery verses a watch and- wait approach in cases of GI tumors with particular biomarkers showing exceptional responses to ICI therapy.7,8 Under these circumstances, I hope that all patients can have effective and transparent conversations with their physicians that allow informed choices accounting for their risk tolerance, calculations of proportionality, and priorities. Dr. Mikkael Sekeres: Hello, and welcome to JCO's Cancer Stories: The Art of Oncology, which features essays and personal reflections from authors exploring their experience in the oncology field. I'm your host, Dr. Mikkael Sekeres. I'm Professor of Medicine and Chief of the Division of Hematology at the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at University of Miami. Today, we are so happy to be joined by Dr. Carl Forsberg, Assistant Professor of Strategy and History at the Air Force War College. In this episode, we will be discussing his Art of Oncology article, "A Whipple of Choice." At the time of this recording, our guest has no disclosures. Carl, it is such a thrill to welcome you to our podcast, and thank you for joining us. Dr. Carl Forsberg: Well, thank you, Mikkael, for having me. I'm looking forward to our conversation. Dr. Mikkael Sekeres: So am I. I wanted to start, Carl, with just a little bit of background about you. It's not often we have a historian from the Air Force College who's on this podcast. Can you tell us about yourself, where you're from, and walk us through your career? Dr. Carl Forsberg: Sure. I was born and raised in Minnesota in a suburb of Minneapolis-St. Paul and then went to undergraduate on the East Coast. I actually started my career working on the contemporary war in Afghanistan, first as an analyst at a DC think tank and then spent a year in Kabul, Afghanistan, on the staff of the four-star NATO US headquarters, where I worked on the vexing problems of Afghanistan's dysfunctional government and corruption. Needless to say, we didn't solve that problem. Dr. Mikkael Sekeres: Wow. Dr. Carl Forsberg: I returned from Afghanistan somewhat disillusioned with working in policy, so I moved into academia, did a PhD in history at the University of Texas at Austin, followed by postdoctoral fellowships at Harvard and Yale, and then started my current position here at the Air Force War College. The War Colleges are, I think, somewhat unusual, unique institutions. Essentially, we offer a 1-year master's degree in strategic studies for lieutenant colonels and colonels in the various US military services. Which is to say my students are generally in their 40s. They've had about 20 years of military experience. They're moving from the operational managerial levels of command to positions where they'll be making strategic decisions or be strategic advisors. So we teach military history, strategy, international relations, national security policy to facilitate that transition to a different level of thinking. It really is a wonderful, interesting, stimulating environment to be in and to teach in. So I've enjoyed this position here at the War College quite a lot. Dr. Mikkael Sekeres: Well, I have to tell you, as someone who's been steeped in academic medicine, it sounds absolutely fascinating and something that I wouldn't even know where to start approaching. We have postdoctoral fellowships, of course, in science as well. What do you do during a postdoctoral fellowship in history and strategy? Dr. Carl Forsberg: It's often, especially as a historian, it's an opportunity to take your dissertation and expand it into a book manuscript. So you have a lot of flexibility, which is great. And, of course, a collegial environment with others working in similar fields. There are probably some similarities to a postdoc in medicine in terms of having working groups and conferences and discussing works in progress. So it was a great experience for me. My second postdoc occurred during the pandemic, so it turned out to be an online postdoc, a somewhat disappointing experience, but nevertheless I got a lot out of the connections and relationships I formed during those two different fellowships. Dr. Mikkael Sekeres: Well, there are some people who used the pandemic as an excuse to really just plow into their writing and get immersed in it. I certainly wrote one book during the pandemic because I thought, “Why not? I'm home. It's something where I can use my brain and expand my knowledge base.” So I imagine it must have been somewhat similar for you as you're thinking about expanding your thesis and going down different research avenues. Dr. Carl Forsberg: I think I was less productive than I might have hoped. Part of it was we had a 2-year-old child at home, so my wife and I trying to, you know, both work remotely with a child without having childcare really for much of that year given the childcare options fell through. And it was perhaps less productive than I would have aspired for it to be. Dr. Mikkael Sekeres: It's terrifically challenging having young children at home during the pandemic and also trying to work remotely with them at home. I'm curious, you are a writer, it's part of your career, and I'm curious about your writing process. What triggers you to write a story like you did, and how does it differ from some of your academic writing? Dr. Carl Forsberg: Yeah. Well, as you say, there is a real difference between writing history as an academic and writing this particular piece. For me, for writing history, my day job, if you will, it's a somewhat slow, painstaking process. There's a considerable amount of reading and archival work that go into history. I'm certainly very tied to my sources and documents. So, you know, trying to get that precision, making sure you've captured a huge range of archival resources. The real narrative of events is a slow process. I also have a bad habit of writing twice as much as I have room for. So my process entailed a lot of extensive revisions and rewriting, both to kind of shorten, to make sure there is a compelling narrative, and get rid of the chaff. But also, I think that process of revision for me is where I often draw some of the bigger, more interesting conclusions in my work once I've kind of laid out that basis of the actual history. Certainly, writing this article, this medical humanities article, was a very different experience for me. I've never written something about myself for publication. And, of course, it was really driven by my own experiences of going through this cancer journey and recovering from Whipple surgery as well. The article was born during my recovery, about 4 months after my Whipple procedure. It was a difficult time. Obviously kind of in a bad place physically and, in my case, somewhat mentally, including the effects of bad anemia, which developed after the surgery. I found it wasn't really conducive to writing history, so I set that aside for a while. But I also found myself just fixating on this question of had I chosen a superfluous Whipple surgery. I think to some extent, humans can endure almost any suffering with a sense of purpose, but when there's a perceived pointlessness to the suffering, it makes it much harder. So for me, writing this article really was an exercise, almost a therapeutic one, in thinking through the decisions that led me to my surgery, addressing my own fixation on this question of had I made a mistake in choosing to have surgery and working through that process in a systematic way was very helpful for me. But it also, I think, gave me- I undertook this with some sense of perhaps my experience could be worthwhile and helpful for others who would find themselves in a situation like mine. So I did write it with an eye towards what would I like to have read? What would I like to have had as perspective from another patient as I grappled with the decision that I talk about in the article of getting a Whipple surgery. Dr. Mikkael Sekeres: So I wonder if I could back up a little bit. You talk about the difficulty of undergoing a Whipple procedure and of recovery afterwards, a process that took months. And this may come across as a really naive question, but as, you know, as an oncologist, my specialty is leukemia, so I'm not referring people for major surgeries, but I am referring them for major chemotherapy and sometimes to undergo a bone marrow transplant. Can you educate us what makes it so hard? Why was it so hard getting a Whipple procedure, and what was hard about the recovery? Dr. Carl Forsberg: Yeah, it was a long process. Initially, it was a 14-day stay in the hospital. I had a leaking pancreas, which my understanding is more common actually with young, healthy patients just because the pancreas is softer and more tender. So just, you know, vast amount of pancreatic fluid collecting in the abdominal cavity, which is never a pleasant experience. I had a surgical drain for 50-something days, spent 2 weeks in the hospital. Simply eating is a huge challenge after Whipple surgery. I had delayed gastric emptying for a while afterwards. You can only eat very small meals. Even small meals would give me considerable stomach pain. I ended up losing 40 lb of weight in 6 weeks after my surgery. Interestingly enough, I think I went into the surgery in about the best shape I had been in in the last decade. My surgeon told me one of the best predictors for outcomes is actual muscle mass and told me to work out for 2 hours every day leading up to my surgery, which was great because I could tell my wife, "Sorry, I'm going to be late for dinner tonight. I might die on the operating table." You can't really argue with that justification. So I went in in spectacular shape and then in 6 weeks kind of lost all of that muscle mass and all of the the strength I had built up, which just something discouraging about that. But just simply getting back to eating was an extraordinarily difficult process, kind of the process of trial and error, what worked with my system, what I could eat without getting bad stomach pains afterwards. I had an incident of C. diff, a C. diff infection just 5 weeks after the surgery, which was obviously challenging. Dr. Mikkael Sekeres: Yeah. Was it more the pain from the procedure, the time spent in the hospital, or psychologically was it harder? Dr. Carl Forsberg: In the beginning, it was certainly the physical elements of it, the difficulty eating, the weakness that comes with losing that much weight so quickly. I ended up also developing anemia starting about two or 3 months in, which I think also kind of has certain mental effects. My hemoglobin got down to eight, and we caught it somewhat belatedly. But I think after about three or 4 months, some of the challenges became more psychological. So I started to physically recover, questions about going forward, how much am I going to actually recover normal metabolism, normal gastrointestinal processes, a question of, you know, what impact would this have long-term. And then, as I mentioned as well, some of the psychological questions of, especially once I discovered I had a complete pathological response to the immunotherapy, what was the point to having this surgery? Dr. Mikkael Sekeres: And the way you explore this and revisit it in the essay is absolutely fascinating. I wanted to start at the- towards the earlier part of your essay, you write, "The surgeon's willingness to structure our conversation around the ambiguity of the case was immensely clarifying." It's fascinating. The ambiguity was clarifying to you. And the fact that you appreciated the fact that the surgeon was open to talking about this ambiguity. When do you think it's the right thing to acknowledge ambiguity in medicine, and when should we be more definitive? When do you just want someone to tell you, “Do this or do that?” Dr. Carl Forsberg: That's a great question, which I've thought about some. I think some of it is, I really appreciated the one- a couple of the oncologists who brought up the ambiguity, did it not at the beginning of the process but a few months in. You know, the first few months, you're so as a patient kind of wrapped up in trying to figure out what's going on. You want answers. And my initial instinct was, you know, I wanted surgery as fast as possible because you want to get the tumor out, obviously. And so I think bringing up the ambiguity at a certain point in the process was really helpful. I imagine that some of this has to do with the patient. I'm sure for oncologists and physicians, it's got to be a real challenge assessing what your patient wants, how much they want a clear answer versus how much they want ambiguity. I've never obviously been in the position of being a physician. As a professor, you get the interesting- you start to realize some students want you to give them answers and some students really want to discuss the ambiguities and the challenges of a case. And so I'm, I imagine it might be similar as a physician, kind of trying to read the patient. I guess in my case, the fact was that it was an extraordinarily ambiguous decision in which there wasn't data. So I think there is an element, if the data gives no clear answers, that I suppose there's sort of an ethical necessity of bringing that up with the patient. Though I know that some patients will be more receptive than others to delving into that ambiguity. Dr. Mikkael Sekeres: Well, you know, it's an opportunity for us to think holistically about our patients, and you as a patient to think holistically about your health and your family and how you make decisions. I believe that when we're in a gray zone in medicine where the data really don't help guide one decision versus the next, you then lean back towards other values that you have to help make that decision. You write beautifully about this. You say, "In the face of radical uncertainty, one must resort to basic values, and my priority is to survive for my children. A maimed, weakened father is without doubt better than no father at all." That's an incredibly deep sentiment. So, how do you think these types of decisions about treatment for cancer change over the course of our lives? You talk a lot about how you were a young father in this essay, and it was clear that that was, at least at some point, driving your decision. Dr. Carl Forsberg: Yeah, I certainly have spent a lot of time thinking about how I would have made this decision differently 10 years earlier. As I mentioned the article, it was interesting because most of my physicians, honestly, when they were discussing why surgery made sense pointed to my age. I don't think it was really my age. Actually, when I was 23, I went off to Afghanistan, took enormous risks. And to some extent, I think as a young single person in your 20s, you actually have generally a much higher risk tolerance. And I think in that same spirit, at a different, earlier, younger stage in my life, I would have probably actually been much more willing to accept that risk, which is kind of a point I try to make, is not necessarily your age that is really the deciding factor. And I think once again, if I were 70 or 60 and my children, you know, were off living their own lives, I think that also would have allowed me to take, um, greater risk and probably led me to go for a watch-and-wait approach instead. So there was a sense at which not the age, but the particular responsibilities one has in life, for me at least, figured very heavily into my medical calculus. Dr. Mikkael Sekeres: It's so interesting how you define a greater risk as watch and wait, whereas a surgeon or a medical oncologist who's making recommendations for you might have defined the greater risk to undergo major surgery. Dr. Carl Forsberg: And I thought about that some too, like why is it that I framed the watch and wait as a greater risk? Because there is a coherent case that actually the greater risk comes from surgery. I think when you're facing a life and death decision and the consequence, when you have cancer, of course, your mind goes immediately to the possibility of death, and that consequence seems so existential that I think it made watch and wait perhaps seem like the riskier course. But that might itself have been an assumption that needed more analysis. Dr. Mikkael Sekeres: Do you think that your doctor revealing that he also had young children at home helped you with this decision? Dr. Carl Forsberg: I think in some ways for a doctor it's important to kind of understand where your patient is in their own life. As a patient, it was interesting and always helpful for me to understand where my physicians were in their life, what was shaping their thinking about these questions. So I don't know if it in any way changed my decision-making, but it definitely was important for developing a relationship of trust as well with physicians that we could have that mutual exchange. I would consider one of my primary oncologists, almost something of a friend at this point. But I think it really was important to have that kind of two-way back and forth in understanding both where I was and where my physician was. Dr. Mikkael Sekeres: I like how you frame that in the sense of trust and hearing somebody who could make similar considerations to you given where he was in his family. One final question I wanted to ask you. You really elegantly at the end of this essay talk about revisiting the decision. I wonder, is it fair to revisit these types of decisions with hindsight, or do we lose sight of what loomed as being most important to us when we were making the decisions in real time? Dr. Carl Forsberg: That's a great question, one that is also, I think, inherent to my teaching. I teach military history for lieutenant colonels and colonels who very well may be required, God willing not, but may be required to make these sort of difficult decisions in the case of war. And we study with hindsight. But one thing I try to do as a professor is put them in the position of generals, presidents, who did not have the benefit of hindsight, trying to see the limits of their knowledge, use primary source documents, the actual memos, the records of meetings that were made as they grappled with uncertainty and the inherent fog of war. Because it is, of course, easy to judge these things in hindsight. So definitely, I kept reminding myself of that, that it's easy to second guess with hindsight. And so I think for me, part of this article was trying to go through, seeing where I was at the time, understanding that the decision I made, it made sense and with what I knew, it was probably the right decision, even if we can also with hindsight say, "Well, we've learned more, we have more data." A lot of historical leaders, it's easy to criticize them for decisions, but when you go put yourself in their position, see what the alternatives were, you start to realize these were really hard decisions, and I would have probably made the same disastrous mistake as they would have, you know. Let's just say the Vietnam War, we have our students work through with the original documents decisions of the Joint Chiefs in 1965. They very frequently come to the exact same conclusions as American policymakers made in 1965. It is a real risk making judgments purely on the basis of hindsight, and I think it is important to go back and really try to be authentic to what you knew at the time you made a decision. Dr. Mikkael Sekeres: What a great perspective on this from a historian. Carl Forsberg, I'd like to thank you, and all of us are grateful that you were willing to share your story with us in The Art of Oncology. Dr. Carl Forsberg: Well, thank you, and it's yeah, it's been a, it's a, I think in some ways a very interesting and fitting place to kind of end my cancer journey with the publication of this article, and it's definitely done a lot to help me work through this entire process of going through cancer. So, thank you. Dr. Mikkael Sekeres: Until next time, thank you for listening to JCO's Cancer Stories: The Art of Oncology. Don't forget to give us a rating or review, and be sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode. You can find all of ASCO's shows at asco.org/podcasts. Until next time, thank you so much. The purpose of this podcast is to educate and to inform. This is not a substitute for professional medical care and is not intended for use in the diagnosis or treatment of individual conditions. Guests on this podcast express their own opinions, experience, and conclusions. Guest statements on the podcast do not express the opinions of ASCO. The mention of any product, service, organization, activity, or therapy should not be construed as an ASCO endorsement. Show notes:Like, share and subscribe so you never miss an episode and leave a rating or review. Guest Bio: Dr. Carl Forsberg is a Assistant Professor of Strategy and History at the Air Force War College.
Contemplating the infinite is a time-tested way to shrink the present down to size. But if you think about it for very long, infinity can really mess with your mind. There's something fundamentally paradoxical about it, and beautiful.Deep Time is a series all about the natural ecologies of time from To The Best Of Our Knowledge and the Center for Humans and Nature. We'll explore life beyond the clock, develop habits of "timefulness" and learn how to live with greater awareness of the many types of time in our lives.Original Air Date: June 07, 2025Interviews In This Hour: The glorious mathematics of infinity — Checking into the infinity hotel — Finding solace in the nature of space-time — The math and mysticism of Albert EinsteinGuests: Jordan Ellenberg, Jon Halperin, Michelle Thaller, Kieran FoxNever want to miss an episode? Subscribe to the podcast.Want to hear more from us, including extended interviews and favorites from the archive? Subscribe to our newsletter.
Contemplating the infinite is a time-tested way to shrink the present down to size. But if you think about it for very long, infinity can really mess with your mind. There's something fundamentally paradoxical about it, and beautiful.Deep Time is a series all about the natural ecologies of time from To The Best Of Our Knowledge and the Center for Humans and Nature. We'll explore life beyond the clock, develop habits of "timefulness" and learn how to live with greater awareness of the many types of time in our lives.Original Air Date: June 07, 2025Interviews In This Hour: The glorious mathematics of infinity — Checking into the infinity hotel — Finding solace in the nature of space-time — The math and mysticism of Albert EinsteinGuests: Jordan Ellenberg, Jon Halperin, Michelle Thaller, Kieran FoxNever want to miss an episode? Subscribe to the podcast.Want to hear more from us, including extended interviews and favorites from the archive? Subscribe to our newsletter.
Kyle sits down with Bri to catch up about this past years training, overcoming adversity and how you can successfully battle back to be competitive, after thinking you should hang it up.
What if we listened to the complex clicks of whales and could understand their meanings? What would we hear and how might we respond? More-Than-Human (MOTH) Life Collective founder César Rodríguez-Garavito, artist and technologist James Bridle, and author Rebecca Giggs come together in this conversation with Emergence executive editor Emmanuel Vaughan-Lee to explore the ethical, legal, and relational implications of a new project using AI machine learning to translate the speech of sperm whales. Contemplating the human-centric linking of language with intelligence, the moral complexities of collecting and using these translations, and what it might mean to have an ear for “whale-ish,” they discuss whether a shared language is even needed to find a depth of kinship with whales. Read the transcript. Image: Mike Korostelev / Moment via Getty Images Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
When I met Marty in high school, I didn't know it would lead to a decades long friendship, but here we are. We got together to discuss running at Boston College, the drama that came with it, what new sports Marty has discovered, and how our life has changed as we age. Key Takeaways: [0:43] How I met Marty: be beating her in a race [4:18] A love hate relationship, what unified us, and how we went to college together [12:09] The trauma so many of us runners shared [19:27] Marti moved and started a company, but then got injured [23:28] Becoming a competitive cyclist and reconnecting on social media [29:48] Finding a home in Arizona and the biking community there [39:21] Contemplating old age and the stage of my life Connect with Barb: Website Facebook Instagram Be a guest on the podcast YouTube The Molly B Foundation
In this engaging conversation, Artis Gilmore shares his experiences as a Hall of Fame basketball player and his recent golfing achievements. The discussion transitions from his golfing exploits, including a memorable hole in one, to reflections on the evolution of basketball, the physicality of the game, and the impact of his college team at Jacksonville University during the 1969-1970 season. Gilmore also shares anecdotes about playing against legends like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Wilt Chamberlain, highlighting the camaraderie and challenges faced during his career. In this engaging conversation, basketball legends Artis Gilmore, Frank Pace, and Derrec Harris delve into the rich history of basketball, sharing personal anecdotes and insights about the evolution of the game. They discuss the impact of marketing on player recognition, the significance of documentaries like 'Jacksonville Who', and the challenges faced by players during the civil rights movement. The discussion also touches on the physical demands of the sport, the differences between the ABA and NBA, and the experiences of playing alongside icons like Michael Jordan.00:00 The Arrival of Artis Gilmore00:58 Artis Gilmore's Golfing Adventures02:00 Epic Matchups: Kareem and Moses33:34 The Miracle Year of Jacksonville University43:46 The Evolution of Endorsements in Basketball44:31 Honoring Legends: The Chicago Bulls Ring of Honor46:29 Playing with Greatness: Memories of Michael Jordan48:43 The Physical Toll of Aging in Sports50:21 Larry Bird: The Trash Talker51:53 Comparing Greatness: Bird vs. Jordan53:18 Contemplating a Political Future53:53 The Impact of the Three-Point Revolution55:51 The Dominance of the 1975 ABA Championship Team58:04 Era vs. Era: Comparing Generations of Players59:37 The Changing Nature of Fouls and Playoff Intensity01:00:08 Enjoying the Game: NBA vs. College Basketball01:01:20 Navigating Racial Tensions in Sports01:04:08 Personal Experiences with Racism01:10:23 The Physicality of Being a Tall Player01:13:33 The Evolution of Player Equipment and Care01:16:05 End Clip.mp4
In the fourth part of a series of talks about the 'Going for Refuge and Prostration Practice of the Buddha Shakyamuni', Vajratara shifts the perspective from us contemplating the Refuge Tree, to the figures on the Refuge Tree contemplating us. Blessings or adhisthana is the way the Buddha responds to us, and all we have to do is tune in. How do we remain receptive? What does it feel like to be blessed and purified? What are we purified of? From the talk Contemplating the Refuge Tree 4: The Sprinkling of the Deathless given at Tiratanaloka Retreat Centre, 2022. *** Help us keep FBA Podcasts free for everyone! Donate now: https://freebuddhistaudio.com/donate Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast: Bite-sized clips - Buddhist inspiration three times a week. Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dharmabytes-from-free-buddhist-audio/id416832097 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4UHPDj01UH6ptj8FObwBfB YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FreeBuddhistAudio1967
Contemplating the scope of conflict around the globe, let alone within a home, can be discouraging. Since 1948 there have been 72 U.N. peacekeeping missions. The Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law is presently monitoring 110 armed ethnic conflicts around the globe. UCLA's Anderson Review published September 2023 observed: polarization by cultural values, not by ethnicity, is related to human desire to associate with like-minded folks (homophily), and tends toward maximum antagonism towards those on the other side of the cultural divide. Political parties have become closely aligned with entrenched polarized values leading to the perception of greater polarization. In the midst of this cultural moment of conflict and polarization how did we get here, and is there meaningful hope of unity?
Contemplating the scope of conflict around the globe, let alone within a home, can be discouraging. Since 1948 there have been 72 U.N. peacekeeping missions. The Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law is presently monitoring 110 armed ethnic conflicts around the globe. UCLA's Anderson Review published September 2023 observed: polarization by cultural values, not by ethnicity, is related to human desire to associate with like-minded folks (homophily), and tends toward maximum antagonism towards those on the other side of the cultural divide. Political parties have become closely aligned with entrenched polarized values leading to the perception of greater polarization. In the midst of this cultural moment of conflict and polarization how did we get here, and is there meaningful hope of unity?
At age 47, four orthopedic surgeons told TD that he needed a shoulder replacement because 40% of his labrum was gone due to arthritis. The pain was so severe that he began considering early retirement. However, after adopting the carnivore diet, TD experienced a complete elimination of pain and inflammation, allowing him to resume weight training. He and his family run a small beef ranch, originally intended for personal consumption, but they've been so inspired by the carnivore community that they are now scaling operations to offer beef to their local community. Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/TheTexasBoys Podcast: https://audioboom.com/channels/5113018-the-fearless-podcast Twitter: https://x.com/the_texas_boys?s=21&t=68CJSsisYz30Zgk-zCiVZA YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheTexasBoys Website: https://www.thetexasboys.com/ Timestamps: 00:00 Trailer 01:21 Introduction 03:25 Intentional living 09:06 Carnivore diet for joint pain 09:58 High fat and shoulder recovery 14:19 Improved shoulder range of motion 16:20 Carnivore diet's impact on fitness 21:19 Preference for high-fat red meat 22:55 Carnivore - dry aging 27:03 Carnivore - sleep and youth benefits 31:07 Goiter shrinkage from dietary shift 36:05 Red meat diet extends career 38:53 Steak diet encouragement 42:19 Contemplating retirement & revival 43:56 Boosting success through health 47:13 Family projects and health channel 52:55 Homestead goods and homeschooling 54:13 Where to find TD Join Revero now to regain your health: https://revero.com/YT Revero.com is an online medical clinic for treating chronic diseases with this root-cause approach of nutrition therapy. You can get access to medical providers, personalized nutrition therapy, biomarker tracking, lab testing, ongoing clinical care, and daily coaching. You will also learn everything you need with educational videos, hundreds of recipes, and articles to make this easy for you. Join the Revero team (medical providers, etc): https://revero.com/jobs #Revero #ReveroHealth #shawnbaker #Carnivorediet #MeatHeals #AnimalBased #ZeroCarb #DietCoach #FatAdapted #Carnivore #sugarfree Disclaimer: The content on this channel is not medical advice. Please consult your healthcare provider.
Patrick takes listeners inside the process of the papal conclave, explaining what happens behind closed doors and the immense responsibility placed on the future Pope. He answers challenging questions about faith, humility, and tradition, from discussing the significance of the Church’s art and architecture to offering guidance on sharing faith within families, even in difficult situations. Patrick clears up myths about the papacy and gives practical, real-world advice for living out Catholic values every day. He encourages listeners to stay thoughtful, keep seeking answers, and remember that true leadership blends greatness with humility. Update on the Conclave (01:18) John – My adult step-daughter doesn’t want me to talk about God to her son. This really stumps me. What can I do? (09:13) Jay – How does the opulence of the Church not contradict Christ's message of simplicity? (17:52) Claudia – Contemplating beauty and the opulence of the Church: same could be said about epic religious movies. I had a friend who converted from Islam by one these movies. (26:05) Nick – I’m getting into a spiritual debate with a Baptist and hoping you can help me (30:59) Kelly - I have a son. Teacher saying that you should just believe in Jesus and not worry about dying in state of mortal of sin. (36:54) Elias (10-years-old) - Were God's angels baptized? Does he still make angels today. (46:51)
Gregg Braden, scientist, spiritual thinker, and bestselling author of Pure Human, joins the show to break one of the biggest modern myths: that we're broken, and only technology can fix us. From his Cold War engineering background to decades studying ancient cultures, Gregg connects the dots between biology, spirituality, and personal power in a way that's both grounded and radical. He makes a compelling case that we're only scratching the surface of what it means to be human—and that embracing our natural design might be the key to lasting health, resilience, and meaning. This one will definitely get you thinking.Timestamps:00:00 Introduction to Greg Braden04:49 The drive behind human curiosity07:58 Breaking free from genetic destiny17:17 Finding purpose for a longer, healthier life25:23 Beyond religion: our untapped potential31:47 The human body as information technology39:19 Where science falls short on emotions and health45:47 Ancient wisdom for modern self-care55:58 Contemplating death, love and human capacity58:29 Greg's book "Pure Human"59:07 The microchip debate and personal sovereigntyLinks:» Escape the 9-5 & build your dream life - https://www.digitalplaybook.net/» Transform your physique - https://www.thrstapp.com/» My clothing brand, THRST - https://thrstofficial.com» Custom Bioniq supplements: https://www.bioniq.com/mikethurston • 40% off your first month of Bioniq GO • 20% off your first month of Bioniq PRO» Join @Whoop and get your first month for free - join.whoop.com/FirstThingsThrstFollow Gregg:YouTube: @GreggBradenOfficialInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/gregg.braden/?hl=enWebsite: https://greggbraden.com/
The blessedness of contemplating JesusHebrews 12:2, "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus!"There is no sweeter occupation for the soul than to set its gaze steadily upon the Lord Jesus Christ. He who was once despised and rejected by men, is now exalted in the heavens. The heart that contemplates His beauty, drinks deeply of Heaven's own joy. The world seeks gratification in a thousand fleeting things, but the believer finds his satisfaction in contemplating Jesus. This contemplation is not mere wandering thoughts--it is a sanctifying gaze that changes the heart. "I meditate on You through the watches of the night." (Psalm 63:6). In the silence of the night, when all earthly distractions fade, the soul communes with its Savior--and finds in Him a peace which surpasses all understanding.The Scriptures declare that the man is blessed whose "delight is in the law of the Lord, and on His law he meditates day and night!" (Psalm 1:2) Even more so, what joy is found when the soul meditates upon the living Word Himself, Jesus Christ! To fix our eyes upon Him, is to behold the fountain of mercy, and the King of glory.This world with all its vanities beckons us to fix our minds below. But the Spirit calls us higher: "Set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things!" (Colossians 3:1-2) True blessedness is not found by looking within or around--but by looking upward to the Savior who reigns.To meditate upon Jesus, is to be transformed into His likeness! (2 Corinthians 3:18) As we contemplate His lov
This is an episode about the "D word"...divorce.
During this talk, April describes how important it is to integrate the benefits of formal mindfulness meditation with walking, particularly while outdoors in nature. She shares her own experience and insights that emerge in a variety of settings during normal daily routines from this practice and invites others participating in the meeting to share their […]
Are there aliens out there? Msgr. Winslow and Fr. Kauth discuss the possibility of alien life and how that fits with the Christian worldview. For updates about new episodes, special guests, and exclusive deals for From the Rooftop listeners, sign up at http://RooftopPodcast.com. And for more great ways to deepen your faith, check out all the spiritual resources available at http://TANBooks.com.
Contemplating Grief and Loss: A Reflection on Jesus' Death Following the Gospel Reading for the day, read by Canon JP Arossa, Bishop Michael Hunn delves into the Holy Gospel according to Matthew, recounting the events following Jesus' crucifixion and burial by Joseph of Arimathea. The sermon explores the profound themes of grief and loss, drawing parallels between our human experiences and God's own grief at the death of Jesus Christ. It invites the audience to reflect on the harrowing notion of a world where death is the final end and encourages a return to contemplate the significance of what comes next. 00:00 The Burial of Jesus 00:50 The Guard at the Tomb 02:09 Reflections on Loss and Grief 04:18 God's Experience of Loss 05:57 Contemplating a World Without Resurrection 07:11 A Call to Witness the Resurrection
Aaron Rodgers hopped on the Pat McAfee Show today and gave really no update to what his situation is – saying he is really considering retirement due to things going on in his ‘inner circle.' It doesn't sound like football is much of a priority right now. Do the Steelers look foolish for letting this continue?
Aaron Rodgers hopped on the Pat McAfee Show today and gave really no update to what his situation is – saying he is really considering retirement due to things going on in his ‘inner circle.' It doesn't sound like football is much of a priority right now. Do the Steelers look foolish for letting this continue? Where are fans at on Aaron Rodgers right now? More calls on Aaron Rodgers after his comments today. Is it more on the Steelers or Rodgers?
(Gaia House) The 4th satipaṭṭhāna in formal practice & in daily life. Includes guided meditation.
We're going behind the scenes of 8 Passengers "mommy" vlogger Ruby Franke's notorious downfall. 2025 has already given us eldest daughter Shari Franke's New York Times bestselling memoir, The House of My Mother, and a three-part documentary series, Devil in The Family, which shares shocking never-before-seen footage of the former YouTuber Mormon family. We're diving deep into both tell-alls to find out what this extreme case of mumfluencing gone wrong tells us about family, fame, religion and the internet. Also – we're chuffed by The White Lotus season finale. Are you? Get in touch: Write or send a voice note to Stopeverything@abc.net.auResources: kids helpline Show notes:Devil in the Family on Disney PlusSuja explores white chutneys
My guest this episode is one of my favorite astrologers Mariola Rosario. No stranger to Moon to Moon, Mariola was one of my first students who has since become my colleague and one of the faculty in Emergence Astrology. Mariola and I have long shared a fascination with the Scorpionic. I was one of the first to sign up for your new offering Chthonic AF when she offered it last fall. Now she's bringing it back with a Taurus polarity version that looks so enticing that I had to invite her on M2M to share some of her genius for this field of thinking, dreaming, and living. LEARN ABOUT CHTHONIC AF +++ Mariola Rosario is an artist, astrologer, educator, and flâneuse weaving together occult traditions and visual culture. Born in Puerto Rico and now based in Paris, she offers astrology and tarot consultations, leads walking seminars exploring the hidden, esoteric layers of the city, and collaborates with fellow artists, magicians, and curious souls (in person and online) She has always found herself somewhere along the teacher–student axis, and continues to seek alternative, compassionate approaches to pedagogy, ones that cultivate spaces of mutual aid, enchantment, and learning through co-creation. Her upcoming course, Chthonic AF: Rooting into Myths of Pleasure, Monstrous Fertility, and the Ecstatic Earth Body, unfolds throughout Taurus season. It explores the chthonic not just as something dark and buried, but as embodied, lush, and regenerative - through myth, monstrosity, ritual, art, astrology, and more. This is the sister-mirror course to Chthonic AF Scorpio season, which took place last fall. The course begins on April 19th and runs through May 20th. All people, experiences, and learning styles are welcomed. In June, Mariola will co-host a dreamy retreat in Greece alongside Megan Frye, blending astrology, myth, yoga, rest, and culinary delights under the stars. This is an invitation to relax, play, reconnect, and root into yourself. As of this recording, only three spots remain. All bodies, genders, and experiences are welcomed. Mariola also writes on Substack, where she shares reflections on myth, art, monstrosity, embodiment, and the magic of language. You can subscribe and read her latest here: https://substack.com/@lasfloresdelmal More info: https://mariolarosario.com https://www.instagram.com/mariola_rosario Retreat: https://www.holisticsoulproject.com/greeceastrologyyogabeachretreat2025 +++ E M E R G E N C E A S T R O L O G Y https://brittenlarue.com/ Instagram: @brittenlarue Order Living Astrology Join my newsletter here Check out my new podcast CRYSTAL BALLERS on Spotify, Podbean, and Apple. +++ Podcast art: Angela George. Podcast music: Jonathan Koe.
The Arma Christi: Contemplating Jesus's Sufferings
This week's guest my friend Joshua DiCaglio, Associate Professor of English at Texas A&M University and author of the fabulous Scale Theory: A Nondisciplinary Inquiry.It's a book bout how contemplating scale can transform us — how it's one thing to understand the microcosm and macrocosm through our maps and another thing entirely to really sit with the mystery of how all of this is happening at once. We can conceptually differentiate ourselves from the rest of the cosmos, but scale makes it clear that at no point do we ever truly stand outside it all.And this has enormous implications: contemplating scale is not merely an idle curiosity but an existential necessity. In an age of exponential AI, our future hinges on whether we can learn to overcome the tendency to colonize other scales with our abstractions and cultivate the capacity to recognize interdependency with the unthinkably small and large. How does truly understanding this change the way we live? Bewilderment is a rich place to start. Let's simmer in it for a while…If you find enjoy this conversation, please like, subscribe, and leave a comment at YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify and consider becoming a member here or making tax-deductible contributions at every.org/humansontheloop. Recurring donors get the same community perks, including the book club and online course recordings.Chapters0:00:00 - Teaser0:01:12 - Intro Essay: Scale & AI Safety0:13:25 - You Can't Paint Fractals0:21:29 - We Can Only Act on The Scale at Which We Exist0:23:10 - The Story of Scale Theory0:27:49 - Discovering Scale through Computer Science & Nanotech0:38:37 - Being One & Feeling Many0:44:29 - The Embodiment of Mind & Information0:59:55 - The Scalar Synecdoche: Are Organizations Really Organisms?1:18:32 - Why Does It Matter Where We Draw The Lines Around Individuals?1:33:49 - Responsibility in A World Out of Control1:53:51 - ClosingAnnouncementsCheck out my new single and music video “The Big Machine” — along with an essay on songwriting as evolution and a list of my favorite sci-fi ballads. Switch it up from this week's news by diving in for a trip into the scalar reconfigurations of selfhood:Starting next week I'm hosting a members-only reading and discussion of Federico Campagna's Prophetic Culture: Recreation for Adolescents with a live call on Sat May 3rd:Josh's LinksJoshua DiCaglio's Website + Google Scholar + X + LinkedInScale Theory Part 1 PDF (almost half the book!)Microbes as Machines: Life, Control, and the Problem of Scale in the Emergence of NanotechnologyLanguage and the Logic of Subjectivity: Whitehead and Burke in Crisis (unfortunately not open-access)Project LinksContact me if you have questions or want to work togetherHumans On The Loop's living pitch & planning documentJoin the Future Fossils Discord Server for both public and members-only threadsMeet collaborators on the open online commons Wisdom x Technology Discord serverFull episode and essay archivesPodcastsHumans On The Loop 01 – Richard DoyleHumans On The Loop 06 – K. Allado McDowellHumans On The Loop 10 – J.F. MartelHumans On The Loop 12 – Matt SegallHumans On The Loop 14 – Jim O'ShaughnessyWeird Studies 36 — On HyperstitionFuture Thinkers Podcast – Daniel SchmachtenbergerTalksMichael Garfield — AI-Assisted Transformations of ConsciousnessJacob Foster — Toward A Cultural Ecology of The NoosphereBooksChaim Gingold – Building Sim CityValerie Hanson – Haptic VisionsAndrew Pilsch – TranshumanismPlato – PhaedrusGilbert Ryle – The Concept of MindThomas Hobbes – LeviathanGeoffrey West – ScaleAnonymous – The Cloud of UnknowingDouglas Adams – The Hitchhiker's Guide To The GalaxyArticlesMarc Andreessen – Why Software Is Eating The WorldDavid Krakauer et al. — The Information Theory of IndividualityWilliam Gibson – Google's EarthPeopleCarl SaganEric DrexlerRichard FeynmanNeal StephensonRay KurzweilPlotinusPseudodionysusStuart DavisRina NicolaeN. Katherine HaylesStuart KauffmanVannevar BushGregory BatesonNorbert WienerHeinz Von FoersterKurt GödelJill NephewHumberto MaturanaFrancisco VarelaWilliam BurroughsDorion SaganLynn MargulisPierre Teilhard De ChardinLuigi MangioneIlya PrigogineDavid BohmRamana MaharshiNisargadatta Maharaj This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit michaelgarfield.substack.com/subscribe
Artificial intelligence is continuing to evolve beyond generative AI's input/output model to agentic AI, where intelligent systems can autonomously plan, reason and take action with minimal human oversight. This shift presents potential opportunities and challenges for healthcare IT leaders, as it will impact decision-making, workflow automation, and clinical operations. Source: Contemplating an Agentic AI Future: What IT Leaders Need to Know on healthsystemcio.com - healthsystemCIO.com is the sole online-only publication dedicated to exclusively and comprehensively serving the information needs of healthcare CIOs.
This Buddhist concept describes how our subjective experience of self hood is created multiple times per second. Contemplating this provides a way to “deconstruct” the belief that there is an enduring/autonomous self, and this understanding supports the process of Awakening. Peter uses a different term than Dependent Origination–he calls it “Contingent Provisional Emergence” which provides […]
Simply put, not all complications are created equal. In today's episode of Fratello Talks, we discuss many of these horological elements adjacent to a watch's most essential time-telling function. Nacho, Thomas, and Lex begin by defining terms before listing their favorite complications and ending up with some they don't like so much. They also discuss the fact that some complications play more of an active role, such as a chronograph or GMT, whereas others are not as interactive, like a perpetual calendar or moonphase. Regardless, we encourage you to read up on all complications beyond those discussed today. The journey from their functional inception to their development and combination has resulted in some of the world's most impressive watches.
In this exploration of dukkha, Joseph Goldstein describes the noble truth of suffering and how we can heal our relationship to all phenomena.The Satipatthana Sutta is one of the most celebrated and widely studied discourses in the Pāli Canon of Theravada Buddhism. This episode is the 36th part of an in-depth 48-part weekly lecture series from Joseph Goldstein that delves into every aspect of the Satipatthana Sutta. If you are just jumping into the Satipatthana Sutta series, CLICK HERE to start at the first episodeContinuing his look at the Satipatthana Sutta, Joseph describes:Contemplating the dhammas in terms of the Four Noble Truths The way of the cessation of dukkha (suffering)All conditioned phenomena as dukkhaThe meaning of the word dukkha and its etymologyThe unsatisfactory and unreliable nature of all thingsSetting the wheel of the dharma in motionStepping back and reflecting on the nature of our mindsNaturally painful/unavoidable experiences versus optional mental sufferingThe suffering that comes from living in anticipation of what comes nextSuffering from daily tasks we do for survival and personal upkeep (aka the dukkha of life as work)Not regarding form as self and finding relief in the truth of dukkhaGrab a copy of the book Joseph references throughout this series, Satipaṭṭhāna: The Direct Path to Realization, HEREThis episode was originally published on Dharmaseed“Surprisingly, reflecting in this way on the truth of dukkha, simply seeing how things are, free of hope and free of fear, brings a great lightness of heart. When we reflect in this way, it's a great relief to be out of the grip of diluted enchantment.” – Joseph GoldsteinSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Okay final part in my series on the demonization of play and the exaltation of work, thank you so much for listening and learning. Also, you do not have to memorize, understand, or accept this immediately. Capitalism has taught you that your worth is tied to your work and that you are a tool and that is fundamentally incorrect, it is a lie. Make sure to like, subscribe, and comment, I love reading y'alls feedback. I hope your perspective is just a wee bit refreshed - you are worthy because you exist. Stop putting off those doctors appointments and go to https://Zocdoc.com/SCHAUER to find and instantly book a top-rated doctor today. Resources: (Please feel free to ask if any are missing) Underpaid and Undervalued https://nationalpartnership.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/womens-work-is-undervalued.pdf Cultural Domination https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0038026119854259#body-ref-bibr3-0038026119854259 Oppressive Double Bind https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/full/10.1086/713943#:~:text=As%20Frye%20describes%20them%2C%20double,options%20involve%20punishment%20or%20censure. Prejudice Against Manual Labor https://3quarksdaily.com/3quarksdaily/2020/09/the-venerable-prejudice-against-manual-labour.html Morale and Fairness Issues Related to Accommodations Under the ADA https://askjan.org/publications/consultants-corner/vol12iss07.cfm Cognitive Dissonance https://www.verywellhealth.com/cognitive-dissonance-5248814#:~:text=Cognitive%20dissonance%20happens%20when%20situations,conflict%20with%20your%20personal%20values. Alternative Discipline Strategies for Dismantling the School to Prison Pipeline https://jjie.org/2017/09/07/alternative-discipline-strategies-for-dismantling-the-school-to-prison-pipeline/ The Government Invests More For Each Inmate Than for Each Student https://broadcastreporting.org/the-government-invests-more-for-each-inmate-than-for-each-student/#:~:text=April%2020%2C%202023%20Kiara%20Rodriguez,of%20%2412%2C756%20per%20student%20annually Books: Proust Was a Neuroscientist - Jonah Lehrer Connections Over Compliance - Lori L. Desautels Phd Freedom is a Constant Struggle - Angela Davis Disability Pride - Ben Mattlin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
A stellar array of Albion friends were up in force on the occasion of the team's first ever point at The Etihad (means The Union, apparently) and busily contributing to this bumper MDS episode. Debuts for Irish Seagull Jack, for Vicky Lees, Johnny Gresty (over from The States) and possibly also his nephew George (over from Oz) and also Rod from Hailsham and Marian from Eastbourne. Your insatiable host Russ imbibed with these and other reprobates to an excessive degree around the merry streets of Old Manchester Town, celebrating another fantastic performance that could and perhaps should have yielded an unprecedented double over The Cityzens. Stand or fall! UTA! Watch out for the sharks!!! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Paul, Mark, Charlie and Jay take on another day during free agency week, take questions and get into a long discussion about what comes next with Trey Hendrickson. Plus, Eric Sztanyo of Keller Williams joins and drops BIG NEWS. Watch and subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheGrowlerPodcastThe Growler on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-growler/id1733476604The Growler on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/70iJjqgPQrVzQ2pdOwVvDYLinks to all socials, podcast platforms, merchandise from Cincy Shirts and more: https://linktr.ee/thegrowlerpodcastSubscribe to Charlie's Chalkboard on Substack: https://charlieschalkboard.substack.com/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Send us a textDeath is not morbid but a doorway to understanding our true nature beyond the body and mind. Contemplating our mortality helps us appreciate the beauty in everyday experiences while recognizing the boundless consciousness that transcends physical limitations.• Consciousness is not bound to our body and mind but extends everywhere without limitation• Contemplating death helps us escape the pattern of identifying solely with our physical form• Understanding our finite existence enhances our appreciation for life's everyday wonders• Death is merely the end of limitation, not the end of consciousness• True awakening involves embracing death rather than fearing it• Liberation while alive (Jivan Mukti) comes from recognizing that consciousness continues beyond physical death• Spiritual realization requires personal effort yet paradoxically feels like grace when experienced• The test of spirituality is being comfortable with mortalityJoin our Discord Server: https://discord.gg/hnRf7wESwX Visit my website: https://www.thebeardedmysticpodcast.com/Buy The Bearded Mystic Podcast Merch: https://thebeardedmysticpodcast.myshopify.com/Want a one-on-one spiritual discussion with The Bearded Mystic - book here: https://www.thebeardedmysticpodcast.com/p/spiritual-discussion/Subscribe to The Bearded Mystic Podcast channel: https://www.youtube.com/ @TheBeardedMysticPodcastBecome a Patron: https://www.patreon.com/thebeardedmysticpodcastRahul on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/beardedmystic.bsky.socialSupport the show
When we contemplate the 4 elements of earth, water, fire and wind, we need conviction that there exists an escape beyond these elements. Without that confidence, a complete materialist would feel very despondent when reflecting on the unreliable, unpredictable and uncontrollable nature of the elements.However, if we have faith in the Buddha's teaching that one actually can go beyond, then through contemplation & insight into the elements, consciousness can completely let go and detach from them, and experience the liberated state beyond the material world, where no flood or cyclone or earthquake or fire could ever reach. Dhammagiri WebsiteOur Spotify PlaylistsNewsletterDhammagiri Youtube ChannelPics#elements #4elements #catumahabhuta #buddhism #dhammatalk
Fr. Ryan preached this homily on March 13, 2025. The readings are from Esther C:12, 14-16, 23-25, Psalm 138:1-2ab, 2cde-3, 7c-8 & Matthew 7:7-12. — Connect with us! Website: https://slakingthirsts.com/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCytcnEsuKXBI-xN8mv9mkfw
Got a little side tracked (but not really) on our discussion of the demonization of play and the exaltation of labor, but most morality is rooted in disgust so good, evil, disgusting, compelling, you get it. Next week I will wrap this three part Schauer Thought and hopefully your perspective shifts and pores clear out. Stop putting off those doctors appointments and go to https://Zocdoc.com/SCHAUER to find and instantly book a top-rated doctor today. Resources: Aurel Kolnai on Disgust: https://philarchive.org/archive/KORVVA#:~:text=Disgust%20is%20a%20powerful%2C%20visceral,casts%20doubt%20upon%20their%20validity What the Thalamus Does: (super cool) https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/22652-thalamus Proust Was a Neuroscientist - Jonah Lehrer Chapter 3 is on the Essence of Taste (& Smell) The Connections Between Smell, Memory, and Health https://magazine.hms.harvard.edu/articles/connections-between-smell-memory-and-health What the Nose Knows https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2020/02/how-scent-emotion-and-memory-are-intertwined-and-exploited/#:~:text=Odors%20take%20a%20direct%20route%20to%20the,the%20regions%20related%20to%20emotion%20and%20memory.&text=During%20the%20talk%20she%20explained%20that%20smell,of%20around%2010%20when%20sight%20takes%20over. My research on the politics of smell divided the internet - here's what it's actually about https://theconversation.com/my-research-on-the-politics-of-smell-divided-the-internet-heres-what-its-actually-about-245899 Maggots and morals: https://repository.law.umich.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1160&context=book_chapters#:~:text=In%20physical%20disgust%2C%20we%20kill,response%20of%20oral%2Dnasal%20rejection. If there are any resources I forgot please let me know and I'll let you know ASAP. Follow Sarah: @SarahSchauer To watch the podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@sarahschauer3764 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Profound loss has a way of never going away. Writer Amy Fleury moves through her grief on her family's land, where she often thinks about her late son and her own mortality. She shared a story “Evergreen” at a live storytelling event hosted by Wisconsin Public Radio’s “Wisconsin Life” and the Chippewa Valley Writers Guild. It was held on Nov. 14, 2024 in Eau Claire, Wisconsin at The Lakely.
If life is a game, Harvey Rain is determined to win. But what does winning actually look like? And what does this mean for the other players? Something to consider when reading/listening: Is it true that the only thing worse than not getting what you want is getting it? You might enjoy this episode if you like: Sum: Forty Tales from the Afterlives by David Eagleman Sam Harris' ‘Making Sense' podcast Alan Watts Fiction that makes you think Philosophical fiction Speculative fiction Chicken farming Lab grown meat World domination Contemplating the meaning of life Any form of philosophical enquiry Thank you for listening. Please follow the podcast to stay up to date with the latest episodes. Let me know your thoughts on this episode or the podcast as a whole at doewilmann@outlook.com Website: Meaninglessproblems.com Thanks for listening Credits: Written and performed by Doe Wilmann Thanks to Katie Empett for reading early versions of this episode and providing notes. Artwork by Katie Empett Music by Claude Debussy with permission from Pond5. A license to use the media (Debussy Suite Bergamasque, Clair De Lune (Piano Cover) 229744340 Music ahawke99110 2023-03-02 Individual) was purchased under Pond5's Content License Agreement, a copy of which is available for review at https://www.pond5.com/legal/license. The Pond5 license authorizes the licensee to use the media in the licensee's own commercial or non-commercial production and to copy, broadcast, distribute, display, perform and monetize the production or work in any medium - including posting and monetization on YouTube - on the terms and conditions outlined therein. Meaningless Problems with Doe Wilmann (C) 2025
Well it's looking like another two parter! This week on Schauer Thoughts: the demonization, moralization, and general uncertainty around play and pleasure. So let's slip into our skin suits and crank up the heat, we've got a lot of internalized beliefs about work to scrub raw from our left and right hemispheres, might have to even get in the crack. Sources: Rest is Resistance - Tricia Hersey Decolonizing Therapy - Jennifer Mullan PsyD Mathematics for Human Flourishing - Francis Su I believe the eyeliner joke is from Cat Cohen (cat_cohen on TT) - if I'm wrong please let me know. If there are any sources I've left out, please feel free to let me know in the Youtube comments, I'll get to you ASAP. Follow Sarah: @SarahSchauer To watch the podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@sarahschauer3764 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
In this webinar, CSAT therapist Jon Taylor offers a high-level overview of Attachment Theory, how it manifests as maturity in a relationship, and how it impacts sex addiction and betrayal trauma recovery. Jon and Tami then answer questions about attachment theory's role in creating strong relationships. TAKEAWAYS: [:55] The role of attachment theory in addiction recovery. [1:58] The history and research of attachment theory. [7:02] Emotions and comfort are not a luxury, they are a necessity. [8:20] Maturity in a relationship is not making one another responsible for your attachment deficits. [9:35] Patterns in baseline attachment styles. [13:20] Recent findings in attachment theory. [15:50] What does attachment theory teach about maturity in relationships? [19:20] How does attachment style apply to couples in recovery? [23:18] Contemplating real loss and forgiveness in recovery. [27:40] How can I navigate trauma in a way that doesn't traumatize my children? [29:55] Attachment and personality grow out of temperament, but presentation can change over time. [35:04] Attachment explains everything, but it's not the answer to everything. [36:10] As a partner, how can I preserve our progress and disengage early in the negative cycle? [39:22] How can I overcome my attachment style to create a stronger marriage? [43:51] How long should an SA be in treatment before making a long term relationship decision? RESOURCES: Seekingintegrity.com Email Tami: Tami@Seekingintegrity.com Sexandrelationshiphealing.com Intherooms.com Out of the Doghouse: A Step-by-Step Relationship-Saving Guide for Men Caught Cheating, by Robert Weiss Prodependence: Moving Beyond Codependency, by Robert Weiss Sex Addiction 101: A Basic Guide to Healing from Sex, Porn, and Love Addiction, by Robert Weiss Cruise Control: Understanding Sex Addiction in Gay Men, by Robert Weiss Seeking Integrity Podcasts are produced in partnership with Podfly Productions. QUOTES “It's one of the most annoying parts of therapy, but it really does all come back to mom and dad.” “Part of attachment theory is understanding that emotions and comfort are not a luxury, they are a necessity.” “Maturity in a relationship is not making one another responsible for your attachment deficits.” “Attachment theory is important but it does not totally dictate how we can and must show up in our relationships.” “For maturity to take place, we have to learn how to control our impulses.” “Attachment explains everything, but it's not the answer to everything.”
Welcome to Barn Talk! In today's episode we're diving into a unique business journey with Alex Mortensen, a man who's truly brought innovation to the heartland. Alex, our guest for this episode, has turned what once was a small-town elementary school into a thriving hub for his enterprise, Iowa Forklift and Equipment. But that's not all – Alex is also a Pioneer seed dealer and is in the process of developing a campground. From his humble beginnings on a family farm to exploring new horizons in the business world, Alex's story is a testament to creativity and perseverance. We'll explore how he's leveraged social media, specifically TikTok, to propel his business forward and the lessons he's learned along the way. We also uncover his insights on entrepreneurship, his approach to balancing multiple ventures, and a look at the prospects of his burgeoning campground project. Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur or a seasoned business owner, there's something in this episode for everyone. So, let's head into the barn and let Alex teach us a thing or two about finding success in the niches!Use code BARNTALK for 10% OFF your next orderhttps://farmergrade.comSUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST ➱ https://bit.ly/3a7r3nR SUBSCRIBE TO THIS'LL DO FARM ➱ https://bit.ly/2X8g45c LISTEN ON:SPOTIFY ➱ https://open.spotify.com/show/3icVr4KWq4eUDl7Oy60YMY APPLE ➱ https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/barn-talk/id1574395049Follow Behind The Scenes
Today, we're joined by Nelly Sanchez, a newer real estate investor from Dallas Fort Worth! Nelly and her husband currently have two buy-and-hold rentals and have completed two more deals they've bought and sold. Now, Nelly is contemplating the idea of flipping, especially since her husband is all for it—though she has some hesitations! Tune in to hear her journey, the lessons they've learned working with family tenants, and their goals for the future. ======================== ======================== ================= Want to grow your real estate investing business and portfolio? You're in the right place. Welcome to the Property Profits Real Estate Podcast
hotties, the horrors of the world are really getting to us this week, so we are sitting down for a nice, fun, lighthearted girl chat! we talk about are favorite recent purchases, how we've been feeling lately, the best advice we've received, and more. pour yourself a glass of wine and get chatty with us!anya's favorites: kira kirby,glitter gel penskylie's favorite: iphone 16 plus, protein coffeeneed advice? submit what's getting you down for our upcoming advice column episode! email us at twodegreeshotterpodcast@gmail.com, dm us on instagram, or submit through our anonymous suggestion box (insta and suggestion box linked below). submissions will be kept anonymous regardless of how you submit!make sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode, and follow us on instagram @twodegreeshotter! if you're listening on apple podcasts, leave us a review - it really helps us out!if you have any suggestions for topics you want to hear us cover, feel free to send them using our anonymous suggestion box: https://bit.ly/2WAjznf.
Laura's shares how she transitioned from a high-stress academic career to retirement. Discover the challenges of job identity, financial planning discussions with family, and the mental preparations for life after work. Laura's career as an associate professor in genetics involved heavy grant writing and significant stress, particularly as a parent. The pandemic and her husband's early retirement influenced her decision to consider early retirement. Conversations about financial independence often spark reflections on personal values and identity. Preparing for retirement requires confronting not just financial readiness, but emotional adjustments as well. Resources and tools like 'The Simple Path to Wealth' and 'Quit Like a Millionaire' served as guides in her transition. Timestamps & Topics Discussed: Laura is 51, an associate professor in genetics, married, with two sons in college. 00:04:22 The Stress of Academia The pressures of running a lab funded by grants; the stress impacts both her work and family life. 00:08:28 Time Flexibility vs. Time Freedom Balancing demanding work with family responsibilities and feelings of inadequacy in both roles. 00:10:23 Deciding to Retire Early Laura's husband Eric influences her thoughts about early retirement, compounded by COVID-19 challenges. 00:21:56 Future Uncertainty Questions about identity post-retirement and grappling with the loss of career-defined self-worth. 00:26:39 Embracing Uncertainty Discussions about accepting risks without guaranteed outcomes. 00:40:08 Financial Considerations and Planning Conversations on college savings for children, family financial responsibilities, and their shared journey to determine their FI number. “Balancing motherhood and a demanding career left me feeling inadequate in both roles.” “While my job offered time flexibility, it was a constant struggle to balance work with family needs.” “Contemplating my identity post-retirement raises questions about who I will become next.” “Embracing uncertainty is part of the journey toward financial independence.” “Living life abundantly is more fulfilling than accumulating wealth alone.”
Contemplating your own death can feel like a massive bummer at first, but there's good news: how you react to that inescapable fact really matters. Vinny Ferraro has practiced insight meditation (vipassanā) since the mid-90s. He's the Guiding Teacher of the Big Heart City Sangha in San Francisco and has led a weekly sitting group for almost two decades.As a fully empowered Dharma Teacher thru Spirit Rock/IMS, he has taught residential retreats at Spirit Rock, Insight Meditation Society, and the Esalen Institute. Currently, he leads Spirit Rock's Year to Live course and teaches retreats and daylongs through Big Heart City and meditation centers across the country.He is a respected leader in developing and implementing interventions for at-risk populations. leading groups in schools, juvenile halls and prisons since 1987. He has led emotional intelligence workshops for over 100,000 youth on four continents.In this episode we talk about:Why it's important to think about your own death even if you're not expecting it anytime soonThe distinction between the actual conditions of your life and how much you sufferA practice called the five Daily Remembrances, which Dan started doing myself right after we recorded this — and which has made a real difference for himAnd some of other practices they do in the class, including the “life review” and “housekeeping”Related Episodes:Three Buddhist Practices For Getting Your Sh*t Together | Vinny FerraroHow Thinking About Death Can Improve Your Life | Alua ArthurJoin the waiting list for A Year To Live at Spirit Rock.Find out more about the Young Adult Retreat at Spirit Rock (taught by Vinny Ferraro, Matthew Brensilver, Cara Lai, and Hakim Tafari).Use code TENPERCENT for 10% off these two courses at Spirit Rock: Anxiety as Teacher: A Dharma and Yoga DaylongCultivating the Beautiful Factors of MindSign up for Dan's weekly newsletter hereFollow Dan on social: Instagram, TikTokTen Percent Happier online bookstoreSubscribe to our YouTube ChannelOur favorite playlists on: Anxiety, Sleep, Relationships, Most Popular EpisodesFull Shownotes: www.meditatehappier.com/podcast/tph/vinny-ferraro-a-year-to-liveAdditional Resources:Download the Happier Meditation app today. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.