Podcasts about contemplative education

In a world constantly demanding our attention and energy, have you ever felt trapped between the crucial need to care for yourself and the undeniable urge to care for those around you?  Well, for this conversation, Debbie gets into that very dilemma with Dr. Jordan Quaglia, as he challenges us to move beyond the 'either/or' of self-care and explore his revolutionary 'We Care' approach.  Jordan, who is the author of Self-Care to We Care: The New Science of Mindful Boundaries and Caring From an Undivided Heart, gives his take on the research on balancing self-care with caring for others and emphasizes the importance of holding both self-care and compassion for others simultaneously and offers practical strategies for setting healthy boundaries and integrating self-care into daily life. Come join Debbie and Jordan to redefine what it means to care! Listen and Learn:  Why balancing care for others and self-care isn't an either-or and the hidden choices in between When self-care crosses into avoidance or indulgence, it may signal disconnection rather than renewal Finding balance when caring for others overrides your own needs In moments of tragedy, do you become the superhero or collapse from the hurt? The We Care framework to transform self-care and caring for others into one balanced practice in everyday life Transform overwhelming empathy into sustainable compassion that fuels your action and protects your well-being How care-based boundaries protect your energy while deepening connection, not guilt Balancing self-care and caring for the world work together to fuel your resilience and action Resources:  From Self-Care to We-Care: The New Science of Mindful Boundaries and Caring from an Undivided Heart: https://bookshop.org/a/30734/9781645473473 Jordan's website: https://www.jordanquaglia.com/ Connect with Jordan on LinkedIn and Instagram:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordanquaglia  https://www.instagram.com/mindfulboundaries/?hl=en About Jordan Quaglia Jordan Quaglia, PhD, has spent over a decade researching and teaching on topics such as mindfulness, compassion, and boundaries. He is an associate professor of psychology at Naropa University, where he directs the Cognitive and Affective Science Laboratory and is research director for its Center for the Advancement of Contemplative Education. A recognized expert in the science of compassion, he has been designated as a research fellow by the Mind & Life Institute, a Contemplative Social Justice Scholar for Contemplative Mind in Society, and a panelist for multiple United Nations Day of Vesak conferences. In addition to his research, Jordan co-developed and regularly teaches an eight-week compassion training curriculum for hundreds of individuals. He lives with his wife in Boulder, Colorado. Book: From Self-Care to We-Care: The New Science of Mindful Boundaries and Caring from an Undivided Heart Related episodes:  374. Developing and Deepening Connections with Adam Dorsay  360. The Laws of Connection with David Robson  262. Hope and Values in Dark Times 254. Cultivating Compassion for a Lasting Connection with Michaela Thomas 234. The Power of Us with Dominic Packer  201. Fierce Compassion with Kristin Nef 105. The Self-Care Prescription with Robyn Gobin 75. Mindful Self-Compassion with Christopher Germer 65. Self-care, Kindness, and Living Well with Kelly Wilson  46. Altruism and the Flow of Compassion with Yotam Heineberg 32. Social Connection: Exploring Loneliness and Building Intimacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I know I haven't dropped an episode for months. I have been living life to the best of my ability, reading, working and soaking in the time we have on this physical world. I am continuing to record episodes. Thank you for your grace and understanding. Take care of your heart. I got the honor of speaking with Morris again. The last time we had him on my podcast was episode 28 back in 2021. Morris has flourished and continued to spread his love, passion and strength into his communities. He has a memoir that has been released called “Reflections of a Troubled Black Man.” In the last two years of speaking with Morris his journey is sky rocketing. He even was able to create a friendship with Dr. Virgil A. Wood and carry on his legacy for this beautiful work of love and peace in all communities.  The core of Morris's philosophy is deeply rooted in Social Emotional Learning, Contemplative Education, and Restorative Practices.Morris H Ervin, Jr. is an educator, entertainer, motivational speaker, and Youth Development Professional committed to helping the youth, families, communities, and institutions “turn fear into strength, and pain into passion.”  Resources:1)  Book  “Reflections of a Troubled Black Man.” By: Morris H Ervin, Jr.2) Book By: Virgil A. Wood3) NVC Journal with NVC Chart By: Kady4) NVC Reflection Journal By: Kady5) Video: Dr. Masaru EmotoCONTACT INFORMATION:Email: Livingconnected.nvc@gmail.comInstagram: livingconnectednvcTikTok: Living Connected NVCLiving Connected FacebookSupport the Show.

A Tonglen teaching and meditation led by the guest from our last episode, Charlotte Z. Rotterdam. Hear her full Scaling Deep interview here. Follow her work @ SkyMind --- Charlotte Z. Rotterdam is a contemplative educator, Buddhist teacher, and meditation instructor. She is the Director of the Center for the Advancement of Contemplative Education at Naropa University and an Instructor in Naropa's Core College, World Wisdom Department, and Graduate School of Psychology. She co-developed and teaches Naropa's Mindful Compassion Training, a secular program to cultivate compassion in personal, professional and societal contexts. She is the Lead Teacher of the Mother Lineage (Magyu Lopön) at Tara Mandala Retreat Center. Charlotte received a Masters in Theological Studies from Harvard Divinity School. The mother of two boys, she has published essays on the intersection of spiritual practice and daily life in Lion's Roar, Buddhadharma, Mandala and Fearless Nest, an anthology. --- Learn more about ⁠The System Sanctuary⁠ where Tatiana Fraser and her team teach and train leaders on systems change. We work with individuals, teams and ecosystems to support learning and inform wise action. ⁠⁠Sign up for The Systems Sanctuary Newsletter⁠⁠

Charlotte Z. Rotterdam is a Buddhist teacher, meditation instructor and contemplative educator. She received the title of Magyu Lopön, lead teacher of the Mother Lineage at Tara Mandala Retreat Center, by Lama Tsultrim Allione in 2016. She is the Director of the Center for the Advancement of Contemplative Education at Naropa University and an Instructor in Naropa's Core College, World Wisdom Department, and Graduate School of Psychology. She co-developed and teaches Naropa's Mindful Compassion Training, a secular program to cultivate compassion in personal, professional and societal contexts. Charlotte received a Masters in Theological Studies from Harvard Divinity School. The mother of two boys, she has published essays on the intersection of spiritual practice and daily life in Lion's Roar, Buddhadharma, Mandala and Fearless Nest, an anthology.  --- Learn more about ⁠The System Sanctuary⁠ where Tatiana Fraser and her team teach and train leaders on systems change. We work with individuals, teams and ecosystems to support learning and inform wise action. Sign up for The Systems Sanctuary Newsletter

On the latest episode of the Marketing Like a Mother podcast, host Michelle Pontvert talks with Erin McCarthy, Ph.D. Erin is a Unified Mindfulness Certified Coach and Trainer, IMTA Certified Mindfulness teacher, APPA Certified Philosophical Counsellor, award-winning professor, author, and mama of twin teens. She is the Director of Humanities for the International Society for Contemplative Research and a Mind and Life Research Fellow. A long-time meditator, Erin came to teach mindfulness and self-compassion through her interest in and scholarship on Contemplative Education and Buddhist Philosophy. An educator for over two decades, she now works as a Mindfulness Coach and uses evidence-based techniques to work with women to help them live a life of flourishing. With thousands of hours of training in a variety of mindfulness modalities, she knows first-hand the transformative power of mindfulness and self-compassion to help heal from stress, anxiety, and trauma, be it physical, emotional, or mental. In her classes and with her 1:1 coaching clients, she uses a trauma-informed approach to help people heal and become their most calm, confident, and capable selves. Michelle and Erin talk about including simple mindfulness practices in our (busy) daily lives. In the episode they cover: How Erin transitioned from her tenured job as a university professor to entrepreneurship What Mindfulness ACTUALLY is How including Mindfulness practices into your day can help you manage stress and be more present Exercises on noticing the good moments of life that can slip by How these practices can also make running your business a lot easier And more! Timestamps 02:16 Conversation on Starting an Entrepreneurial Journey 03:59 Conversation Journey from Academia to Mindfulness Coaching 05:35 Reflection on Starting a Mindfulness Coaching Business 10:51 Conversation on Mindfulness and Parenting 17:27 Conversation on Practical Mindfulness for Working Moms 19:09 Conversation on Mindfulness and Meditation for Busy Moms 20:36 Building Mindfulness Skills Through Sensory Clarity Practice 24:45 Practicing Mindfulness and Acknowledging Positive Moments 26:14 Exploring the Benefits of Mindfulness in Motherhood and Business 27:55 Conversation on Resourcing Yourself Throughout the Day 32:52 Practical Strategies for Managing Stress and Overwhelm as a Parent and Business Owner 36:05 Mindfulness and Stress Management 37:40 Exploring Mindfulness Practices for Moms 39:00 Mindfulness Practices for Busy Moms with Businesses Learn more about Erin here: https://www.erinmccarthymindfulness.com/ Download Erin's free guide here Facebook Instagram

Kevin and Amy share their work with MindWell Education, supporting educators and schools around the world with developing well-being. We explore Kevin and Amy's experiences with social and emotional learning and mindfulness in education. What are the opportunities and challenges in supporting educators in an international school context?  About Kevin Hawkins Kevin has worked with adolescents and young people in various contexts for over 40 years - as a teacher, school head, and social worker in the UK, Africa, and Europe.   He currently lives in Valencia, Spain and was previously in the Czech Republic where for 10 years he was Middle School Principal at the International School of Prague. Kevin trained in mindfulness in Europe and the USA and he has taught mindfulness to students, teachers and parents since 2008.   In 2012 he co-founded MindWell, which supports educational communities around the world in developing wellbeing through mindfulness and social-emotional learning. Kevin is a Senior Trainer for the Mindfulness in Schools Project (UK) and a facilitator of the evidence-based CARE program (Cultivating Awareness and Resilience in Educators).   He is a regular speaker, writer and presenter on the topics of wellbeing, leadership, mindfulness and social and emotional learning in education. His first book, Mindful Teacher, Mindful School: Improving wellbeing in teaching and learning, was published by SAGE in July 2017. He has recently published his second book, The Mindful Teacher's Toolkit: Awareness-based wellbeing in schools also for SAGE/Corwin co-authored with Amy Burke which was published in 2021. Kevin Hawkins on social media Twitter: @kevinjhawkins11 Linked In:linkedin.com/in/kevinjhawkins11 Website: www.mindwell-education.com Email: kevin@mindwell-education.com Resources: Mindwell Newsletter FREE Little Guide to Mindfulness 25% off The Mindful Teacher's Toolkit About Amy Burke Amy is an educational consultant who spent 15 years as a high school teacher and guidance counsellor in Canada and The Netherlands. She holds a Masters Degree in Contemplative Education from Naropa University and in 2012 co-founded MindWell whose aim is to support educational communities in fostering wellbeing through mindfulness and social-emotional learning. She is a lead teacher trainer for the Mindfulness in Schools Project (UK) and is also a facilitator for the CARE program (Cultivating Awareness and Resilience in Educators) from the Garrison Institute (USA). Amy is also a Mentor and Staff member for Inward Bound Mindfulness Education (iBme, UK) and has recently published The Mindful Teacher's Toolkit: Awareness-based wellbeing in schools co-authored with Kevin Hawkins (2021 SAGE/Corwin ). Amy works internationally in schools and universities providing workshops and retreats for educators, students and parents with a focus on self-care and stress management. Amy Burke on social media: Instagram: mindwelleducation Website: www.mindwell-education.com Email: amy@mindwell-education.com Linked In: linkedin.com/in/amyburke4 Resources: Video: Amy TEDx Talk  Mindfulness in Education: Learning from the Inside Out Video: Introduction to MindWell Education FREE: Grounding Practices   John Mikton on Social Media LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jmikton/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/jmikton Web: beyonddigital.org   Dan Taylor on social media: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dantcz/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/DanTaylorAE Web: www.appsevents.com   Listen on: iTunes / Podbean / Stitcher / Spotify / YouTube Would you like to have a free 1 month trial of the new Google Workspace Plus (formerly G Suite Enterprise for Education)? Just fill out this form and we'll get you set up bit.ly/GSEFE-Trial

In this episode, Wendy speaks with contemplative educator and researcher Patricia (Tish) Jennings. Tish is has been a pioneer in bringing mindfulness and compassion into school settings, with a particular focus on helping teachers. This conversation covers many topics, including: her experience as an educator and a meditator; how teacher stress contributes to the classroom environment; how contemplative practice can help bring awareness to automatic responses, and help shift them; the process of attunement and our core as social beings; how teachers can be sensitive to students who have experienced trauma; problems with the industrialized model of education; how teachers can be a force for change from the inside; yoga and body sensation as mindfulness for young children; somatic awareness and understanding emotions; and what young people need most right now. Full show notes and resources

The 14th Dalai Lama's wisdom is largely accessible to the English-speaking world because of today's honorary guest. In this episode, we hear Thupten Jingpa speak fondly of his monk-hood as a compassionate Tibetan child, the divine alignment that cast him as the principal English translator to the Dalai Lama, and his Holistic appreciation for the contemplative model of education exemplified by schools like Naropa. Please join us as we welcome our inspiring friend into our hearts and minds. Please share this episode with a compassionate friend of yours and subscribe to the Mindful U Podcast for more educational conversations like this. Wisdom & Traditions Department of Naropa University (https://www.naropa.edu/academics/graduate-academics/wisdom-traditions-department/) The Institute of Tibetan Classics - Founded By Thupten Jingpa (https://tibetanclassics.org/) The Frederick Lenz Foundation (https://fredericklenzfoundation.org/) "I understand the word contemplative, as a way of bringing an approach that emphasizes self awareness, paying attention, and also bringing conscious intention into what you do. And tempered with, you know, important fundamental human values that we share. And if we broadly mean this by the word contemplative, then clearly, this is something that needs to be, you know, brought into any education system across the world. Because, even though you may speak different languages, may live in different parts of the world. But when it comes to fundamental human reality, we are all sharing this one small planet, which is now facing existential threat from climate crisis, as well as, you know, the pressures of globalization, putting on all of us to really find a way to live where peaceful coexistence based on mutual respect and understanding becomes an important part of our challenge, important part of the requirement, if we want to save the world, you know. So, in all of these, some element of contemplative education has to be necessary." -Thupten Jingpa Langri, Mindful U Podcast Special Guest: Thupten Jinpa Langri.

Wrapping up the summer, join us for a discussion with Andreas Labuschagne. He is a PureLand/Ch'an/Dzogpa Chenpo practitioner and a self-initiated solitary Wizard based in Pretoria, South Africa. As a Contemplative Educator and Counselor, he works to promote the cultivation of an ecology of wisdom, a discerning orientation in critical compassion, and the transformative means of an engaged creative culture. He is currently working on several projects and can be found at  https://linktr.ee/andreaslabuschagne, and on Instagram @ansuz_mannaz_laguz.  Find us on Instagram @theselfconsciousnesspodcast Music Outro:  Montezuma by Fleet Foxes --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/selfconsciousnesspodcast/message

Wrapping up the summer, join us for a discussion with Andreas Labuschagne. He is a PureLand/Ch'an/Dzogpa Chenpo practitioner and a self-initiated solitary Wizard based in Pretoria, South Africa. As a Contemplative Educator and Counselor, he works to promote the cultivation of an ecology of wisdom, a discerning orientation in critical compassion, and the transformative means of an engaged creative culture. He is currently working on several projects and can be found at  https://linktr.ee/andreaslabuschagne, and on Instagram @ansuz_mannaz_laguz.  Find us on Instagram @theselfconsciousnesspodcast Music Outro:  Montezuma by Fleet Foxes --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/selfconsciousnesspodcast/message

Is it possible to integrate scholarly study with contemplative practice? What are the benefits and potential pitfalls of doing so? Join us as we speak to Dr. Ben Williams about Naropa University's vision of Contemplative Education along with their brand-new Masters in Yoga Studies program. Raj Balkaran is a scholar, educator, consultant, and life coach. For information see rajbalkaran.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is it possible to integrate scholarly study with contemplative practice? What are the benefits and potential pitfalls of doing so? Join us as we speak to Dr. Ben William about Naropa University's vision of Contemplative Education along with their brand-new Masters in Yoga Studies program. Raj Balkaran is a scholar, educator, consultant, and life coach. For information see rajbalkaran.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is it possible to integrate scholarly study with contemplative practice? What are the benefits and potential pitfalls of doing so? Join us as we speak to Dr. Ben William about Naropa University's vision of Contemplative Education along with their brand-new Masters in Yoga Studies program. Raj Balkaran is a scholar, educator, consultant, and life coach. For information see rajbalkaran.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/education

Is it possible to integrate scholarly study with contemplative practice? What are the benefits and potential pitfalls of doing so? Join us as we speak to Dr. Ben William about Naropa University's vision of Contemplative Education along with their brand-new Masters in Yoga Studies program. Raj Balkaran is a scholar, educator, consultant, and life coach. For information see rajbalkaran.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/indian-religions

Is it possible to integrate scholarly study with contemplative practice? What are the benefits and potential pitfalls of doing so? Join us as we speak to Dr. Ben William about Naropa University's vision of Contemplative Education along with their brand-new Masters in Yoga Studies program. Raj Balkaran is a scholar, educator, consultant, and life coach. For information see rajbalkaran.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

HAPPY New Year Everyone!!! Here we are in 2021!Morris H Ervin, Jr. is an educator, entertainer, motivational speaker, and Youth Development Professional committed to helping the youth, families, communities, and institutions “turn fear into strength, and pain into passion.” Morris is the founder of Mansa Consulting and he has provided assemblies, workshops, mentoring programs, and leadership camps/retreats to thousands of students in over a dozen school districts across the country. The core of Morris’s philosophy is deeply rooted in Social Emotional Learning, Contemplative Education, and Restorative Practices. Morris has spread his excitement, optimism, and passion to schools, churches, community centers, juvenile detention camps, colleges, and universities from the east to the west coast. Mansa Consulting has partnered with organizations such as FAMLI INC, Peace Over Violence, Making A Difference Consulting, and The California Conference for Equality and Justice providing Teen Summits that shape and empower our future leaders of tomorrow. Resources:Cup of Empathy: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2AK8ipP18I0alKXZXJgzbQCONTACT INFORMATION:Email: Livingconnected.nvc@gmail.comInstagram: livingconnectednvcFacebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/LivingConnectedNVC/Website: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1153175 Music is brought to you by: https://www.purple-planet.com/

In this episode, we talk to Charlotte Rotterdam about working with difficult emotions, compassion, and self-compassion through the lens of Buddhist practice. Charlotte Rotterdam is a Buddhist teacher, meditation instructor, and contemplative educator. She received the title of Magyu Lopön, lead teacher of the Mother Lineage at Tara Mandala, by Lama Tsultrim Allione in 2016. She is the Director of the Center for the Advancement of Contemplative Education and an instructor at Naropa University. She also co-developed and teaches Naropa’s Mindful Compassion Training. Charlotte holds a Masters in Theological Studies from Harvard Divinity School. Noble Mind is a podcast exploring mindfulness, meditation, and psychology. In each episode, hosts Alex Gokce, MSW, and Katherine King, PsyD host inspiring conversations with psychologists, authors, and other thought leaders seeking real world wisdom you can bring into daily life. Get show notes, suggest interviews, sign up for bonus content, and more at noblemindpodcast.com. IG/FB: @noblemindpodcast TW: @noblemindcast

Melanie Gurley of Beautiful Astrology and I discuss the upcoming Venus and Mars retrogrades of 2020! Tune in with us to prepare for these transits ahead.Melanie Gurley hosts The Beautiful Astrology Podcast and has had her horoscopes and articles featured on Tarot.com and in the Astrological Journal. Melanie has spoken for the Portland School of Astrology and the Oregon Astrological Association and serves on the boards of local and international astrology groups. With over 20 years of study and practice in esoteric arts, Melanie holds intelligent space for creative meaning-making and self-development. Melanie holds a Master of Arts in Contemplative Education, a Bachelor's degree in Liberal Arts, and has graduated from the Portland School of Astrology. Melanie facilitates Retrograde Clubs, which focus on individual journeys, contained in a group atmosphere, and seen through an Astrological lens. Learn more at beautiful-astrology.comStay in touch: get on my mailing list to receive the weekly astrology forecasts to your inbox here.Music by Danny Lampton of The Light & The Weight See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

"Absolutely. You know we might have an idea about something, but then when you begin to express it from a creative place it's almost like you have to feel into it. If I want to write a poem about sadness it's not just about my ideas about sadness. At some point as I'm writing I need to stop and feel into what does sadness feel like? And then I might even think about a very specific situation in my life that brings up sadness. And then what arises from that place as a poem is coming from a non-conceptual place. Non-conceptual knowing and yet I've expressed something and I might even express it in words like with a poem. So, what we're trying to do in contemplative education is to bring both of those together. So, it's not in spite of conceptual knowing -- concepts are great, thinking is great -- but that there are other ways of knowing that are equally important and maybe if we bring them all together then there's a richness of knowing that begins to emerge." Special Guest: Charlotte Rotterdam.

"We talked about the spiral of the work that reconnects and then you talked about how once you dare to really see and speak what you've wanted to keep at arm's length, once you refuse to turn away and really suffer with your world and then you realize that the world is flowing into you and the living planet becomes alive for you. And then it generates for you. So that's we call seeing with new eyes. Everything looks different. And we use practices that are inspired by what we call deep ecology like the council of all beings. Where we step aside from our human role, which is only the last chapter of our long planetary journey. We've, as we know from the life forms we had in the womb of our mother, you know we had a tail and gills and fins. So that we capitulate that ontogeny." Special Guest: Joanna Macy.

Special Guest: Joanna Macy.

Award-winning Ajay Rastogi, (Co-founder & Director of the Vrikshalaya Himalayan Centre, Uttarakhand, India) is an applied ethics practitioner, philosopher, and a yoga instructor. He tells why not just energy saving appliances but an almost 180-degree turnaround in attitude is crucial for saving the planet. He explains the science behind nature contemplation and why you don’t go into the forest with a checklist if you want to contemplate on nature. He tells us why he thinks the three principles of ‘dignity of physical work’, ‘interdependence’ and ‘interconnectivity’ are imperative for a smart, harmonious planet. He shows us by example us how village homestays are bringing out positive change both culturally and monetarily in a small corner of the Himalaya. Also, why the ‘Science of Happiness’ and the merging of the East with the latest neuroscience of the west are so popular. Ajay is a recipient of the South Asia Youth Leaders Award, European Union Erasmus Mundus Fellowship in Applied Ethics, and the Nehru-Fulbright Environmental Leadership Award for Contemplative Education.

Join us as we sit with Betsy Leach, Elementary Education instructor at Naropa, and discuss the multicultural aspects of public education, and how training in contemplative practices can enhance the experience for everyone. "My experience with students has always been that when they feel like you're real–like you're being genuine rather than pretending to be some perfect authority figure...they trust you and they are willing. I had students telling other students "You got to be good for Miss Leach because she keeps it real, and she's going to have your back!" That to me was huge, especially going into teaching at 22, with only a summer of training. It was really important to bring that humility, and not to pretend to know more than I did, and to be really transparent with students. When I had a bad day, where my lesson was not engaging, I would say "That wasn't as awesome as I wanted it to be. What could I have done better?"

At Naropa, the notion of contemplative education is about drawing out the full richness of the student as well as the teacher in the learning process. It's about utilizing different contemplative practices such as mindfulness, awareness, compassion, and contemplation to draw out the wisdom of the various dimensions of who we are as human beings. It’s not just about thinking. Conventional education trains us to be thinkers and doers–which is very important–but there's an emphasis in contemplative education about supplementing our thinking process with the wisdom of our emotional life–the wisdom of our sensory experience, of our bodily experience, and of the environment in which we're learning. All these factors go together to make a wholeness of learning that is all about creating a richness, one which is permeated by that space. All of these factors–how we think, how we feel–aren't just mixed together haphazardly, but with room for all of them to move and affect each other. The way we think can be enriched by our feelings. The way we move can be affected by the environment we're in, the other people that you're learning with, and the current issues in the world. It gets very, very rich, starting from the inside to untangle this web, which has been very tightly made in more conventional types of education. Special Guest: Richard C. Brown, Professor of Contemplative Education.

In this episode, I interview Tibetan Buddhist teacher Charlotte Rotterdam, who teaches meditation, Feeding Your Demons, and other Buddhist practices around the US and abroad. She received her Masters from Harvard Divinity School and is an Instructor and Director of the Center for the Advancement of Contemplative Education at Naropa University. In 2016 she received the title of Magyu Lopön, lead teacher of Magyu: The Mother Lineage at Tara Mandala by her teacher Lama Tsultrim Allione. This episode is unique in that Charlotte will actually guide you through a Feeding Your Demons practice, which - despite how it sounds - is actually an incredibly gentle, loving way to transform parts of you that may seem challenging and problematic (and even hell-raising, at times!) into allies that can help you live a more full, rich and vibrant life. It's the quickest way I know to make real, lasting change that gets to the cause of what is happening. Because of the nature of this episode, you may want to find a comfortable seat in your house, rather than running, biking or driving during the episode. And, heads up, for the actual practice portion (last half hour of the show) you'll need two seats, situated across from each other. As you listen to the guidance given and follow along, please keep in mind that this powerful practice can be used on anything from binge eating and other addictions, to relationship issues, career challenges, political tensions, and so much more. Be sure to listen to the first half of the show, as we go into: Why trying to rid yourself of your "demons" usually backfires - and why inviting these demons in and creating intimacy with them is actually a much faster, more fulfilling way to go if you want a more rich, vibrant and peaceful experience of yourself and your life. How to increase compassion for yourself and others by seeing your "issues" in a radically new way. How problematic patterns and behaviors were formed in the first place - the "root." The fundamental relationship between needs and wants when it comes to your demons, and why developing a clear understanding of this distinction can make the difference between continuing a destructive pattern, and finding joyful freedom. You can find more of Charlotte Rotterdam and Feeding Your Demons practice, including trainings, at https://skymind.us/.  You can also contact Charlotte directly at charlotte@skymind.us. For more information on Tara Mandala retreat center and the teachings of Lama Tsultrim Allione, Charlotte's teacher, visit https://taramandala.org/.

Stuart Lord, PhD East-West Contemplative Education at Naropa University Dr. Lord, president of Naropa University, talks with Michael Lerner about his journey from being a foster child to leading America’s foremost center of contemplative education. Dr. Lord previously led civic education, community service and religious and spiritual life programs at both Dartmouth College and DePauw University, where he guided relief efforts in New Hampshire’s Upper Valley, the Mississippi Delta and the areas ravaged by Hurricane Katrina. He has also worked in Bangladesh, Nicaragua, the Philippines and Sierra Leone. Dr. Lord brings a unique voice to the contemplative community with a strong focus on reaching out to serve low income communities and communities of color. Dr Stuart C Lord Stuart, a nationally recognized expert in service learning, multicultural and spiritual education, and leadership and ethics, became the fifth president of Naropa University on July 1, 2009. At Dartmouth College and DePaww University, he served as an administrator and managed civic education, community service and religious and spiritual life programs. Stuart served as executive director of the 1997 President’s Summit for America’s Future, working under General Colin Powell during the Clinton administration. Find out more about The New School at tns.commonweal.org.