Podcasts about Desire

Join us for a conversation on EFS with Kyle Claunch, Associate Professor of Christian Theology at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.   Detailed Analytical Outline: "Everything You Need to Know About EFS and The Trinity | Kyle Claunch | #100" This outline structures the podcast episode chronologically by timestamp, providing a summary of content, key theological arguments, analytical insights (e.g., strengths of positions, biblical/theological connections, and implications for Trinitarian doctrine), and notable quotes. The discussion centers on Eternal Functional Submission (EFS, also termed Eternal Submission of the Son [ESS] or Eternal Relations of Authority and Submission [ERAS]), its biblical basis, critiques, and broader Trinitarian implications. Host Sean Demars interviews Kyle Claunch, a theologian offering a non-EFS perspective rooted in classical Trinitarianism (e.g., Augustine, Athanasius). The tone is conversational, humble, and worship-oriented, emphasizing the doctrine's gravity (per Augustine: "Nowhere else is a mistake more dangerous"). Introduction and Setup (00:10–01:48) Content Summary: Episode opens with music and host introduction. Sean Demars welcomes first-time guest Kyle Claunch (noting a prior unreleased recording). Light banter references mutual acquaintance Jim Hamilton (a repeat guest) and a breakfast discussion on Song of Solomon. Transition to topic: the Trinity, with humorous acknowledgment of its complexity. Key Points: Shoutout to Hamilton as the "three-timer" on the show; playful goal of featuring Kenwood elders repeatedly. Tease of future episodes on Song of Solomon, Ecclesiastes, Psalms. Analytical Insights: Establishes relational warmth and insider Reformed/Baptist context (e.g., Kenwood Baptist Church ties). Frames Trinity discussion as high-stakes yet accessible, aligning with podcast's "Room for Nuance" ethos—nuanced, non-polemical engagement. Implications: Builds trust for dense theology, reminding listeners of communal discipleship. Notable Quote: "Nothing better to talk about... Nowhere else is a mistake more dangerous, Augustine says about the doctrine of the trinity." (01:33) Opening Prayer (01:48–02:29) Content Summary: Claunch prays for accurate representation of God, protection from error, and edification of listeners (believers to worship, unbelievers to Christ). Key Points: Gratitude for knowing God as Father through Son by Spirit; plea for words and meditations to be acceptable (Psalm 19:14 echo). Analytical Insights: Models Trinitarian piety—prayer invokes all persons, underscoring episode's theme of relational unity over hierarchical submission. Strengthens devotional framing, countering potential abstraction in doctrine. Notable Quote: "May the saints who hear this be drawn to worship. May those that don't know you be drawn to want to know you through your son Jesus." (02:07–02:29) Interview Origin and Personal Context (02:29–04:18) Content Summary: Demars recounts how Hamilton recommended Claunch as a counterpoint to Owen Strawn's EFS views (from a prior episode on theological retrieval). Demars shares his wavering stance on EFS (initial acceptance, rejection, ambivalence—like amillennialism) and seeks Claunch's help to "land" biblically. Key Points: EFS as a debated topic in evangelical circles; Claunch's approach ties to retrieval. Demars' vulnerability: Desire for settled conviction on God's self-revelation. Analytical Insights: Highlights EFS debate's live-wire status in Reformed theology (post-2016 surge via Ware, Grudem). Demars' "help me land" plea humanizes the host, inviting listeners into personal theological pilgrimage. Implication: Doctrine as transformative, not merely academic—echoes Augustine's "discovery more advantageous" (later referenced). Notable Quote: "Part of this is really just being like dear brother Kyle help me like land where I need to land on this." (03:53) Defining EFS/ESS/ERAS (04:18–07:01) Content Summary: Claunch defines terms: EFS (eternal functional submission of Son/Spirit to Father per divine nature); ESS (eternal submission of Son); ERAS (eternal relations of authority/submission, per Ware). Contrasts with incarnational obedience (uncontroversial for creatures). Key Points: Eternal (contra-temporal, constitutive of God's life); not limited to human nature. Biblical focus on Son, but extends to Spirit; relations as "godness of God" (Father-Son-Spirit distinctions). Analytical Insights: Clarifies nomenclature's evolution (avoiding "subordinationism" heresy). Strength: Steel-mans EFS as biblically motivated, not cultural. Weakness: Risks blurring persons' equality if submission is essential. Connects to classical taxonomy (one essence, three persons via relations). Notable Quote: "This relation of authority and submission then is internal to the very life of God and as such is constitutive of what it means for God to be God." (06:36) Biblical Texts for EFS: Steel-Manning Arguments (07:01–14:34) Content Summary: Claunch lists key texts EFS advocates use, steel-manning sympathetically. John 6:38 (07:35): Son came "not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me"—roots in pre-incarnate motive. Sending Language (09:04): Father sends Son (never reverse); implies authority-obedience. Father-Son Names (09:43): Eternal sonship entails biblical patriarchal authority. 1 Cor 11:3 (10:04): "God [Father] is the head of Christ"—parallels man-woman headship (authority symbol). 1 Cor 15:24–28 (13:13): Future subjection of Son to Father ("eternity future" implies past). Key Points: EFS holders (e.g., Ware, Grudem—Claunch's friends/mentor) prioritize Scripture; not anti-Trinitarian. Analytical Insights: Effective charity—affirms motives (biblicism) while previewing critiques. Texts highlight economic Trinity (missions reveal immanent relations). Implication: If valid, EFS grounds complementarity in creation (e.g., gender roles via 1 Cor 11). But risks Arianism echoes if submission essentializes inequality. Notable Quote: "They believe this because they are convinced that this is what the Bible teaches... It's a genuine desire to believe what the Bible says." (14:15) Critiquing EFS Texts: Governing Principles (14:52–19:02) Content Summary: Claunch introduces "form of God/form of servant" rule (Augustine, Phil 2:6–8) and unity of God (one essence, attributes, acts). Applies to texts, emphasizing incarnation. John 6:38 (15:11): Incarnational (Son assumes human will to obey as Last Adam); "not my own will" implies distinct (human-divine) wills, not eternal submission. Compares to Gethsemane (Lk 22:42), Phil 2 (obedience as "became," not eternal), Heb 5:8 (learns obedience via suffering). Key Points: Obedience creaturely (Adam failed, Christ succeeds); EFS demands discrete divine wills, contradicting one will/power (inseparable operations). Analytical Insights: Augustinian rule shines—resolves tensions without modalism/Arianism. Strength: Harmonizes canon (analogy of Scripture). Implication: Protects active obedience's soteriological role (imputed righteousness). Weakness in EFS: Overlooks hypostatic union's permanence. Notable Quote: "Obedience is something he became, not something he was." (35:15) Inseparable Operations and Unity (19:02–28:18) Content Summary: One God = one almighty/omniscient/will (Athanasian Creed); external acts (ad extra) undivided (e.g., creation, resurrection appropriated to persons but shared). EFS's "distinct enactment" incoherent—submission requires discrete wills, implying polytheism. Submission entails disagreement possibility, undermining unity. Key Points: Appropriation (e.g., Father elects, but all persons do); one will upstream from texts. Analytical Insights: Core classical rebuttal—echoes Cappadocians vs. Arius (one ousia, three hypostases). Strength: Biblical (e.g., Jn 1 creation triad). Implication: Safeguards monotheism; critiques social Trinitarianism/EFS as quasi-polytheistic. Ties to procession (relations without hierarchy). Notable Quote: "If God's knowledge and mind understanding will is all one then the very idea... that you could have one divine person... have authority and the other... not have the same authority... Seems to be a category mistake." (24:41–25:14) Further Critiques: Sending, Headship, Future Submission (28:18–50:07) Content Summary: Sending (42:30): Not command (Aquinas/Augustine); missions reveal processions (eternal generation), not authority (analogical, e.g., adult "sending" without hierarchy). 1 Cor 11:3 (46:34): Incarnational (Christ as mediator); underdetermined text, informed by whole Scripture. 1 Cor 15 (48:10): Post-resurrection = ongoing hypostatic union (God-man forever submits as creature). Spirit's "Obedience" (49:26): No biblical texts; EFS extension illogical (Spirit unincarnate). Jn 16:13 ("not... on his own authority") mistranslates—Greek "from himself" denotes procession, not submission (parallels Jn 5:19–26 on Son's generation). Key Points: Obedience emphasis on Son's humanity for redemption; Spirit's mission unified (takes Father's/Son's). Analytical Insights: Devastating on Spirit—exposes EFS asymmetry. Strength: Exegetical precision (Greek apo heautou). Implication: EFS risks divinizing hierarchy over equality; retrieval favors Nicene grammar. Notable Quote: "There's not one single biblical text that uses the language of authority, submission, obedience in relation to the spirit." (50:07) Processions, Personhood, and Retrieval Tease (50:07–1:10:04) Content Summary: Persons = rational subsistences (Boethius); distinction via relations/processions (Father unbegotten, Son generated, Spirit spirated—not three wills/agents). Demars probes: Processions define persons (Son from Father, Spirit from both?). Claunch: Analogical, not creaturely autonomy. Teases retrieval discussion for future episode. Key Points: Creator-creature distinction; via eminentia/negativa for terms like "person." God unlike us—worship response to mystery. Analytical Insights: Clarifies hypostases vs. prosopa; counters social Trinitarianism. Strength: Humility amid density ("take your sandals off"). Implication: EFS confuses economic/immanent Trinity; retrieval recovers Nicene subtlety vs. modern individualism. Notable Quote: "The distinction is in the relation only... The ground of personhood is the divine nature." (1:03:07–1:03:32) Eschatological Reflection and Heaven (1:10:04–1:13:39) Content Summary: Demars: Perpetual learning in heaven? Claunch: Infinite expansion (Edwards' analogy—expanding vessel in God's love); Augustine: Laborious but advantageous pursuit. Key Points: Glorified knowledge joyful, finite yet ever-growing; press on (Hos 4:6). Analytical Insights: Pastoral pivot—doctrine doxological, not despairing. Ties to episode's awe: Trinity as eternal discovery. Notable Quote: "Nowhere else is a mistake more dangerous or the task more laborious or the discovery more advantageous." (1:13:11) Rapid-Fire Q&A (1:13:55–1:20:14) Content Summary: Fun segment: Favorites (24, Spurgeon/Piper sermons, Tolkien, It's a Wonderful Life, mountains, wine, licorice hate, fly, morning person, etc.). Ends with straw holes trick (one). Key Points: Reveals Claunch's tastes (e.g., Owen's works as "systematic theology," "Immortal, Invisible" hymn for funeral—mortality vs. God's eternity). Analytical Insights: Humanizes expert; hymn choice reinforces theme (Psalm 90 echo). Lightens load post-depth. Closing Prayer (1:20:14–1:21:04) Content Summary: Demars thanks God for Claunch's clarity; prays for his influence in church/academy. Key Points: Blessing for edification, glory. Analytical Insights: Bookends with prayer—Trinitarian focus implicit. Overall Analytical Themes: Claunch's non-EFS view upholds Nicene equality via processions/operations, critiquing EFS as well-intentioned but incoherent (risks subordinationism). Episode excels in balance: exegetical rigor, historical retrieval (Augustine/Aquinas/Owen), pastoral warmth. Implications: Bolsters complementarianism without Trinitarian cost; urges humility in mystery. Ideal for theology students/pastors navigating debates.  

In this powerful, unfiltered conversation, Coach Frank Rich sits down with Keith Yackey, founder of The Married Game, to unpack the real reasons intimacy, attraction, and connection fade inside modern marriages — and how men can take ownership, rebuild polarity, and transform their identity from the inside out.   Keith shares his personal story of losing his marriage despite financial success, confronting painful truths about his own passivity, and discovering that if he was the problem, he could also become the solution. Together, Frank and Keith explore masculinity, leadership, emotional safety, discipline, trust, self-respect, and why becoming the strongest version of yourself is the foundation for a thriving relationship.   This is not a "relationship advice" episode. It's a wake-up call for men who are ready to stop blaming, stop hiding, and start becoming the man they were created to be. What You'll Learn in This Episode Why most men silently feel disconnected from their wife — and why shame keeps them stuck   The hard truth about attraction: why it fades and how it's rebuilt   How passivity, people-pleasing, and validation-seeking kill polarity in marriage   Why doing what you say you'll do builds trust — and trust fuels desire   The connection between identity, discipline, and intimacy   How porn, secrecy, and self-betrayal erode masculine presence   Why real transformation must be done for yourself, not for approval   The difference between chasing validation and embodying leadership   How men can begin rebuilding confidence, playfulness, and connection   What it truly means to raise your standards and live congruently   When a man has cleaned up his side of the street — and what happens next   How honesty about desire, truth, and self-respect leads to freedom   Key Takeaways from the Episode If you're the problem, you can also be the solution. Ownership creates hope.   Attraction isn't negotiated — it's embodied.   Trust is built by doing what you say you'll do, consistently.   Men must stop living for validation and start living by standards.   Identity transformation changes everything — body, mindset, marriage, purpose.   Safety fuels desire. Emotional stability creates polarity.   Self-discipline builds self-trust, and self-trust builds masculine presence.   You don't change to save your marriage. You change because that's who you are.   The healthiest relationships are chosen, not negotiated.   Honesty about what you truly want is the starting point of transformation.   About Keith Yackey Keith Yackey is the founder of The Married Game, a coaching company dedicated to helping men rebuild attraction, intimacy, and polarity in their marriages by becoming the strongest version of themselves. His work focuses on masculine identity, leadership, emotional mastery, and self-respect as the foundation for connection and desire.   After nearly losing his own marriage despite outward success, Keith committed himself to understanding attraction dynamics, masculine embodiment, and relational polarity. Today, he coaches men around the world through programs, books, and media that challenge men to confront uncomfortable truths and rise to higher standards in every area of life.   Keith is also the host of The Married Game Podcast, where he explores marriage, masculinity, sexuality, and personal responsibility with raw honesty and depth.     Connect with Keith: Website (The Married Game) - https://www.keithyackey.com/   Instagam - https://www.instagram.com/keithyackey/   YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@marriedgame   Podcast - https://pod.link/1504170972   ---   Connect with Frank and The Super Human Life on Social Media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coachfrankrich/   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/584284948647477/   Website: http://www.thesuperhumanlifepodcast.com/tshlhome   YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjB4UrpxtNO2AFtDURMzoKQ  

Are your desires helping you move forward—or quietly getting in your way? In this episode of Remarkable TV, I share a simple but powerful leadership lesson inspired by intermittent fasting. While the example starts with food, the real message is about how momentary desires—often driven by habits and situations—can pull us off our long-term path. Desire is powerful. It can motivate us. But if we don't keep it in perspective, it can also distract us from the future we truly want. My name is Kevin Eikenberry and I'm here to help you reach your goal as a leader and a human being with Remarkable TV and the Remarkable Leadership Podcast. I am also the Chief Potential Officer of The Kevin Eikenberry Group. We provide speaking, training, consulting, and coaching services to organizations who believe in investing in their most valuable assets – their people. Whether we are leading a training workshop, speaking to a group, facilitating a planning meeting, consulting with a leadership team, helping with team building, writing or developing products, our vision will be clear in everything we do – We want to be Your Leadership Help Button. Learn more about our offerings: ➡️ FREE NEWSLETTERs: Sign up for any of our newsletters: https://kevineikenberry.com/newsletters ➡️ LEADERSHIP WORKSHOPS: Sign up for any of our online workshops to help you become a better leader: https://kevineikenberry.com/store/?product_type=Workshops ➡️ SPEAKING: Learn more about our Speaking opportunities for your next event: https://kevineikenberry.com/how-we-can-help-speaking/  Connect with Kevin Eikenberry on Social Media:  https://kevineikenberry.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevineikenberry https://twitter.com/KevinEikenberry https://instagram.com/kevineikenberry https://www.facebook.com/KevinEikenberryFanPage/ About Kevin Eikenberry: Kevin Eikenberry is the Chief Potential Officer of the Kevin Eikenberry Group, a world expert on leadership development, best-selling author, sought-after speaker, popular blogger, husband and dad, a fan of Purdue athletics and antique tractors (especially John Deere's). About The Remarkable Leadership Podcast: The Remarkable Leadership Podcast with Kevin Eikenberry is dedicated to all things leadership. Twice a week Kevin shares his thoughts about leadership development and ideas to help you lead more confidently and make a bigger difference for those you lead. He also has weekly conversations with leadership experts discussing a wide range of topics including teamwork, organizational culture, facilitating change, personal and organizational development, human potential and more.  

Altars: Part 4 - Building an Altar of Hunger and Desire - Pastor Andrew DamazioThis week, Pastor Andrew reminded us that true satisfaction is found in seeking God with a sincere and hungry heart, learning to desire His presence above everything else.Throughout the month of January, we are reading Secrets of the Secret Place by Bob Sorge. Get your copy here: https://a.co/d/h0yCQtqWant to connect more with Rose Church? Find more information at https://www.rosechurch.org and give at - https://www.rosechurch.org/giveMake sure to subscribe so you don't miss more incredible sermons like this one or previous series like “The Upside Down Kingdom” or “The Tension of Faith” from Pastor Andrew Damazio, Dr. AJ Swoboda, Pastor Julia Damazio and many other incredible pastors!Thanks for watching!

This week unfolds in the rebellious essence of Aquarius with a significant threshold moment as Neptune enters Aries. This atmosphere favors intensity, immediacy, and forward motion. Desire gains urgency this week, and visions begin to demand action. Relationships, job offers etc moving quickly now! Last week to grab Jan Limited Edition Sessions: https://www.cardsyb.com/magicianyear   All things Cardsy B www.cardsyb.com www.instagram.com/CardsyB  

What if most sexual shame isn't personal failure—but bad information? In this episode, Dr. John talks with Dr. Justin Garcia, Executive Director of the Kinsey Institute, about what the science actually says about desire, intimacy, fidelity, and pair-bonding. They unpack why “normal” is a misleading idea in sex, why many couples are touch-deprived, and how stress and low-level threat responses can shut down connection and arousal. You'll also hear surprising research on men and heartbreak, what people truly want in long-term partners and what might be behind the so-called “sex recession.” The throughline: curiosity is a powerful aphrodisiac—and you're not broken, you're under-informed.Key topics covered (bullets): “Am I normal?” why the data says variation is the norm The “touch crisis” and why many partners feel touch-starved Men, romance, and why breakups can hit men harder Trust, kindness, and “self-expansion” as core mate preferences Stress, trauma, and the nervous system's impact on desire The sex recession: is it real, is it bad, and what might be causing it Sexual literacy: why better information improves connection and consent Want To Learn More About Relational Happiness? Here's Where To Start:

January 25 | Genesis 27:1-45; Matthew 9:9-17; Psalm 11:1-6; Proverbs 5:1-6 // Follow along with the "Walking through the Word Daily Reading and Study Guide" in the Daily Life Journal and Daily Life Journal 4 Kids! Get your copy today, or grab a gift for someone you love this Christmas. lifereachresources.com/core4   

We talk about the impulse to save things, such as stationery or fine china, even when it makes no sense. And we also talk about the puzzling popularity of coffee-table books. Resources & links related to this episode: Check out my new LinkedIn Learning course on the Four Tendencies How to Write Your Own Personal Commandments Join the "Move 26 in '26" challenge Electric throw blanket Get in touch: podcast@gretchenrubin.com Visit Gretchen's website to learn more about Gretchen's best-selling books, products from The Happiness Project Collection, and the Happier app. Find the transcript for this episode on the episode details page in the Apple Podcasts app. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Guest Author: Paul GregoryHeadline: The Desire for Greatness: Understanding the MotiveSummary: Decades later, Paul Gregory attributes Lee's motive to a desperate need to prove his significance to the world and his scornful wife. Often underestimated, Lee was a manipulative planner who viewed the assassination as a path to historic grandeur and political relevance.Article: Lee Harvey Oswald was driven by a lifelong belief instilled by his mother that he was special, combined with a desperate need to prove his worth to his wife, Marina, who often ridiculed him as not being a "real man". Far from being a simpleton, Lee was a manipulative planner who viewed the assassination not just as a crime, but as a gateway to a show trial where he could broadcast his political theories and finally achieve the historical importance he craved.

In this episode we'll talk about these energies:Why desire alone doesn't determine outcomesHow growth happens in relation to what we wantThe difference between longing and alignmentWhy experiences shape us before rewards arriveHow capacity is built through the process, not the prizeLearning to meet what you want without collapsing under itUnderstanding desire as an invitation, not a guaranteeAnd more… CONNECT WITH ME…→ Instagram — @mattgottesman→ My Substack — mattgottesman.substack.com → Apparel — thenicheisyou.comRESOURCES…→ Recommended Book List — CLICK HERE→ Masterclass — CLICK HEREWORKSHOPS + MASTERCLASS:→ Need MORE clarity? - Here's the FREE… 6 Days to Clarity Workshop - clarity for your time, energy, money, creativity, work & play→ Write, Design, Build: Content Creator Studio & OS - Growing the niche of you, your audience, reach, voice, passion & incomeOTHER RELATED EPISODES:Faith Isn't Knowing the Whole Path… It's Taking the Next Honest StepApple: https://apple.co/3MB62IuSpotify: https://bit.ly/4rZw3RN

Sex and intimacy don't disappear with age, but they do change. Andrew Hatherley welcomes JenMG, intimacy coach and educator, for a candid conversation about sex, desire, and connection in midlife and beyond. From long-term marriages and sexless relationships to rediscovering pleasure after divorce, this episode explores how intimacy evolves with aging bodies, changing hormones, and deeper self-awareness, and how reclaiming it can transform life after gray divorce.  Thanks for listening! We'd be very grateful if you'd subscribe to the podcast and give us 5 stars! Please visit Transcend Retirement or Wiser Divorce Solutions. Follow Andrew on LinkedIn too!

In this episode I am joined by British occultists, authors, and creative collaborators Alan Chapman and Duncan Barford. Alan and Duncan reflect on their decades of shared magickal practice and creative collaboration. They recall their first meeting at the secret society the “Illuminates of Thanateros” and muse on the gatekeeping and status games of the Chaos magick scene. They explain why they feel their emphasis on awakening and association with Buddhist writer and self-proclaimed arhat Daniel Ingram has contributed to their being shunned by leading figures in British occultism. Alan and Duncan take a deep dive into their controversial new understanding of Aleister Crowley, address criticism levelled at them, and reveal the idealogical mistake that drove Alan to withdraw one of his biggest public projects. Alan and Duncan also share their current practices, detail how to develop visionary capability, give their best understanding about how magick really works, and offer their advice for those who wish to enter the path of Western occultism. … Video: https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep345-magick-awakening-crowley-alan-chapman-duncan-barford Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast'. … Topics include: 00:00 - Intro 01:13 - Meeting at an occult secret society 06:29 - Formative experiences of group magick 07:36 - Should you join the IoT? 07:53 - The importance of group magick 08:19 - Timidity in magickal practice 10:20 - What does magick have to do with enlightenment? 12:03 - Jealousy in spiritual circles 14:38 - Peter Carroll vs Neoplatonism 17:11 - Alan and Duncan's contribution to Chaos Magick 19:07 - Feuds between religionists 20:33 - What kind of person is drawn to Chaos Magick? 22:25 - Gatekeeping and status games 23:10 - The best thing about Chaos Magicians 25:45 - Bad uses of Chaos Magick 28:38 - Being ignored by the magickal community 29:24 - Why were Alan and Duncan ignored? 30:!4 - Controversial association with Daniel Ingram 31:54 - Why did Peter Carroll dislike Alan and Duncan? 33:01 - How to understand magickal results and synchronicities 36:46 - How Duncan's practice has changed over time 40:13- Awakening and the structure of things 43:16 - Alan's current practice 43:57 - The everyday as a basis 45:07 - How to get started in magick 52:35 - Permission and confidence 53:41 - Developing visionary capability 54:55 - Alan's understanding of the path 01:00:32 - Pinnacle of practical magick 01:01:46 - Duncan's Goddess vision 01:03:14 - The basis of the path 01:07:50 - How magick works 01:09:00 - Criticism of Alan abandoning projects 01:16:14 - Sigmund Freud 01:16:57 - Why do people criticise Alan? 01:18:56 - One thing that really annoys Alan 01:20:53 - Resentment and psychological shadow 01:22:43 - Malevolence and denying enlightenment 01:29:26 - A dark occult conference experience 01:31:20 - Envy and counter-initiation 01:33:51 - Creative journey 01:35:49 - The toxic belief in cultural progress 01:39:38 - Ken Wilber's Integral Theory 01:41:10 - Daniel Ingram's pivot to science 01:42:19 - The spirit of the times 01:44:08 - Realising cultural chauvinism 01:49:53 - Desire to do something else 01:51:30 - Source of many problems 01:53:23 - The Crowley project 02:01:15 - Alan's academic approach 02:03:53 - Legal challenges 02:06:34 - Crowley on Chinese wisdom 02:09:05 - Dao De Jing 02:17:24 - Misunderstandings about the Dao De Jing 02:19:03 - Jung's (mis?)undersanding of Asian classics 02:21:06 - Western alchemy and spirit writing 02:23:19 - Two kinds of researchers 02:290:02 - Life of Aleister Crowley 02:31:28 - The Inner Church 02:33:28 - The Bornless Rite 02:35:18 - The Book of the Law 02:45:24 - Crossing the abyss 02:47:39 - Mad or enlightened? 02:52:20 - Liber 31 02:53:53 - Crowley's failures 02:55:57 - Jung and Philip K Dick 02:56:41 - Controversial take on Crowley 03:00:48 - Why follow Crowley's path? Music ‘Deva Dasi' by Steve James

In this inspiring episode of Coaching In Session, Michael Rearden sits down with Maureen Scanlon, a Certified Life Coach, bestselling author, and relationship expert, to explore the transformative power of life coaching, self-worth, and personal development.Maureen shares how experiences shape our desires and why coaching is essential in today's fast-paced world. Michael and Maureen delve into practical tools for personal growth, the importance of setting intentions, and mindset shifts that lead to meaningful change. They also discuss accountability, vulnerability, and embracing your worth as key steps to creating the life you truly desire.Listeners will gain insights into overcoming limiting beliefs, aligning their desires with authentic fulfillment, and building lasting confidence and self-esteem. If you want to elevate your self-worth and make intentional, life-changing choices, this episode is for you.What you'll learn about this episode• How life coaching helps recognize and elevate self-worth• Desire often stems from societal pressure rather than personal fulfillment• Understanding the difference between joy and temporary happiness• Why people seek the suffering they know and resist change• Every meaningful change requires conscious sacrifice• Coaching is essential for ongoing personal maintenance and growth• Setting intentions can influence outcomes and mindset• How mindset shifts overcome negative thought patterns• Vulnerability as a tool for authentic personal growth• “Fake it till you make it” as a strategy for changeKey Takeaways✅ Life coaching elevates self-worth and personal empowerment✅ Desire must align with authentic fulfillment, not societal expectations✅ Joy is ongoing; happiness is temporary✅ Change requires facing discomfort and making sacrifices✅ Coaching is necessary for sustained personal growth✅ Setting intentions guides daily outcomes and mindset✅ Mindset shifts are critical to overcoming limiting beliefs✅ Vulnerability fosters growth and authenticity✅ “Fake it till you make it” can help create new habits✅ Accountability accelerates personal transformationResources & Guest links

Desire Lacap is a Filipino video content creator whose work blends emotional storytelling, mental‑health advocacy, and high‑quality filmmaking. In her interview, she shares how she overcame significant emotional obstacles and used creativity as a path toward healing and personal growth. Her dedication to authenticity helped her build a strong online presence, eventually leading to collaborations with major brands like Adobe and creative work on music videos with artists such as Ruby Ibarra and Alicia Keys. Her journey is an inspiring example for aspiring creators who want to produce meaningful, well‑crafted video content rooted in purpose and passion.Support the show

Send him THESE text messages to make him addicted to you: https://www.gethimkeephim.com/text (This is an affiliate link. If you click through and make a purchase, I'll earn a commission, at no additional cost to you)  

Are you constantly seeking validation from your wife, friends, social media, coworkers, or even your church? The truth is, the need for validation is one of the most dangerous traps destroying Christian marriages, weakening men, and pulling believers away from their true identity in Christ.In this episode of High Level Husband, Tommy exposes the validation trap and how approval-seeking leads to insecurity, people-pleasing, resentment, emotional weakness, and spiritual compromise. Many husbands don't realize that chasing affirmation from others slowly erodes leadership, damages trust in marriage, and creates emotional dependency instead of godly confidence.This teaching breaks down how validation addiction shows up in marriage, faith, work, social media, and friendships — and why it blocks intimacy, respect, and spiritual authority. You'll learn how to shift from approval-seeking to God-confidence, biblical identity, and secure leadership as a Christian husband.If you want to become a stronger man of God, lead your marriage with conviction, build unshakable confidence, and stop needing permission from people to be who God called you to be, this episode will challenge you deeply.Stop chasing validation. Start walking in identity.Desire to be a High Level Husband who is on Fire, Free, and Followed? Click the link belowhttps://www.highlevelhusband.com/bmr-blueprint

Welcome to the Via Stoica Podcast, the podcast on Stoicism.In this episode, we look at a passage by Marcus Aurelius from Meditations, Book 5.3, where he reminds himself how to act in the face of criticism and doubt:“If an action or utterance is appropriate, then it's appropriate for you. Don't be put off by other people's comments and criticism. If it's right to say or do it, then it's the right thing for you to do or say.”— Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, Book 5.3The core idea is simple: first judge carefully what is appropriate, then have the courage to act. Marcus points out that other people follow their own impulses and views. Their reactions are not your responsibility. What matters is whether your action aligns with reason, ethics, and your role in the world.This theme runs through Stoicism as a whole. Epictetus emphasizes responsibility for choice, Seneca warns against living for approval, and all three Stoic disciplines come together here. Desire is trained away from praise, Assent is used to judge what is right, and Action is where courage is required to follow through.In practice, this helps when you hesitate to speak honestly, make a difficult decision, or feel shaken by criticism. Ask whether the action is fair and necessary. If it is, do it. Learn from feedback if it is useful, but do not let it define your worth or stop your progress.For more, check out this related article with quotes on Stoic courage:https://viastoica.com/10-epictetus-quotes-on-stoic-courage/And if you're looking for more Stoic sayings, visit viastoica.com, where you'll find hundreds of quotes with full references to the original texts:https://viastoica.com/stoic-quoteshttps://viastoica.com/marcus-aurelius-quoteshttps://viastoica.com/epictetus-quoteshttps://viastoica.com/seneca-quotesMake sure to subscribe for more Stoic Quotes episodes every Friday, as well as our Tuesday interviews and longer discussions.Support the showhttps://viastoica.comhttps://viastoica.com/stoic-life-coachinghttps://viastoica.com/benny-vonckenhttps://x.com/ViaStoicainfo@viastoica.comProduced by: badmic.com

What is your heart's desire? You might hear many different answers to this question such as a loving marriage, a happy family life, a larger home, or a big promotion or raise. But the Apostle Paul was so filled with the love of God that his heart's desire was for the people of Israel to turn to their Messiah and be saved. Does your heart long for the salvation of those that do not know Jesus Christ? Listen as Dr. Barnhouse challenges believers on Dr. Barnhouse and the Bible. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/791/29?v=20251111

Become the Brand Your Customers Feel Great About Have you ever wondered why you are fiercely loyal to certain brands while ignoring others that offer the exact same thing? It's not about the price, and it's rarely about the features. It is about brain physiology and how it interacts with our decisions when it comes to brands. Today, we are diving deep into the science of emotion with Kevin Perlmutter, the pioneering strategist and author of the groundbreaking new book, Brand Desire. Kevin is here to reveal that the secret to business growth isn’t “selling”—it’s “solving.” We are going to explore his “Limbic Sparks” approach, a method rooted in behavioral science that helps you stop chasing customers and start magnetically attracting them. Whether you are leading a Fortune 500 company or building a personal brand, you will learn how to tap into the instinctive, emotional part of the brain that drives our decision-making. In this episode of A New Direction, we are moving beyond the old-school 20th century branding like “Unique Selling Proposition.” Kevin will walk us through his proven “Focus, Connect, Evolve” framework, showing us how to align your business with what people actually care about. We will discuss why traditional marketing language is dead and how you can earn loyalty by making your customers feel seen, heard, and understood. Join us live on A New Direction as we uncover the blind spots in your current strategy. If you are ready to stop shouting into the void and start building a brand that people don’t just buy from—but truly desire—this is a conversation you cannot afford to miss. Kevin Perlmutter’s book, “Brand Desire: Spark Customer Interest Using Emotional Insights” is the absolute essential book for today’s brand leaders.  This is a book that is founded solidly on research both from the brand researchers and his own research working with different companies. For most of us we are still stuck in the 20th century branding ideas of persuasion. We are talking about all the great things about ourselves and what WE THINK we do for the future customer, but here’s the problem…how do your customers feel about your brand.  Because at the end of the day it is all about how they feel about you. This is an important, because as we know we, as humans, do not make logical purchasing decisions, not matter how big or how small.  It also does not matter if you are B2C or B2B, every human makes a decision based on emotions triggered by the limbic system and then justifies it with logic. And Kevin Perlmutter’s book, “Brand Desire” helps solve the problem. Kevin Perlmutter, helps us understand the 3 Steps to creating a brand that resonates with customers and makes them come back for more…Focus, Connect, Evolve.  That is doing the right research asking the right questions, then creating a message that emotionally is in sync with the organization and the customer, and then how you are seen how you are heard, and does the message really something the customer cares about. Amazing book, one that will change you as a brand leader whether you are on a one person show, or a corporation looking to increase profitability. Click here to get your copy of Brand Desire! Linda Craft Team, Realtors for more than 40 years they have been helping people make a life transition.  Wait! What? Think about it, every place you have ever lived has been a transition in your life.  And since 1985 they have been helping people reduce the stress and making that transition easier for thousands of people. Unaffiliated and independently owned and operated they can recommend the best real estate professional to help you sell your home or buy your next home anywhere in the world. That is because they are not attached to a national company, they are attached to what is in your best interest. So before you buy or sell start with the “Legends” at Linda Craft Team.  Just click on over to www.LindaCraft.com Here is the truth: You tune into A New Direction because you want to grow. But consuming content and executing strategy are two different things. If you are leading a company between $5M and $50M and you feel like you are hitting a ceiling, the problem isn't a lack of information. It's likely a “human” bottleneck. I am Coach Jay, a Behavioral Strategist who specializes in fixing the friction that kills profit. I don't just look at your P&L; I look at the psychology of the people driving it. I recently helped a stalled mid-market firm save $3 Million and secure new capital—not by firing people, but by realigning their behavior. Stop guessing. Let's find the millions trapped in your org chart. Reach out for a discreet conversation: 919-369-2121 or visit TheCoachJay.com.

In this episode, the hosts kick things off by unpacking the viral Druski mega-church skit, debating whether the satire crosses the line or simply holds up an uncomfortable mirror. Then, the hosts dive into this weeks book, Francine's Spectacular Crash and Burn by Renéé Swindle. This is a novel about grief, longing, and the chaos that follows when good intentions collide with poor boundaries. The ladies walk through the story of Francine Stevenson, unpacking her relationships, her unraveling sense of self, and the complicated choices that turn connection into consequence.The discussion includes how grief can blur judgment, how desire can masquerade as healing, and how self-deception often feels like survival. Along the way, they talk about healing through connection, emotional avoidance, abuse, and what accountability looks like when harm isn't intentional but still very real. Grounded in humor and honesty, this episode reflects Fake Ass Book Club at its core: thoughtful conversation, real reactions, and space to hold empathy and critique at the same time. Cheers*

Joanne Urioste is a powerhouse in Red Rocks climbing history, and we had her on the podcast to share stories from her recently published memoir, “Collages of Rock & Desire.” Her book is a detailed catalogue of the climbing legacy she shares with her husband George Urioste, including the creation of iconic multi pitch climbs like Epinephrine, Levitation 29, A Dream of Wild Turkeys, and many others. The book is also a detailed account of gear innovations and changing climbing ethics through the ‘70s and 80's—from swami belts and belay plates, to early adoption of nuts and frontpointing on ice, and adding a run-out bolt here and there to connect discontinuous cracks and make many climbs possible on Red Rocks soaring faces. In the interview, we dive into all of this, plus Joanne and George's wild love story, managing fear on lead, and climbing as a metaphor for life. You can find a copy of Joanne Urioste's book on Amazon.

Nikki joins Our Story to talk about Genesis 3 provides the paradigm of see, desire, take provides an understanding sin throughout the whole Bible. Hunter and Nikki discuss the unexpected ways that they've seen this paradigm contribute todamage in their own lives and in the lives of those in our Bible. They talk about how Genesis 3 is darker, trippier, and frankly more devastating than we give it credit for, how nothing in creation is left untouched because of death, how land factors into Cain's decision to murder his brother, the gift of life thatJesus gives us, and the role that honesty plays in our sin. Hunter and Nikki also discuss optometry, the “Eden” name of the fruit in Genesis 3, and some sad stuff.For the next episode, make sure you have read Genesis12:1-9; 15; 17, and Galatians 3:6-9. And as always, if you want to leave a voice memo with any questions, comments, or reflections, you can do that right here or email Hunter at hbabcock@coastline.family

Louwrien Wijers is beeldend kunstenaar en schrijver. Ze is sinds eind jaren '60 actief als kunstenaar. In 1990 initieerde ze 'Art meets Science and Spirituality in a Changing Economy', een conferentie waarin ze sprak met grote denkers. Recenter maakte ze 'Tomorrow's Language'. Vorig jaar ontving Wijers de Gerrit Benner-prijs voor haar toonaangevende bijdrage aan de beeldende kunst in Friesland en nu staat ze in het Fries Museum met haar solotentoonstelling ‘We live in language'. In de tentoonstelling wordt een overzicht geschetst van haar oeuvre, inclusief nooit eerder getoond werk. Ook is haar werk te bezichtigen tijdens de tentoonstelling ‘Urning & Urningin. Language and Desire since 1864', in kunstgalerie Nest. Femke van der Laan gaat met Louwrien Wijers in gesprek.

Wednesday evening message from Pastor Jonathan Barber. January 21, 2026

“When Mercy No Longer Hides Rebellion”Teacher: Kerry BattleAhava ~ Love AssemblyThis Torah-based teaching examines Psalms 106 and 107 as covenant court records documenting Israel's response to law already given.Psalm 106 records repeated rebellion under mercy.Psalm 107 records restoration after affliction.These Psalms do not introduce new instruction.They expose how Israel behaved after instruction was made plain.This lesson moves from covenant indictment to covenant restoration and concludes with wisdom that separates obedience from presumption.This is not encouragement.This is accountability.WHAT WE COVER IN THIS MESSAGE1. Praise Under Law, Not EmotionPsalm 106:1–5Israel praises Yahuah, but blessing is defined by obedience, not expression. Covenant favor is requested, not assumed. Worship is governed by righteousness.2. Deliverance Without ApprovalPsalm 106:6–12Israel is delivered for Yahuah's Name's sake, not because of righteousness. Mercy reveals Yahuah's character, not Israel's standing.3. Desire, Authority, and Internal JudgmentPsalm 106:13–18Unsubmitted desire exposes rejection of counsel. Authority is challenged. Judgment follows. Appetite without restraint produces leanness of soul.4. Intercession Delays Judgment, It Does Not Redefine ObediencePsalm 106:19–23Idolatry provokes destruction. Intercession intervenes. Judgment is delayed, not dismissed. Survival does not equal approval.5. Fear Hardened Into RefusalPsalm 106:24–27Unbelief becomes rebellion. Delay becomes refusal. Judgment is sworn when trust is rejected repeatedly.6. Action That Preserves Life and Cycles That Destroy ItPsalm 106:28–43Righteous action halts death. Repeated compromise sustains cycles. Mercy returns, rebellion repeats.7. Restoration Under GovernancePsalm 107:1–42Those delivered must testify, give thanks, and change conduct. Crying out without transformation perpetuates distress. Increase tests obedience.8. Wisdom Separates After ClarityPsalm 107:43Hearing without obedience now establishes guilt. Wisdom closes the record.WHY THIS MESSAGE MATTERSMercy has been mistaken for approval.Deliverance has been used to excuse disobedience.Hearing has replaced obedience.Psalms 106 and 107 correct this disorder.These Psalms establish that mercy increases responsibility, intercession delays judgment without redefining obedience, and continued rebellion after clarity is no longer ignorance but refusal.Covenant memory does not comfort.It testifies.SCRIPTURE REFERENCES FOR STUDYPsalms 106–107Exodus 32; Exodus 34Numbers 11; Numbers 14; Numbers 16; Numbers 25Deuteronomy 1; Deuteronomy 8; Deuteronomy 10; Deuteronomy 30Judges 2Proverbs 11; Proverbs 13; Proverbs 24; Proverbs 26Ecclesiastes 3Ezekiel 18; Ezekiel 22; Ezekiel 33Isaiah 43; Isaiah 55Matthew 7John 5Romans 9; Romans 13Galatians 6Hebrews 3; Hebrews 10James 1Jude 1Every section is taught precept upon precept.ABOUT AHAVA ~ LOVE ASSEMBLYWe teach the Pure Word of Yahuah.No religion.No tradition.No compromise.Our teaching follows the Sovereign Blueprint:Law | Precept | Example | Wisdom | Understanding | Prudence | Conviction | Fruit of the Ruach | Final Heart CheckSUPPORT THE WORK — GIVE VIA ZELLEZelle QR at: ahavaloveministry.comZelle only.No CashApp.No PayPal.FINAL WORDYahuah remembers His covenant.Rebellion is recorded.Mercy opens a path of return.Wisdom establishes separation.Psalms 106 and 107 govern accountability after mercy has been revealed.Final Heart Check:Now that covenant clarity has been given, will your response show obedience and adjustment, or will it repeat what has already been judged?

Hometown Radio 01/21/26 5p: Dr. James Armstead explains President Trump's desire for Greenland

In this episode, I sit down with Shannon Watts to talk about something so many parents and caregivers quietly wrestle with, how to stay fired up in the middle of responsibility, burnout, and the weight of shoulds. Shannon is the founder of Moms Demand Action and the author of Fired Up, and our conversation goes far beyond advocacy. We talk about identity, purpose, and what happens when women are taught to put obligation ahead of desire for most of their lives. This episode is about what it looks like to reconnect with yourself, not by blowing up your life, but by getting honest about what matters. Topics we cover include: Why so many women are taught to fulfill obligations before desires How guilt, fear, and perfectionism drain motivation The difference between purpose and being purposeful Imposter syndrome and fear of public failure Parenting, fulfillment, and modeling self trust for kids Community as a key part of sustainable change Why wanting more does not mean you are ungrateful To connect with Shannon Watts follow her on Instagram @shannonrwatts, check out all her resources at https://shannonwatts.org/home/ and buy her book “Fired Up” https://www.firedupbook.com/.  00:00 – Choosing Hope Over Cynicism 00:38 – Why This Conversation Matters Right Now 01:31 – Meet Shannon Watts 02:55 – Staying Fired Up Without Burning Out 03:36 – Leaving California and Finding Community 05:55 – Talking Across Differences 07:17 – Why Women Feel Stuck in Obligation 08:35 – The Moment Everything Changed 10:22 – Desire vs Obligation 12:45 – It Is Never Too Late 15:13 – Rethinking Legacy and Guilt 18:06 – What Kids Really Learn From Us 20:12 – Losing Forward and Redefining Failure 23:21 – Handling Blowback and Shame 25:27 – Imposter Syndrome and Being the First 27:59 – Values, Abilities, and Desires 32:18 – Finding Your People 37:22 – Parenting, Purpose, and Modeling Fire 40:48 – The First Step to Living on Fire 42:51 – Final Reflections Our podcasts are also now on YouTube. If you prefer a video podcast with closed captioning, check us out there and ⁠subscribe to PedsDocTalk⁠. Get trusted pediatric advice, relatable parenting insights, and evidence-based tips delivered straight to your inbox—join thousands of parents who rely on the PDT newsletter to stay informed, supported, and confident. ⁠⁠⁠⁠Join the newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠! And don't forget to follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠@pedsdoctalkpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Instagram—our new space just for parents looking for real talk and real support. We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on the ⁠PedsDocTalk Podcast Sponsorships⁠ page of the website.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Asad Haider, the political theorist and philosopher, whose book critiquing identity politics from a (non-class-reductive) leftist perspective, Mistaken Identity: Mass Movements and Racial Ideology remains a powerful contribution and who was on AEWCH 26, died suddenly in December of last year.I've reproduced that episode as AEWCH 314*, with a new introduction. To plant a tree in Asad's memory, go here.To support the show, go to patreon.com/connerhabib

Most of us were never actually taught how to understand our own sexuality. In this episode, we're joined by Tash Doherty, author and sexuality advocate behind Misseducated, to talk about what it really means to become shamelessly sexy. We get into unlearning bad sex education, reconnecting with desire, and why curiosity, reflection, and self-knowledge are foundational to confidence and pleasure. We Cover: Why most of us are still “miseducated” about sex. Tash breaks down the gaps in traditional sex education and how they shape shame, confusion, and silence. How shame disconnects us from desire. Why feeling awkward, guilty, or “behind” is incredibly common and not a personal failure. What it actually means to be shamelessly sexy. Moving beyond performative confidence and into self-trust, curiosity, and ownership. The role of self-reflection in sexual confidence. Why understanding your own patterns, turn-ons, and boundaries changes everything. How journaling can transform your relationship with sex. Tash shares how intentional reflection helps women access desire, clarity, and agency. Why desire changes and how to work with it. Normalizing libido shifts and learning to stay connected to pleasure across life stages. How to build a healthier relationship with your body. Tools for getting out of comparison and back into embodied experience. Creating space for pleasure without pressure. Why slowing down and listening to yourself is more effective than “trying harder.” What women actually need more of in sex education. And why access to better tools leads to better relationships, communication, and confidence. Connect With Tash: Misseducated The Intimacy Journal  These Perfectly Careless Things Website Connect with Us: ⁠⁠Looking to apply these tips to your REAL life? Schedule a FREE 1:1 strategy session with Cass & Em to see if coaching can support you.⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Get Honeydew Me Merch HERE!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join our Patreon and access exclusive content HERE! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This episode explores how subconscious beliefs and emotional patterns influence health, well-being, longevity, and the desire to fully live — and how healing those patterns can transform life itself. What if life itself isn't "too hard" — but unresolved subconscious patterns make it feel that way? In this powerful Quick IQ episode, Brandy Gillmore responds to a thoughtful listener question about life, longevity, death, and the subconscious mind — and gently pivots the conversation toward something far more empowering: loving life, wanting to live, longevity, and feeling deeply connected to being here. Drawing from decades of mind-body healing work, Brandy explains how subtle subconscious beliefs can quietly influence emotional health, physical well-being, and even longevity — often without conscious awareness. In this episode, you'll discover: How subconscious links such as "good people die young" or "you'll miss me when I'm gone" or even "wanting to die for others", can form — and why they matter Why the desire to live is often shaped at a subconscious level How emotional patterns like self-sacrifice, fear, loss, or unworthiness can affect the body Why life itself often isn't the problem — unhealed patterns are How clearing subconscious patterns can completely change how life feels Brandy also shares personal insight from her own life-changing injury — including how rewiring her subconscious mind didn't just help her heal physically, but helped her fall deeply back in love with life. This episode isn't about fear or negativity. It's about awareness, empowerment, and possibility. ✨ When emotional patterns heal, life can feel lighter✨ When the mind shifts, the body can respond✨ When you genuinely love your life, it can fuel health and longevity Brandy explains why learning to work with your mind is a skill — much like learning any other — and how greater understanding makes healing, growth, and transformation more natural over time. If you've ever felt like life was heavy…If you've noticed repeating emotional or health patterns…Or if you're curious about how the subconscious mind truly influences healing and longevity… This episode offers compassionate insight and mind-expanding insights! Do you want to see proof of the power of the mind in a medical journal? Here's a demonstration of Brandy Gillmore working with volunteers under medical equipment, as featured in a medical journal. Free Resources and Frequently Asked Questions  Q: How can I heal myself from chronic pain or illness?

Are outside forces squashing what you know? Being the leader of your own life is imperative to creating a different future here on the planet. In this episode of Choice, Change and Action, Simone Milasas talks with Megan Hill about being the leader of your own life and future, and how empowering people to know that they have choice will change the world. What if there is nothing that you cannot create? What kind of life would you like to create? What kind of future would you like to be a part of? Be strong with who you are and what you know, and never give up on the world you desire. Be magic, miracles and chaos!   Gary Douglas Quote Look for Allowance of you, as YOU and NO point of view. When you have no point of view, you can BE anything. When you can be anything, you can DO anything. When you can do anything, you can HAVE anything. When you can have anything, you can CREATE anything. When you can create anything you can create a different world. ~ Gary Douglas   Questions And Tools: "What else is possible? What else can I choose?" "What would actually really work for me?" "What can I be with this?" "Who can I reach out to?" "Where can I contribute energy that will create the greatest change?" "What allowance can I be with this?" "What possibilities are available that we have not yet explored?" "What is the lie, spoken or unspoken?" As Mentioned In This Episode: Leaders of the Future YouTube video: https://youtu.be/bgnJ3GjLrrk?si=emQ_qqqkf9LHyd6b  Leadership of the Future Series: https://www.accessconsciousness.com/en/class-catalog/access-special-classes/leaders-of-the-future/leaders-of-the-future---series_639030604965358440/details  The Leaders of the Future, 2018 with Gary Douglas: https://www.accessconsciousness.com/en/dashboard/media/video-on-demand  Convergence of Possibilities: https://shop.drdainheer.com/convergence  Useful Links: The Clearing Statement explained Access Consciousness Website Choice, Change & Action Podcast Instagram Follow Simone Milasas Simone's Website Simone's Instagram Simone's Facebook Simone's YouTube Simone's Telegram Simone's Contact Email  Follow Megan Hill Megan's Website Megan's Instagram Megan's Facebook Follow Trystan Hill Trystan's Instagram Play with Simone Milasas The Profit Club membership Getting Out of Debt Joyfully Taking Action online video course All Upcoming Classes with Simone Past Class Recordings  

In this Q&A episode of Intimate Judaism, we respond to honest questions about desire, restraint, identity, mental health, and intimacy within Jewish life. We touch on topics including bisexuality, workplace boundaries, what is permitted within marital intimacy, postpartum depression and low desire, shmirat einayim, and even whether leaving the lights on matters. Throughout, we focus on integrating emotional well-being with halachic integrity, rather than shame or self-erasure.

Episode Notes Themes: anxiety, intimacy issues, overwhelm __ If you are consistently overwhelmed or anxious, it will be harder to tap into your sexual desire - especially if you have responsive desire. Let's talk about the benefits of adding more negative space (or "blank space") to your daily routine. Want More? Schedule a 15-minute consultation for sex therapy in Atlanta, GA Follow @myintimacytherapist on Instagram Read more or download free resources on my website: myintimacytherapist.com

Andrea Simon, author of the novel “Did You Have the Life You Wanted?,” invites us to consider how our choices, desires and personal histories affect the way we feel about our lives.

Learn about why sexual intimacy fades in long-term marriage and what's really happening beneath the surface. | “Desire doesn't just disappear—it goes quiet when it doesn't feel safe to speak.” —Alisa DiLorenzo Is it really possible to rekindle the spark and restore the “like-new” connection in your marriage? Yes it is! In the 6 Pillars of Intimacy, you will discover secrets that have transformed countless marriages. Its ideas are simple, practical, and powerful. You'll be inspired to look at your marriage through a new lens and be encouraged by its commonsense approach. Alisa and Tony DiLorenzo's proven approach to building intimacy in marriage will help you experience deeper and richer levels of intimacy with your spouse – starting today. Click HERE to get your copy today! Links from today's episode: Join Intimacy Mastery Today Apply for Coaching With Alisa Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Host Evie Stokes talks to KEXP Music Director Chris Sanley about Hemi Hemingway’s new song "Oh, My Albertine" from the upcoming album Wings of Desire, out on Feb. 20 via PNKSLM Recordings. Produced by Lilly Ana Fowler Mastered by: William Myers Production support: Serafima Healy Associate Director of Editorial: Dusty Henry Listen to the full songs on KEXP's "In Our Headphones" playlist on Spotify or the “What's In Our Headphones” playlist on YouTube. Support the podcast: kexp.org/headphones Contact us at headphones@kexp.org.Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Best of You Every Day. Today's Scripture is: Mark 10:46–52 Go Deeper: Read the first three chapters of The Best of You and download a free PDF workbook here. Sign up⁠ for Dr. Alison's free weekly email for ongoing reflection and support. While Dr. Cook is a counselor, the content of this podcast and any of the products provided by Dr. Cook are not specific counseling advice nor are they a substitute for individual counseling. The content and products provided on this podcast are for informational purposes only.‍ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Zach sits down with Courtney and Nathan Boyer, a couple married for over twenty years, parenting three kids, and living overseas on a U.S. military base in Germany. Courtney and Nathan share the story of a major turning point in their marriage—when Courtney asked to open the relationship after years of suppressing her needs, identity, and desire. Raised in a strict religious culture, Courtney explains how she spent much of her marriage prioritizing her husband's career and her role as a mother, slowly becoming resentful and disconnected from herself. Nathan, a military physician, reflects on how his drive for achievement and constant “next step” mindset left him unaware of how much was being lost along the way. The couple walks through the six-month conversation that followed Courtney's request—marked by resistance, fear, patience, and an honest willingness to walk away if they couldn't find a way forward together. Nathan shares what it was like to realize he is deeply monogamous at his core, while Courtney names polyamory as an essential part of her identity rather than a lifestyle choice. They also talk candidly about shame, public backlash, parenting through non-traditional choices, and the surprising ways opening the relationship strengthened their emotional and sexual connection. Throughout the conversation, Zach highlights the importance of long-form conversations, adult responsibility, and the courage it takes to renegotiate a marriage rather than quietly disappear inside it. This episode is a nuanced, human look at love, consent, identity, and what it means to grow without abandoning one another. Key Takeaways Long-term marriages go through distinct cycles tied to life stages, not just emotions Suppressing needs often leads to resentment, not stability Identity shifts don't happen overnight—they require long conversations Consent includes the real option to walk away Monogamy and polyamory can coexist in one marriage with clarity and care Erotic energy and trust can grow through expansion, not just exclusivity Adult relationships require ongoing renegotiation, not silent endurance Guest Info Courtney Boyer Relationship coach, author, and creator behind The Monopoly Couple. Courtney writes and speaks about identity, desire, religious conditioning, and non-traditional relationships. Website: https://www.courtneyboyercoaching.com/ Book: Opened (launching February 17)https://www.courtneyboyercoaching.com/store/p/opened Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themonopolycouple/ Nathan Boyer Military physician and longtime partner to Courtney.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Suzanne Roberts is the author of the lyrical essay collection Animal Bodies: On Death, Desire, and Other Difficulties (Longlisted for the 2023 PEN/Diamonstein-Spielvogel Award for the Art of the Essay),​ the award-winning travel memoir in essays Bad Tourist: Misadventures in Love and Travel (2020), and the memoir Almost Somewhere: Twenty-Eight Days on the John Muir Trail (Winner of the 2012 National Outdoor Book Award), as well as four collections of poems. Named "The Next Great Travel Writer" by National Geographic's Traveler, Suzanne's work has been listed as notable in Best American Essays and included in The Best Women's Travel Writing. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, CNN, Creative Nonfiction, Brevity, The Rumpus, Hippocampus, The Normal School, River Teeth, and elsewhere. She holds a doctorate in literature and the environment from the University of Nevada-Reno, teaches in the low residency MFA program in creative writing at UNR-Lake Tahoe, and lives in South Lake Tahoe.                   Guest Links- Publishers site for Almost Somewhere- Almost Somewhere - University of Nebraska Press Suzanne's site - Home Suzanne on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/suzanneroberts28/ Suzanne on Facebook - Suzanne Roberts Suzanne on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/suzanne-roberts-083ab962/ Purchase books - Order Signed Copies Connect with Anna, aka Mud Butt, at info@traildames.com You can find the Trail Dames at: Our website: https://www.traildames.com The Summit: https://www.traildamessummit.com The Trail Dames Foundation: https://www.tdcharitablefoundation.org Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/traildames/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/traildames/ Hiking Radio Network: https://hikingradionetwork.com/ Hiking Radio Network on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hikingradionetwork/ Music provided for this Podcast by The Burns Sisters "Dance Upon This Earth" https://www.theburnssisters.com

Have you ever felt guilty for wanting things to be easier at your school... and then immediately felt selfish for wanting these things? What does it truly mean to experience luxury as a school leader?   In part two of the Leadership Luxury Series, I explore the idea that luxury isn't about having all the things at your fingertips. It's about the energetic experience you have as a human walking on your campus, feeling proud of who you are, what you stand for, and the commitment of your teachers and students.   Tune in this week to hear why we feel shame around our desire for luxury and how to reclaim the luxury that's already in your life. You'll learn how to hold the duality of luxury, which means embracing both the good and the balance that comes with it. This episode will help you expand your capacity to receive the luxuries you already have while creating space for new ones.   Find the full episode show notes and transcript, click here: https://angelakellycoaching.com/421   Keep up with me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/akellycoaching/

2025 Album Clubs come from the land where the mullet attacks: Sabaton's Swedish concept album Carolus Rex, Hatebreed's hardcore benchmark Satisfaction is the Death of Desire, Visigoth's dungeon-keeping The Revenant King, and Family Force 5 give us Business Up Front/Party in the Back.This episode was originally published January 2025 on patreon.com/thatsnotmetal.

In this episode of The Daily Mastermind with George Wright III, George kicks off the week by exploring how to change your reality and create the life you were meant to live. Drawing from the first three chapters of Napoleon Hill's timeless classic, Think and Grow Rich, this episode breaks down the core success principles of desire, faith, and auto-suggestion.George explains how to develop a burning desire that fuels achievement, why faith is a decisive and trainable state of mind, and how auto-suggestion can reprogram your subconscious to align your thoughts with your goals. You'll also learn why writing down and consistently reciting your goals—as if they've already been achieved—is a powerful habit for personal and financial success.This motivating episode sets the foundation for upcoming discussions on specialized knowledge, imagination, and organized planning.Perfect for listeners interested in:Personal development • Success mindset • Goal setting • Think and Grow Rich • Mental conditioning • Wealth principlesEpisode Timeline:00:49 – The Power of Think and Grow Rich01:19 – Overview of the First Three Chapters02:17 – Understanding Desire and Its Role in Success06:12 – The Importance of Faith08:12 – Harnessing Auto-SuggestionYou have GREATNESS inside you. I BELIEVE in You. Let's Make Today the Day You Unleash Your Potential!George Wright IIICEO, The Daily Mastermind | Evolution X_________________________________________________________P.S. Whenever you're ready, here are ways I can help you…Get to know me:1. Subscribe to The Daily Mastermind Podcast- daily inspiration, motivation, education2. Follow me on social media: Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | TikTok | YouTube3. Grow Your Authority and Personal Brand with a FREE Interview in a Top Global Magazine HERE.

Topics: Brian's parental advice, baby Cooper is the youngest person to go to all 7 continents, traveling with kids, Brian's polar plunge in Antarctica, Tay's fear of sharks, 2026 travel trends, the best use of credit card points and resources for transferring points, Brian's 2026 travel plansSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Trump is beyond the pale when it comes to his desire to own Greenland. We break down what that means. Anti ICE protesters invade local church. Johnny Boy with the news. 2 downtown St. Paul hotels suspending operationsDOJ investigating protest at St. Paul church Sunday morningTrump escalates Greenland standoff with allies, linking it to perceived Nobel Peace Prize snubSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of The Mental Healness Podcast, Lee Hammock explores the complex and often devastating relationship between Narcissistic Personality Disorder and pornography addiction.We dive into the concept of Object Constancy—the inability to maintain an emotional connection when a partner isn't physically present—and how this drives narcissists toward the instant, low-effort supply found in digital adult content.Key Discussion Points:Why porn provides a 'safe' space for narcissists who fear true intimacy.The role of Splitting in addiction: The 'Perfect' digital image vs. the 'Flawed' real-life partner.How this addiction manifests as a form of covert betrayal and gaslighting within the home.Steps toward awareness and breaking the cycle of objectification.Stay Aware. Stay Healed.Connect with Lee:My Courses: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://courses.mentalhealness.net⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 1-on-1 Coaching Calls: ⁠⁠⁠https://link.me/mentalhealness⁠⁠⁠All My Link: ⁠⁠⁠https://beacons.page/mentalhealness ⁠⁠⁠Follow on Instagram/TikTok: @mentalhealnesss

What if the most transformative thing you can do for your writing craft and author business is to face what you fear? How can you can find gold in your Shadow in the year ahead? In this episode, I share chapters from Writing the Shadow: Turn Your Inner Darkness Into Words. In the intro, curated book boxes from Bridgerton's Julia Quinn; Google's agentic shopping, and powering Apple's Siri; ChatGPT Ads; and Claude CoWork. Balancing Certainty and Uncertainty [MoonShots with Tony Robbins]; and three trends for authors with me and Orna Ross [Self-Publishing with ALLi Podcast]; plus, Bones of the Deep, Business for Authors, and Indie Author Lab. This show is supported by my Patrons. Join my Community at Patreon.com/thecreativepenn  Joanna Penn writes non-fiction for authors and is an award-winning, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of thrillers, dark fantasy, and memoir as J.F. Penn. She's also an award-winning podcaster, creative entrepreneur, and international professional speaker. What is the Shadow? The ‘creative wound' and the Shadow in writing The Shadow in traditional publishing The Shadow in self-publishing or being an indie author The Shadow in work The Shadow in money You can find Writing the Shadow in all formats on all stores, as well as special edition, workbook and bundles at www.TheCreativePenn.com/shadowbook Writing the Shadow: Turn Your Inner Darkness Into Words The following chapters are excerpted from Writing the Shadow: Turn Your Inner Darkness Into Words by Joanna Penn. Introduction. What is the Shadow? “How can I be substantial if I do not cast a shadow? I must have a dark side also if I am to be whole.” —C.G. Jung, Modern Man in Search of a Soul We all have a Shadow side and it is the work of a lifetime to recognise what lies within and spin that base material into gold. Think of it as a seedling in a little pot that you're given when you're young. It's a bit misshapen and weird, not something you would display in your living room, so you place it in a dark corner of the basement. You don't look at it for years. You almost forget about it. Then one day you notice tendrils of something wild poking up through the floorboards. They're ugly and don't fit with your Scandi-minimalist interior design. You chop the tendrils away and pour weedkiller on what's left, trying to hide the fact that they were ever there. But the creeping stems keep coming. At some point, you know you have to go down there and face the wild thing your seedling has become. When you eventually pluck up enough courage to go down into the basement, you discover that the plant has wound its roots deep into the foundations of your home. Its vines weave in and out of the cracks in the walls, and it has beautiful flowers and strange fruit. It holds your world together. Perhaps you don't need to destroy the wild tendrils. Perhaps you can let them wind up into the light and allow their rich beauty to weave through your home. It will change the look you have so carefully cultivated, but maybe that's just what the place needs. The Shadow in psychology Carl Gustav Jung was a Swiss psychologist and the founder of analytical psychology. He described the Shadow as an unconscious aspect of the human personality, those parts of us that don't match up to what is expected of us by family and society, or to our own ideals. The Shadow is not necessarily evil or illegal or immoral, although of course it can be. It's also not necessarily caused by trauma, abuse, or any other severely damaging event, although again, it can be. It depends on the individual. What is in your Shadow is based on your life and your experiences, as well as your culture and society, so it will be different for everyone. Psychologist Connie Zweig, in The Inner Work of Age, explains, “The Shadow is that part of us that lies beneath or behind the light of awareness. It contains our rejected, unacceptable traits and feelings. It contains our hidden gifts and talents that have remained unexpressed or unlived. As Jung put it, the essence of the Shadow is pure gold.” To further illustrate the concept, Robert Bly, in A Little Book on the Human Shadow,uses the following metaphor: “When we are young, we carry behind us an invisible bag, into which we stuff any feelings, thoughts, or behaviours that bring disapproval or loss of love—anger, tears, neediness, laziness. By the time we go to school, our bags are already a mile long. In high school, our peer groups pressure us to stuff the bags with even more—individuality, sexuality, spontaneity, different opinions. We spend our life until we're twenty deciding which parts of ourselves to put into the bag and we spend the rest of our lives trying to get them out again.” As authors, we can use what's in the ‘bag' to enrich our writing — but only if we can access it. My intention with this book is to help you venture into your Shadow and bring some of what's hidden into the light and into your words. I'll reveal aspects of my Shadow in these pages but ultimately, this book is about you. Your Shadow is unique. There may be elements we share, but much will be different. Each chapter has questions for you to consider that may help you explore at least the edges of your Shadow, but it's not easy. As Jung said, “One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light, but by making the darkness conscious. The latter procedure, however, is disagreeable and therefore not popular.” But take heart, Creative. You don't need courage when things are easy. You need it when you know what you face will be difficult, but you do it anyway. We are authors. We know how to do hard things. We turn ideas into books. We manifest thoughts into ink on paper. We change lives with our writing. First, our own, then other people's. It's worth the effort to delve into Shadow, so I hope you will join me on the journey. The creative wound and the Shadow in writing “Whatever pain you can't get rid of, make it your creative offering.” —Susan Cain, Bittersweet  The more we long for something, the more extreme our desire, the more likely it is to have a Shadow side. For those of us who love books, the author life may well be a long-held dream and thus, it is filled with Shadow. Books have long been objects of desire, power, and authority. They hold a mythic status in our lives. We escaped into stories as children; we studied books at school and college; we read them now for escape and entertainment, education and inspiration. We collect beautiful books to put on our shelves. We go to them for solace and answers to the deepest questions of life. Writers are similarly held in high esteem. They shape culture, win literary prizes, give important speeches, and are quoted in the mainstream media. Their books are on the shelves in libraries and bookstores. Writers are revered, held up as rare, talented creatures made separate from us by their brilliance and insight. For bibliophile children, books were everything and to write one was a cherished dream. To become an author? Well, that would mean we might be someone special, someone worthy. Perhaps when you were young, you thought the dream of being a writer was possible — then you told someone about it. That's probably when you heard the first criticism of such a ridiculous idea, the first laughter, the first dismissal. So you abandoned the dream, pushed the idea of being a writer into the Shadow, and got on with your life. Or if it wasn't then, it came later, when you actually put pen to paper and someone — a parent, teacher, partner, or friend, perhaps even a literary agent or publisher, someone whose opinion you valued — told you it was worthless. Here are some things you might have heard: Writing is a hobby. Get a real job. You're not good enough. You don't have any writing talent. You don't have enough education. You don't know what you're doing. Your writing is derivative / unoriginal / boring / useless / doesn't make sense. The genre you write in is dead / worthless / unacceptable / morally wrong / frivolous / useless.  Who do you think you are? No one would want to read what you write. You can't even use proper grammar, so how could you write a whole book? You're wasting your time. You'll never make it as a writer. You shouldn't write those things (or even think about those things). Why don't you write something nice? Insert other derogatory comment here! Mark Pierce describes the effect of this experience in his book The Creative Wound, which “occurs when an event, or someone's actions or words, pierce you, causing a kind of rift in your soul. A comment—even offhand and unintentional—is enough to cause one.” He goes on to say that such words can inflict “damage to the core of who we are as creators. It is an attack on our artistic identity, resulting in us believing that whatever we make is somehow tainted or invalid, because shame has convinced us there is something intrinsically tainted or invalid about ourselves.” As adults, we might brush off such wounds, belittling them as unimportant in the grand scheme of things. We might even find ourselves saying the same words to other people. After all, it's easier to criticise than to create. But if you picture your younger self, bright eyed as you lose yourself in your favourite book, perhaps you might catch a glimpse of what you longed for before your dreams were dashed on the rocks of other people's reality. As Mark Pierce goes on to say, “A Creative Wound has the power to delay our pursuits—sometimes for years—and it can even derail our lives completely… Anything that makes us feel ashamed of ourselves or our work can render us incapable of the self-expression we yearn for.” This is certainly what happened to me, and it took decades to unwind. Your creative wounds will differ to mine but perhaps my experience will help you explore your own. To be clear, your Shadow may not reside in elements of horror as mine do, but hopefully you can use my example to consider where your creative wounds might lie. “You shouldn't write things like that.” It happened at secondary school around 1986 or 1987, so I would have been around eleven or twelve years old. English was one of my favourite subjects and the room we had our lessons in looked out onto a vibrant garden. I loved going to that class because it was all about books, and they were always my favourite things. One day, we were asked to write a story. I can't remember the specifics of what the teacher asked us to write, but I fictionalised a recurring nightmare. I stood in a dark room. On one side, my mum and my brother, Rod, were tied up next to a cauldron of boiling oil, ready to be thrown in. On the other side, my dad and my little sister, Lucy, were threatened with decapitation by men with machetes. I had to choose who would die. I always woke up, my heart pounding, before I had to choose. Looking back now, it clearly represented an internal conflict about having to pick sides between the two halves of my family. Not an unexpected issue from a child of divorce. Perhaps these days, I might have been sent to the school counsellor, but it was the eighties and I don't think we even had such a thing. Even so, the meaning of the story isn't the point. It was the reaction to it that left scars. “You shouldn't write things like that,” my teacher said, and I still remember her look of disappointment, even disgust. Certainly judgment. She said my writing was too dark. It wasn't a proper story. It wasn't appropriate for the class. As if horrible things never happened in stories — or in life. As if literature could not include dark tales. As if the only acceptable writing was the kind she approved of. We were taught The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie that year, which says a lot about the type of writing considered appropriate. Or perhaps the issue stemmed from the school motto, “So hateth she derknesse,” from Chaucer's The Legend of Good Women: “For fear of night, so she hates the darkness.” I had won a scholarship to a private girls' school, and their mission was to turn us all into proper young ladies. Horror was never on the curriculum. Perhaps if my teacher had encouraged me to write my darkness back then, my nightmares would have dissolved on the page. Perhaps if we had studied Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, or H.P. Lovecraft stories, or Bram Stoker's Dracula, I could have embraced the darker side of literature earlier in my life. My need to push darker thoughts into my Shadow was compounded by my (wonderful) mum's best intentions. We were brought up on the principles of The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale and she tried to shield me and my brother from anything harmful or horrible. We weren't allowed to watch TV much, and even the British school drama Grange Hill was deemed inappropriate. So much of what I've achieved is because my mum instilled in me a “can do” attitude that anything is possible. I'm so grateful to her for that. (I love you, Mum!) But all that happy positivity, my desire to please her, to be a good girl, to make my teachers proud, and to be acceptable to society, meant that I pushed my darker thoughts into Shadow. They were inappropriate. They were taboo. They must be repressed, kept secret, and I must be outwardly happy and positive at all times. You cannot hold back the darkness “The night is dark and full of terrors.” —George R.R. Martin, A Storm of Swords It turned out that horror was on the curriculum, much of it in the form of educational films we watched during lessons. In English Literature, we watched Romeo drink poison and Juliet stab herself in Zeffirelli's Romeo and Juliet. In Religious Studies, we watched Jesus beaten, tortured, and crucified in The Greatest Story Ever Told, and learned of the variety of gruesome ways that Christian saints were martyred. In Classical Civilisation, we watched gladiators slaughter each other in Spartacus. In Sex Education at the peak of the AIDS crisis in the mid-'80s, we were told of the many ways we could get infected and die. In History, we studied the Holocaust with images of skeletal bodies thrown into mass graves, medical experiments on humans, and grainy videos of marching soldiers giving the Nazi salute. One of my first overseas school field trips was to the World War I battlegrounds of Flanders Fields in Belgium, where we studied the inhuman conditions of the trenches, walked through mass graves, and read war poetry by candlelight. As John McCrae wrote: We are the Dead. Short days agoWe lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,Loved and were loved, and now we lie, In Flanders fields. Did the teachers not realise how deeply a sensitive teenager might feel the darkness of that place? Or have I always been unusual in that places of blood echo deep inside me? And the horrors kept coming. We lived in Bristol, England back then and I learned at school how the city had been part of the slave trade, its wealth built on the backs of people stolen from their homes, sold, and worked to death in the colonies. I had been at school for a year in Malawi, Africa and imagined the Black people I knew drowning, being beaten, and dying on those ships. In my teenage years, the news was filled with ethnic cleansing, mass rape, and massacres during the Balkan wars, and images of bodies hacked apart during the Rwandan genocide. Evil committed by humans against other humans was not a historical aberration. I'm lucky and I certainly acknowledge my privilege. Nothing terrible or horrifying has happened to me — but bad things certainly happen to others. I wasn't bullied or abused. I wasn't raped or beaten or tortured. But you don't have to go through things to be afraid of them, and for your imagination to conjure the possibility of them. My mum doesn't read my fiction now as it gives her nightmares (Sorry, Mum!). I know she worries that somehow she's responsible for my darkness, but I've had a safe and (mostly) happy life, for which I'm truly grateful. But the world is not an entirely safe and happy place, and for a sensitive child with a vivid imagination, the world is dark and scary. It can be brutal and violent, and bad things happen, even to good people. No parent can shield their child from the reality of the world. They can only help them do their best to live in it, develop resilience, and find ways to deal with whatever comes. Story has always been a way that humans have used to learn how to live and deal with difficult times. The best authors, the ones that readers adore and can't get enough of, write their darkness into story to channel their experience, and help others who fear the same. In an interview on writing the Shadow on The Creative Penn Podcast, Michaelbrent Collings shared how he incorporated a personally devastating experience into his writing:  “My wife and I lost a child years back, and that became the root of one of my most terrifying books, Apparition. It's not terrifying because it's the greatest book of all time, but just the concept that there's this thing out there… like a demon, and it consumes the blood and fear of the children, and then it withdraws and consumes the madness of the parents… I wrote that in large measure as a way of working through what I was experiencing.” I've learned much from Michaelbrent. I've read many of his (excellent) books and he's been on my podcast multiple times talking about his depression and mental health issues, as well as difficulties in his author career. Writing darkness is not in Michaelbrent's Shadow and only he can say what lies there for him. But from his example, and from that of other authors, I too learned how to write my Shadow into my books. Twenty-three years after that English lesson, in November 2009, I did NaNoWriMo, National Novel Writing Month, and wrote five thousand words of what eventually became Stone of Fire, my first novel. In the initial chapter, I burned a nun alive on the ghats of Varanasi on the banks of the Ganges River. I had watched the bodies burn by night on pyres from a boat bobbing in the current a few years before, and the image was still crystal clear in my mind. The only way to deal with how it made me feel about death was to write about it — and since then, I've never stopped writing. Returning to the nightmare from my school days, I've never had to choose between the two halves of my family, but the threat of losing them remains a theme in my fiction. In my ARKANE thriller series, Morgan Sierra will do anything to save her sister and her niece. Their safety drives her to continue to fight against evil. Our deepest fears emerge in our writing, and that's the safest place for them. I wish I'd been taught how to turn my nightmares into words back at school, but at least now I've learned to write my Shadow onto the page. I wish the same for you. The Shadow in traditional publishing If becoming an author is your dream, then publishing a book is deeply entwined with that. But as Mark Pierce says in The Creative Wound, “We feel pain the most where it matters the most… Desire highlights whatever we consider to be truly significant.” There is a lot of desire around publishing for those of us who love books! It can give you: Validation that your writing is good enough Status and credibility Acceptance by an industry held in esteem  The potential of financial reward and critical acclaim Support from a team of professionals who know how to make fantastic books A sense of belonging to an elite community Pride in achieving a long-held goal, resulting in a confidence boost and self-esteem Although not guaranteed, traditional publishing can give you all these things and more, but as with everything, there is a potential Shadow side. Denying it risks the potential of being disillusioned, disappointed, and even damaged. But remember, forewarned is forearmed, as the saying goes. Preparation can help you avoid potential issues and help you feel less alone if you encounter them. The myth of success… and the reality of experience There is a pervasive myth of success in the traditional publishing industry, perpetuated by media reporting on brand name and breakout authors, those few outliers whose experience is almost impossible to replicate. Because of such examples, many new traditionally published authors think that their first book will hit the top of the bestseller charts or win an award, as well as make them a million dollars — or at least a big chunk of cash. They will be able to leave their job, write in a beautiful house overlooking the ocean, and swan around the world attending conferences, while writing more bestselling books. It will be a charmed life. But that is not the reality. Perhaps it never was. Even so, the life of a traditionally published author represents a mythic career with the truth hidden behind a veil of obscurity. In April 2023, The Bookseller in the UK reported that “more than half of authors (54%) responding to a survey on their experiences of publishing their debut book have said the process negatively affected their mental health. Though views were mixed, just 22%… described a positive experience overall… Among the majority who said they had a negative experience of debut publication, anxiety, stress, depression and ‘lowered' self-esteem were cited, with lack of support, guidance or clear and professional communication from their publisher among the factors that contributed.” Many authors who have negative experiences around publishing will push them into the Shadow with denial or self-blame, preferring to keep the dream alive. They won't talk about things in public as this may negatively affect their careers, but private discussions are often held in the corners of writing conferences or social media groups online. Some of the issues are as follows: Repeated rejection by agents and publishers may lead to the author thinking they are not good enough as a writer, which can lead to feeling unworthy as a person. If an author gets a deal, the amount of advance and the name and status of the publisher compared to others create a hierarchy that impacts self-esteem. A deal for a book may be much lower than an author might have been expecting, with low or no advance, and the resulting experience with the publisher beneath expectations. The launch process may be disappointing, and the book may appear without fanfare, with few sales and no bestseller chart position. In The Bookseller report, one author described her launch day as “a total wasteland… You have expectations about what publication day will be like, but in reality, nothing really happens.” The book may receive negative reviews by critics or readers or more publicly on social media, which can make an author feel attacked. The book might not sell as well as expected, and the author may feel like it's their fault. Commercial success can sometimes feel tied to self-worth and an author can't help but compare their sales to others, with resulting embarrassment or shame. The communication from the publisher may be less than expected. One author in The Bookseller report said, “I was shocked by the lack of clarity and shared information and the cynicism that underlies the superficial charm of this industry.” There is often more of a focus on debut authors in publishing houses, so those who have been writing and publishing in the midlist for years can feel ignored and undervalued. In The Bookseller report, 48 percent of authors reported “their publisher supported them for less than a year,” with one saying, “I got no support and felt like a commodity, like the team had moved on completely to the next book.” If an author is not successful enough, the next deal may be lower than the last, less effort is made with marketing, and they may be let go. In The Bookseller report, “six authors—debut and otherwise—cited being dropped by their publisher, some with no explanation.” Even if everything goes well and an author is considered successful by others, they may experience imposter syndrome, feeling like a fraud when speaking at conferences or doing book signings. And the list goes on … All these things can lead to feelings of shame, inadequacy, and embarrassment; loss of status in the eyes of peers; and a sense of failure if a publishing career is not successful enough. The author feels like it's their fault, like they weren't good enough — although, of course, the reality is that the conditions were not right at the time. A failure of a book is not a failure of the person, but it can certainly feel like it! When you acknowledge the Shadow, it loses its power Despite all the potential negatives of traditional publishing, if you know what could happen, you can mitigate them. You can prepare yourself for various scenarios and protect yourself from potential fall-out. It's clear from The Bookseller report that too many authors have unrealistic expectations of the industry. But publishers are businesses, not charities. It's not their job to make you feel good as an author. It's their job to sell books and pay you. The best thing they can do is to continue to be a viable business so they can keep putting books on the shelves and keep paying authors, staff, and company shareholders. When you license your creative work to a publisher, you're giving up control of your intellectual property in exchange for money and status. Bring your fears and issues out of the Shadow, acknowledge them, and deal with them early, so they do not get pushed down and re-emerge later in blame and bitterness. Educate yourself on the business of publishing. Be clear on what you want to achieve with any deal. Empower yourself as an author, take responsibility for your career, and you will have a much better experience. The Shadow in self-publishing or being an indie author Self-publishing, or being an independent (indie) author, can be a fantastic, pro-active choice for getting your book into the world. Holding your first book in your hand and saying “I made this” is pretty exciting, and even after more than forty books, I still get excited about seeing ideas in my head turn into a physical product in the world. Self-publishing can give an author: Creative control over what to write, editorial and cover design choices, when and how often to publish, and how to market Empowerment over your author career and the ability to make choices that impact success without asking for permission Ownership and control of intellectual property assets, resulting in increased opportunity around licensing and new markets Independence and the potential for recurring income for the long term Autonomy and flexibility around timelines, publishing options, and the ability to easily pivot into new genres and business models Validation based on positive reader reviews and money earned Personal growth and learning through the acquisition of new skills, resulting in a boost in confidence and self-esteem A sense of belonging to an active and vibrant community of indie authors around the world Being an indie author can give you all this and more, but once again, there is a Shadow side and preparation can help you navigate potential issues. The myth of success… and the reality of experience As with traditional publishing, the indie author world has perpetuated a myth of success in the example of the breakout indie author like E.L. James with Fifty Shades of Grey, Hugh Howey with Wool, or Andy Weir with The Martian. The emphasis on financial success is also fuelled online by authors who share screenshots showing six-figure months or seven-figure years, without sharing marketing costs and other outgoings, or the amount of time spent on the business. Yes, these can inspire some, but it can also make others feel inadequate and potentially lead to bad choices about how to publish and market based on comparison. The indie author world is full of just as much ego and a desire for status and money as traditional publishing. This is not a surprise! Most authors, regardless of publishing choices, are a mix of massive ego and chronic self-doubt. We are human, so the same issues will re-occur. A different publishing method doesn't cure all ills. Some of the issues are as follows: You learn everything you need to know about writing and editing, only to find that you need to learn a whole new set of skills in order to self-publish and market your book. This can take a lot of time and effort you did not expect, and things change all the time so you have to keep learning. Being in control of every aspect of the publishing process, from writing to cover design to marketing, can be overwhelming, leading to indecision, perfectionism, stress, and even burnout as you try to do all the things. You try to find people to help, but building your team is a challenge, and working with others has its own difficulties. People say negative things about self-publishing that may arouse feelings of embarrassment or shame. These might be little niggles, but they needle you, nonetheless. You wonder whether you made the right choice. You struggle with self-doubt and if you go to an event with traditional published authors, you compare yourself to them and feel like an imposter. Are you good enough to be an author if a traditional publisher hasn't chosen you? Is it just vanity to self-publish? Are your books unworthy? Even though you worked with a professional editor, you still get one-star reviews and you hate criticism from readers. You wonder whether you're wasting your time. You might be ripped off by an author services company who promise the world, only to leave you with a pile of printed books in your garage and no way to sell them. When you finally publish your book, it languishes at the bottom of the charts while other authors hit the top of the list over and over, raking in the cash while you are left out of pocket. You don't admit to over-spending on marketing as it makes you ashamed. You resist book marketing and make critical comments about writers who embrace it. You believe that quality rises to the top and if a book is good enough, people will buy it anyway. This can lead to disappointment and disillusionment when you launch your book and it doesn't sell many copies because nobody knows about it. You try to do what everyone advises, but you still can't make decent money as an author. You're jealous of other authors' success and put it down to them ‘selling out' or writing things you can't or ‘using AI' or ‘using a ghostwriter' or having a specific business model you consider impossible to replicate. And the list goes on… When you acknowledge the Shadow, it loses its power Being in control of your books and your author career is a double-edged sword. Traditionally published authors can criticise their publishers or agents or the marketing team or the bookstores or the media, but indie authors have to take responsibility for it all. Sure, we can blame ‘the algorithms' or social media platforms, or criticise other authors for having more experience or more money to invest in marketing, or attribute their success to writing in a more popular genre — but we also know there are always people who do well regardless of the challenges. Once more, we're back to acknowledging and integrating the Shadow side of our choices. We are flawed humans. There will always be good times and bad, and difficulties to offset the high points. This too shall pass, as the old saying goes. I know that being an indie author has plenty of Shadow. I've been doing this since 2008 and despite the hard times, I'm still here. I'm still writing. I'm still publishing. This life is not for everyone, but it's my choice. You must make yours. The Shadow in work You work hard. You make a living. Nothing wrong with that attitude, right? It's what we're taught from an early age and, like so much of life, it's not a problem until it goes to extremes. Not achieving what you want to? Work harder. Can't get ahead? Work harder. Not making a good enough living? Work harder. People who don't work hard are lazy. They don't deserve handouts or benefits. People who don't work hard aren't useful, so they are not valued members of our culture and community. But what about the old or the sick, the mentally ill, or those with disabilities? What about children? What about the unemployed? The under-employed? What about those who are — or will be — displaced by technology, those called “the useless class” by historian Yuval Noah Harari in his book Homo Deus? What if we become one of these in the future? Who am I if I cannot work? The Shadow side of my attitude to work became clear when I caught COVID in the summer of 2021. I was the sickest I'd ever been. I spent two weeks in bed unable to even think properly, and six weeks after that, I was barely able to work more than an hour a day before lying in the dark and waiting for my energy to return. I was limited in what I could do for another six months after that. At times, I wondered if I would ever get better. Jonathan kept urging me to be patient and rest. But I don't know how to rest. I know how to work and how to sleep. I can do ‘active rest,' which usually involves walking a long way or traveling somewhere interesting, but those require a stronger mind and body than I had during those months. It struck me that even if I recovered from the virus, I had glimpsed my future self. One day, I will be weak in body and mind. If I'm lucky, that will be many years away and hopefully for a short time before I die — but it will happen. I am an animal. I will die. My body and mind will pass on and I will be no more. Before then I will be weak. Before then, I will be useless. Before then, I will be a burden. I will not be able to work… But who am I if I cannot work? What is the point of me? I can't answer these questions right now, because although I recognise them as part of my Shadow, I've not progressed far enough to have dealt with them entirely. My months of COVID gave me some much-needed empathy for those who cannot work, even if they want to. We need to reframe what work is as a society, and value humans for different things, especially as technology changes what work even means. That starts with each of us. “Illness, affliction of body and soul, can be life-altering. It has the potential to reveal the most fundamental conflict of the human condition: the tension between our infinite, glorious dreams and desires and our limited, vulnerable, decaying physicality.” —Connie Zweig, The Inner Work of Age: Shifting from Role to Soul The Shadow in money In the Greek myth, King Midas was a wealthy ruler who loved gold above all else. His palace was adorned with golden sculptures and furniture, and he took immense pleasure in his riches. Yet, despite his vast wealth, he yearned for more. After doing a favour for Dionysus, the god of wine and revelry, Midas was granted a single wish. Intoxicated by greed, he wished that everything he touched would turn to gold — and it was so. At first, it was a lot of fun. Midas turned everything else in his palace to gold, even the trees and stones of his estate. After a morning of turning things to gold, he fancied a spot of lunch. But when he tried to eat, the food and drink turned to gold in his mouth. He became thirsty and hungry — and increasingly desperate. As he sat in despair on his golden throne, his beloved young daughter ran to comfort him. For a moment, he forgot his wish — and as she wrapped her arms around him and kissed his cheek, she turned into a golden statue, frozen in precious metal. King Midas cried out to the gods to forgive him, to reverse the wish. He renounced his greed and gave away all his wealth, and his daughter was returned to life. The moral of the story: Wealth and greed are bad. In Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol, Ebenezer Scrooge is described as a “squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous, old sinner.” He's wealthy but does not share, considering Christmas spending to be frivolous and giving to charity to be worthless. He's saved by a confrontation with his lonely future and becomes a generous man and benefactor of the poor. Wealth is good if you share it with others. The gospel of Matthew, chapter 25: 14-30, tells the parable of the bags of gold, in which a rich man goes on a journey and entrusts his servants with varying amounts of gold. On his return, the servants who multiplied the gold through their efforts and investments are rewarded, while the one who merely returned the gold with no interest is punished: “For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.” Making money is good, making more money is even better. If you can't make any money, you don't deserve to have any. Within the same gospel, in Matthew 19:24, Jesus encounters a wealthy man and tells him to sell all his possessions and give the money to the poor, which the man is unable to do. Jesus says, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” Wealth is bad. Give it all away and you'll go to heaven. With all these contradictory messages, no wonder we're so conflicted about money! How do you think and feel about money? While money is mostly tied to our work, it's far more than just a transactional object for most people. It's loaded with complex symbolism and judgment handed down by family, religion, and culture. You are likely to find elements of Shadow by examining your attitudes around money. Consider which of the following statements resonate with you or write your own. Money stresses me out. I don't want to talk about it or think about it. Some people hoard money, so there is inequality. Rich people are bad and we should take away their wealth and give it to the poor.  I can never make enough money to pay the bills, or to give my family what I want to provide. Money doesn't grow on trees.  It's wasteful to spend money as you might need it later, so I'm frugal and don't spend money unless absolutely necessary. It is better and more ethical to be poor than to be rich. I want more money. I read books and watch TV shows about rich people because I want to live like that. Sometimes I spend too much on things for a glimpse of what that might be like.  I buy lottery tickets and dream of winning all that money.  I'm jealous of people who have money. I want more of it and I resent those who have it. I'm no good with money. I don't like to look at my bank statement or credit card statement. I live off my overdraft and I'm in debt. I will never earn enough to get out of debt and start saving, so I don't think too much about it. I don't know enough about money. Talking about it makes me feel stupid, so I just ignore it. People like me aren't educated about money.  I need to make more money. If I can make lots of money, then people will look up to me. If I make lots of money, I will be secure, nothing can touch me, I will be safe.  I never want to be poor. I would be ashamed to be poor. I will never go on benefits. My net worth is my self worth. Money is good. We have the best standard of living in history because of the increase in wealth over time. Even the richest kings of the past didn't have what many middle-class people have today in terms of access to food, water, technology, healthcare, education, and more. The richest people give the most money to the poor through taxation and charity, as well as through building companies that employ people and invent new things. The very richest give away much of their fortunes. They provide far more benefit to the world than the poor.  I love money. Money loves me. Money comes easily and quickly to me. I attract money in multiple streams of income. It flows to me in so many ways. I spend money. I invest money. I give money. I'm happy and grateful for all that I receive. The Shadow around money for authors in particular Many writers and other creatives have issues around money and wealth. How often have you heard the following, and which do you agree with? You can't make money with your writing. You'll be a poor author in a garret, a starving artist.  You can't write ‘good quality' books and make money. If you make money writing, you're a hack, you're selling out. You are less worthy than someone who writes only for the Muse. Your books are commercial, not artistic. If you spend money on marketing, then your books are clearly not good enough to sell on their own. My agent / publisher / accountant / partner deals with the money side. I like to focus on the creative side of things. My money story Note: This is not financial or investment advice. Please talk to a professional about your situation. I've had money issues over the years — haven't we all! But I have been through a (long) process to bring money out of my Shadow and into the light. There will always be more to discover, but hopefully my money story will help you, or at least give you an opportunity to reflect. Like most people, I didn't grow up with a lot of money. My parents started out as teachers, but later my mum — who I lived with, along with my brother — became a change management consultant, moving to the USA and earning a lot more. I'm grateful that she moved into business because her example changed the way I saw money and provided some valuable lessons. (1) You can change your circumstances by learning more and then applying that to leverage opportunity into a new job or career Mum taught English at a school in Bristol when we moved back from Malawi, Africa, in the mid '80s but I remember how stressful it was for her, and how little money she made. She wanted a better future for us all, so she took a year out to do a master's degree in management. In the same way, when I wanted to change careers and leave consulting to become an author, I spent time and money learning about the writing craft and the business of publishing. I still invest a considerable chunk on continuous learning, as this industry changes all the time. (2) You might have to downsize in order to leap forward The year my mum did her degree, we lived in the attic of another family's house; we ate a lot of one-pot casserole and our treat was having a Yorkie bar on the walk back from the museum. We wore hand-me-down clothes, and I remember one day at school when another girl said I was wearing her dress. I denied it, of course, but there in back of the dress was her name tag. I still remember her name and I can still feel that flush of shame and embarrassment. I was determined to never feel like that again. But what I didn't realize at the time was that I was also learning the power of downsizing. Mum got her degree and then a new job in management in Bristol. She bought a house, and we settled for a few years. I had lots of different jobs as a teenager. My favourite was working in the delicatessen because we got a free lunch made from delicious produce. After I finished A-levels, I went to the University of Oxford, and my mum and brother moved to the USA for further opportunities. I've downsized multiple times over the years, taking a step back in order to take a step forward. The biggest was in 2010 when I decided to leave consulting. Jonathan and I sold our three-bedroom house and investments in Brisbane, Australia, and rented a one-bedroom flat in London, so we could be debt-free and live on less while I built up a new career. It was a decade before we bought another house. (3) Comparison can be deadly: there will always be people with more money than you Oxford was an education in many ways and relevant to this chapter is how much I didn't know about things people with money took for granted. I learned about formal hall and wine pairings, and how to make a perfect gin and tonic. I ate smoked salmon for the first time. I learned how to fit in with people who had a lot more money than I did, and I definitely wanted to have money of my own to play with. (4) Income is not wealth You can earn lots but have nothing to show for it after years of working. I learned this in my first few years of IT consulting after university. I earned a great salary and then went contracting, earning even more money at a daily rate. I had a wonderful time. I traveled, ate and drank and generally made merry, but I always had to go back to the day job when the money ran out. I couldn't work out how I could ever stop this cycle. Then I read Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki, a book I still recommend, especially if you're from a family that values academic over financial education. I learned how to escape the rat race by building and/or accumulating assets that pay even when you're not working. It was a revelation! The ‘poor dad' in the book is a university professor. He knows so much about so many things, but he ends up poor as he did not educate himself about money. The ‘rich dad' has little formal education, but he knows about money and wealth because he learned about it, as we can do at any stage in our lives. (5) Not all investments suit every person, so find the right one for you Once I discovered the world of investing, I read all the books and did courses and in-person events. I joined communities and I up-skilled big time. Of course, I made mistakes and learned lots along the way. I tried property investing and renovated a couple of houses for rental (with more practical partners and skilled contractors). But while I could see that property investing might work for some people, I did not care enough about the details to make it work for me, and it was certainly not passive income. I tried other things. My first husband was a boat skipper and scuba diving instructor, so we started a charter. With the variable costs of fuel, the vagaries of New Zealand weather — and our divorce — it didn't last long! From all these experiments, I learned I wanted to run a business, but it needed to be online and not based on a physical location, physical premises, or other people. That was 2006, around the time that blogging started taking off and it became possible to make a living online. I could see the potential and a year later, the iPhone and the Amazon Kindle launched, which became the basis of my business as an author. (6) Boring, automatic saving and investing works best Between 2007 and 2011, I contracted in Australia, where they have compulsory superannuation contributions, meaning you have to save and invest a percentage of your salary or self-employed income. I'd never done that before, because I didn't understand it. I'd ploughed all my excess income into property or the business instead. But in Australia I didn't notice the money going out because it was automatic. I chose a particular fund and it auto-invested every month. The pot grew pretty fast since I didn't touch it, and years later, it's still growing. I discovered the power of compound interest and time in the market, both of which are super boring. This type of investing is not a get rich quick scheme. It's a slow process of automatically putting money into boring investments and doing that month in, month out, year in, year out, automatically for decades while you get on with your life. I still do this. I earn money as an author entrepreneur and I put a percentage of that into boring investments automatically every month. I also have a small amount which is for fun and higher risk investments, but mostly I'm a conservative, risk-averse investor planning ahead for the future. This is not financial advice, so I'm not giving any specifics. I have a list of recommended money books at www.TheCreativePenn.com/moneybooks if you want to learn more. Learning from the Shadow When I look back, my Shadow side around money eventually drove me to learn more and resulted in a better outcome (so far!). I was ashamed of being poor when I had to wear hand-me-down clothes at school. That drove a fear of not having any money, which partially explains my workaholism. I was embarrassed at Oxford because I didn't know how to behave in certain settings, and I wanted to be like the rich people I saw there. I spent too much money in my early years as a consultant because I wanted to experience a “rich” life and didn't understand saving and investing would lead to better things in the future. I invested too much in the wrong things because I didn't know myself well enough and I was trying to get rich quick so I could leave my job and ‘be happy.' But eventually, I discovered that I could grow my net worth with boring, long-term investments while doing a job I loved as an author entrepreneur. My only regret is that I didn't discover this earlier and put a percentage of my income into investments as soon as I started work. It took several decades to get started, but at least I did (eventually) start. My money story isn't over yet, and I keep learning new things, but hopefully my experience will help you reflect on your own and avoid the issue if it's still in Shadow. These chapters are excerpted from Writing the Shadow: Turn Your Inner Darkness Into Words by Joanna Penn  The post Writing The Shadow: The Creative Wound, Publishing, And Money, With Joanna Penn first appeared on The Creative Penn.

Send us a Positive Review!In this episode I respond to your requests to explore President Dallin Oaks' desire that LDS girls get married younger.  As a bonus, I propose a counter-solution to. the current LDS mixed-faith marriage crisis that does not involve pressuring younger marriage (and its well-documented risk factors) on LDS young adults.  Please share this episode if it resonates!  Timestamps:00:00 Introduction and Overview00:18 Valerie's Analysis of Early Marriage02:00 President Oaks' Comments and Valerie's Response09:10 Exploring the Motivations Behind Encouraging Early Marriage13:50 Risks and Drawbacks of Early Marriage25:04 Correlation Between Temple Marriage and Divorce Rates28:40 Concerns of Church Leadership31:34 The Marriage Crisis in the Church32:22 Challenges of Mixed Faith Marriages33:30 Theological Strain and Parenting in Mixed Faith Marriages34:44 Historical Context and Faith Crises36:42 The Push for Early Marriage39:24 Differentiation of Self and Its Importance45:06 The Impact of Early Marriage on Development57:43 Proposing a New Approach to Faith Journeys01:01:15 Final Thoughts and Call to ActionSupport the showSupport the show Listen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODES Friday Episodes Annual Access $89 Friday Episodes Monthly Access $10 Valerie's Support & Processing Groups Gift a Scholarship Download Free Resources Visit our Website

DEFINING THE CAUSE AND THE MONARCH'S POWER Colleague Joseph Ellis. Ellis explains that colonists adopted the term "the cause" to describe their diverse opposition to British policy and eventual desire for independence, covering various interest groups under one verbal canopy. He describes George III as a powerful monarch who controlled Parliament through treasury funds, viewing American independence as a domino theory threat to the British Empire. Ellis also notes Benjamin Franklin's failed attempts to preserve a commonwealth relationship before British humiliation pushed him toward independence. NUMBER 11761