Podcasts about daoism

Beverley Kane, MD, is Adjunct Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine at StanfordUniversity, Stanford, CA, USA. As Program Director for Medical Tai Chi, she teaches a wide range of subjects from critical thinking for Western medical research methodologies to Daoism to quantum theory-inspired tai chi. Her mission this lifetime is to bridge the worlds of science and spirit, making the numinous accessible to those who, like the at Stanford and Silicon Valley, are more accustomed to an intellectual approach to life.Since 2002, she has worked in the field of equine-guided psycho-spiritual development with a pastured herd of 70 horses on a 270-acre ranch in Northern California. There, she teaches Stanford Medicine and Horsemanship—communication, teamwork, leadership and self-care for medical students and Equine-imity Somatic Horsemanship Stress Reduction and Emotional Self-Regulation in the Company of Horses for Stanford employees and community members. Equine-imity uses qigong, a tai chi-like moving meditation, with and optionally on horses.Her Manual of Medicine and Horsemanship—Transforming the Doctor-PatientRelationship with Equine-Assisted Learning has been used by many other medicalcenters to replicate the Stanford Program. Her varied background (aka “checkered past”) includes a role as secretary of the San Francisco Parapsychology Research group; a sports medicine fellowship; corporate positions at Apple Health and Firness, Philips Medical Systems, and WebMD. Her interests extend to beekeeping, consciousness studies, quantum theory, and the channeled transmission of the Seth material through Jane Roberts and Robert F. Butts.Website: Horsensei Equine-Assisted Learning and Therapy (HEALTH)http://www.horsensei.comSocial Media: Somatic Horsemanship Association International (SHAINA)https://www.facebook.com/groups/188188499732560Send us a textSupport the showCan't get enough of the Journey On Podcast & it's guests? Here are two more ways to engage with them. Find exclusive educational content from previous podcast guests which include webinars, course and more: https://courses.warwickschiller.com If you want to meet your favorite podcast guest in person, you can attend our annual Journey On Podcast Summit either in person or via live stream: https://summit.warwickschiller.com Become a Patreon Member today! Get access to podcast bonus segments, ask questions to podcast guests, and even suggest future podcast guests while supporting Warwick: https://www.patreon.com/journeyonpodcastWarwick has over 900 Online Training Videos that are designed to create a relaxed, connected, and skilled equine partner. Start your horse training journey today!https://videos.warwickschiller.com/Check us out on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WarwickschillerfanpageWatch hundreds of free Youtube Videos: https://www.youtube.com/warwickschillerFollow us on Instagram: @warwickschiller

A new approach to the theism-scientism divide rooted in a deeper form of atheism.Western philosophy is stuck in an irresolvable conflict between two approaches to the spiritual malaise of our times: either we need more God (the “turn to religion”) or less religion (the New Atheism). In Experiments in Mystical Atheism: Godless Epiphanies from Daoism to Spinoza and Beyond, (University of Chicago Press, 2024) Brook Ziporyn proposes an alternative that avoids both totalizing theomania and atomizing reductionism. What we need, he argues, is a deeper, more thoroughgoing, even religious rejection of God: an affirmative atheism without either a creator to provide meaning or finite creatures in need of it—a mystical atheism.In the legacies of Daoism and Buddhism as well as Spinoza, Nietzsche, and Bataille, Ziporyn discovers a critique of theism that develops into a new, positive sensibility—at once deeply atheist and richly religious. Experiments in Mystical Atheism argues that these “godless epiphanies” hold the key to renewing philosophy today.You can download the supplementary materials here. Other works recommended by Brook Ziporyn in this Interview Mercedes Valmisa, All Things Act, Oxford UP. Jana S. Rošker, Chinese Philosophy in Transcultural Contexts, Bloomsbury Academics Gregory Scott Moss, Absolute Dialetheism, forthcoming. But for a taste of a similar argument in a book chapter format, please check here. Blaise Aguera y Arcas, Whiat is Intelligence? Penguin Random House 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

A new approach to the theism-scientism divide rooted in a deeper form of atheism.Western philosophy is stuck in an irresolvable conflict between two approaches to the spiritual malaise of our times: either we need more God (the “turn to religion”) or less religion (the New Atheism). In Experiments in Mystical Atheism: Godless Epiphanies from Daoism to Spinoza and Beyond, (University of Chicago Press, 2024) Brook Ziporyn proposes an alternative that avoids both totalizing theomania and atomizing reductionism. What we need, he argues, is a deeper, more thoroughgoing, even religious rejection of God: an affirmative atheism without either a creator to provide meaning or finite creatures in need of it—a mystical atheism.In the legacies of Daoism and Buddhism as well as Spinoza, Nietzsche, and Bataille, Ziporyn discovers a critique of theism that develops into a new, positive sensibility—at once deeply atheist and richly religious. Experiments in Mystical Atheism argues that these “godless epiphanies” hold the key to renewing philosophy today.You can download the supplementary materials here. Other works recommended by Brook Ziporyn in this Interview Mercedes Valmisa, All Things Act, Oxford UP. Jana S. Rošker, Chinese Philosophy in Transcultural Contexts, Bloomsbury Academics Gregory Scott Moss, Absolute Dialetheism, forthcoming. But for a taste of a similar argument in a book chapter format, please check here. Blaise Aguera y Arcas, Whiat is Intelligence? Penguin Random House Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/intellectual-history

A new approach to the theism-scientism divide rooted in a deeper form of atheism.Western philosophy is stuck in an irresolvable conflict between two approaches to the spiritual malaise of our times: either we need more God (the “turn to religion”) or less religion (the New Atheism). In Experiments in Mystical Atheism: Godless Epiphanies from Daoism to Spinoza and Beyond, (University of Chicago Press, 2024) Brook Ziporyn proposes an alternative that avoids both totalizing theomania and atomizing reductionism. What we need, he argues, is a deeper, more thoroughgoing, even religious rejection of God: an affirmative atheism without either a creator to provide meaning or finite creatures in need of it—a mystical atheism.In the legacies of Daoism and Buddhism as well as Spinoza, Nietzsche, and Bataille, Ziporyn discovers a critique of theism that develops into a new, positive sensibility—at once deeply atheist and richly religious. Experiments in Mystical Atheism argues that these “godless epiphanies” hold the key to renewing philosophy today.You can download the supplementary materials here. Other works recommended by Brook Ziporyn in this Interview Mercedes Valmisa, All Things Act, Oxford UP. Jana S. Rošker, Chinese Philosophy in Transcultural Contexts, Bloomsbury Academics Gregory Scott Moss, Absolute Dialetheism, forthcoming. But for a taste of a similar argument in a book chapter format, please check here. Blaise Aguera y Arcas, Whiat is Intelligence? Penguin Random House Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/buddhist-studies

A new approach to the theism-scientism divide rooted in a deeper form of atheism.Western philosophy is stuck in an irresolvable conflict between two approaches to the spiritual malaise of our times: either we need more God (the “turn to religion”) or less religion (the New Atheism). In Experiments in Mystical Atheism: Godless Epiphanies from Daoism to Spinoza and Beyond, (University of Chicago Press, 2024) Brook Ziporyn proposes an alternative that avoids both totalizing theomania and atomizing reductionism. What we need, he argues, is a deeper, more thoroughgoing, even religious rejection of God: an affirmative atheism without either a creator to provide meaning or finite creatures in need of it—a mystical atheism.In the legacies of Daoism and Buddhism as well as Spinoza, Nietzsche, and Bataille, Ziporyn discovers a critique of theism that develops into a new, positive sensibility—at once deeply atheist and richly religious. Experiments in Mystical Atheism argues that these “godless epiphanies” hold the key to renewing philosophy today.You can download the supplementary materials here. Other works recommended by Brook Ziporyn in this Interview Mercedes Valmisa, All Things Act, Oxford UP. Jana S. Rošker, Chinese Philosophy in Transcultural Contexts, Bloomsbury Academics Gregory Scott Moss, Absolute Dialetheism, forthcoming. But for a taste of a similar argument in a book chapter format, please check here. Blaise Aguera y Arcas, Whiat is Intelligence? Penguin Random House Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/religion

A new approach to the theism-scientism divide rooted in a deeper form of atheism.Western philosophy is stuck in an irresolvable conflict between two approaches to the spiritual malaise of our times: either we need more God (the “turn to religion”) or less religion (the New Atheism). In Experiments in Mystical Atheism: Godless Epiphanies from Daoism to Spinoza and Beyond, (University of Chicago Press, 2024) Brook Ziporyn proposes an alternative that avoids both totalizing theomania and atomizing reductionism. What we need, he argues, is a deeper, more thoroughgoing, even religious rejection of God: an affirmative atheism without either a creator to provide meaning or finite creatures in need of it—a mystical atheism.In the legacies of Daoism and Buddhism as well as Spinoza, Nietzsche, and Bataille, Ziporyn discovers a critique of theism that develops into a new, positive sensibility—at once deeply atheist and richly religious. Experiments in Mystical Atheism argues that these “godless epiphanies” hold the key to renewing philosophy today.You can download the supplementary materials here. Other works recommended by Brook Ziporyn in this Interview Mercedes Valmisa, All Things Act, Oxford UP. Jana S. Rošker, Chinese Philosophy in Transcultural Contexts, Bloomsbury Academics Gregory Scott Moss, Absolute Dialetheism, forthcoming. But for a taste of a similar argument in a book chapter format, please check here. Blaise Aguera y Arcas, Whiat is Intelligence? Penguin Random House Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/spiritual-practice-and-mindfulness

00:00 – Bob Martin's journey begins with Dalai Lama's influence on happiness. 02:00 – Real happiness: purpose, meaning, and service. 05:00 – Perfectionism, uncertainty, and rewiring the brain with gratitude. 10:20 – Growing up selling popcorn on the Rockaway boardwalk. 16:00 – From football dreams to law school and the Miami mob. 19:40 – Life crisis and retreat from a dangerous lifestyle. 22:00 – Training under a 72nd-gen Shaolin Daoist master. 24:00 – Flow states, Wu Wei, and finding internal peace. 30:00 – Meditation simplified: wake up, return, begin again. 35:00 – Authentic self, victim mindset, and letting go. 49:00 – Daoism & Christianity: same wisdom, different words. 59:30 – Music, memories, and free meditation tools.   EndoDNA: EndoDNA offers a tailored health and wellness experience through DNA analysis, empowering users with insights on nutrition, lifestyle, and supplement choices based on their genetic profile. The company has achieved rapid traction, serving over 7,000 customers across 16 countries, securing relationships with top wellness providers like BellaVitta HRT Clinics, and actively engaging in clinical studies with institutions such as Harvard Medical.Click here to check out to take control over your Personal Health & Wellness Connect with EndoDNA on SOCIAL: IG | X | YOUTUBE | FBConnect with host, Len May, on IG

Dr. Adam Francisco, author, “One God, Many Gods” One God, Many Gods The post Christianity and Other World Religions: Confucianism, Daoism, Shinto and Sikhism – Dr. Adam Francisco, 6/2/25 (1532, Encore) first appeared on Issues, Etc..

In this enlightening conversation, Dr. Alisa sits down with Chuchu Wang, visionary leader, inspirational keynote speaker, and co-founder of Ceremonia—a leading spiritual sanctuary in Colorado dedicated to fostering global impact and planetary change.Chuchu shares her powerful journey from venture capital to becoming a sought-after guide for influential leaders, integrating ancient wisdom with modern innovation. Together, they explore the role of consciousness, psychedelics, mindfulness, and community in shaping transformational leadership.You'll discover how timeless practices like Daoism, Tantra, and Qigong can empower modern leaders to thrive in today's complex world, and how spiritual alignment fuels authentic impact. Chuchu also opens up about the mindset shifts that guided her path and her vision for a more connected and compassionate future.If you're ready to deepen your leadership and expand your mindset, this episode offers profound insights and actionable wisdom you won't want to miss.Connect with Chuchu Wang:

This episode we look at time and direction and the influence of geomancy--theories of Yin and Yang and a little bit of how people viewed the world through that lens.  For more, check out the blog page:  https://sengokudaimyo.com/podcast/episode-127 Rough Transcript Welcome to Sengoku Daimyo's Chronicles of Japan.  My name is Joshua, and this is episode 127: Time and Direction in Ancient Yamato   Officers of the court stood in the pavilion.  The soft trill of water could be heard trickling from one reservoir to the next.  They watched closely, as the figure of a court official, one hand out, pointing at a measuring stick, slowly rose along with the water.  Eventually, the figure's outstretched arm indicated a line with a single character next to it. On cue, one of the officials began to beat the large drum that was nearby.  The rhythm was slow, but deliberate, and the sound was loud, echoing out to the mountains and back, showering the nearby palaces in a layer of sound.  Across the palace, people briefly paused, took note of the number of strokes, and by that they knew the time of day.  Without giving it much more thought, they then went about their business.     This episode we find ourselves partway through the reign of Naka no Oe, aka Tenji Tennou—his formal reign started in 668, but he had been pretty much running things since the death of Takara Hime in 661 and, arguably, for much longer than that.  668, however, saw Naka no Oe ascend the throne in his new palace of Otsu no Miya, officially making him the sovereign.  And although 645 is the year Naka no Oe and others had started the Taika Reforms, it's not wrong to say that  that 668 and the start of Naka no Oe's official reign, brief as it would be, that he finally had the ability to bring it all together and set it into stone. We've talked about many of these reforms before on the podcast, but a lot of them were associated with the continued push to incorporate continental concepts into Yamato society, covering everything from court ranks to how to organize agricultural production.  Of course, there was also Buddhism, which we've covered numerous times, but there were other concepts coming across as well, including ideas about history and writing, as well as ancient STEM—Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics.  This included architects, and new ways of constructing buildings.  And it also meant ways of seeing the world, including things like directions and time.  And this is what I want to focus on this episode, taking a break from the primary narrative to spend some time on what we might call Yamato concepts of science, especially how they thought about the structure of reality organization of time and the universe – their cosmology, as it were.  After all, to better understand the reasoning and motives of people, it is helpful to try and understand how they saw the world, not just for translation—understanding what it means when an entry says something like the “Hour of the Horse” on an “Elder Wood” day—but also for understanding how things actually worked in their eyes.  For instance, the idea of ”auspicious” and “inauspicious” times and directions is something that most listeners probably don't incorporate much into their daily lives, but the Chroniclers and the people of Yamato absolutely did, so understanding concepts like this can sometimes be the key to unlocking why historical people may have taken the actions that they did.  In particular, we'll talk about things like yin and yang, five elements, ten stems and twelve earthly branches, and what all this meant for the Yamato ideas of organizing time and space. A large part of Yamato cosmology is tied to something called Onmyoudou, literally the Way of Yin and Yang, which in the organization of the Ritsuryo state fell under a particular ministry, known as the Onmyo-ryo.  If you've heard of Onmyoudou before, you likely have heard about the “Onmyouji”, practitioners who studied the flow of yin and yang—and who could reportedly do miraculous things with that.  A 10th century Onmyoji, the famous Abe no Seimei, is perhaps the most well-known, with numerous stories about his exploits, which were then turned into a fantastical series of stories by the award-winning author, Baku Yumemakura.  Those were then turned into Manga, movies, and more.  Abe no Seimei is like Japan's Merlin, or Gandalf, at least in the stories. Back to the organization we mentioned, the Onmyou-ryou was responsible for Yin-Yang theory, or Onmyou-dou, which included divination, as well as astronomy, or Tenmon-dou, and calendar making, or reki-dou.  While some of this was based on straight up natural observances, a lot of it was explained through older concepts of Yin and Yang theory.  Today, you might encounter a lot of this in the theories around Feng Shui, and this can also be referred to as “geomancy”, or earth divination.   To give a broad overview of Onbmyoudou and its origins, it is part of a large corpus of concepts focused around a concept of energy known as qi or ki—which forms the basis for a lot of Chinese and Japanese cosmology, or their concept of how the world worked.  Much of this is tied up in concepts that are modernly broadly called “Daoist” or associated with so-called Daoist practices.  That term can be a bit misleading, as strictly speaking, Daoism refers to the teachings of the legendary philosopher Laozi, in his book, the Dao De Jing, as well as works attributed to later authors, like the Zhuangzi. There is some controversy as to when and to what extent this strict Daoism came to Japan.  However, in the broader sense, the category of “Daoist “ practices includes an entire panoply of various folk practices, including concepts of Yin and Yang – and in the archipelago, many of these concepts were imported with the various books that people had acquired on the mainland, even if they weren't strictly tied to Daoist religious practice.  For example, there were aspects that were borrowed by various Shinto shrines, and others formalized into ritual practices under the new government.  And of course many of these became linked to various Buddhist teachings and practices, as well.   But what did this actually look like in concept and practice for practitioners of Onmyoudo in Japan? Let's start with the idea of yin and yang.  One of the earliest references comes from the Zhou Yi, the Zhou Book of Changes, the core of what we also know as the Yijing, the Book of Changes.  Here we see the idea that the universe began with a single force that split into two, and those two forces make up all of creation in one way or another.  Yin and Yang, or In and You—or even Onmyou—refer to these forces, which are characterized as shadow and light, moon and sun, female and male, cold and hot, etc.  So these forces are opposites, but it should be noted that they are not necessarily good or evil.  After all, too cold is just as bad as too hot.  Likewise too much darkness is as blinding as too much light. As most people have seen, yin and yang are often depicted as a circle divided into two comma shapes, with a smaller circle in each.  One side is white with a black circle and the other is black with a white circle.  This is the “Tai Chi” diagram, but the diagram itself doesn't seem to have been depicted like this prior to the 11th century, at least that we are aware. But the concepts are much older.    Now if you've heard of the Yijing, where it came from is something of a mystery.  One theory is that it started as a written account of folk wisdom, and may have even given instructions for things like when to plant and when to harvest, based on changes in various heavenly phenomena.   But overall it is organized into 64 chapters, each associated with a particular hexagram.  Start with a line, that can either be a full line – representing yang – or a broken line representing yin.  Stack three of these on top of one another and you get a trigram.  If you chart out every single possible combination of yin and yang lines, you get 8 unique trigrams, sometimes referred to as the baqua.  Stack two trigrams atop one another and you get a hexagram, a combination of 6 lines that can have 8 by 8 or 64 unique variants.   It's theorized that the Yijing resulted from taking all of the collected sayings or aphorisms and bits of advice and cataloguing and dividing them into 64 chapters, each one associated with a given hexagram. Going further, each line of the hexagram is  associated with particular line in Yijing, and various meanings are ascribed to it and its association.  It's a complex and fascinating system and I don't have time to go into it fully, but I would note that this was used as a form of divination—yarrow stalks or other means of random lot drawing that gives you a binary outcome – zero or one, yin or yang – could be used to determine the six lines of any given hexagram.  This, in turn, would reference a chapter in the Yijing which was then interpreted as a sign as to how to read a given situation that you might find yourself in. What's really important to understanding the worldview of the time is this idea, represented by the hexagrams in the Yijing, that you can encompass everything about the universe by making and cataloging different amounts and arrangements of yin and yang. It's a science, as it were – a systematic approach to understanding the differences in the world by breaking it into component parts.    And if this seems preposterous, consider this:  today we understand that all things are made up of tiny atoms.  And these atoms are all made up of the same material—protons, neutrons, and electrons.  And yet, how those atomic particles combine create atoms with wildly different qualities.  And how those atoms then combine into molecules and so on and so forth describe how we explain everything around us.  So is it really so far-fetched? I'm not saying that we should suddenly start to figure out the measurements of yin and yang in everything, but if we want to understand how the people of the time saw their world, it may be helpful to hold an open mindand understand the assumptions that they were working from and where they came from.  As human beings, we naturally look for connections in the world around us, and this was no exception.  People would observe facts, know how that it worked, and often then would back into the reason for it.  This is a tale told across cultures, and we still see it, today.  At the same time, we've developed structured approaches to test out our theories, empirically. So for the moment, let's leave the trigrams and hexagrams, and talk about another idea that also gained traction as people were trying to figure out how the world worked.  This was the five elements theory also known as Wuxing, or Gogyou, in Japanese.  The five elements in this case are Fire, Water, Wood, Metal, and Earth.  Some may notice that these, along with the sun and the moon, are used in Japanese for the days of the week:  Nichi (sun), getsu (moon), ka (fire), sui (water), moku (wood), kin (metal), do (earth). Buddhists, by the way, also had an elemental system with only four elements,  Fire, Water, Air, and Earth, possibly connected with some Greek influence, and brought along with Buddhist practice.  For now, however, let's focus on the five elements. The idea in wuxing is similar to that of yin and yang in that everything in creation is made up of these five elements in some degree and configuration.  Furthermore, there are creation and destruction cycles.  So fire creates ash, or earth.  Earth gives birth to metal.  Metal creates water—look at a cold piece of metal in a warm environment and see how the water droplets form on it, and imagine what that looks like without understanding humidity and how there could be water vapor in the air.  And then water creates wood, or plants—any farmer could tell you that without water the plants die.  And wood is where we get fire from. Of course, the reverse cycle is the opposite.  Fire eats the wood.  Wood drinks up the water.  Water rusts metal.  Metal tools plough the earth. And Earth can be used to douse fire. Finally, there is another cycle of weakening. ,. Because fire heats and weakens metal, metal chops down wood, the trees roots break up rocks, the earth soaks up water, and water likewise puts out or weakens fire. So the theory went, if these elements make up all matter, these relationships continue on a more complex scale in everything.  So if something was thought to contain a lot of “fire” element, then it would be potentially helpful if you needed “Earth” but destructive or at least weakening to metal and wood.  Properly accounting for these elements was important to achieve the results you were looking for, whatever that may be.   These were the kinds of things that were incorporated into traditional medicine practices, but also applied to auguries or divination about things like where and how to build a building.  Even today, Shrines will sell calendars that help people know the prominence of certain elements, and some folk remedies may look to balance elements, much as medieval European medicine was often designed to balance the four humors that ancient physicians believed were present in the human body. The chart of these five elements and their relationships is something you may have seen.  It is a five pointed star, often inside of a circle.  Of course this is also similar to a western pentagram, though typically drawn with the point of the star up, but it has nothing to do with Christian values or Satan, or anything similar.  Rather, it is just a way to represent these five elements, and you'll see it frequently in reference to Onmyoudou. The elements were used to categorize many different areas into groupings of five.  This includes grouping the various directions into five directions.  Of course, you may be wondering about that, since most societies usually mark four cardinal directions, and in this case, they did the same, but added the fifth as “center”.  And so you get things like the north is water.  It is related to cool, or cold weather.  It is represented with the color black. To the south, opposite of the north, is fire.  It is hot, and the color is red.  Of course, this probably doesn't take a huge leap to see the connections they drew: since these civilizations are in the northern hemisphere, the farther north you go, the colder it gets, and the farther south you travel, the warmer it gets, generally speaking, at least until you reach the equator. Meanwhile, the west was related to metal, and the color white, while the east was related to woods and forests, and the color…. Blue.  Alright, that last one, in particular, probably doesn't make sense to a lot of us.  After all, we likely associate blue with water, and wood, or trees, would be associated with brown or, possibly, green.  Well, in this case, it goes beyond that.  The north is water, but it is also associated with darkness—shorter days in the winter, and things like that Sothe association of north with black makes sense, but many also look at the ocean and don't necessarily see it as “blue”, or dark or even black, like Homer's famous “wine-dark sea”. Furthermore, although they have a word for it (midori), “green” was not a primary color in Japan, instead  considered more of a shade of “aoi”, or blue.  Even today they refer to a “green” traffic light as an “aoi shingo, not “midori” shingo.  So if you asked someone in the Asuka period to describe the wooded hills and fields, they would have likely used “aoi”.  And of course, we are missing the fifth element.  In the center we have the element earth and the color yellow. A lot of these different concepts were brought together during the Han period, when they were trying to syncretize all of the various philosophies and attempts to describe the world and bring them all together into a single system.  This meant that the Yijing, the wuxing theory, and others were mixed together with various other philosophies and theories of how the world work.  Things like the Shanhaijing, the Classic of Mountain and Seas, along with stories about immortals, the Queen Mother of the West, and more were all rolled together, and basically assumed to be true.  This included various real-world observations.  Therefore, there were many attempts to try and reconcile these various theories together. One of the other concepts, which we've discussed before, was the system of ten heavenly stems and the twelve earthly branches.  We've mentioned this before regarding the sexagenary style of counting the years, but we'll recap here.  The ten heavenly stems and the twelve earthly branches are concepts that go back to at least the legendary Shang period, and even show up in various bronzes Andit wasn't until later that they would be associated with other ideas.  The ten heavenly stems were each associated with one of the five elements, with each element being represented by a greater and lesser, or elder and younger, stem.  And then each of the twelve earthly branches were associated with animals—what we often call the Chinese Zodiac. We talked about how this applied to the calendar, in that it was used to track years in 60 year cycles, but also it was used to track days of the year.  The twelve earthly branches were also used for earthly directions.  The first, the rat, was in the north, and the order continued clockwise to the east, the south, west and then back to the north.  Now this means that the four cardinal directions—north, south, east, and west—all match up nicely with one of the twelve earthly branches, but as for northeast, southeast, southwest, and northwest?  Those were all combinations of two branches.  So, for instance, the northeast was a combination of the ox and the tiger, or ushi-tora. Speaking of eight directions, where have we also heard the number eight come up recently? That's right: the eight trigrams, or bagua.  So each one of those trigrams, each representing a different concept, got associated with a direction as well.  This makes it easier to see where practices of geomancy came from.   You had a system with complex, overlapping associations between concepts and the physical world, and in the Tang dynasty, they used all of this  to understand not only  how things had happened, but also how the world would be in the future—in other words, they tried to use it to make predictions.  Hence the “mancy”. In the Yamato state, all of this became an official part of the government under the Onmyoryou: a branch of the government whose job is to make observations and figure things out from there, for the good of the state and the people.  They made observations of the heavens to figure out how the calendar should be aligned—which months should come at what time, and when there should be “leap months”, or intercalary months, to keep various astronomical phenomena in the correct seasons, which were also further divided up into 24 periods.  They also kept track of the movement of bodies like the various planets, because those planets were also assigned values, and thought to affect the flow of energy within this framework.  And so comets, storms, eclipses, and more were all important because of the theory that everything in the heavens impacted and were reflections of how things were happening on the earth.  Similarly, these various discussions of white animals and other omens were likely captured and catalogued by these officials as well, attempting to figure out what they meant. All of this also influenced things like how palaces, buildings, and even capitals, would be built and laid out.  For the palace, it was important the the sovereign be in the north, looking south.  In fact, many maps would have south at the top because that is how a sovereign would be viewing it, were it stretched out before them.  And one would need to consider various features, including mountains and streams, as all of those things carried various meanings, but it wasn't as simple as just finding the one thing that could affect a person.  As they observed differences they would also have to catalogue what happened and try to determine what the cause could be, based on their understanding of the world.  And in the archipelago this would also include an understanding of Buddhist and local kami-based wisdom and knowledge as well. One of the things in the Chronicles that inspired this episode was something I actually mentioned last time,  a record from 666  talking about Chiyu, a Buddhist priest of the Yamato no Aya family, who presented a south-pointing chariot to the sovereign, Naka no Oe.  this appears to be the same Chiyu from a similar record in 658, which also refers to him building a south pointing chariot.  So did it take him eight years, or is he just now presenting it to the sovereign?  And what, exactly, is a south-pointing chariot? Well, as the name implies, a south-pointing chariot is a two-wheeled chariot that always points south.  More appropriately stated, it is a wheeled device with a figure on top, much like a weather vane, which always points south.  This is usually described as the figure of a person or an official pointing in the appropriate direction.  This was a mechanical, rather than a magnetic compass. As the chariot, or carriage, is wheeled around, the two wheels spin.  The wheels themselves are independently connected to a series of gears.  If the wheels spin at the same rate, then their movement cancels each other out.  However, if one wheel turns more than the other, then it will cause the figure on the top to rotate.  Of course, as the chariot turns to the right, the left wheel, traveling along the outer diameter, will travel farther than the right.  This will cause the figure to turn counter-clockwise to the left, but from an outside observer's perspective, it will continue to point in the same direction, even as the chariot itself turns.  Turning to the left would cause the opposite effect. Though it may have been used earlier, there appears to be reliable written evidence of a South Pointing chariot starting from the third century.  The first one was based on much earlier stories of a similar device, but it is unclear if it was a chariot, some other device, or even just a legend that was told as historical fact.  From the third century on the design appears to have been continuously improved upon. I should point out that all we have is descriptions—we don't have any actual south pointing chariots, let alone diagrams showing how the mechanisms worked.  There is the possibility that it used a kind of differential gear to work automatically, but we don't have any actual evidence.  There are other theories that it may have required some kind of manual switch, so that it would attach to one wheel or the other as needed.  That would require that the chariot be moving in either a straight direction or turning in one particular direction, which seems rather unwieldy. I noted some of the problems with this, and even moreso in a place like Japan, where 70% of the terrain is mountains.  Up and down hills, along paths that are likely anything but the smooth, paved surface we have for roads today—and even those have plenty of irregularities and potholes that could throw off any such device. And if you want to use it for any real distance, then you have to factor in other things, including the curvature of the earth.  After all, with the earth being a sphere, any chariot traveling due west to east or east to west, other than at the equator, would have one wheel traveling farther than the other one.  Granted, at the scale we are talking about, it probably is all but negligible, and the rough terrain and simple slippage of what were most likely wooden gears probably entered a lot more variability than the earth's curvature. One of the other issues is that the chariot only points “south” if you set it up to do so.   And if you know that, well, why do you need a south-pointing chariot?  Ultimately, it seems that this is more of a novelty item, good for impressing crowds and demonstrating some engineering principles, rather than an actual, useful invention.  After all, it was forgotten about and recreated multiple times, often centuries apart.  Had it been a truly useful invention, it probably would have been kept in constant use.  Meanwhile, I suspect that there were a fair number of farmers and others who knew that you could more easily and reliably use the sun and stars, as long as the weather was clear. There is also some evidence of an understanding of magnetic compasses since at least the 2nd Century BCE.  Early Han sources suggest that a spoon made of naturally magnetized ore could be placed on top of a polished bronze surface, and it would align itself north to south.  We don't have any actual surviving examples, however—there are later versions that you can find, where the plate is divided up into various directions, and then a magnetized “spoon” is placed on top, but nothing has actually come from Han tombs.  Furthermore, this seems to mostly be for geomantic purposes.  A more practical compass, with a magnetized needle, seems to have been developed by the 11th century, which could then be used for actual navigation. By the way, the “spoon” as a compass pointer may be in reference to the “Big Dipper” constellation, which was envisioned as a spoon, or ladle, in shape.  The seven stars were often used in geomancy, likely because of their importance, at least in the northern hemisphere, of pointing to the north.  So there's some thought that the “needles” of these early compasses weren't litterally  spoon shaped, but symbolically representive of the Big Dipper or the Northern Ladle.  Quick astronomy lesson, here.  If you are in the northern hemisphere, particularly from the 35th parallel to the north pole, you can see the seven stars that make up the constellation or asterism we know as the Big Dipper.   In English we sometimes also refer to this as Ursa Major, though technically the familiar seven stars are just a part of that larger constellation.  In Japan, the same constellation is often referred to as Hokuto Shichisei, the Seven Stars of the Northern Ladle.  It can be seen further south, but parts of it may dip below the horizon during the autumn season. It is important for several reasons.  One is that it is made up of particularly bright stars, which you can generally see even when other stars may not be visible.  Second, its distinctive shape lends itself to being easy to find in the sky.  And finally, if you draw a line between two of the stars at the end of the “cup” of the ladle, you can follow that line to find Polaris or hokkyokusei, the north star, which means you know which direction is north- and once  you know that, you can use it to figure out any other direction.  And Polaris is less than a degree off of true north, making it even more accurate than most magnets, as the magnetic pole can be quite different, depending on its current position, and magnetic north changes over time as the magnetic field around the earth fluctuates. That said, this was not necessarily the case in ancient times.  Four thousand years ago, the star closest to true north would have been the star Thuban, in the constellation Draco, a star that most of us probably haven't heard of.  Polaris, in the constellation Ursa Minor (the Little Bear, also known as the Little Dipper) apparently took over as the north star around 500 CE.  However, even before then, the mouth of the dipper could still be used to indicate north.  In fact, if you draw a line between two of the stars in the back of the constellation, then you also end up finding Thuban.  So even if the north star itself wasn't accurate, finding the dipper would still help you orient yourself, especially if you can find true north during the day and then compare that with the constellation at night. Which helps to understand why astronomy, or Tenmondou, was so important in the Onmyouryou.  Though it wasn't just a study of stars, but of the way of the heavens in general.  And the changes in the heavens, brings us to another important concept—the flow of energy across the seasons.  From the bright days of summer, filled with sunshine and yang energy, to the dark yin energy of winter's long, cold nights. It wasn't enough to just know what happened, and where, but when was also important. Obviously you need to know when to sow seeds, flood the fields, and harvest the rice.  Beyond that, though, you have other concepts, such as how the the day and hour of an event could be symbolically important. And of course, all of these had their own associations with various concepts of the flow of yin and yang energy. Now knowing the year, the month, and even the day is largely just a matter of counting.  But let's talk about something a little more tricky:  How do you know the hour? This brings us to the vignette at the top of the episode, about the clepsydra, or water clock, that Naka no Oe is said to have built. Now we talked about some of the fountains and similar things that have been discovered in the Asuka region back in episode 118.  One thing that they believe they also found evidence of is something called a water clock, which is, as its name suggests, a clock powered by water.  It is typically depicted as a series of three or more boxes or reservoirs that each hold an amount of water.  Water is placed in the top reservoir, and then a hole towards the bottom is unplugged and it is allowed to drain into the box beneath.  The hole is of a particular size, and thus the water flows at a constant rate, filling up the container below, which has a similar hole, etc. all the way to a reservoir at the very bottom.  The multiple boxes mean that the water level in the intermediate boxes stays relatively constant, resulting in relatively consistent pressure and flow rate.  The last reservoir has a measuring stick on a float, so that as the last box is filled with water, the measuring stick raises up.  Since it is rising at a constant rate, one can use that to tell how much time has passed, regardless of anything else.  Thus you can keep time even at night. There is a record of Naka no Oe making one in the fifth month of 660, and he would have another one built in 671, which we will discuss later.  It is interesting that both of these inventions appear twice in the narrative—once during the reign of Naka no Oe, aka Tenchi Tenno, and once during the previous reign, that of Takara Hime, aka Saimei Tenno.  In this case it is said that 671 is the first time that the water clock, or roukoku, was actually used. From what I can tell, there is nothing that definitively indicates that the Mizuochi site in Asuka was definitely the site of Naka no Oe's water clock.  There isn't much in the Chronicles telling us what it was like or where, exactly, it was built, and there wasn't anything found at the site naming it as the location of the roukoku.  However, the site is in a prominent enough place, with channels for water and a pavilion of some sort.  They definitely found evidence of pipes, remnants of lacquered wood, and reservoirs for water, among other things, that suggest something to do with moving water happened in this area.  So it seems a very strong choice, as it all fits with theoretical archeological reconstructions. A water clock like this is excellent for keeping accurate time at all hours of the day.  However, it does have a slight problem in that anyone without a clock is still going to have to use the sun and similar heavenly cues to know what time it is.  So how do you let them know?  Well, it turns out that the continent had an answer for that as well, and instituted various systems of drums and bells to let people know the hour.  In fact, some of these practices continued, in one form or another, right up to the modern day—with or without a water clock.  After all, the key was to give the community some sense of the passing of time, but I doubt anyone was using it to time things more precisely than a general idea of an hour—though they did have the concept of their own minutes and seconds.  Which brings us to just how they saw time back then. The system of time that the Chronicles seems to use also came over from the continent, where there appear to have been several different methods for telling time prior to accurate clocks.  And while there was an idea of dividing the entire day into twelve segments, the time as it was announced was not always consistent with those twelve segments, or hours.  Rather, time was based around the key parts of the day.  So, for instance there was sunrise, noon, sunset, and midnight.  And while noon and midnight remain exactly twelve hours apart, sunrise and sunset change with the seasons.  So if you call out sunrise, and then divide the time between sunrise and noon into equal segments of time, the size of those time segments change with the seasons.  On top of that, because of the tilt of the earth and our slightly irregular orbit around the sun, the sun appears to “move” across the sky faster or slower throughout the year, with a difference of about 30 minutes total between the extremes.  This isn't going to affect most people's daily lives, but would have been noticeable to those taking accurate measurements. In ancient Han, this appears to have been common in cities and towns, with a watch that would call out as they progressed on their rounds at set points in the day and night, relying largely on heavenly cues—which I suspect did not lead to the most accurate timekeeping, but it was sufficient for what most people needed.  The telling of time in this manner was partly to help with keeping track of the time of day, but was just as much an announcement that the watch was on duty and a warning to would-be criminals. Now a water clock was an excellent device for keeping track of a standard, absolute time, such as it were, but it required constant maintenance.  If you already have a watch calling out the time, perhaps they can also keep the water clock properly set, but you did have to have someone constantly filling it up and draining it at known points of the day.  Plus there was the problem that you only knew the time if you could check it, and this wasn't like a clock tower or something similar. And so in 671 it appears that Nak no Oe instituted the continental idea of drums and bells to announce the time to the people—or at least to those at the court.  We don't have a record of exactly how they were, used, but we can infer from other sources on the continent, and what we do know that some tradition of announcing the time with drums and bells continued to be employed in Japan until the Meiji era, though perhaps not without interruption:  Temples and the like had bell or drum towers, and as the day progressed they would beat out the time.  It was not, however, telling time as we might think of it, with one stroke at the first hour, two on the second, etc..  In fact, in many ways they counted backwards, and they only counted 12 hours, not our modern 24.  By the Edo period it seems that it was common practice to toll the bells nine times at noon and at midnight.  From there, they would count down, with 8 bells at roughly 2 o'clock, 7 bells at 4 o'clock, and 6 bells at 6 o'clock.  That would be another issue.  From 6 o'clock, the number of bells that would be tolled continued to decrease, so that at 8 o'clock it would be 5 bells, then 4 bells at 10 o'clock.  It would then jump back up to 9 and start over again. Why these numbers were used for the different hours we are not entirely sure, and I have no idea if these numbers were the same ones used back in the 7th century—though it does seem to match similar continental traditions.  Even the hours themselves were known by the twelve signs that came to be associated with the zodiac:  the hour of the rat, the hour of the ox, the hour of the tiger, etc.  Midnight fell in the middle of the hour of the rat, and noon fell in the middle of the hour of the horse, with each hour being almost exactly 2 hours by modern reckoning. There were other systems in use as well.  One divided the entire day up by 100 and then each of those divisions by another 10.  The key was whether or not it was an absolute or relative measurement. Something like the roukoku would indicate an absolute measurement.  After all, the fall of water from one reservoir to another was not affected by the change in seasons—at least as long as the water didn't freeze.  The flow was constant, as was the measurement of time. For those using other forms of reckoning, such as celestial phenomena or even a sundial, things might be a bit less accurate.  This was especially true when using concepts like “sunrise” and “sunset”.  Still, through observing the changes over the year, people eventually figured out charts and rules to help reconcile absolute forms of measurement with solar time.  There were other methods for telling time, as well.  Perhaps one of the more pleasant was the use of incense sticks.  By the time of the Tang dynasty, incense in stick form was relatively common, and it had been noticed that sticks of incense could burn at a fixed rate.  This meant that you could use incense sticks like candles were used in Europe, counting down how far they had burned to tell what time it was.  If you were really fancy, you could make a single stick out of different types of incense, so that as it hit a new hour, the scent would change, alerting you to the time through your olfactory senses. Speaking of time, we are coming to the end of ours for this episode.  We do have some more information on this on our website, Sengokudaimyo.com, and we'll have links to those sections of the website accompanying our blog. Next episode we will focus more on the reign of Naka no Oe, aka Tenji Tennou, from his seat at Otsu no Miya. Until then, thank you once again for listening and for all of your support. If you like what we are doing, please tell your friends and feel free to rate us wherever you listen to podcasts.  If you feel the need to do more, and want to help us keep this going, we have information about how you can donate on Patreon or through our KoFi site, ko-fi.com/sengokudaimyo, or find the links over at our main website,  SengokuDaimyo.com/Podcast, where we will have some more discussion on topics from this episode. Also, feel free to reach out to our Sengoku Daimyo Facebook page.  You can also email us at the.sengoku.daimyo@gmail.com.  Thank you, also, to Ellen for their work editing the podcast. And that's all for now.  Thank you again, and I'll see you next episode on Sengoku Daimyo's Chronicles of Japan.  

In this enlightening episode of Vestiges After Dark, we welcome Greg Ripley—Daoist priest, nature guide, and author of The Hundred Remedies of the Tao. Drawing from the wisdom of the Quanzhen Longmen tradition, Greg offers an accessible yet profound exploration of Daoist philosophy and its practical applications in everyday life. From breathwork and meditation to aligning with the natural world, Greg shares insights into how Daoist practices can cultivate harmony, resilience, and spiritual clarity. We'll also delve into the inspiration behind his latest book and discuss how these ancient teachings offer powerful tools for navigating the challenges of our modern world. Whether you're new to Daoism or seeking a deeper connection with its path, this episode offers timeless wisdom for the mind, body, and spirit.To call into the show with your questions, comments, or stories, dial: (207) 544-1983. International callers may call free 'Skype to Skype' by dialing: eyeoftheseer They will also be taking your questions from the YouTube chatroom, Facebook, Twitter, Twitch, and Spreaker.Music Credits (for full list click here: https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbi1DR1JCWHJ0V2xzdGtVMjVKOHhscjJaYWM3QXxBQ3Jtc0tsNkhxV0hPTjRTdlA3SkJPQWU5RlVaUkxudlVHR2ExVXBpMFlvOG1yVE9ETk5HcHBTNGZ5bkJVT2ZqYW1UazRlUjNqaDBfSUV4RWRmV3UtZFZjVTFKUkVHWjBnbDAxS1hONXdFZXhDazg4LUFla0NRbw&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.spreaker.com%2Fshow%2Fvestige..&v=rbLQBvmFw-o. Inukshuk - Too Far Gone [NCS Release] Crowd Hammer Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbmNQaWtCY2owUzNESnhwRm1TNF8xY1RtU3AwUXxBQ3Jtc0tuNTJvWmxWR0ZQX01wQ1hHd29ZNDBfejJ2ekJpeEpUNFMyYWc1Z0lsbmJ1b2FocU82VjZ2d0FOaXUtLW0xVjk3bHF3Q1M3dUxCSWd4YkRjS1EwSlFQNmlzSlBGQWFER1JWYnA3SW5jREpLR2syUnNCMA&q=http%3A%2F%2Fcreativecommons.org%2Flicenses%2Fb..&v=rbLQBvmFw-o. Bumper Music: NoCopyrightSounds Marin Hoxha & Chris Linton - With You [NCS Release] Tobu & Syndec - Dusk [NCS Release] Codeko - Crest [NCS Release] Syn Cole - Feel Good [NCS Release] Floatinurboat - Limbo (feat. ELIØTT) [NCS Release] Rival x Cadmium - Seasons (feat. Harley Bird) [NIVIRO Remix] | NCS Release] Robin Hustin x Tobimorrow - Light It Up (feat. Jex) [NCS Release] Jim Yosef & Anna Yvette - Linked [NCS Release] Kozah - Heavens [NCS Release] NIVIRO - Memes [NCS Release] Song: Mendum & Abandoned - Voyage (Feat. DNAKM) [NCS Release] Music provided by NoCopyrightSounds Free Download/Stream: https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqazkwMFh2ZmtMdFphVG9iRTFHWFFLTEcwV2ZfQXxBQ3Jtc0tuLVpfLTF6NndUUEthTW5BcVVfV2lmN1B2YUJQa2VJSnpCN0RwWHZIeGtfeGctTHh2RUN4bkRVLXhmSml5Y1p1c2tLUHY2LXBaNTh4RlRvUjNUWlMtME1ManhNWVVmQzFhY3llVFREVkhfbEJ6RFNBaw&q=http%3A%2F%2Fncs.io%2FVoyage&v=rbLQBvmFw-o Watch: • Mendum & Abandoned - Voyage (Feat. DN... Song: Unknown Brain & Hoober - Phenomenon (ft. Dax & VinDon) [NCS Release] Music provided by NoCopyrightSounds Free Download/Stream: https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbW9LUkEyM3RqZDR4QlRQSUxNdno3dWpxVVZLZ3xBQ3Jtc0tuS3ZIVnVpMC13cWUtYWd1UHNGemhWcjVGaDVzZlhOWFVJNENZRHpsR2YxRURHcXQ3Q1FST1Q4QWx2Y0tXN2ZCeWZ0bGVoNHFvYjJLSThfRzFLUDhuX3dxQ1k1cWVwQlVPWFVwSVZLTGRFMEZsRklfVQ&q=http%3A%2F%2Fncs.io%2FPhenomenon&v=rbLQBvmFw-o Watch: • Unknown Brain & Hoober - Phenomenon (... Song: Robin Hustin & Jessica Chertock - Burn it Down [NCS Release] Music provided by NoCopyrightSounds Free Download/Stream: https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbm0zTE4wTnlWNllwRGt3dWZHM0FFZVJNUldYQXxBQ3Jtc0tsLTJCRXlLQnFjaEgxNmE2U0ZhbnBhT0pkXzhJdlZuZmdCMHh5cUlJOTJpOXdEbkN0U25EOVB4dUZjeWI1QTJISnE3X2JBR25FX3ZXTTRSZ2pRMkk4cEcyOXFWMmdfcFBzRmctYUs3dU55bVc1ckVjWQ&q=http%3A%2F%2Fncs.io%2FBurnItDown&v=rbLQBvmFw-o Watch: • Robin Hustin & Jessica Chertock - Bur... Song: Kozah - Nobody [NCS Release] Music provided by NoCopyrightSounds Free Download/Stream: https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqa3pQZDdoVTBNVGhTREw3TmRIcjZ3a3k0dzFSd3xBQ3Jtc0tuQkg5dGJfR2U4emNMTVV5dWh4eXYtSXFGX2ZLQ0MzLXVUWFdicE5FdGhsVUNBTlQ2cUVLNDIxcHctVGVYbGpkVVpHUFlVQjBwcWtiVU1Td3ItYTFCWUxXdENhQ0kyUkV4R280OXd4dFNoeGZOa2lFZw&q=http%3A%2F%2FNCS.io%2FNobody&v=rbLQBvmFw-o Watch: • Kozah - Nobody [NCS Release] Song: NIVIRO - Demons [NCS Release] Music provided by NoCopyrightSounds Free Download/Stream: https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbDRtN1RDNEgyMjJrbkdBWldwMVFLdEZrM0JZZ3xBQ3Jtc0tsTHh6ckxoMkhHREFScDN4UXBnYjZUbGQzMk9tUnRRNHJtTDd4MEZPbk5VbmV5S2FmMThWY0w3V2JPT2dyRG0wWEY5SVkzMENPV1I2S0JqeWN5NVl4NXk0em9FNkZ6dGpxb25PX2xJbjRKSm1Fbmthaw&q=http%3A%2F%2Fncs.io%2FNDemons&v=rbLQBvmFw-o Watch: • NIVIRO - Demons | Electronic | NCS - ... Song: Unknown Brain - Childhood Dreams [NCS Release] Music provided by NoCopyrightSounds Free Download/Stream: https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqa2xlcThIUkxQOVFEYmZtYUdJMTQ5aWo4Vm92UXxBQ3Jtc0ttWmpOY3Vwd3JGSmtjT1lDTG5laTVMNjB2Uk5YSklpWjRuQ0g0MkdFUnBoNE95aHJLX0NUQ2gzSVpvSXFkcm84Vlg0bEpDSnZMNElQQTZLdEpCRzktV013RnAxX24yRVVOaUJHR1dLZTNJMkt4RmZoQQ&q=http%3A%2F%2Fncs.io%2FChildHoodDreams&v=rbLQBvmFw-o Watch: • Unknown Brain - Faceless (Album MIX) ... Song: Syn Cole - Time [NCS Release] Music provided by NoCopyrightSounds Free Download/Stream: https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqa0FSSXFmYXB3TGpfZWFib3czdEJJOTd2UmpLQXxBQ3Jtc0tuWlhNZ2RkTGVfZUZPWnFFT1lTMVVpQzdacEtOX0JnMHZEUmtWVVZqU2ozSnI4UGVJR3R1c2FBLVhiQlJua3R6QU9ZRXZiOEJVY1Y0Zkpqb1hpdHhwaE9wSTVZX01MM2xZTXlBVTRTM1NJU3lvbnRFcw&q=http%3A%2F%2Fncs.io%2FTime&v=rbLQBvmFw-o Watch: • Syn Cole - Time [NCS Release] Song: Jim Yosef - Fall With Me [NCS Release] Music provided by NoCopyrightSounds Free Download/Stream: https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbEFIaEpPWXpNVjFlOFFYeE56NXR4cEJ5YkFDd3xBQ3Jtc0trMHBUNU5Ea2lqaU5tRDNqemFwdm1wU3FTbXBMdUg2VmxQbVFnTjFmZ1doNXF0QWVhd0ppc2lYTnlSMlRpMDFNMjcwNU9sdXpfZFYzamVoR29QekN2bWJHSkk1a3dEWFh0SFhyUGhiYUYza2J5blhhWQ&q=http%3A%2F%2Fncs.io%2FFallWithMe&v=rbLQBvmFw-o Watch: • Unknown Brain - Waiting (feat. Lox Ch... Song: Mike Vallas, Jagsy & quaggin. - Left My Heart In Pain [NCS Release] Music provided by NoCopyrightSounds Free Download/Stream: https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbDZuMi03LTU4Sk9hSzdxQ1k4V0ozNUE2QjBWQXxBQ3Jtc0tubm01alhFQ3VLRTZqMzNmNGMzN0twZElWVnpaWEhMYldkSmJyUy1JV2ViWVV4a0thbEotcDZKcmtMaHBNMmJsdEJxMldYWnRqQ21fTWw1V1JlTmFNTlhERzZYbnduaW5ISWtkanJZNGxyOVpEbm9UVQ&q=http%3A%2F%2Fncs.io%2FLMHIP&v=rbLQBvmFw-o Watch: • Mike Vallas, Jagsy & quaggin. - Left ... Song: Barren Gates - Devil [NCS Release] Music provided by NoCopyrightSounds Free Download/Stream: https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbW0yLUQ5QzQ4aGlfZXZUNFJ6eS1PWmc3Y0xNZ3xBQ3Jtc0tsZ3J6d1NKbk1kMm81R0xYY3BDLTBDNGN0Tlg0NjM2bm9vZ3d3UVB4WmZsajcwZDd6V3puS2twRUkzdnE2MHJUc1lWckd5aktlMUhZZjFRVDRzQjhJejZRZkNvZzRYR1Y0T1RELUV1cHRFdmhmUno2UQ&q=http%3A%2F%2Fncs.io%2FDevil&v=rbLQBvmFw-o Watch: • Barren Gates - Devil | Trap | NCS - C... Song: Inukshuk - The Long Road Home [NCS Release] Music provided by NoCopyrightSounds Free Download/Stream: https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbTRlRF80c2lYbldlanhxOHVUR1hCSFZ2YUZ5UXxBQ3Jtc0tudjRFTFNyNXRZelFMNWVkUTV2N0hqV29GVG9ld0Rwb3QweEdUSUU1b05VcGRVZE5KcWNLT25XYzNDT2hNbnp2cWJqSndHc09qZkFUak1qLVJPcmk2Nm16bXpxTWlQVWQwbnhvM1lqRDJEZmJ3WVFmNA&q=http%3A%2F%2Fncs.io%2FTLRH&v=rbLQBvmFw-o Watch: • Inukshuk - The Long Road Home [NCS Re... Song: Inukshuk - Too Far Gone [NCS Release] Music provided by NoCopyrightSounds Free Download/Stream: https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbFJ4eUJTbXVRbVBZblg3dktod1hIdWJ3X1ZiQXxBQ3Jtc0tuSkVEM0dKOEVYdWRFaDUwd3h3T0RCN1FhdkdOVlRDcUJJQjBmcEg5X3ZQbzlyeTduQkhkbXdJU3RYMTUwWXZJTHlURW9Ha1BoVlAwcUFWMHJINUJSVmNjZ0thMlZuQUVjS2JPQW14OHNyNzZFT0R6SQ&q=http%3A%2F%2Fncs.io%2FTooFarGone&v=rbLQBvmFw-o Watch: • Inukshuk - Too Far Gone [NCS Release] Song: Inukshuk - A World Away [NCS Release] Music provided by NoCopyrightSounds Free Download/Stream: https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbXZrYmpGQVE2RHZCd1NwM255VjNyMzRzZ2k5d3xBQ3Jtc0tublFqckgxMTBWYm1yTW9qVmtrMDBQM0I4MFlYdHVuQ3hFUlUtc29ZamxoNUYzaEpfWElONER4RnhkbkJSbmQ0VTgyVXlwZXBPU21NYUUxbEhCRF9fQ01UVlpaeHc2Q0g0ZE1NZUxSZk8yVm9xeTMxdw&q=http%3A%2F%2Fncs.io%2Faworldaway&v=rbLQBvmFw-o Watch: • Inukshuk - A World Away [NCS Release] Song: Voicians - Seconds [NCS Release] Music provided by NoCopyrightSounds Free Download/Stream:Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/vestiges-after-dark--3076216/support.

In this enlightening episode of Vestiges After Dark, we welcome Greg Ripley—Daoist priest, nature guide, and author of The Hundred Remedies of the Tao. Drawing from the wisdom of the Quanzhen Longmen tradition, Greg offers an accessible yet profound exploration of Daoist philosophy and its practical applications in everyday life. From breathwork and meditation to aligning with the natural world, Greg shares insights into how Daoist practices can cultivate harmony, resilience, and spiritual clarity. We'll also delve into the inspiration behind his latest book and discuss how these ancient teachings offer powerful tools for navigating the challenges of our modern world. Whether you're new to Daoism or seeking a deeper connection with its path, this episode offers timeless wisdom for the mind, body, and spirit.To call into the show with your questions, comments, or stories, dial: (207) 544-1983. International callers may call free 'Skype to Skype' by dialing: eyeoftheseer They will also be taking your questions from the YouTube chatroom, Facebook, Twitter, Twitch, and Spreaker.Music Credits (for full list click here: https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbi1DR1JCWHJ0V2xzdGtVMjVKOHhscjJaYWM3QXxBQ3Jtc0tsNkhxV0hPTjRTdlA3SkJPQWU5RlVaUkxudlVHR2ExVXBpMFlvOG1yVE9ETk5HcHBTNGZ5bkJVT2ZqYW1UazRlUjNqaDBfSUV4RWRmV3UtZFZjVTFKUkVHWjBnbDAxS1hONXdFZXhDazg4LUFla0NRbw&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.spreaker.com%2Fshow%2Fvestige..&v=rbLQBvmFw-o. Inukshuk - Too Far Gone [NCS Release] Crowd Hammer Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbmNQaWtCY2owUzNESnhwRm1TNF8xY1RtU3AwUXxBQ3Jtc0tuNTJvWmxWR0ZQX01wQ1hHd29ZNDBfejJ2ekJpeEpUNFMyYWc1Z0lsbmJ1b2FocU82VjZ2d0FOaXUtLW0xVjk3bHF3Q1M3dUxCSWd4YkRjS1EwSlFQNmlzSlBGQWFER1JWYnA3SW5jREpLR2syUnNCMA&q=http%3A%2F%2Fcreativecommons.org%2Flicenses%2Fb..&v=rbLQBvmFw-o. Bumper Music: NoCopyrightSounds Marin Hoxha & Chris Linton - With You [NCS Release] Tobu & Syndec - Dusk [NCS Release] Codeko - Crest [NCS Release] Syn Cole - Feel Good [NCS Release] Floatinurboat - Limbo (feat. ELIØTT) [NCS Release] Rival x Cadmium - Seasons (feat. Harley Bird) [NIVIRO Remix] | NCS Release] Robin Hustin x Tobimorrow - Light It Up (feat. Jex) [NCS Release] Jim Yosef & Anna Yvette - Linked [NCS Release] Kozah - Heavens [NCS Release] NIVIRO - Memes [NCS Release] Song: Mendum & Abandoned - Voyage (Feat. DNAKM) [NCS Release] Music provided by NoCopyrightSounds Free Download/Stream: https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqazkwMFh2ZmtMdFphVG9iRTFHWFFLTEcwV2ZfQXxBQ3Jtc0tuLVpfLTF6NndUUEthTW5BcVVfV2lmN1B2YUJQa2VJSnpCN0RwWHZIeGtfeGctTHh2RUN4bkRVLXhmSml5Y1p1c2tLUHY2LXBaNTh4RlRvUjNUWlMtME1ManhNWVVmQzFhY3llVFREVkhfbEJ6RFNBaw&q=http%3A%2F%2Fncs.io%2FVoyage&v=rbLQBvmFw-o Watch: • Mendum & Abandoned - Voyage (Feat. DN... Song: Unknown Brain & Hoober - Phenomenon (ft. Dax & VinDon) [NCS Release] Music provided by NoCopyrightSounds Free Download/Stream: https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbW9LUkEyM3RqZDR4QlRQSUxNdno3dWpxVVZLZ3xBQ3Jtc0tuS3ZIVnVpMC13cWUtYWd1UHNGemhWcjVGaDVzZlhOWFVJNENZRHpsR2YxRURHcXQ3Q1FST1Q4QWx2Y0tXN2ZCeWZ0bGVoNHFvYjJLSThfRzFLUDhuX3dxQ1k1cWVwQlVPWFVwSVZLTGRFMEZsRklfVQ&q=http%3A%2F%2Fncs.io%2FPhenomenon&v=rbLQBvmFw-o Watch: • Unknown Brain & Hoober - Phenomenon (... Song: Robin Hustin & Jessica Chertock - Burn it Down [NCS Release] Music provided by NoCopyrightSounds Free Download/Stream: https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbm0zTE4wTnlWNllwRGt3dWZHM0FFZVJNUldYQXxBQ3Jtc0tsLTJCRXlLQnFjaEgxNmE2U0ZhbnBhT0pkXzhJdlZuZmdCMHh5cUlJOTJpOXdEbkN0U25EOVB4dUZjeWI1QTJISnE3X2JBR25FX3ZXTTRSZ2pRMkk4cEcyOXFWMmdfcFBzRmctYUs3dU55bVc1ckVjWQ&q=http%3A%2F%2Fncs.io%2FBurnItDown&v=rbLQBvmFw-o Watch: • Robin Hustin & Jessica Chertock - Bur... Song: Kozah - Nobody [NCS Release] Music provided by NoCopyrightSounds Free Download/Stream: https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqa3pQZDdoVTBNVGhTREw3TmRIcjZ3a3k0dzFSd3xBQ3Jtc0tuQkg5dGJfR2U4emNMTVV5dWh4eXYtSXFGX2ZLQ0MzLXVUWFdicE5FdGhsVUNBTlQ2cUVLNDIxcHctVGVYbGpkVVpHUFlVQjBwcWtiVU1Td3ItYTFCWUxXdENhQ0kyUkV4R280OXd4dFNoeGZOa2lFZw&q=http%3A%2F%2FNCS.io%2FNobody&v=rbLQBvmFw-o Watch: • Kozah - Nobody [NCS Release] Song: NIVIRO - Demons [NCS Release] Music provided by NoCopyrightSounds Free Download/Stream: https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbDRtN1RDNEgyMjJrbkdBWldwMVFLdEZrM0JZZ3xBQ3Jtc0tsTHh6ckxoMkhHREFScDN4UXBnYjZUbGQzMk9tUnRRNHJtTDd4MEZPbk5VbmV5S2FmMThWY0w3V2JPT2dyRG0wWEY5SVkzMENPV1I2S0JqeWN5NVl4NXk0em9FNkZ6dGpxb25PX2xJbjRKSm1Fbmthaw&q=http%3A%2F%2Fncs.io%2FNDemons&v=rbLQBvmFw-o Watch: • NIVIRO - Demons | Electronic | NCS - ... Song: Unknown Brain - Childhood Dreams [NCS Release] Music provided by NoCopyrightSounds Free Download/Stream: https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqa2xlcThIUkxQOVFEYmZtYUdJMTQ5aWo4Vm92UXxBQ3Jtc0ttWmpOY3Vwd3JGSmtjT1lDTG5laTVMNjB2Uk5YSklpWjRuQ0g0MkdFUnBoNE95aHJLX0NUQ2gzSVpvSXFkcm84Vlg0bEpDSnZMNElQQTZLdEpCRzktV013RnAxX24yRVVOaUJHR1dLZTNJMkt4RmZoQQ&q=http%3A%2F%2Fncs.io%2FChildHoodDreams&v=rbLQBvmFw-o Watch: • Unknown Brain - Faceless (Album MIX) ... Song: Syn Cole - Time [NCS Release] Music provided by NoCopyrightSounds Free Download/Stream: https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqa0FSSXFmYXB3TGpfZWFib3czdEJJOTd2UmpLQXxBQ3Jtc0tuWlhNZ2RkTGVfZUZPWnFFT1lTMVVpQzdacEtOX0JnMHZEUmtWVVZqU2ozSnI4UGVJR3R1c2FBLVhiQlJua3R6QU9ZRXZiOEJVY1Y0Zkpqb1hpdHhwaE9wSTVZX01MM2xZTXlBVTRTM1NJU3lvbnRFcw&q=http%3A%2F%2Fncs.io%2FTime&v=rbLQBvmFw-o Watch: • Syn Cole - Time [NCS Release] Song: Jim Yosef - Fall With Me [NCS Release] Music provided by NoCopyrightSounds Free Download/Stream: https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbEFIaEpPWXpNVjFlOFFYeE56NXR4cEJ5YkFDd3xBQ3Jtc0trMHBUNU5Ea2lqaU5tRDNqemFwdm1wU3FTbXBMdUg2VmxQbVFnTjFmZ1doNXF0QWVhd0ppc2lYTnlSMlRpMDFNMjcwNU9sdXpfZFYzamVoR29QekN2bWJHSkk1a3dEWFh0SFhyUGhiYUYza2J5blhhWQ&q=http%3A%2F%2Fncs.io%2FFallWithMe&v=rbLQBvmFw-o Watch: • Unknown Brain - Waiting (feat. Lox Ch... Song: Mike Vallas, Jagsy & quaggin. - Left My Heart In Pain [NCS Release] Music provided by NoCopyrightSounds Free Download/Stream: https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbDZuMi03LTU4Sk9hSzdxQ1k4V0ozNUE2QjBWQXxBQ3Jtc0tubm01alhFQ3VLRTZqMzNmNGMzN0twZElWVnpaWEhMYldkSmJyUy1JV2ViWVV4a0thbEotcDZKcmtMaHBNMmJsdEJxMldYWnRqQ21fTWw1V1JlTmFNTlhERzZYbnduaW5ISWtkanJZNGxyOVpEbm9UVQ&q=http%3A%2F%2Fncs.io%2FLMHIP&v=rbLQBvmFw-o Watch: • Mike Vallas, Jagsy & quaggin. - Left ... Song: Barren Gates - Devil [NCS Release] Music provided by NoCopyrightSounds Free Download/Stream: https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbW0yLUQ5QzQ4aGlfZXZUNFJ6eS1PWmc3Y0xNZ3xBQ3Jtc0tsZ3J6d1NKbk1kMm81R0xYY3BDLTBDNGN0Tlg0NjM2bm9vZ3d3UVB4WmZsajcwZDd6V3puS2twRUkzdnE2MHJUc1lWckd5aktlMUhZZjFRVDRzQjhJejZRZkNvZzRYR1Y0T1RELUV1cHRFdmhmUno2UQ&q=http%3A%2F%2Fncs.io%2FDevil&v=rbLQBvmFw-o Watch: • Barren Gates - Devil | Trap | NCS - C... Song: Inukshuk - The Long Road Home [NCS Release] Music provided by NoCopyrightSounds Free Download/Stream: https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbTRlRF80c2lYbldlanhxOHVUR1hCSFZ2YUZ5UXxBQ3Jtc0tudjRFTFNyNXRZelFMNWVkUTV2N0hqV29GVG9ld0Rwb3QweEdUSUU1b05VcGRVZE5KcWNLT25XYzNDT2hNbnp2cWJqSndHc09qZkFUak1qLVJPcmk2Nm16bXpxTWlQVWQwbnhvM1lqRDJEZmJ3WVFmNA&q=http%3A%2F%2Fncs.io%2FTLRH&v=rbLQBvmFw-o Watch: • Inukshuk - The Long Road Home [NCS Re... Song: Inukshuk - Too Far Gone [NCS Release] Music provided by NoCopyrightSounds Free Download/Stream: https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbFJ4eUJTbXVRbVBZblg3dktod1hIdWJ3X1ZiQXxBQ3Jtc0tuSkVEM0dKOEVYdWRFaDUwd3h3T0RCN1FhdkdOVlRDcUJJQjBmcEg5X3ZQbzlyeTduQkhkbXdJU3RYMTUwWXZJTHlURW9Ha1BoVlAwcUFWMHJINUJSVmNjZ0thMlZuQUVjS2JPQW14OHNyNzZFT0R6SQ&q=http%3A%2F%2Fncs.io%2FTooFarGone&v=rbLQBvmFw-o Watch: • Inukshuk - Too Far Gone [NCS Release] Song: Inukshuk - A World Away [NCS Release] Music provided by NoCopyrightSounds Free Download/Stream: https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbXZrYmpGQVE2RHZCd1NwM255VjNyMzRzZ2k5d3xBQ3Jtc0tublFqckgxMTBWYm1yTW9qVmtrMDBQM0I4MFlYdHVuQ3hFUlUtc29ZamxoNUYzaEpfWElONER4RnhkbkJSbmQ0VTgyVXlwZXBPU21NYUUxbEhCRF9fQ01UVlpaeHc2Q0g0ZE1NZUxSZk8yVm9xeTMxdw&q=http%3A%2F%2Fncs.io%2Faworldaway&v=rbLQBvmFw-o Watch: • Inukshuk - A World Away [NCS Release] Song: Voicians - Seconds [NCS Release] Music provided by NoCopyrightSounds Free Download/Stream:Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/vestiges-after-dark--3076216/support.

“Who are you?” What if the real question is: What are you? Paul M Vincent—human performance expert, psychedelic researcher, and co-host of the Demystifying Psychedelics series—sits on the other side of the mic to explore the layered evolution of identity. From training elite performers to studying with indigenous shamans, Paul opens up about mental health battles, inexplicable mystical experiences, and the profound impact of ceremony, flow, and community on human healing. This is a masterclass in surrender, wisdom, and the art of being.   **** ✨ Personal Socrates is on SALE! >>> Use UPGRADE20 at baronfig.com for 20% off through May and June.    Release details for the NEW BOOK.   Connect with Marc >>>  Website | LinkedIn | Instagram | Drop a review and let me know what resonates with you about the show! Thanks as always for listening and have the best day yet! * A special thanks to MONOS, our official travel partner for Behind the Human! Use MONOSBTH10 at check-out for savings on your next purchase. ✈️ * Special props

A Special Bonus EpisodeI'm so grateful to share this bonus episode featuring a special conversation I had last year with my dear friend Mark Jensen. It's a rare and beautiful exchange that touches on healing, grief, and a mystical connection to the Earth—an invitation to listen and remember what truly matters.In today's episode, I'm joined by Mark Jensen, a seasoned practitioner in the healing arts with 40+ years of experience in vitalistic principled chiropractic, cranial work, myofascial release, plant medicines, Qi Gong and Dao Yin classes, somatic/movement teachings, and Earth-based practices that support a more embodied, connected and healthy life. He operates a private practice, teaches for nonprofits, and leads community classes and ceremonies.Mark's profound understanding and ability to blend mystical visions with scientific study make this conversation a treasure trove of wisdom and inspiration. Mark shares insights from decades of practice in the healing arts, including his conceptualization of the "circle of visions" and how attentional intimacy and communion with life's intelligence can lead to profound healing. We delve into his deep connection with nature, the power of grief, and transformative experiences in his own healing journey. He also touches on the significance of holding space for joy amidst ecological and societal challenges.Episode HighlightsThe Power of Grief: Mark emphasizes embracing grief as a path to deeper love and soul connection.Ecological Despair and Healing: Insights on navigating ecological despair and finding healing through a greater understanding of the earth's intelligence.Visions and Spiritual Experiences: Mark shares transformative visions and spiritual encounters that have shaped his practice.Holding Dichotomy and Paradox: The importance of balancing the celebration of beauty with the acknowledgment of despair.Connection with Nature: Mark discusses his deep bond with nature and how it has guided and healed him throughout his life.The Role of Fascia in Healing: Insights into how fascia, the body's connective tissue, plays a crucial role in sensing and responding to the world.Community and Shared Grief: Community and shared experiences in processing grief and preventing despair.Mark Jensen“My journey began in Northern Minnesota and has carried me across landscapes, traditions, and thresholds of healing. Though trained in college and graduate school, my true education came from life itself—from births and deaths I was honored to attend, from those who entrusted me with their bodies, and from teachers across disciplines like Osteopathy, Daoism, Chinese Medicine, Herbalism, Deep Ecology, and land-based ceremony. The land has been my greatest teacher—from the plains of Oklahoma to the mountains of New Mexico, and now, back home to the shores of Gichigami (Lake Superior).I live in Duluth, Minnesota with my wife, artist Riha Rothberg, and our cat Gus. I continue to teach healthcare practitioners and maintain a private healing practice rooted in presence, ecology, and transformation.”Resource LinksLearn more about Mark and how to engage in his offerings, courses, and events at marksjensendc.comSubscribe to The Guest House on Substack for regular essays, podcast episodes, and more.Shawnparell.com - Check out Shawn's website to sign up for 5 free meditations, join Shawn's email list for monthly field notes and music alchemy, and learn more about her work and upcoming events.Stay connected with Shawn on Instagram @ShawnParell for live weekly meditations and prompts for practice. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit shawnparell.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode of the Third Eye Awakening podcast, I'm so happy to have my friend Aaron French on the show!Aaron French is a Medium, Akashic Reader, and Spiritual Guide. He has been a student of Nonduality, Classical Tantra and Daoism for over 25 years, and finds deep comfort in guiding others into the Now.
Aaron first realized he was communicating with Spirits in the late 1990's, and has been expanding & grounding into the path of Mediumship since then. He now has a flourishing relationship with beings across the Astral realms and beyond, as well as powerful access to the Akashic Records. Aaron's purpose is to support each one of us as we journey towards our Highest Truth and finding the greatest Joy in being Human on this Earth.In this episode, Aaron and I dive into:-Aaron's ski accident and using spiritual practices in recovery-pain, healing, & the masculine-feminine dynamic-financial pressure & personal growth-mythic themes, unpredictability of current events, & energetic shifts with the lunar eclipse-the role of human design in personal & collective awakening-the impact of personal experiences & traumas on personal growth…and so much more!CONNECT WITH AARON@naturalheartalchemywww.naturalheartalchemy.comLINKS MENTIONEDAkashic Holographic Masteryamybelair.com - check out my brand new website + get 70% off ALL COURSES & PROGRAMS until Monday, May 19, 2025!

Are you stuck in your comfort zone? Are you limiting yourself? In this episode, Danny and Randy discuss why your comfort zone is killing you. Subscribe to ESP's YouTube Channel! Thanks for listening!  Do you have a question you want answered in a future episode? If so, send your question to: existentialstoic@protonmail.com Danny, Randy, and their good friend, Russell, created a new podcast, CodeNoobs, for anyone interested in tech and learning how to code. Listen to CodeNoobs now online, CodeNoobs-podcast, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Elijah Nisenboim is founder of Effiji Breathwork. He has been helping people with suffering and trauma for 33 years. He is the author of three books including 2024's The Trauma Code: Unlocking the Hidden Map to Your Life's True Purpose. To accompany his breathwork, he has composed and recorded 25 volumes of music. On his many journeys to China, Elijah has learned Sacred Taoist energy practice and Internal Martial Arts which he incorporates in his healing methods for Trauma Release. Not only does he help people release trauma, but he helps them understand and use trauma as a valuable tool for fulfilling one's life purpose.Effiji Breath – Healing Breathwork

Happy Star Wars Day everyone! Join your host for a dive into a discussion of Star Wars as myth, the mythic power of Star Wars, and what Star Wars shows about how myths can influence the world.This is an unlocked version of a special, Patrons-only episode.  If you want access to other Patrons-only episodes, ad-free listening, and more then sign up at patreon.com/waywardwandererIf you want to book a rune reading then head on over to my Calendly: https://calendly.com/ryan-fire...Explainer on Myth: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/explainer-13-myth--64215502Episode on Myth & Conspiracy: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-29-myth-and-conspiracy--57549804Lucas on the Rebels and Palpatine as Nixon: https://nextshark.com/star-wars-vietnamese-resistanceLucas on Joseph Campbell: https://www.jcf.org/learn/star-warsBuddhism, Daoism, and Star Wars: https://popculturephilosopher.com/jedi-philosophy/

In this enlightening conversation, I was joined by Dan Chapelle, a clinical psychologist and bonafide philosopher with a deep interest in religion and meditation. Our discussion ranged widely, from the nuances of Eastern and Western philosophies to practical approaches for a more contented life. Dan shared insights from both his personal journey and his books, providing a rich tapestry of ideas centred around the necessity of unhappiness and the power of meditative self-care. What You'll Learn: The Intersection of Philosophy and Psychology: Discover how psychology and philosophy intertwine through the works of Freud, Jung, Nietzsche, and Eastern philosophies such as Buddhism and Daoism. Learn how these disciplines explore the complexities of the human mind and our quest for understanding and contentment. Importance of Unhappiness: Uncover why Dan views unhappiness as a crucial aspect of life rather than a condition to be overly medicated or avoided. Engage with the ideas from figures like Buddha and Job, emphasising the necessity of accepting life's inherent challenges. Meditative Self-Care: Learn about the practice of meditation as a tool for attention training, self-awareness, and the acceptance of reality. Discover practical insights into how meditation can help balance emotions and redirect attention from negative thought patterns. Attention and Intention in Everyday Life: Explore the concept that attention is the most critical tool we possess, shaping our experiences and responses. Understand how directing our attention and refining our intentions can alter our perception and experience of the world. Key Takeaways: Life's Challenges: Embrace the understanding that life is inherently difficult, and by accepting this, we can find deeper contentment. Meditation: Use meditation as a practical method for managing your attention and fostering acceptance. Philosophical Insights: Philosophical and psychological teachings from the East and West offer valuable perspectives on human experience and the nature of reality. Unhappiness as a Teacher: Viewing unhappiness as a part of life encourages personal growth and fosters a more profound fulfillment. Attention Control: Directing attention wisely influences emotional health and can lead to a more balanced life. Resources: Books by Dan Chappelle: "A Minimalist Ethic for Everyday Life" "Meditative Self-Care" Explore Dan's insights further and access more resources on MeditativeSelfCare.com. By embracing these philosophies and practices, you can cultivate a more profound sense of contentment and understanding in everyday life. Each step you take towards accepting life's difficulties can open the door to new perspectives and inner peace. If you're interested in diving deeper into these themes, I highly recommend checking out Dan Chapelle's works—let them guide you towards a more mindful and fulfilled existence. Support and Share: If you found this episode enlightening, please consider subscribing, rating, and leaving a review on your favourite podcast platform. Your support helps us continue to bring expert insights to a wider audience. Share this episode with someone who might benefit from the discussion around hormesis and its life-enhancing potential. 00:27 Journey into Psychology and Philosophy 01:28 Exploring Phenomenological Psychology 02:21 Connections Between Eastern and Western Philosophies 05:37 Minimalist Ethic and Everyday Life 06:41 Ian McGilchrist and the Left Brain-Right Brain Debate 20:33 The Necessity of Unhappiness 23:30 Job's Story and Contentment 28:44 Catcher in the Rye and Adolescent Struggles 31:41 Radical Acceptance and Amor Fati 33:35 The Role of Meditation in Accepting Reality 34:18 Understanding Buddhist Meditation 35:27 Nietzsche's Philosophy and Amor Fati 39:04 Practical Approaches to Meditation 42:06 The Importance of Attention in Mental Health 49:36 Karma and Intention 01:02:30 Reflections on Life and Contentment See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, I'm welcoming back Ollie Walsh, formerly the co-founder and CEO of Pipit Global, and now, the President of Qenta, following Qenta's recent acquisition of Pipit.  This is Ollie's fourth appearance on MoneyNeverSleeps, making him the all-time guest record holder on the show.This conversation is a special one. Not only has Ollie been building something purpose-driven and globally relevant for over a decade, but I've also had the privilege of sitting on Pipit's board since 2019 and seeing the full journey from the inside.In this episode, we dive into the first public conversation about Pipit's acquisition by Qenta. US-based Qenta is rethinking how money moves around the world, blending fintech, blockchain, and impact into one powerful payments platform.In this episode, Ollie and I get into the weeds on what it really takes to build a startup with social impact at its core, what it feels like to finally get a deal across the line after years of trying, and how it all unfolds when you're leading with purpose rather than flash.We also get into:The “rollercoaster on fire” of startup lifeWhat makes a startup acquirable, especially in emerging marketsWhy leading with social impact turned out to be Pipit's greatest strengthLessons learned the hard way: cap tables, crowdfunding, and mental resilienceOllie's unexpected deep dive into Daoism and Tai Chi, and how it shaped his founder mindsetThis one's packed with honest reflections, tactical insights, and a rare look inside the real M&A journey from a founder who lived every second of it.If you're building with purpose, fundraising under pressure, or just trying to stay centered through it all, this one's for you.Connect with Ollie Walsh and Qenta:Ollie Walsh: LinkedInQenta: LinkedIn  |  Website⁠Leave a review and subscribe onApple PodcastsSpotifyMoneyNeverSleeps (website)Email us: info@norioventures.comConnect with Pete Townsend and MoneyNeverSleeps:Pete Townsend: X/Twitter  |  LinkedIn MoneyNeverSleeps: X/Twitter  |  LinkedIn  |  Newsletter

Clarity isn't about having all the answers; it's about finally hearing the truth that's been waiting inside you.   What if the fog you keep running into isn't a barrier, but an invitation? In this episode, Nesha Pai sits down with Emily Paul, the founder of Aum Holistic Healing Arts, to talk about what it really means to come home to yourself. Through her work rooted in Daoism, alchemy, and intuitive guidance, Emily helps people reconnect with their purpose, not by chasing something outside themselves, but by learning to listen inward.   Nesha and Emily discuss how clarity often arrives quietly, after we've started shedding old stories and tuning into the parts of ourselves we've been taught to ignore. Emily shares how her approach, including the Nine Palaces of Daoist alchemy, offers a structure for understanding the different areas of life like health, wealth, creativity, wisdom, and how they can work together to bring us into alignment.   This episode reminds us that clarity grows when we pause long enough to ask better questions and stay open to what rises up.   Episode Breakdown: 00:00 Introduction 02:02 Why Clarity Matters 05:18 Navigating Inner Fog 10:32 The Challenge of Going Inward 13:31 Resistance as an Ally 14:37 Taoist Alchemy and the Nine Palaces 19:04 Returning to Your True Nature 23:04 Soul Purpose vs. Societal Norms 24:04 Intuition vs. Mental Noise 27:48 Clarity's Role in Leadership 30:36 Follow the Nudge Connect with Emily Paul: https://www.aumemily.com/nine-palaces-compass/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-paul-83712774/   Connect with Nesha:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/neshapai/ Website: https://www.neshapai.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/neshapai LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/neshapaicpa Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm  

What fills your cup—and what coats it in dust?In this free monthly episode of Living the Tao, Master Steenrod dives into two essential metaphors from Daoist thought: the vessel and the red dust. You'll hear how the "filled cup" reflects our capacity to give, learn, and grow—and why sometimes, we must empty ourselves before receiving anything new.But the episode doesn't stop there. As the walk continues, we step into the deeper terrain of the “red dust”—an ancient metaphor for the social forces that cling to us simply by existing in society. What is the social mind? Can we resist it? And what does true liberation mean in the modern age?Whether you're new to Daoism or walking the path already, this is a conversation about self-care, choice, and awakening in a world that doesn't stop trying to fill your cup for you.

Struggling with stress, chronic pain, or low energy? Sifu Boggie reveals how Tai Chi and Qigong can regulate your nervous system, ease discomfort, & enhance longevity with minimal effort. He'll break down the bioelectric principles behind these ancient practices, showing how breathwork, movement, & the Dao's wisdom create effortless resilience & balance. Whether you're looking to improve recovery, sharpen focus, or increase vitality, this episode delivers powerful insights into optimizing health with time-tested methods. Learn these & more on today's episode, ‘Ancient Arts for Longevity' Meet our guest Sifu Boggie (Paul Brighton) is a Daoist guide, mentor, & self-healing practitioner with 40+ years of experience in Daoism & Qigong. Trained by renowned masters, he specializes in Qi Gong, Tai Chi, Shun Dao philosophy, Reiki, Reflexology, TuiNa, Tit-Tar, Acupressure, & Daoist Shamanism His teachings blend Daoist wisdom with practical energy & bodywork techniques, guiding individuals to unlock their own healing potential. With a diverse background from law enforcement to baking, he brings humor, storytelling, & deep insight to help others find balance, transformation, & self-discovery Thank you to our partners Outliyr Biohacker's Peak Performance Shop: get exclusive discounts on cutting-edge health, wellness, & performance gear Ultimate Health Optimization Deals: a roundup article of all the best current deals on technology, supplements, systems and more Gain mental clarity, energy, motivation, and focus with the FREE Outliyr Nootropics Mini-Course The simple, guided, and actionable Outliyr Longevity Challenge helps you unlock your longevity potential, slow biological aging, and maximize your healthspan Key takeaways Qigong is like musical notes & Tai Chi is a composition of those notes, combining various Qigongs The symbol often called “yin yang” is actually named Tai Chi, representing the balance of yin (black) & yang (white) Taoism recognizes three minds in the body—one in the head, one in the heart & one in the gut Modern science supports brain-heart coherence, a key concept in Tai Chi & Qigong Star Wars & the concept of the Force are inspired by the Tao, with chi as the basis for "the Force" Qigong helps with conditions like IBS, fibromyalgia, diabetes & more Qigong applies in martial, medical & meditational contexts, showing its versatility Episode Highlights 9:49 Understanding Dao: Flow & Change 24:50 Health & Life Benefits of Tai Chi & Qigong 48:12 Practical Daoist Tips & Philosophies 1:01:41 How to Deal with Trauma Stored in Your Body Links Watch it on YouTube: https://youtu.be/ppbBW36NTt0  Full episode show notes: mindbodypeak.com/203 Connect with Nick on social media Instagram Twitter YouTube LinkedIn Easy ways to support Subscribe Leave an Apple Podcast review Suggest a guest Do you have questions, thoughts, or feedback for us? Let me know in the show notes above and one of us will get back to you! Be an Outliyr, Nick

Nature holds the key to balance—when we align with it, vitality follows. In this episode, Dr. Graham Taylor sits down with Michelle Oravitz, founder of The Wholesome Lotus. Michelle began her career as an architect but found her true calling in alternative medicine after acupuncture transformed her health and well-being. Inspired by this personal shift, she pursued extensive training in Ayurvedic and Oriental Medicine, graduating as valedictorian. Now, she specializes in gynecological health and fertility, drawing from her own journey with Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Michelle is the author of “The Way of Fertility” and the host of “The Wholesome Fertility Podcast”, where she shares expert insights and holistic fertility strategies. In today's Clinicians Series, we explore how Daoism and Chinese medicine influence Michelle's approach to healing. Our conversation delves into the art of listening to the body, the power of balance, and the integration of ancient wisdom for lasting wellness—with a special focus on reproductive health and personal empowerment.   For more information about Michelle Oravitz, please visit: https://www.michelleoravitz.com For more information about “The Way of Fertility: Awaken Your Reproductive Potential Through the Power of Ancient Wisdom” by Michelle Oravitz, please visit: https://www.michelleoravitz.com/thewayoffertility For more information about The Wholesome Lotus Fertility, please visit: https://www.michelleoravitz.com/thewayoffertility Get a Free Fertility eBook: My Top 10 Fertility Boosting Tips, please visit: https://www.michelleoravitz.com/mytop10fertilityboostingtips Connect with Michelle on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/thewholesomelotusfertility/ Connect on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/thewholesomelotus/?ref=bookmarks Connect on X at: https://twitter.com/Wholesomelotus

What if healing didn't come from a pill, a diagnosis, or a doctor—but from your own breath, your mindset, and your movement? Join me for a truly inspiring conversation with Sifu Boggie, a master of the Daoist Arts with over 40 years of experience in Qigong and self-healing. From his unconventional journey as a bullied child to becoming a close protection officer, police community support officer, and skilled baker, Sifu Boggie shares how these diverse experiences shaped his unique approach to teaching and healing. His insights challenge conventional wisdom and offer a refreshingly playful perspective on self-healing.In this episode, you'll discover:✅ How simple breathing techniques and mindful movement can activate your body's natural healing abilities✅ The powerful connection between your thoughts, emotions and physical wellbeing through the lens of epigenetics✅ Practical tools to transform pain and tension into vitality and strength✅ Why age is never a barrier to healing, illustrated through inspiring student success storiesWhether you're a healthcare practitioner, someone on their own healing journey, or simply curious about Eastern wisdom meets Western science, this episode offers valuable insights into unlocking your innate healing potential. Tune in to learn how making small, mindful changes in your daily routine can lead to profound transformation.Join us for this enlightening conversation and discover how you can become your own best healer. The power to heal lies within - let's explore how to unlock it together.

In this episode, I sit down with James Rafael, a yoga teacher and movement expert with a fascinating story. We explore his journey from addiction to recovery and how yoga became a tool for healing and transformation. The conversation also delves into queer identity, the role of aesthetics in the yoga world, and the ongoing debate about depth versus surface appeal. Along the way, we challenge assumptions about what it means to be a teacher, a student, and a person navigating the modern wellness landscape. This is an honest and thought-provoking discussion for anyone interested in yoga, personal growth, or the deeper connections between movement and identity. Read more about James here: jamesrafael.com ------------------------------------------------------ James Rafael is a movement and meditation teacher who emphasises inclusivity, kindness, and freedom through discipline. His formal practice and teaching over the last two decades draws from diverse practices including yoga, somatics, mindfulness, Daoism, Buddhism and qigong. He is especially interested in practice as a way to navigate addiction, shame, and the queer experience.  ------------------------------------------------------ Check out our YouTube channel for more coaching tips and our Podcast channel for full episode videos Uplevel your coaching with a free copy of Mark's latest eBook, The Top 12 Embodiment Coaching Techniques  Join Mark for those juicy in-person workshops and events Fancy some free coaching demo sessions with Mark?  Connect with Mark Walsh on Instagram 

In this episode of The Cinedicate, host Armand and guest Hector from Reshoot delve into the enthralling world of the 2018 Chinese film "Shadow." They explore its intricate portrayal of chaos and order, woven through the philosophies of Taoism. Hector shares his personal connection to the film through his studies in Taoism, while marveling at the film's stunning cinematography and storytelling. They discuss the dynamic characters, the mesmerizing fight scenes, and the unexpected depth of this underrated gem. Tune in for a deep dive into a film that masterfully blends martial arts with a thought-provoking narrative, leaving you eager to explore more extraordinary cinema.What to expect from the episode:A deep dive into the themes and philosophies of the film "Shadow," with a focus on its portrayal of Taoism and the yin-yang dynamic.An exploration of the movie's captivating cinematography and unique storytelling, praised for its visual artistry and thematic depth.Reflections on the experience of watching "Shadow" as a foreign film and a discussion on its accessibility to different audiences.Episode Chapters:00:00 Introduction01:03 Nine Souls: Tao Punk Metroidvania05:58 Shadow: A Cinematic Masterpiece10:00 Daoism's Flow11:20 Kingdoms Clash Over Jing City15:39 Dueling Brothers Motif17:46 Impressive Low-Budget Cinematography21:42 Not Following the Dao26:07 Epic Fight Choreography Highlights33:23 Eastern Storytelling35:42 "Discussing Jet Li and 'Hero'"37:38 Cliffhanger: Bold or Cop Out?46:08 Anime's Growing Influence on Creatives48:11 Closing Thoughts55:02 Kung Fu Hustle and Outro----------Listen to Hector on his podcast, ReShoot: An Amateur's Guide to Gooder Film----------The Cinedicate on InstagramThe Cinedicate's Discord Community Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode features Russell Duvernoy, PhD, Associate Professor of Philosophy at King's University College at Western University in London, Ontario. We discuss Russell's engagement with process philosophies, environmental philosophy, contemporary Continental philosophy, and comparative philosophy (including classical Daoism, Mahayana Buddhist philosophy, and world Indigenous philosophies). We touch on topics like attention, affect, tensions between speculative and existential philosophies, and the idea of ecological conversion. Some of these topics are covered in his monograph, Affect and Attention after Deleuze and Whitehead: Ecological Attunement (Edinburgh University Press, 2020).

BONUS Episode 6 – The Call to Wu WeiWhy do some of us feel an unexplainable pull toward something deeper—toward the flow?In this bonus episode, we go beyond pop-philosophy and into the lived, raw terrain of Wu Wei, one of Daoism's most iconic yet misunderstood concepts. While modern culture likes to equate Wu Wei with “flow state,” the truth is far more layered. We peel back the linguistic drift, social media buzzwords, and surface-level interpretations to return to the source: the old-school Daoist practices rooted in physical discipline, internal alchemy, and spiritual transformation.Together, we ask:What is Wu Wei really, and how has its meaning changed?Can you train for Wu Wei—or must it arise naturally?Why do some people chase the Dao, while others walk away?How do questions themselves become the first steps on the path?Whether you've glimpsed the Dao before or are just starting your journey, this episode invites you to examine your motivations, recognize the illusions of control, and maybe—just maybe—begin the long walk toward true alignment.✨ “You don't get the magical flow without being highly accurate. And accuracy starts with asking real questions.” ✨Taoist resources: https://linktr.ee/taoismforthemodernworld

Jim talks with Mark Stahlman about Trump as an avatar of the current digital transformation. They discuss the GameB movement & complexity theory, predictions made to the Pentagon's Office of Net Assessment, security through development as alternative to war, the three spheres (East, West, Digital), China's approach to digital vs. the Western approach, Catholic social teaching principles, neo-feudalism vs. the scribal paradigm, Humanity 2.0, Aristotelian concepts of soul & hylomorphism, Cyber Sabbath practices, transitions between oral/scribal/digital paradigms, technological change as evolutionary pruning, Jonathan Rauch's Constitution of Knowledge, memory & imagination as key faculties, versions of the Enlightenment project, Daoism & Eastern philosophy, coherent pluralism, and much more. JRS EP 174 - Fred Beuttler and Mark Stahlman on Trivium University Center for the Study of Digital Life Exogenous (Mark's Substack) The Three-Body Problem, by Liu Cixin Analogia: The Emergence of Technology Beyond Programmable Control, by George Dyson JRS EP 287 - Jonathan Rauch on the Epistemic Crisis Science and Civilization in China, by Joe Needham Mark Stahlman is a biologist, computer architect and ex-Wall Street technology strategist. He is the President of the not-for-profit Center for the Study of Digital Life (CSDL, 501(c)3,  digitallife.center) and its educational project Trivium University (Triv U, trivium.university). He is also CEO of Exogenous, Inc. (EXO, exogenousinc.com), a strategic risk analysis group and on the editorial staff of its publication, the Three Spheres Newsletter (TSN). He studied for but did not complete advanced degrees in Theology (UofChicago) and Molecular Biology (UW-Mad). He has been widely interviewed and published, including teaching online courses (available on YouTube via 52 Living Ideas).

In this episode, Matt Prewitt sits down with Audrey Tang, Taiwan's Cyber Ambassador-at-large and 1st Digital Minister, as well as the star of the new short documentary Good Enough Ancestor. It is a fascinating conversation exploring the profound intersections of technology, spirituality, and democracy. Topics they cover include: Daoism and spiritual practice – and their favorite Leonard Cohen lyrics.“Laser blended vision” as a metaphor for democracy – integrating different perspectives into a coherent whole.“High-bandwidth, low-latency” democracy – allowing for real-time collaboration.January 6 vs. Taiwan's Sunflower Movement – contrasting two parliamentary occupations.Marshall McLuhan's “hot and cool media” – and what it means for how we should build and use AI.The role of education in democracy – and how spirituality's place in learning differs between the East and West.AI's moral tradition gap – why today's models lack cultural and ethical grounding.Trade, sovereignty, and democracy – how to balance open societies with national autonomy.RadicalxChange – how the movement is like “conservative anarchism” and Daoism in transcending left-right divides.Watch Good Enough Ancestor at combinationsmag.com/good-enough-ancestor.Bios:Audrey Tang, Taiwan's Cyber Ambassador-at-large and 1st Digital Minister (2016-2024), is celebrated for her pioneering efforts in digital freedom. Named one of TIME's “100 Most Influential People in AI” in 2023, Tang was instrumental in shaping Taiwan's internationally acclaimed COVID-19 response and in safeguarding the 2024 presidential and legislative elections from foreign cyber interference. Tang is now focused on broadening her vision of Plurality — technology for collaborative diversity — to inspire global audiences.As the first nonbinary cabinet member globally, Tang identifies as “post-gender” and is comfortable with any pronouns. She is a respected community leader and a founding contributor to g0v, an initiative promoting transparency by making information about Taiwan's economy, history, politics, and culture accessible.Tang has been key in developing participation platforms such as Join.gov.tw, leading to practical improvements like enhanced access to tax software and revised cancer treatment regulations. A “conservative anarchist,” Tang is dedicated to boosting digital competence and safeguarding information integrity online through collective intelligence.A child prodigy, Tang excelled in advanced mathematics by age six and computer programming by age eight. By 19, she had held significant positions in software companies and worked as an entrepreneur in Silicon Valley. Growing up in a large family following Christian and Taoist traditions, Tang embraced pluralism and the internet's potential to connect people based on shared interests rather than geography, fueling her drive for global impact.In Taiwan, Tang's generation has always intertwined politics with the internet, striving for a more transparent and inclusive society. Despite Taiwan's martial law history, Tang and her fellow civic technologists have achieved internationally acclaimed progress toward greater governmental transparency.During the 2014 Sunflower Movement, Tang played a crucial role in livestreaming protests against a trade agreement with Beijing, facilitating real-time communication that led to more peaceful negotiations and the movement's success.“Democracy can evolve.” Tang says. “We can create innovative policies by simply asking the people, ‘What should we do together?'”There is also promising news behind Tang's grand plan: more than half the world's population – over 4 billion people – are holding elections in 2024. That's over 70 countries.Says Tang, “I want to be a good enough ancestor for future generations.”Audrey's Social Links: ⿻ Audrey Tang 唐鳳 (@audreyt) / X⿻ Audrey Tang 唐鳳 (@audreyt.org) — Bluesky唐鳳Audrey Tang (@digitalminister.one) • Threads, Say morePlurality.net Matt Prewitt (he/him) is a lawyer, technologist, and writer. He is President of the RadicalxChange Foundation.Matt's Social Links:ᴍᴀᴛᴛ ᴘʀᴇᴡɪᴛᴛ (@m_t_prewitt) / XMatt's Writings Additional Credits:This episode was recorded, narrated, and edited by Matt Prewitt.Production support from Jack Henderson. Connect with RadicalxChange Foundation:RadicalxChange Website@RadxChange | TwitterRxC | YouTubeRxC | InstagramRxC | LinkedInJoin the conversation on Discord.Credits:Produced by G. Angela Corpus.Co-Produced, Edited, and Audio Engineered by Aaron Benavides.Executive Produced by G. Angela Corpus and Matt Prewitt.Intro/Outro music by MagnusMoone, “Wind in the Willows,” is licensed under an Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 International License (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0)

This episode is a replay from The Existential Stoic library. Enjoy! Do you feel like you are constantly going against the grain? Does it feel like you're always trying to control everything? Do you get stressed, worried, or freaked out when things don't go as planned? In this episode, Danny and Randy discuss how to go with the flow. Subscribe to ESP's YouTube Channel! Thanks for listening!  Do you have a question you want answered in a future episode? If so, send your question to: existentialstoic@protonmail.com  Danny, Randy, and their good friend, Russell, created a new podcast, CodeNoobs, for anyone interested in tech and learning how to code. Listen to CodeNoobs now online, CodeNoobs-podcast, or wherever you get your podcasts.

 https://www.iservalan.com https://www.taletellerclub.comChapter 2: Classical Antiquity – Pleasure, Power, and Myth(Greece, Rome, India, China, Japan)Erotic Art in the Classical World: Sensuality, Divinity, and the Human FormThe civilizations of Greece and Rome profoundly shaped Western attitudes toward eroticism, beauty, and the human body. Meanwhile, in Asia, India, China, and Japan developed their own rich traditions of erotic art, where sexuality was intertwined with spirituality, aesthetics, and philosophy. Across these cultures, erotic imagery was not just about desire—it was deeply connected to mythology, religious devotion, and social identity.The Greek Celebration of the Nude and the DivineAncient Greek art (c. 800–146 BCE) is renowned for its idealized representations of the human form, including sensual and erotic depictions. Unlike later Western traditions, which often moralized sexuality, the Greeks saw eroticism as an essential aspect of life, closely tied to their gods, heroes, and social structures.The Male Nude and Homoeroticism in Greek ArtGreek sculptures and vase paintings frequently depicted the nude male body as a symbol of beauty, strength, and divine perfection. The kouroi (statues of young men) and later the works of sculptors like Phidias, Polykleitos, and Praxiteles showcased a balance of realism and idealism.Homoeroticism played a significant role in Greek culture, particularly in the institution of pederasty, where older men (erastai) mentored and formed relationships with younger men (eromenoi). While controversial today, these relationships were embedded in Greek education, social bonding, and military camaraderie. Erotic vase paintings and sculptures, such as those on the Warren Cup, openly depicted same-sex relationships without stigma.Aphrodite and the Feminine EroticThe goddess Aphrodite, associated with love and beauty, was a central figure in Greek erotic art. The first known fully nude female sculpture, Aphrodite of Knidos by Praxiteles (c. 360 BCE), marked a shift in the portrayal of female sensuality. While earlier depictions of women were clothed, this work introduced the eroticized nude female body as an artistic norm in Western art.Rome: Eroticism, Excess, and Moral ContradictionsThe Romans inherited much from Greek artistic traditions but added their own flair for luxury, satire, and explicit eroticism. Roman erotic art ranged from refined frescoes in wealthy villas to bawdy graffiti in brothels, revealing a culture that embraced sexuality in both elite and everyday contexts.Pompeii and Herculaneum: A Window into Roman EroticismThe eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 CE preserved vast amounts of erotic art in Pompeii and Herculaneum, offering an unparalleled glimpse into Roman attitudes toward sexuality. Frescoes from the Villa of the Mysteries and Lupanar (brothel) depict explicit scenes, suggesting that sexuality was not hidden but woven into public and private life.One of the most famous artifacts, the Priapus fresco, shows the god Priapus weighing his exaggerated phallus against a bag of money—a humorous but symbolic image of fertility and prosperity. Romans often associated large phallic imagery with protection, luck, and virility.Satire and Social Commentary in Roman EroticaWhile erotic art was common, Rome also saw moral pushback against sexual excess. Writers like Ovid (Metamorphoses, Ars Amatoria) celebrated love and seduction, while others, like Juvenal, satirized the decadence of Roman society. The Augustan moral reforms (1st century BCE) attempted to impose sexual restraint, yet erotic art continued to flourish, reflecting the contradictions within Roman attitudes toward pleasure.Erotic Art in Ancient India: The Sacred and the SensualEroticism in ancient India was deeply entwined with spirituality, particularly through Hinduism and Tantra. Unlike in the West, where sexuality was often seen in opposition to religious purity, Indian art frequently depicted sensuality as an extension of divine energy.Temple Eroticism: Khajuraho and KonarkThe Khajuraho temple complex (c. 950–1050 CE) and the Konark Sun Temple (c. 13th century CE) feature intricate sculptures of deities, lovers, and erotic acts. These reliefs, far from being mere decoration, reflect the Hindu belief that sexual union mirrors cosmic unity and divine creation.The Kama Sutra and Indian Erotic TextsAttributed to Vātsyāyana, the Kama Sutra (3rd century CE) is one of the most famous texts on love and eroticism. Contrary to its popular perception as a sex manual, it is a sophisticated treatise on pleasure, relationships, and aesthetics. Accompanying illustrations in later manuscripts helped visualize its teachings, making it one of the most influential works of erotic literature.Erotic Art in Ancient China: Daoism and Sensual BalanceIn China, erotic art was shaped by Confucian ideals, Daoist philosophy, and later Buddhist influences. While Confucianism promoted restraint, Daoism embraced sexuality as a path to harmony and longevity.Daoist Sexual Arts and Painted ScrollsDaoist texts, such as the "Art of the Bedchamber", describe sexual practices believed to extend life and health. Erotic scroll paintings from the Tang (618–907 CE) and Song (960–1279 CE) dynasties often depicted intimate scenes with poetic inscriptions, emphasizing sensuality rather than crude explicitness.Later, during the Ming (1368–1644) and Qing (1644–1912) dynasties, erotic books known as "spring pictures" (春宫图) became popular among the elite, blending humor, philosophy, and eroticism.Japan's Shunga: The Floating World of SensualityJapanese erotic art, or Shunga (春画), flourished during the Edo period (1603–1868). These woodblock prints, created by masters such as Hokusai and Utamaro, depicted erotic encounters with both aesthetic refinement and explicit detail. Unlike in the West, where erotic art often faced suppression, Shunga was widely enjoyed across social classes.Shunga as Art, Satire, and InstructionShunga prints were not just pornographic; they served multiple purposes, including sexual education, humor, and even political satire. Some depicted fantastical elements, such as Hokusai's famous "The Dream of the Fisherman's Wife", blending eroticism with mythology.Conclusion: Classical Eroticism as a Reflection of CultureThe erotic art of classical antiquity reveals a diversity of attitudes toward sexuality:Idealized beauty and divine connection – Greek and Roman art celebrated the nude as an emblem of perfection.Religious and cosmic symbolism – Hindu and Daoist traditions saw sexuality as a path to spiritual enlightenment.Humor and satire – Roman and Japanese art often infused eroticism with wit and social commentary.While some traditions embraced erotic art as sacred, others saw it as a source of indulgence or controversy. The tension between openness and censorship would continue to shape erotic art in the centuries to come.The Warren Cup (1st century CE, Roman) A silver drinking cup featuring detailed homoerotic scenes, the Warren Cup provides insight into Roman attitudes toward male-male relationships. Hidden for centuries, it is now a key artifact in LGBTQ+ art history.Khajuraho Temple Reliefs (10th–11th century CE, India)These intricate sculptures depict a range of erotic acts, reinforcing the Hindu belief in sexuality as a divine force. Unlike Western art, which often separated the sacred from the sensual, Khajuraho integrates both seamlessly.The Frescoes of the Villa of the Mysteries (1st Century BCE, Pompeii, Roman Empire)The Villa of the Mysteries in Pompeii contains one of the most famous and enigmatic fresco cycles from ancient Rome. While not explicitly erotic, many scholars believe the images depict a Dionysian initiation ritual, potentially related to sacred sexuality and mystery cults. The frescoes feature semi-nude figures, suggestive interactions, and themes of divine ecstasy, linking sexuality to spiritual transformation. This example highlights how Romans often blended eroticism with religious and ritualistic themes rather than treating it as purely physical pleasure.Shunga by Kitagawa Utamaro (1753–1806, Edo Period, Japan)Kitagawa Utamaro, one of the most celebrated ukiyo-e artists, created numerous Shunga (春画, "spring pictures"), which depicted intimate encounters with exquisite detail and elegance. His prints, such as Poem of the Pillow, emphasized the sensuality of touch, fabric, and movement, offering a refined and almost poetic take on erotic imagery. His work also often featured women's pleasure and agency, making it a significant contribution to the study of feminine desire in erotic art.#stencilart #originalart #investment art #blinkfrictionart #blinkfrictionfashion #reclaimart #reclaimfashion

Enjoy this gentle and meaningful conversation with Marie Bowser, a Licensed Acupuncturist, Feng Shui practitioner, and expert in working with the five elements. We discuss living in attunement with the seasons for finding your way of ease through more rest with fewer plans for a more discerning 2025.Marie encountered Chinese Medicine through her health journey dealing with corporate stress, burnout, and hormone imbalance. The relief she experienced fueled a vision for helping others and a complete career change. Her studies and continuing education eventually brought her deeper into the spiritual aspects of the five elements—qigong, Daoism, the I Ching, Nine Star Ki astrology, and Feng Shui—all of which she uses to help her patients and community develop and sustain self-compassion and empowerment and the unwavering ability to move lingering stagnation through their bodies, spirits, and lives. Connect with Marie Bowser: https://thewayofease.comVisit our websitewww.luxuriesforyoursoul.comInstagramwww.instagram.com/alexiskletjianwww.instagram.com/luxuriesforyoursoulFacebookwww.facebook.com/luxuriesforyoursoul

In this episode of "Joseph Jaffy Is Not Famous," Joseph is joined by Jack Meyers, author of "The Dao of Leadership," to explore the future of leadership, creativity, and media in the age of AI. They dive into the collapse of legacy media and discuss why traditional corporate models are struggling to survive in a rapidly evolving world. Jack shares five core principles of effective leadership inspired by ancient Daoism: harmony, balance, flexibility, stability, and integrity. These principles offer guidance on thriving in an era where machine intelligence is advancing faster than ever before. They emphasize the importance of creativity, human connection, and adaptability in modern leadership. Joseph and Jack also discuss how leaders can embrace innovation without rigidly holding onto outdated business models. They share actionable strategies for building resilient companies, fostering creativity, and preparing the next generation of leaders to excel in a world dominated by AI. If you're looking to understand how to lead effectively through change and disruption, this conversation is packed with valuable insights. Learn how to balance technology and human creativity to build a future-proof business. __________________________________________________________________________ TIMESTAMPS 0:00 Jack Meyers 2:05 Exploring Leadership in the AI Era 6:30 The Fall of Legacy Media 9:15 How Technology is Shaping Trust 13:00 The Five Core Leadership Principles 19:40 The Role of Creativity in Business 24:10 The Danger of Holding Onto the Past 29:00 Building Portals, Not Bridges 35:20 Preparing the Next Generation of Leaders 42:15 How Leaders Can Adapt to AI 51:05 Balancing Technology and Human Connection 57:30 Thoughts on Leadership and Media #Leadership #AI #mediarevolution Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, I'm joined by Scott Dedels, founder of Block Rewards and author of the Dao of Bitcoin, for a conversation that will challenge the way you think about money, time, and energy. ––– Offers & Discounts ––– Get up to $100 in Bitcoin on River at river.com/Matrix Theya is the world's simplest Bitcoin self-custody solution. Download Theya Now at theya.us/cedric The best Team Bitcoin merch is at HodlersOfficial.com. Use the code Matrix for a discount on your order. Become a sponsor of the show: https://thebitcoinmatrix.com/sponsors/ ––– Get To Know Today's Guest––– Follow  on X: https://x.com/LanternBitcoin Buy The Dao of Bitcoin: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CXPJ28GV Scott's company: https://blockrewards.ca ––– Socials ––– Check out our new website at https://TheBitcoinMatrix.Com Follow Cedric Youngelman on X: https://x.com/cedyoungelman Follow The Bitcoin Matrix Podcast on X: https://x.com/_bitcoinmatrix ––– Chapters ––– 00:00 - Intro 01:15 – The Inspiration Behind The Dao of Bitcoin 04:15 – Understanding Daoism 06:17 – The Creature: What Is It and What Does It Represent? 12:57 – Paradoxical Unity & Duality 16:19 – The Meaning of Wu Wei: 20:35 – Non-Intervention: The Art of Letting Things Flow 25:15 – Bitcoin as a Force of Nature 31:36 – Embracing Impermanence 33:10 – Bitcoin, Time, and Energy 48:30 – Bitcoin's Gravity 56:28 – Humility & Compassion: What Bitcoin and Dao Teach Us 1:04:00 – Reversionism 1:14:30 – Oneness & Harmony: The Ultimate Lesson of the Da 1:17:17 – Returning to the Source 1:21:37 – Scott's Bitcoin Rabbit Hole Journey 1:24:19 – How Daoism Transformed Scott's Perspective 1:28:20 – Final Reflections: Bringing It All TogetherI want to take a moment to express my heartfelt gratitude to all of you for tuning in, supporting the show, and contributing. Thank you for listening!

Send us a textWhat if we could harness the wisdom of nature to transform our lives? Join us as we explore this intriguing question with our esteemed guest, Dr. Paul Wang, whose expertise in Chinese medicine and Daoism guides us through the profound themes of grief, gratitude, and self-care. Reflecting on the recent natural disasters in Los Angeles, we delve into the crucial importance of aligning with nature and fostering a sense of collective well-being. Discover the tools of pausing, noticing, and community as we navigate the challenges of rebuilding and reimagining our connection with the environment.As we venture into the intriguing realm of cosmic and personal cycles, prepare to be captivated by the solar polar flip and its potential effects on our natural world. This cosmic event sets the stage for a broader conversation on life's small signals—those subtle cues that can have a significant impact if left unaddressed. With the help of the Gratitude Blooming Card deck, we reflect on the importance of friendship as a source of resilience and balance, drawing parallels to our personal experiences of feeling overwhelmed and the necessity of self-care to prevent burnout.We then transition into a vibrant exploration of friendship as an ecosystem, reflecting on the diversity of human experiences and the interconnectedness of our relationships. The colorful nasturtium flowers serve as a metaphor for the beauty and complexity of our communities, while ancient symbols like the Rod of Asclepius remind us of the healing power of companionship. As we embrace the sweetness and bitterness of life, we invite you to tune into your own seeds of intention, nurturing them as we all prepare for the growth and transformation that lies ahead. If you'd like to practice seasonal living with us to navigate change and challenge with more wholeness, sign up for our new online Change Well Series launching Feb 23 to Mar 16, 2025.  Together, we will embark on a special journey to prepare for the spring cycle through physical, mental, emotional and spiritual alchemy.  REGISTER HERE:https://www.gratitudeblooming.com/changewell-------Create an intentional practice with your own Gratitude Blooming card deck, notecards, candle and much much more at our shop at www.gratitudeblooming.com. Your purchase helps us sustain this podcast, or you can also sponsor us here. If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to leave us a 5-star rating and review. Your feedback is valuable to us and helps us grow. Share your thoughts and comments by emailing us at hello@gratitudeblooming.com. We love hearing from our listeners!

Czym jest Qi Gong? Jaki ma związek z długowiecznością? W czasach stale rosnącej presji coraz częściej zadajemy sobie pytania o jakość naszego życia. Jak to, w jaki sposób żyjemy, przekłada się na długowieczność? Jak długowieczność w ogóle rozumieć? Odcinek nagrany jest w języku angielskim. Na YouTubie dostępny jest videocast z napisami.(ENG)What is Qi Gong? What does it have to do with longevity? In times of constantly increasing pressure, we increasingly ask ourselves questions about the quality of our lives. How does it translate into longevity? How to understand longevity at all? And what does the complete system of Qi Gong have to do with it? Qi Gong builds the foundations for all kinds of work with the body and internal energy. It covers all aspects of a person's life from physical, emotional, mental and spiritual. Qi Gong is a very complex system. Its history dates back thousands of years, and its teachings have been passed down to students through many generations of masters. Qi Gong builds the foundation for any kind of bodywork, work with energies and martial arts. It embraces all levels of human life and of the body (physical, emotional, mental, spiritual).Ron Timm. Born in Germany in 1970, he is the principal teacher and founder of Path of Dao, a school promoting Daoist practices such as Qi Gong, Taijiquan, Bagua and the practice of silence. He has been developing his skills for over 30 years. Since 1999, he has studied with Master Peng Wu Chi in Taiwan, and since 2007 he has been a student of Bruce Frantzis, specializing in Water Path Qi Gong. In 2015, he founded Path of Dao to inspire harmonious living through Daoist practices. His approach combines physical, mental, and spiritual development, helping students at various stages of development, introducing them to the principles of Daoism in a practical and understandable way.(PL)Qi Gong buduje podstawy do wszelkiego rodzaju pracy z ciałem i wewnętrzną energią. Obejmuje wszystkie aspekty życia człowieka, od fizycznego po emocjonalny, mentalny i duchowy. Qi Gong to złożony system, jego historia sięga tysięcy lat, a jego nauki były przekazywane uczniom od wielu pokoleń mistrzów.Ron Timm – urodzony w Niemczech w 1970 roku, jest głównym nauczycielem i założycielem Path of Dao, szkoły promującej daoistyczne praktyki takie jak: Qi Gong, Taijiquan, Bagua i praktyka wyciszenia. Od ponad 30 lat rozwija swoje umiejętności. Od 1999 roku uczył się u mistrza Peng Wu Chi na Tajwanie, a od 2007 roku jest uczniem Bruce'a Frantzisa, specjalizując się w Qi Gongu ścieżki wody. W 2015 roku założył Path of Dao, by inspirować do harmonijnego życia przez daoistyczne praktyki. Jego podejście łączy rozwój fizyczny, umysłowy i duchowy, pomagając uczniom na różnych etapach rozwoju, wprowadzając ich w zasady daoizmu w sposób praktyczny i zrozumiały.Podcastu „Osobiste rozmowy holistyczne” możesz posłuchać na platformach Spotify, Apple Podcasts oraz YouTube.

Aaron French—psychic medium, Akashic reader, and spiritual practitioner with over 30 years of experience, shares his journey of spiritual awakening and how he found alignment with his true path.We talk about his spiritual awakening in 2019, what led up to it—including personal struggles and loss—and how surrendering to the process helped him connect with spirit in a whole new way. Aaron also explains non-duality, the role of suffering in spiritual growth, and what it means to live in alignment with our true selves.We also discuss:How relationships can trigger personal awakeningThe shift in global consciousness and why alignment is more important than everThe meaning of non-duality and its connection to Taoist (Daoist) philosophyThe power of surrender and taking responsibility for our own livesWhy integrating our shadow selves is key to spiritual growthWhere to find Aaron:Website: Natural Heart AlchemyInstagram: @naturalheartalchemySend us a textSUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCr0p1zDPaPLmnmI3AIWhDFQFOLLOW US: TikTok - @shiftingdimensions444 Instagram - @shiftingdimensions_podDISCLAIMER: The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed are the guest's own and do not represent the views, thoughts, and opinions of Shifting Dimensions. The material and information presented here is for general information and entertainment purposes only.

fWotD Episode 2829: Metaphysics Welcome to Featured Wiki of the Day, your daily dose of knowledge from Wikipedia’s finest articles.The featured article for Saturday, 1 February 2025 is Metaphysics.Metaphysics is the branch of philosophy that examines the basic structure of reality. It is traditionally seen as the study of mind-independent features of the world, but some theorists view it as an inquiry into the conceptual framework of human understanding. Some philosophers, including Aristotle, designate metaphysics as first philosophy to suggest that it is more fundamental than other forms of philosophical inquiry.Metaphysics encompasses a wide range of general and abstract topics. It investigates the nature of existence, the features all entities have in common, and their division into categories of being. An influential division is between particulars and universals. Particulars are individual unique entities, like a specific apple. Universals are general features that different particulars have in common, like the color red. Modal metaphysics examines what it means for something to be possible or necessary. Metaphysicians also explore the concepts of space, time, and change, and their connection to causality and the laws of nature. Other topics include how mind and matter are related, whether everything in the world is predetermined, and whether there is free will.Metaphysicians use various methods to conduct their inquiry. Traditionally, they rely on rational intuitions and abstract reasoning but have recently included empirical approaches associated with scientific theories. Due to the abstract nature of its topic, metaphysics has received criticisms questioning the reliability of its methods and the meaningfulness of its theories. Metaphysics is relevant to many fields of inquiry that often implicitly rely on metaphysical concepts and assumptions.The roots of metaphysics lie in antiquity with speculations about the nature and origin of the universe, like those found in the Upanishads in ancient India, Daoism in ancient China, and pre-Socratic philosophy in ancient Greece. During the subsequent medieval period in the West, discussions about the nature of universals were influenced by the philosophies of Plato and Aristotle. The modern period saw the emergence of various comprehensive systems of metaphysics, many of which embraced idealism. In the 20th century, traditional metaphysics in general and idealism in particular faced various criticisms, which prompted new approaches to metaphysical inquiry.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 01:00 UTC on Saturday, 1 February 2025.For the full current version of the article, see Metaphysics on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Mastodon at @wikioftheday@masto.ai.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm neural Ayanda.

American-born Jake Pinnick has great passion for Wudang martial arts and the wisdom of Daoism. He has also been exploring the art of traditional Chinese flute called dongxiao, among other instruments, as a means of self-cultivation.

A Major thank you to Brendan for sponsoring todays stream. In this stream I discuss the philosophy and teachings of Confucianism and discuss it from an Orthodox Christian perspective. Make sure to check it out and let me know what you think. God bless Donochat Me: https://dono.chat/dono/dph Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCH8JwgaHCkhdfERVkGbLl2g/join If you would like to support my work please become a website member! There are 3 different types of memberships to choose from! https://davidpatrickharry.com/register/ Support COTEL with Crypto! Bitcoin: 3QNWpM2qLGfaZ2nUXNDRnwV21UUiaBKVsy Ethereum: 0x0b87E0494117C0adbC45F9F2c099489079d6F7Da Litecoin: MKATh5kwTdiZnPE5Ehr88Yg4KW99Zf7k8d If you enjoy this production, feel compelled, or appreciate my other videos, please support me through my website memberships (www.davidpatrickharry.com) or donate directly by PayPal or crypto! Any contribution would be greatly appreciated. Thank you Logos Subscription Membership: http://davidpatrickharry.com/register/ Venmo: @cotel - https://account.venmo.com/u/cotel PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/eternallogos Donations: http://www.davidpatrickharry.com/donate/ PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/eternallogos Website: http://www.davidpatrickharry.com Rokfin: https://rokfin.com/dpharry Rumble: https://rumble.com/user/COTEL Odysee: https://odysee.com/@ChurchoftheEterna... GAB: https://gab.com/dpharry Telegram: https://t.me/eternallogos Minds: https://www.minds.com/Dpharry Bitchute: https://www.bitchute.com/channel/W10R... DLive: https://dlive.tv/The_Eternal_Logos Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dpharry/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/_dpharry

On today’s episode, Daniele is sharing his views on Daoism, enlightenment, and radical kindness that bring greater understanding. Listen in as Daniele and I explore what happens when we romanticize the concept of religion and philosophy, how Daoism teaches you to get back up, and how creating his own understanding of actions and philosophy led to less anxiety and greater peace. Daniele Bolelli is a writer, martial artist, and university professor. He was born in Italy and currently lives in Los Angeles. His first solo book, "La Tenera Arte del Guerriero," was published when Bolelli was 22 years old. This work, which is a philosophical exploration of martial arts, went on to become a cult classic in Italy even outside the confines of martial arts circles. His second book entitled "iGod: Istruzioni per l’Uso di una Religione Fai da Te" was published in Italy in 2011. This wild ride through comparative religion will be released in the United States in early 2013. Bolelli’s third book, "50 Things You’re Not Supposed To Know: Religion," was published in the United States in December 2011. Some of the most influential thinkers to have affected his world view include Tom Robbins, Friedrich Nietzsche, Ikkyu Sojun, Thomas Paine, Henry David Thoreau, Lao Tzu, and Heraclitus. After graduating from UCLA with a B.A. in Anthropology, and earning graduate degrees at UCLA (in American Indian Studies) and CSULB (History), Bolelli began teaching at several colleges in Southern California. Bolelli was featured in "I Am Bruce Lee" which broke Spike TV’s rating record for documentaries. He has appeared as a guest on popular podcasts such as Duncan Trussell’s, Adam Carolla’s, and Joe Rogan’s. You can learn more about Daniele at http://www.danielebolelli.com/ Learn more about the gift of Adversity and my mission to help my fellow humans create a better world by heading to www.marcusaureliusanderson.com. There you can take action by joining my ANV inner circle to get exclusive content and information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A weekly magazine-style radio show featuring the voices and stories of Asians and Pacific Islanders from all corners of our community. The show is produced by a collective of media makers, deejays, and activists. Powerleegirls Hosts Miko Lee and Jalena Keane-Lee host and Ayame Keane-Lee edits a chat about leadership, growth and change during a time of crisis. Listen to Jalena speak with Meng Hua from Tiger Eye Astrology about her path from palm reading to artistry to bazi. Then hear Miko speak with Zen Master Norma Wong  about her new book When No Thing Works. More information about our guests: Meng Hua's Tiger Eye Astrology  Zen Master Norma Wong her new book When No Thing Works Guide to how to hold space about the book   Pathways To Humanity Show Transcript Opening: [00:00:00] Apex Express Asian Pacific expression. Community and cultural coverage, music and calendar, new visions and voices, coming to you with an Asian Pacific Islander point of view. It's time to get on board the Apex Express.   Ayame Keane-Lee: [00:00:29] Tonight on APEX Express: the PowerLeeGirls mother-daughters team. I'm the editor of tonight's show Ayame Keane-Lee joined by our hosts Jalena Keane-Lee and Miko Lee. Tune in as they interview our guests about Pathways – internal and external journeys we take to connect to humanity. First my sister Jalena speaks with Meng Yu about her journey as a full time artist and practitioner of the mantic arts. Then Mama Miko speaks with Norma Wong, the abbot of Anko-in about her latest book When No Thing Works. So listen in to APEX Express. First up is Jalena's interview with Meng Yu.    Jalena Keane-Lee: [00:01:08] Hello, everyone. I am here with Meng Yu, who is a Chinese astrologer from Tiger Eye Astrology. And today we're talking all about astrology and learning from the stars and other elements to help guide our life path and our decisions and choices. Thanks so much for being here, Meng.    Meng Yu: [00:01:27] Thanks so much for having me, Jalena. It's a pleasure to have this conversation with you.    Jalena Keane-Lee: [00:01:33] It truly is. and so I'm curious if you could just start us off talking a little bit, you know, about your practice and how you came to the work that you're doing today.    Meng Yu: [00:01:42] I have been a practitioner of the mantic arts for, over a decade and the mantic arts, include astrology, but also divination. So as part of my practice, I also do I Ching or Yijing divination. and it's a kind of circuitous way of how I ended up on this path. I'm also a, a full time artist. and you know, that's kind of how I make my bread and butter. And it's also. In a way, how I approach, Chinese astrology and divination as well, I guess to backtrack a little bit, I always like to start by honoring my teachers and their lineages. So, primarily my teacher has been Master Zongxian Wu, who is my Bazi teacher and also is the lineage holder of, four traditional schools of internal arts. and then I also have a host of daoist teachers who are also artists. their own right, visual artists, martial artists, writers who live in and embody the Dao. these include Lindsey Wei, Dengming Dao, uh, Tamara Jha, Lily Kai. And so, I also want to shout out to my group. Late sixth great aunt as well. My Leo Gupo, who when I was eight years old, she gave me my first introduction to the art of divination through. palm reading. so she actually taught me, sort of an Eastern style of palm reading at a young age. But growing up, other than that, I, was not influenced by, this, form of, wisdom traditions from my heritage. My parents are, both Chinese and they are both, of the cultural revolution generation, which was a mass genocide that occurred in China, right as they were coming of age. So they're very, survival oriented, practical people, you know, from Just historically in China, from the fall of the Qing dynasty to the rise of communism, much of the mantic arts traditions, were basically lost in the cultural landscape. So, how I came to this work, was not really so much through my upbringing as, The search for, I guess, healing in my own life experiences and coming to, sort of critical junctures, and crisis, personal crises in my life where I really sought, alternative, dimensions and ways of, reconnecting to my My purpose and just healing in my life. So I, over a decade ago found myself, in the jungles of Peru, having very close, connections to a shamanistic tradition involving plant medicine, which opened me up to really asking, you know, what are the shamanic and animistic roots. of the wisdom traditions from my own heritage. And this brought me to working with the Yijing, as well as Chinese astrology. So that's, that's kind of a mouthful. It's a bit of a long and complicated story, but that's, that's sort of the bullet notes version.    Jalena Keane-Lee: [00:05:18] Thank you so much for sharing that. It's perfect because my next question was going to be about, you know, your lineage of healers that you studied under, but I feel like you covered that already really well. So I'm curious, you know, you talked about Bazi and Yijing, could you kind of give us a little bit of a breakdown of these like different modalities and how you use them?    Meng Yu: [00:05:35] Sure, absolutely. so, In the readings that I do for folks, the most popular readings are actually a combination of Yijing divination and Bazi astrology. So to give a little context for both, the Yijing Translates as the book of change or the book of changes it, although it has roots and what we would call, currently ancient Siberia, ancient China, it actually dates back to Neolithic times. Really before, the formation of these nation states. So it's some of our early human ancestors. It's their recorded search for wisdom through the observation of cycles and patterns in nature over thousands of years. as the book of change, as the study of change, it's the oldest compounded record of, the study of time itself. and the Bazi astrology is a modality of Chinese astrology that really came into prominence during the Han Dynasty. the turn of the century, the common era, and, it translates as eight characters. So ba meaning eight and zi meaning character. So there is a element in animal for not only your year of birth, which is what? Folks are mostly familiar with, but also the month, day, and hour. So these are called four pillars. So sometimes the system is called the four pillars of destiny. And we get a look at, these characters that make up one's nature. And the way that I So when I see the two modalities working together, I often give people the metaphor of, you know, say you're in, the ocean of your life and you're driving a boat or a ship. The Yijing is like a weather report. The Yijing gives us an idea of the changes that we are currently in. So are we headed in a storm? is it clear blue skies ahead? What are the conditions of the wind and the waves? And the bazi chart looks at the kind of ship that you are driving. So it could be, you know, a submarine. It could be a sailboat. It could be an ocean tanker. And they all have different conditions. strengths and gifts and flavors of power, as well as certain kinds of limitations and vulnerabilities. And so the bazi chart really looks at these qualities of our nature and encourages us to embrace who we actually are so that we can learn to drive our ship better.    Jalena Keane-Lee: [00:08:47] Thank you so much for that breakdown and description, and in addition to offering readings, of which I loved, I absolutely loved getting a reading with you, and it was so informative and inspirational, but in addition to these readings and offerings that you have for other people, I'm curious how you use these modalities in your own life, whether it's with your art practice, or just with life choices and changes how do you, use these ways of knowing for yourself?   Meng Yu: [00:09:12] It's very important for me as an astrologer and as a daoist to, to align my life according to the times, these modalities, both the Yijing and Chinese astrology. What they point to at the foundation of their wisdom is the question of what time is it, right? This is where the roots of the tradition come from. It's from telling time, and through understanding time and studying time, we're able to divine When is a good time? what is the right time? And knowing that gives our lives profound meaning and context. so, on the more kind of mundane level, it's adjusting my calendar to observe time with this additional context of living with the seasons. there's actually 24 different seasons, according to the qi nodes of The Chinese lunar and solar calendar. There's also the lunar cycles as well. And these are not simple, mathematical markings. They have, very deep meanings behind them that help us align with the qi quality of the moment. So they give our lives meaning by showing us, is this a time to sow seeds, to be inspired and enlivened like springtime? is it a time of Growing potential, or are we entering a time where we need to, not be accumulating, in terms of harvest, but actually be engaged in shedding, by observing the patterns and cycles of nature, And following the nature of the forces that we find ourselves in, we can align ourselves to live in harmony, and to be in, better alignment with the dao. So that's one way that I see the Chinese calendar providing context for my life. The wisdom of the Yijing has been such a profound. Collaborator in my life. not only in studying and attempting to apply its wisdom, but also has been an incredible creative collaborator for me as an artist. So, one of my favorite things to do is to divine with the Yijing to help make creative choices in my work, and to really treat the Oracle as a collaborator. So I really enjoyed using it in this creative way and as a practice for listening and channeling, which I think is useful for any artist to engage in a meditative practice where, it's not a sense of creativity coming necessarily from you, but actually through you. and that's something that the Yijing through working with it for so many years has really taught me to embody.    Jalena Keane-Lee: [00:12:19] I love that so much. have you noticed any changes in your life, your energy levels, or your art practice since kind of aligning your life with these forces?    Meng Yu: [00:12:30] Yeah, you know, I would love to say, Oh, everything's just gotten better and better. Now I just live like the perfect artist life. It's that would, that's really not, nothing could be really further from the truth because I think it's really about being in the school of life. You know that this is a form of education and it's a continual form of practice, and, as I've been engaged in it, in over 10 years, every year, the lessons have, there's been more layers of depth and challenge, which I think is, , Something that unfolds sort of dependent on what you're you're ready for. There is a hexagram in the Yijing that Shows you that you are undergoing a massive transition where you're carrying the burden of a really heavy weight . And one of the things you're encouraged to see is to reflect on how, what you are experiencing now is something that would have completely overwhelmed you a year ago or a cycle ago. We are given tasks. And, asked to carry burdens, given what we are ready for. And so, although I would like to say, Oh, it's made my life so easy. I know what to do all the time now. That's not the narrative at all. I feel like there's a kind of profound, I guess maybe meditative experience where I have a little bit more distance now from things affecting me, in an immediate personal way because now I can, refer to. This collaborator, this friend, for advice or allowing me to see where I am in a cycle to reflect what I have exited from, hopefully to be prescient of what's to come, to identify familiar themes and to see, that I'm continuously revolving around, a spiral where Certain points come back that feel very familiar, but it's a couple rungs, deeper, where it's not like just a circle of things repeating, but it's a spiral where there's new layers of depth that, follow familiar themes, if that makes sense.   Jalena Keane-Lee: [00:15:06] Yeah, that does. and I know you've talked about, too, how it's like a method for communicating with your ancestors and kind of having An additional channel of communication. So I'm just curious about, yeah, that kind of practice of communication and bringing that forward in your work and how that experience has been for you.   Meng Yu: [00:15:28] Yeah. the piece about ancestors is really an interesting one, because I think what the gift of Chinese astrology to me is that it puts The self within a kind of different context where we're encouraged to see ourselves, not as some, definable thing that has innate qualities, but through Chinese astrology, where we see the elements, the animals, the the stars that indicate ancestral influences, the, unfinished business, the karma, the fate of our ancestors that have been given to us. We're encouraged to see the self as just a live kind of wiggly end of 10, 000 dead people. You know, that what makes us who we are is an enormous inheritance. And what we are here to play out in our lives is this dance between fate and freedom. It doesn't mean that we don't have access to creativity in our lives, but that freedom is inherently, explored and discovered through playing with the limitations of our fate. So for instance, in our natal charts, You can see certain hauntings or ghost energies, inherited from ancestors. So for instance, in my personal chart, I have an inheritance called hidden moaning, which shows an ancestor that has not completed grieving and grief work in their lifetime. And so it kind of. imbues my life with unexplainable bouts of sadness. sometimes this can result in, depression, grieving, this like, wailing grief and knowing this in my chart, I'm able to see that kind of sadness is not something that is just mine, meaning, you know, growing up, the question would be like, Oh, why me, or what am I doing wrong? Why do I feel like this? What's wrong with me? When we look at our lives through the context of ancestors, it becomes a lot more relational, meaning your grief, these burdens are not simply yours. They're a call for communication with your lineage and opening up that pathway, that communication itself is how we resolve the fate of our ancestors. by Listening by asking, what is it that they want, our lives are not just lived for us, but our lives are a way for our ancestors to resolve unfinished chi, that they were not able to complete in their lifetimes. So, you know, when I feel these bouts of sadness, I know that it's time for me to open up these channels, that I can sit in meditation, that I can, engage in my creative practice as a way to channel and speak to my ancestors and ask them what it is that they would like to come forth. What messages they have? That they need to share and speak.    Jalena Keane-Lee: [00:19:11] Wow, you just dropped so many gems and I was like taking notes. I really like that idea of, you know, this dance between fate and freedom and living out our ancestors kind of unfinished business and promises and hopes. And I'm curious also how this practice has impacted or potentially deepened your own understanding of your culture and your relationship to being Chinese or Chinese American or however you identify.   Meng Yu: [00:19:40] Yeah, it's really provided. I feel extremely honored and, you know that I've been able to work with so many amazing teachers and adepts and have been trusted to practice as well as teach these modalities. it has brought me really close to my ancestors in a very intimate way, you know, like I just talked about with hidden moaning, as well as giving me such an appreciation for the wisdom traditions of my heritage. and this really dates back really beyond, again, our understanding of the nation states of, you know, what it means to be Chinese, it actually gives me a lot of respect for what our ancient human ancestors have left behind for us, their legacy, you know, because the roots of this tradition Like I mentioned, it actually goes back 50, 70, 000 years ago to the retreat of the last ice age. And so we're really talking about nomadic hunter gatherers and their survival, how they observed nature, terrains, and sky. Over cyclical time, they survived by following migration routes of animals and celestial bodies that allowed them to engage in an animistic perspective of life, that, all landscapes, including the landscapes of the cosmos, all of nature is sentient. And this. I guess that world view of aliveness of sentience and intelligence, as well as reciprocity and resonance. You know, that all environments and us, because we are innately tied to that, we are nature. You know, that we're in this reciprocal conversation all the time with life, that I think has had the most profound influence on my life, this idea that we're not just caretakers of the environment, but we are the environment. We are all adapting to each other too. The forces around us inside of us that there's this continual movement of cycles and circulation. that I think is really this wisdom core of the tradition that has really made me feel like not just a citizen of my culture and my ethnicity, but really a citizen of this planet, of Earth. from literally, you know, the air that we breathe, down to the food that we eat down to our blood, it's the same movement of circulation that connects us all and this, you know, really informs my, my worldview and my sense of belonging, my sense of, communion with life.   Jalena Keane-Lee: [00:22:54] I feel like these messages and this kind of information about ancestors, unfinished business, purpose in life. It can be both empowering and overwhelming at times. Like, that was my experience of the reading as well. And we're living at a time where In the US for sure and also globally where there's so much going on and it is a moment that can feel empowering at times but also can feel very, very overwhelming so I'm curious if there are certain ways that you practice keeping the faith in amidst times like these or navigating things that are overwhelming but can be seen as, empowering at the same time.    Meng Yu: [00:23:32] Yeah, absolutely. That's a really fabulous question. you mentioned faith, and I think that's a really interesting concept to dig into because I actually hesitate to use the word faith. I like to use the word trust know that we can develop our existential trust through understanding. Tempo with these. modalities, like I mentioned, there's this, putting us back into time, into rhythm, not just Chinese astrology. I think all ancient calendars does this for us, that they Put us back into an earth based tempo and rhythm and helps us understand that the meaning of our lives come from the context of everything that sustains us. And that this isn't some kind of belief system that you have to be indoctrinated in. It is an observable truth that you can see through observing patterns. and cyclical time. Yin and yang is not some far fetched idea that you have to believe in. It's literally night and day, these are the basic rhythms through which our lives have delineation and tempo and when we develop our synchronicity with this type of regularity and rhythm, we develop a kind of trust. and This trust comes from confidence through observation over time, and because we don't like live outside anymore, we're not really in touch with what our ancestors, the ancients observed and recorded in their calendars. You know, the regularity of movement from observing the sun, the moon, the stars and the seasons. And when we can reunite with that, that actually provides a sense of trust. so, when we engage in these modalities, whether it's astrology or divination, we're, we're reading tempo and even with Chinese medicine, Chinese medicine takes a pulse, you know, it's reading your body as a tempo. It's indicating your rhythm, the quality of your rhythm. So even in our medicine, we are reading our bodies temporally. So this idea of time is so fundamental for me in this idea of trust in alignment with rhythm and regularity. In the Tao Te Ching, which is one of the canonical texts of Daoism, the word for trust, Ching, is used many times and it's about, trust is defined. also as a kind of power. It's defined as how beings attain their actuality, that you need trust in order to grow, that it's part of your process of becoming. And through Daoism and through Chinese astrology, which was very much, informed through Daoism. And we learned that the way to grow our Xing, our trust, is to return our body to the rhythm of the universe. Now that the Daoist cure for our anxieties, which stem from a sense of our independent existence. You know, of our, individuality that is such a small, piece of this enormity. The cure for our anxieties is to identify our singularity, our single body with the body of the whole world. And we do that through aligning our tempo, aligning our rhythm. this is one way that we see the intricate ways that we are all interconnected. And I know I just said some really kind of big abstract things, but, I hope that's making sense.    Jalena Keane-Lee: [00:27:49] Yes, no, aligning and yeah, the tempo and pace of the world. I saw something recently that was like, you know, the power of treating our own bodies like gardens that we're cultivating and not like machines. And I feel like that's sticking to what you were just talking about, too, of like, you know, we are also. Plants and beings that need to be tended to and taken care of and to see ourselves that way in alignment with like the world and the pace of the world.   Meng Yu: [00:28:16] Yeah, absolutely. I love that plant metaphor because it brings us back in touch with life and life cycles, that seeds are sown in the spring. Leaves are shed in the fall, you know, that. Life force and life energy also needs to have time to retreat and withdraw in the winter. All the chi is going back underneath the ground where it's not visible. All the outward and external energy is going inward. It's going hidden. That's the power of yin. When we observe and practice modalities that have survived, not just one genocide, but many, many genocides over thousands of years, we can start to build of broader understanding of the patterns of the universe, the cycles of time. And this is one way that we can embrace and this work with the realities of what's happening, you know, in the current poly crises of our times in, civilization and ecological collapse, you know, it's important that we come to terms with where we are in cycles so that we do the practice that is needed of the Grieving of shedding the anger and the sadness that comes with this time to not live in denial of it and to learn from our ancestors and how they have survived through these times through the practice and the wisdom of understanding, The cycles of nature, how we renew and, regenerate life, the daoists were really concerned with, what is called immortality, but immortality is not like one person living forever. Immortality is. A broader concept about the continuation of life, you know, how do we live in a way that is truly sustainable, that is self sustaining in Chinese, the word for nature is zhi ran, which means self: zhi ran self fulfilling, self renewing, self sustaining. So embedded in the wisdom of these practices is this sense of aligning our lives, aligning our choices in a way that allows life to continue.   Jalena Keane-Lee: [00:30:52] Absolutely. Yes. more life and more environments where life can grow and thrive. I'm curious, you know, if anyone who's listening is now really interested in learning more about Chinese astrology, learning more about your work, what would be the best ways for them to start? And then also if there's anything else that you want to share.   Meng Yu: [00:31:11] The best way to find me is to go to my website. I'm not on social media, so, you'll have to get on the web and find me at www. tigereyeastrology.com and from there you can, contact me, request a reading, as well as just read more about, the different modalities that I practice, a little more about myself, and the perspectives that I bring.   Ayame Keane-Lee: [00:31:38] You are listening to 94.1 KPFA and 89.3 KPFB in Berkeley, 88.1 KFCF in Fresno, 97.5 K248BR in Santa Cruz, 94.3 K232FZ in Monterey, and online worldwide at kpfa.org. Next up is Miko's interview with Norma Wong.   Miko Lee: [00:32:01] Welcome Norma Wong to Apex Express. We are so happy to have you with us today.   Norma Wong: [00:32:06] Aloha, Mikko. Thank you for having me.    Miko Lee: [00:32:09] I want to just first start off, you, hold dear to my heart. I just finished reading your book, which I'm excited to talk about, but I just want to start in the very beginning by asking you a question, which is based on a question from the amazing poet Chinaka Hodges. Who are your people, and what legacy do you carry with you from them?    Norma Wong: [00:32:29] Oh, Miko, how much time do you have? my people are people of the Pacific. You know, the people who came, who crossed the ocean, now six generations ago to this place called Hawaii, who are the haka. Nomadic people of China who really traveled all over China came as contract work and my people are the indigenous people of Hawaii, of these islands where I live and where you happen to be right now, on in terms of this interview and, with the indigenous people, the Kanaka Maoli, the native wines of this place. I am blessed to be the ancestors of these two strong strands of people and really, people who have long migrated, irrespective of where they're coming from, where they're going to.   Miko Lee: [00:33:23] That is beautiful. And what legacy do you carry with you from those people?    Norma Wong: [00:33:28] I would say the legacy that I carry is the legacy of remembering food, remembering stories, passing on stories, creating stories into the future so that we may know where it is that we will go to. And I would say that I also carry the legacy of people who can both be with each other and also be fiercely independent with respect to not having to really depend on anything other than their wits, the land that they're on, of the people who are close to them, what the winds may be able to tell them.   Miko Lee: [00:34:11] Thank you so much. I'm very excited. I just finished reading your new book, which is titled, When No Thing Works: A Zen and Indigenous Perspective on Resilience, shared purpose, and leadership in the timeplace of collapse. Incredibly long title and incredibly appropriate for the time we live in right now. Can you share a little bit about what inspired you to create this work?    Norma Wong: [00:34:39] Well, I will, I will say frankly that the book would have not been written if not for Taj James and some of your listeners may know who this is. He is a movement leader and activist, who resides in Northern California, but really does a lot of work everywhere. And Taj, actually convinced me over a two year time period, to write this particular book. And I finally did so, because of a question that he asked. The question that he asked is, with respect to the kinds of knowledge that spiritual ways practice and pass on person to person, can that happen quickly enough only with the people who are directly in front of you? Will that happen quickly enough for the times that we're in? And I had to reflect upon that and say, no, because we were in a time of collapse. And so I had to take the chance of writing something that would find its way into the hands of people who were not directly in front of me. And that is, not the ways of the long line of teachers that I have had.   Miko Lee: [00:35:58] Can you talk a little bit about some of the teachers that you've had and how you carry on the legacy of those teachers that you have had, the impact they've made on you.    Norma Wong: [00:36:09] I've been blessed with many teachers, some of whom are in my young time days. I particularly remember a teacher from my elementary school days, Mrs. Trudy Akau. She was, Native Hawaiian and Portuguese and a woman of big voice and grand stature. And Mrs. Akau really wanted every single one of her students to Be able to find voice in whatever ways, that they might, whether it be writing or through reading or speaking, telling stories. So I certainly remember. This is a call. I remember Tanoi Roshi, uh, my Zen teacher. He was born Stanley Tanoi, second generation Japanese American grew up in Hawaii and who became a teacher. in his own right, not only with respect to Zen, but the martial arts and Stanley Tanoy, who we all know is Tanoy Roshi, is certainly considered to be my primary spiritual teacher, for whom it is now my responsibility to follow his line. I would say that there are people that I have worked with. who are my teachers, you know, so John Waiheee, who was the first native Hawaiian governor of Waii, I certainly consider him to be a significant teacher of mine, as do some young people, some people who are younger than I am. I consider them to be my teachers as well.   Miko Lee: [00:37:41] You mentioned your Zen teacher, Tanoue Tenshin Roshi and you quote in the book him saying, the truth is the intersection of everyone's perspective, if we could only know that. Can you speak more about this?    Norma Wong: [00:37:55] We are, as humans, we're, we're very certain that our perspective is the truth, that whatever it is that we see. But even from a biological perspective, science shows that what it is that registers in our mind is only a small portion of what it is that even our biology is absorbing. And so. We have this tendency to have a lens with respect to how we see the world that lens is colored by many things. And so what is actually so is difficult to ascertain. And this is just in terms of what may be right in front of us, let alone that which may come to us on a secondhand basis, and even more complicated by the way people get most of their information these days. Which is not through direct experience, but through information that has been provided by other channels, the vast aspects of social media, for example, the echo chambers of the conversation, in which we take as facts, things that are talked about that have been observed by other people who are analyzing that which someone else may or may not have actually seen by their own eyes. So we're many times removed from the actual experience of things. And so to know the truth, is a complex thing.    Miko Lee: [00:39:28] As you sort of mentioned this, but it feels like we are living, in this time where there's multiple truths, and especially with the propaganda that we're seeing from right wing mindsets that are really resistant to, influence especially around harm, unless they directly experienced that harm. In cases where it feels like this progress is really stalled until those people experience that kind of harm personally, what is the best way for us to intervene constructively?    Norma Wong: [00:39:56] Well, I think the first thing that we have to do is to make sure that we are also not doing the same thing in reverse. You know, which is to say that the aspect of harm, The many impacts that people may feel will be felt differently. So that which I believe has harmed me would seem to you as not being harmful at all. We tend to see harm, not from a meta perspective, but from an individualized perspective. And so to actually come out of the weeds of that and place ourselves In an observer's stance of community more generally, of humans more generally, not within the analysis of that, not within the frameworks of that, but to observe actual experiences is something that needs to happen on the left and the right and the center. the American. Value system doesn't help, which is to say that we live in a very individualized society. Our country was formed on the basis of values that are individualized. Even something that we'd say may be universal, such as human rights, we tend to think of it through an individualized lens. And to come more into the whole of it, to not. view our existence as being either dependent or independent of others, but more from the perspective of being interdependent. And you know, by interdependence, I'm, I mean that the success that we may have is born not only of my efforts, but the efforts of others. And if it is at the expense of someone else's welfare, then it is not interdependent. So that type of existence, you know, which I would describe as a more indigenous way of being, is what our times call for.    Miko Lee: [00:41:55] I'm wondering, you have such an interesting background as working in the legislature here in Hawaii and then fighting for homeland rights, supporting people in Lahaina. I'm wondering how you have combined both your indigenous background and your own. Zen belief system, how that has influenced you politically.   Norma Wong: [00:42:16] Well, if I were to reflect on that question, I would say that I was extraordinarily fortunate to begin my spirit practice at almost the same instant that I was coming up in the political world. And so I. did not see one as separate from the other. In fact, I would say that the fortune of that is that there are many aspects about the introspective nature of spirit work that, you have to interrupt your ego at every instant. And as you might imagine, there are many ways in, in the political world. Where the ego takes on an outsized importance to what it is that you're doing. And so it's an important centering value that you would get from the Zen practice. But to me, A thing that attracted me to Zen is that it is almost inherently indigenous and, by that I mean that the Zen values are based on interdependence of the whole and the whole does not only include humans, it includes other beings in the universe itself. And so, to center your political actions and the ways in which you might grapple with an issue is not to separate the issue from the people and the place, and to take into consideration not only the history of that, but what your actions would mean for the descendants that have not yet been born. And in that respect, there's should be no separation. In fact, there should be a profound way, in which that can hold your political decision making. your political conversation, your political actions within the concepts and the values of people in place.    Miko Lee: [00:44:08] So centering on people and place and our interconnectedness with each other. That's really powerful and so important and I'm going back to your saying we have to interrupt the ego and I'm wondering in times when we're about to see 45 enter into his, second administration and the impact of somebody who is ego full or narcissistic and this divide that we're seeing, how do we hold faith in ourselves to help to interrupt that ego when it's happening on such a national scale?    Norma Wong: [00:44:41] Well, there's a thing about ego, which is to say that My ego can only be interrupted by me. Your ego can only be interrupted by you. Now, strategy is a different thing, but that's not the subject of this interview. But with respect to ego, it's going to be part of the environment. it's going to be part of what exists and it'll be a powerful way in which you would see many egos, playing with each other. That's going to be a dynamic that will occur. So I would say there's a lot of work to do. Especially if we know that the construct of government, irrespective of whether this person or another person is holding this job. is in a place of peril and the institutions generally are having difficulty in this moment. Some people, because of who it is that they are and the ego that they have, will supercharge the collapse. In other words, they will increase the momentum of that collapse. And so, in that increase of the momentum of the collapse, there's a lot going on. To be done to ensure that peoples and communities and places are able to do what may be necessary to effectively sustain themselves and each other in relationship to each other, all of the things that they may have otherwise been dependent on the artificial structure called government. And with respect to ego, for us to understand that we have to have enough healthy ego to believe in our own capacity, to be able to work with each other, to take on this huge task, not only through these next four years, but in a period of time beyond that.   Miko Lee: [00:46:29] And what are some of the practices or frameworks that can help sustain us during this time to come?    Norma Wong: [00:46:35] Certainly the practice of, not running dry, you know, that within every 24 hour cycle, if we are to be at the top of our game, then we have to pay attention to make sure that we have enough rest, that we have the sustenance we need, Remain hydrated. I mean, very simple things to not waste away our time in the internal dialogue that keeps spinning to separate ourselves from the habits that keep us from making decisions that taking on too many things means that no thing that you do will be given the kind of attention that it needs, the kind of focus that it needs. the kind of depth that it requires. And so this is a time of choices, in order to achieve that place of abundance. You cannot have many things on the plate at the same time. So simple choices, with respect to the practices that you have, And once that require the dreaded D word, which is discipline.    Miko Lee: [00:47:43] Mm. One of the things that has arisen a lot within the network that I work in, AACRE, Asian Americans for Civil Rights and Equality, is a lot of folks, especially young folks, are finding themselves in able to have conversation with family members or elders that, have different political viewpoints what is a good way to go about navigating this tension with people who hold really different political and therefore, in their minds, worldviews than you, but you are connected to?    Norma Wong: [00:48:12] Well, it may not be possible to have a political conversation the question is, are you still in relationship? I think that is the primary question. are you able to meet someone's eyes? Or do you just look away? can you feed each other? I mean, literally, do you know the foods that other people desire or need? Can you make them? Not just buy it and assemble it from the nearest store. Are we tending to each other's needs? Emotional welfare, are we observant of the ways in which we may be getting into a place of need that we're not asking support for. It's like politics should not be. the first conversation you have with someone, it's like that, the first conversations that you would have with people should be one of relationship and of community, and that if you're going to slip into that part where you're going to say, well, because of your politics, I'm going to put you in this room or that room, then the, possibility of us being able to proceed as people is just not going to be possible. The civil rights, as a political movement, succeeded. I believe that as a social change movement, there is still a lot of work to be done. And that we put a little bit too much of a dependence on the wins that we had politically. And then We believed that, because those wins were, that the world would change as a result of that. Hearts and minds were not necessarily changed. And the heart and mind work is the work of community, the work of storytelling, the work of arts, generally. The work of building relationships with people, so that irrespective of the label that they thought that you carry, that you can have a greater understanding of desires and motivations, needs, and ways in which you might be able to be mutually with each other. So we have to start by actually being in relationship with people versus relationship with our ideas. A relationship with points of view and that is something that we may have given short shrift to. And I would say that that's like a Western kind of thing, like, you know, okay, we're going to have a meeting and, let's sit down for a meeting. By the way, we're not going to spend any time getting to know each other. We want to get directly to. Whatever the point of the meeting happens to be, or in the case of family. You know, it's like, families are complicated. One of the reasons why families are complicated is because we are in blood relationship to each other and therefore forever bound. But that does not mean that we have actually done the work to get to know each other. It does not mean that at all.   Miko Lee: [00:51:09] Thank you. I'm wondering if you can, talk about how do we hold on to our work as activists, and kind of the ultimate urgency of what's happening in the world, like I'm thinking specifically, there's a lot of conversations about the new laws that might happen right after the inauguration . And so there's a sense of urgency there. How do we hold on to ourselves but balance that with that sense of urgency.    Norma Wong: [00:51:34] Well, I like to put urgency in a slightly different perspective. Which is to say that the urgency that I see is what is the work that needs to be done to ensure that descendants that are not yet born will be able to live the kind of life that I would hope them to have in a world that would be able to sustain that. And if I put that out, as. What is urgent, then that forces me, in a way that I choose into, to pay attention to. Larger stories, larger work, more extensive aspects of work that also require many more people to be engaged in. And, to begin right now, because it's urgent, you know, for example, if there's a possibility, That the aquifer will become contaminated, and we do not yet know whether or not that will be the case. Then it's urgent that we work to make sure that whatever contaminant is in the ground will not get to the aquifer and therefore, we have to work on that right now. And so that which we may advocate for with urgency will be about the things that are going to be required. For the long haul and not just a defensive reactive, type of action, just to attempt to defend the things that are collapsing around us at the moment caught. In a tighter and tighter action reaction, a kind of way in which we make choices and make decisions, which will mean that the urgent work to ensure that the descendants will be able to have a better life in a sustainable place. will not be done and will not done in time for that to occur.    Miko Lee: [00:53:26] Thank you so much, for pulling that sense of urgency out to a broader perspective. It reminds me of that Grace Lee Boggs quote, what time is it on the clock of the world that we're really thinking about multiple generations and the ancestors to come and not just what the deadline is immediately. Can you talk with us a little bit about the hu, Hu, that you describe in your book?    Norma Wong: [00:53:50] So I think of Hu as, you know, capital H and, small U as like the missing element on the periodic table. Okay. So, you know, the periodic table it contains all of the elements that are supposed to exist in the universe, and I believe that there's an element called the human quotient. The human quotient is the stuff that humans need to have in order for us to actually evolve as the peoples that we're intended to be. And that the earth requires so, you know, among the human quotient elements would be courage, for example, courage being that which we do, even in the face of fear. So there'll be characteristics like that, but even more fundamental than the characteristics, there is whether or not we will access.and hold d center to everything, the collective humanity of who we are and who we need to become. Whether we take that at the center or will we, will we just see people as a series of identities, a series of allegiances to particular flags as keepers and adherence to ideologies. as, generations or genders, will we just see people as categories? And so, this aspect of coming into our humanity, is what I'm referring to as the human quotient. One of the chapters in the book.    Miko Lee: [00:55:27] Thank you so much. Can you tell us what you would love people to understand after reading your book, When No Thing Works?   Norma Wong: [00:55:37] I would want them to understand that the work is a distillation. So it's very concentrated. It's like Malolo syrup, a favored concentrated syrup that is essentially the fruit punch of the islands. You have to add water to it in order for you to get it to a place where it can actually bear fruit and it can be delicious for you. And that water is yourself, your own experience, your own practice, your own hopes, your own purposes. And if you add that to the book, then the book will be your Malolo syrup.    Miko Lee: [00:56:17] Oh, that is such a great analogy. I love that you're talking to it. It's a syrup. And actually there is a tudy guide or it's called navigate, but the resource to help people go through the book and have conversations with family and friends, which I think is so lovely. It's such a great way for people to read the book in community.    Norma Wong: [00:56:37] Yes. The book site is, Normawong.com and, I believe that the Navigate Guide will be available on that site.    Miko Lee: [00:56:46] And I will host a link to all those things on the show notes for Apex Express. Norma Wong, thank you so much for spending time sharing with us about your work. Um, I really appreciate you and the wisdom that you're sharing for multiple generations. Thank you so much.   Norma Wong: [00:57:04] Thank you, Miko. Thank you so much. Please enjoy your day.    Miko Lee: [00:57:09] You too. And I also want to give a shout out to my amazing friend that introduced me to you, Mariah Rankin Landers, whose book, Do Your Lessons Love Your Students? Creative Education for Social Change really influenced me. And she helped provide some of the context for this conversation. So I thank you to Mariah and thank you for spending time with me, Norma. Please check out our website, kpfa.org. To find out more about our show tonight. We think all of you listeners out there. Keep resisting, keep organizing, keep creating and sharing your visions with the world because your voices are important. APEX Express is created by Miko Lee, Jalena Keane-Lee, Preeti Mangala Shekar, Anuj Vaidya, Swati Rayasam, Aisa Villarosa, Estella Owoimaha-Church, Gabriel Tangloao, Cheryl Truong and Ayame Keane-Lee.     The post APEX Express – 1.16.25 – Pathways To Humanity appeared first on KPFA.

“Curate your environment. Put things around you that make you happy. You have a responsibility to awe and beauty. Make sure that you experience those things in your life.”Let's face it: life's chaos doesn't come with a manual, but meditation might be the closest thing we have. In this episode, Bob Martin—former attorney, mob lawyer (yes, really), and now meditation advocate—shares his fascinating journey from the cocaine cowboy days of Miami to finding his zen as a meditation teacher. Bob reveals how Daoist principles not only transformed his personal life but also inspired a new approach to business and entrepreneurship. Whether you're running a company or just trying to run your own mind, this episode delivers insights, humor, and practical advice for balancing it all. Spoiler: meditation is like hitting the reset button on your brain.Bob Martin is a former prosecutor, defense attorney, and meditation teacher who went from handling high-stakes legal cases to mastering the art of mindfulness. After studying under a 72nd-generation Daoist master, Bob turned his focus to helping others navigate life and business with clarity and calm. His work bridges the worlds of self-discovery and entrepreneurship, offering tools to thrive both personally and professionally.Learn more and connect: A Wise and Happy Life (Bob's website): https://www.awiseandhappylife.comVisit https://www.ecircleacademy.comBlvd area and book a success call with Nicky to take your practice to the next level.

Welcome to the Psychedelic Conversations Podcast! Episode 146: In this episode, we explore Howard's transformative journey with psychedelics, beginning with his personal healing from addiction and expanding into over two decades of guiding others. We discuss the power of plant medicines like ayahuasca and psilocybin to heal trauma, reveal our true nature, and reconnect us with the natural world. Howard shares insights on the growing trend of psychedelics, the importance of integration practices, and the critical role of facilitators in creating safe and sacred spaces for these experiences. Together, we reflect on humanity's collective challenges, the necessity of grounded practices, and the timeless wisdom psychedelics offer in helping us remember who we are. Tune in for a profound conversation about healing, awakening, and the future of psychedelic integration!

Dr. Adam Francisco, author, “One God, Many Gods” One God, Many Gods The post Christianity and Other World Religions: Confucianism, Daoism, Shinto and Sikhism – Dr. Adam Francisco, 12/9/24 (3442) first appeared on Issues, Etc..

Are you intrigued by the transformative potential of psychedelics? Do you seek to enhance your relationship with mind-altering medicines? Whether you're a novice or an experienced user, this conversation will inspire you with the profound possibilities of these substances.  Given the fact that psychedelic use is on the rise, it's more important than ever to approach these powerful substances with respect, awareness, and responsibility – and Chuchu Wang joins the podcast to point us all in the right direction… As a heartening keynote speaker, leader, and co-founder of Ceremonia, Chuchu facilitates legal psilocybin and ayahuasca retreats designed for profound personal transformation. She is an authority in the realms of consciousness, psychedelics, connection, Plant Medicine, IFS, Gestalt therapy, Qigong, Tantra, and Shamanism. She also integrates ancient spiritual wisdom such as Daoism and Buddhism into her unique approach. In this conversation, we discuss: The importance of using Ayahuasca intentionally in order to achieve transformation. How Burning Man impacted Chuchu's spiritual journey.  Why transactional relationships are so draining for human beings. What makes psychedelics such a powerful tool.  The most important value to develop for positive change.  Are you ready to begin your journey to freedom and healing? If so, embracing the power of psychedelics may be the path for you. Hit play to learn more about this intriguing realm of self-discovery! You can follow along with Chuchu and her Stewardship with Ceremonia by clicking here. Episode also available on Apple Podcasts: http://apple.co/30PvU9

Momoko Uno is a doctor of integrative medicine in New York City. After many years of writing in the closet, she decided that if she could make it out of Australian hotel quarantine alive, she would take steps towards her dream of becoming a published author. At the moment of witnessing her mother's death and brushing up against her own mortality, she realized life is too short to live in fear. Throughout her stories, Momoko weaves in elements of healing from her work as a medical practitioner. Her own rich experience with shamanism, spiritual psychology and an upbringing steeped in Zen Buddhism and Anglicanism have added nuance to her world view.http://momokowrites.com/

Science fiction and fantasy are full of wondrous libraries containing everything from powerful artifacts to some dang good reads. How does the idealized view of libraries in speculative fiction compare with the real-life libraries, which are under attack by would-be censors and culture warriors? Also, we talk to award-winning author Ken Liu about his brand new translation of the classic Daoist text, the Dao De Jing. Shownotes and more info at https://www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes