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In this episode, in response to Trump's order supposedly "Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History," I look at the many ways he and his handlers/enablers distort and whitewash history and "sanewash" his administration. Get 3 months of premium wireless service for $15 bucks a month at MintMobile.com/Blindness Check out the show merch, perfect for gifts! Pledge support on Patreon to get an ad-free feed with exclusive episodes! Check out my novel, Manuscript Found! Find a transcript of this episode with source citations and related imagery at www.historicalblindness.com. Direct all advertising inquiries to advertising@airwavemedia.com. Visit www.airwavemedia.com to find other high-quality podcasts! Some music on this episode was licensed under a Blue Dot Sessions blanket license at the time of this episode's publication. Tracks include "Black Ballots," "Cicle Deserrat," "An Oddly Formal Dance," "Cicle DR Valga," "Leatherbound," "Cover Letter," "Access Road 442," and "The Gran Dias." Additional music, including "Remedy for Melancholy" and "daemones," is by Kai Engel, licensed under Creative Commons. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Happiness Solved with Sandee Sgarlata. In this episode, Sandee interviews Karen Cheong. In this conversation, Karen Cheong shares her transformative journey from a health crisis to discovering the power of frequencies and healing. She discusses the importance of surrendering to the oneness and how her experiences led her to help others release their distortion patterns. The dialogue emphasizes the significance of inner peace, happiness, and the exploration of spiritual dimensions beyond material success. In this conversation, Karen Cheong and Sandee Sgarlata explore the profound themes of meditation, frequency resonance, and personal transformation. Karen shares her insights on how our vibrational frequency influences our experiences and the importance of releasing distortions that hinder our growth. Through personal anecdotes and client success stories, they highlight the transformative power of frequency work and the role of masterminds in personal development. The discussion emphasizes the interconnectedness of our experiences and the potential for change when we focus on our inner work.takeawaysKaren's journey began with a health crisis that prompted her spiritual exploration.The universe often leads us to change through crises.True fulfillment comes from understanding frequencies, not material possessions.Surrendering to the oneness is essential for personal transformation.Distortion patterns can hinder our growth and understanding of self.Healing can occur at a frequency level, beyond traditional methods.Awareness of one's identity is crucial in the healing process.The importance of asking the right questions to the universe.Personal development is a continuous journey of exploration.Helping others can lead to unexpected paths in one's own journey. Meditation can lead to profound self-discovery.Frequency resonance influences our experiences and reality.Distortions from lineage and past lives affect our current state.Releasing distortions can lead to a more fulfilling life.Masterminds amplify personal development and growth.Personal stories illustrate the impact of frequency work.Happiness is a daily practice and essential for well-being.You can't change others; you can only change yourself.The journey of self-discovery is unique for everyone.Engaging with community can enhance personal transformation.Connect with Karen:Website: https://www.sphericalluminosity.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/spherical_luminosity/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SphericalLuminosityYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/sphericalluminosityFree Quiet Your Mind Meditation: https://sphericalluminosity.com/quietyourmindConnect with Sandee: Website: www.sandeesgarlata.comPodcast: www.happinesssolved.comFacebook: www.facebook.com/coachsandeesgarlataTwitter: www.twitter.com/sandeesgarlataInstagram: www.instagram.com/coachsandeesgarlata
A Dialogue on the Fourth Way with Luke Behncke and Ted Nottingham.The book "Gurdjieff´s Christianity: The Fourth Way's Prehistoric Teachings of Christ" by Luke Behncke can be found on Amazon.The book "The Path of Inner Transformation: The Essential Fourth Way Teachings" by Theodore J. Nottingham is on Amazon, Kindle, Audible.The book "Influences and Distortions of the Gurdjieff Teachings" by Theodore J. Nottingham is on Amazon, Kindle, Audible.Weekly teachings available here:https://www.innerworkforspiritualawakening.net/
Michelle Gibley gives viewers the state of global central bank policy. “Trade policy is really influencing action at most central banks,” she says, noting that the Bank of Japan cut its inflation forecast and Canada's central bank paused its cycle. She also talks about the “distortions” in economic data as companies and consumers pull forward demand ahead of tariffs, adding this could create a “vacuum” of useful data in the future. Michelle emphasizes the need for clarity on trade around the world.======== Schwab Network ========Empowering every investor and trader, every market day. Subscribe to the Market Minute newsletter - https://schwabnetwork.com/subscribeDownload the iOS app - https://apps.apple.com/us/app/schwab-network/id1460719185Download the Amazon Fire Tv App - https://www.amazon.com/TD-Ameritrade-Network/dp/B07KRD76C7Watch on Sling - https://watch.sling.com/1/asset/191928615bd8d47686f94682aefaa007/watchWatch on Vizio - https://www.vizio.com/en/watchfreeplus-exploreWatch on DistroTV - https://www.distro.tv/live/schwab-network/Follow us on X – https://twitter.com/schwabnetworkFollow us on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/schwabnetworkFollow us on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/schwab-network/ About Schwab Network - https://schwabnetwork.com/about
[EP 25-174] 3 of the index markets closed higher, but Nasdaq closed down 0.1% on Monday, and the headline was Stock sink to start huge week on Wall Street.I so enjoy watching Democrats attempt to defend the indefensible.Nobody is above the law, unless we deem it so.There is a higher law. The law of God, and what is known as common law. You can't think you can lawyer your way out of the lies forever. At some point, brave people who get written about in history take a stand. Are you one of them?A word of warning. We will never get to the end of this battle. Because the Left never wants us to reach peach. That's like asking the Devil to stop being devilish. The word is named after him. The Devil never quits and Leftist are devils.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-kevin-jackson-show--2896352/support.
In today's Sunday Live broadcast, we dove deep into the messy, yet beautiful journey of mental, emotional, and spiritual healing. My wife Melissa and I opened up about our family life, including some hilarious moments with our son Max and his artistic adventures. Throughout the broadcast, we explored everything from navigating toxic family dynamics and […]
Satans first objective to distort the truth of what God says. In this teaching, Pastor Taylor talks about how there are 3 distortions that hinders believers from walking in the fullness of God's Word.
The Speed Force is getting weirder. Chrono-audio instability is increasing, and with it, the timeline of the podcast continues to unravel. Another lost episode from the same past DocMas™ has re-emerged, fully formed but with some... irregularities. Distortions. Echoes. Time travel awareness, and references to the past and the future. We don't know why the Speed Force is doing this, but someone—or something—is clearly orchestrating these recoveries. The delay of episode 500 is no longer a glitch. It's a strategy. The past continues to bleed into the present. Intro Music by Aaron Barry Find more great podcasts like this on Brain Freeze To ask questions for the next episode, or to continue the conversation online visit us here: On Twitter On Facebook On Instagram On our Website Or check out our new store for merch And our NEW Patreon!
This week on CounterSpin: CBS News on April 14 said: We're following new violence in the Middle East. Israeli strikes hit a major hospital in northern Gaza. At least 21 people were reportedly killed. The emergency room is badly damaged. Israel accused Hamas of using the hospital to hide its fighters. Meanwhile, Houthi militants in Yemen said they fired two ballistic missiles at Israel. The Israeli military initially said two missiles were launched and one was intercepted, but later said only one missile had been fired. There's information in there, if you can parse it; but the takeaway for most will be that framing: “violence in the Middle East,” which suggests that whatever happened today is just the latest round in a perennial battle between warring parties, where you and I have no role except that of sad bystander. When it comes to Yemen, elite media's repeated reference to “Iran-backed Houthi rebels” not only obscures the current fighting's political origins and recent timeline, it erases the Yemeni people, who are paying the price both for the fighting and for the distortions around it, from political elites and their media amplifiers. We get some grounding from Khury Petersen-Smith; he's the Michael Ratner Middle East fellow at the Institute for Policy Studies. Plus Janine Jackson takes a look back at some recent press coverage of fossil fuel companies and climate change. The post Khury Petersen-Smith on Yemen Distortions appeared first on KPFA.
The Yemeni people are paying the price both for the fighting and for the distortions around it, from political elites and their media amplifiers.
#PRC: END OF THE MARKET DISTORTIONS AND IMBALANCE, ELAINE DEZENSKI, FDD, 1965 LIU AND MAO
Join us for an exploration of photographer and transgender activist Loren Cameron's remarkable life and legacy. In this episode, we delve into Cameron's life, his groundbreaking work "Body Alchemy" and his revolutionary approach to trans representation in photography. We examine how Cameron's art challenged societal norms and paved the way for future generations. This compelling episode provides insights into the intersection of art, identity, and activism, while honoring Cameron's lasting impact on transgender representation in visual arts.Content warning: This episode contains discussions of mental health struggles and mentions of suicide.----------------------------------------------------------@translessonplan@mariiiwrldMerch:https://trans-lesson-plan.printify.me/productsSubscribe to our newsletter:https://mailchi.mp/a914d2eca1cf/trans-lesson-plan----------------------------------------------------------References:Green, P. (2023, April 20). Loren Cameron, 63, dies; his camera brought transgender men to light. New York Times. Retrieved April 13, 2025, from https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/20/arts/loren-cameron-dead.htmlGuide to the Loren Rex Cameron papers, 1961-2008. (n.d.). https://rmc.library.cornell.edu/EAD/htmldocs/RMM07677.htmlHoenes, J. Loren Cameron's Distortions of Heteronormative Gender Dualism.Snider, S. (2005). You Make Me Feel Like a Natural Transgendered Person: Contemporary Photography and the Construction of Queer (ed) Identities. Athanor, 23, 83-87.Subject: Loren Cameron - Digital Transgender Archive Search results. (n.d.). https://www.digitaltransgenderarchive.net/catalog?f%5Bdta_other_subject_ssim%5D%5B%5D=Loren+CameronTr, & Tr. (2023, August 5). Body Alchemy: Transsexual Portraits | Trans Reads. Trans Reads |. https://transreads.org/bodyalchemy/Taylor, M. (2000). Changing subjects: transgender consciousness and the 1920s (Doctoral dissertation, University of York).X-TRA. (n.d.). https://www.x-traonline.org/article/i-wanted-the-world-to-see-us
This week on the program, Mike and Laureen unpack how media misinformation has shaped coverage of the Israel–Hamas war. They also break down MSNBC's The Weekend interview, exploring the debate over revoking student visas and the legal implications of detaining individuals without adjudication.
Rev Sam Bostock thinks about gospel power in contrast to the spiritual powers that were exhibited in Acts 18 vs 24 - 19 v 20; Deuteronomy 18 vs 9 - 15
There are three characteristics of hell which oppose the three universal characteristics of heaven. Swedenborg learned about this from angels, and then also encountered a demon!
Dr Kirk Honda responds to patrons and member emails.This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/KIRK to get 10% off your first month.Become a member: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOUZWV1DRtHtpP2H48S7iiw/joinBecome a patron: https://www.patreon.com/PsychologyInSeattleEmail: https://www.psychologyinseattle.com/contactWebsite: https://www.psychologyinseattle.comMerch: https://teespring.com/stores/psychology-in-seattleInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/psychologyinseattle/Facebook Official Page: https://www.facebook.com/PsychologyInSeattle/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kirk.hondaMarch 5, 2025The Psychology In Seattle Podcast ®Trigger Warning: This episode may include topics such as assault, trauma, and discrimination. If necessary, listeners are encouraged to refrain from listening and care for their safety and well-being.Disclaimer: The content provided is for educational, informational, and entertainment purposes only. Nothing here constitutes personal or professional consultation, therapy, diagnosis, or creates a counselor-client relationship. Topics discussed may generate differing points of view. If you participate (by being a guest, submitting a question, or commenting) you must do so with the knowledge that we cannot control reactions or responses from others, which may not agree with you or feel unfair. Your participation on this site is at your own risk, accepting full responsibility for any liability or harm that may result. Anything you write here may be used for discussion or endorsement of the podcast. Opinions and views expressed by the host and guest hosts are personal views. Although, we take precautions and fact check, they should not be considered facts and the opinions may change. Opinions posted by participants (such as comments) are not those of the hosts. Readers should not rely on any information found here and should perform due diligence before taking any action. For a more extensive description of factors for you to consider, please see www.psychologyinseattle.com
If math is figure-out-able why does the world not always teach it that way? In this episode Pam and Kim discuss the three major distortions holding back math education today.Autostereograms as a metaphorHow the distortions are learnedHow the distortions create frustrationHow classrooms transform without distortionsWe want all kids to "see the shark"!Check out our social mediaTwitter: @PWHarrisInstagram: Pam Harris_mathFacebook: Pam Harris, author, mathematics educationLinkedin: Pam Harris Consulting LLC
Boared to Death Records (Bonus Episode). Dan of Boared to Death Records joins for a conversation about the label, running an independent label, and the bands on the label. The episode also includes tracks from Quit Everything, Oort Patrol, Distortions, Alcantara, Manic Third Planet, Night! Night!, and tenderqueer.
Today we are diving into part 2 of our discussion on how the matrix infiltrates the spiritual healing space. We will be covering: How the matrix has created dangerous distortions in the plant medicine space How malevolent spirits use an attempt to heal as a form of extraction Why it sometimes feels like “none of this is real” even after doing so much work Pseudo-liberation found within swinging *in spite of* your wounds (and how the matrix preys on this) And so much more! WORK WITH ME: Last chance to snag a spot in VIXEN, my ultimate dark feminine sex magick container! Apply here: https://underworldqueen.as.me/vixen-application The doors are closing to the 2025 cohort of Entity Academy! Apply here: https://underworldqueen.as.me/entity-academy Join the Infernal Membership! There are 3 tiers to choose from: https://www.kristenramezzana.com/infernal-memberships Snag a spot in the next round of Defense Against the Dark Arts! https://www.kristenramezzana.com/defense-against-the-dark-arts Catch a replay of my summer masterclasses: https://www.kristenramezzana.com/store Follow Kristen on IG: @the_underworld_queen
Today we are diving into part 1 of our discussion on how the matrix infiltrates the spiritual healing space. We will be covering: How & why “healing” becomes a hamster wheel Red flags that your healing journey isn't actually getting to the root of the problem When the attempt to heal becomes a way for the matrix to harvest your pain Malevolent forces that masquerade as “you” within the shadow Spiritual bypassing around dark/scary topics What it ACTUALLY takes to have a clear field Sovereignty on a soul level And so much more! WORK WITH ME: Last chance to snag a spot in VIXEN, my ultimate dark feminine sex magick container! Apply here: https://underworldqueen.as.me/vixen-application The doors are closing to the 2025 cohort of Entity Academy! Apply here: https://underworldqueen.as.me/entity-academy Join the Infernal Membership! There are 3 tiers to choose from: https://www.kristenramezzana.com/infernal-memberships Snag a spot in the next round of Defense Against the Dark Arts! https://www.kristenramezzana.com/defense-against-the-dark-arts Catch a replay of my summer masterclasses: https://www.kristenramezzana.com/store Follow Kristen on IG: @the_underworld_queen
In this episode, we sit down with John Williams, the founder of Shadow Stats, to uncover the real story behind U.S. inflation, GDP, unemployment, and the money supply. For decades, John has been challenging the accuracy of government-reported economic data—revealing how financial trends and political influences distort the numbers we rely on. A seasoned economist and Dartmouth graduate, John's insights have been featured in major publications like The New York Times and Investor's Business Daily. His mission? To provide an accurate, unbiased picture of economic conditions—helping individuals make informed financial decisions in a world of manipulated statistics. Tune in to explore: The true impact of inflation on everyday consumers. How government data adjustments affect reported unemployment and CPI. The hidden factors driving economic instability. Where to find trustworthy financial data. To stay updated on current stats, be sure to subscribe to John's email list by sending a message to johnwilliams@shadowstats.com. Episode also available on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/38oMlMr
Send us a textJoin Julie Hilsen and Dean Graves in an enlightening discussion on consciousness, free will, meditation, spirituality, service to others, love, higher self, awareness, personal growth, and energy. They explore the nature of consciousness and free will, emphasizing the importance of meditation in self-exploration and enlightenment. Dean discusses the interconnectedness of beings and the paths of service to self and others, highlighting love and authenticity as transformative forces. The conversation concludes with a call to recognize personal power and contribute positively to our interconnected world.Support the showLink to Support this Channel: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2153284/supporters/newJulie's Book: https://amzn.to/3K2ZS05Julie's Website for more information, comments or requests: https://lifeofloveandjoy.comI receive a small commission when you purchase from these links. Thank you for your support! Promo Code for Free Audio Book on Audible: https://amzn.to/45YUMdH
A true can't-miss episode to kick off the offseason. The Sage and Joe are firing away. Enjoy! The wisdom and fun of Ira and Joe is presented by Bill Currie Ford. Click play above or listen at Apple Podcasts or Podbean.com, Other platforms, […] The post Ira Kaufman Dives Very Deep On Defensive Issues, Fixes & Successes, Talks Todd Bowles Distortions And Realities, Final Washington Feedback, And More appeared first on JoeBucsFan.com.
The book "Influences and Distortions of the Gurdjieff Teachings" is available on Amazon, Kindle, and Audible."The Path of Inner Transformation: The Essential Fourth Way Teachings" is on Amazon, Kindle, and Audible.Teachings available through:https://www.innerworkforspiritualawakening.net/https://www.theosisbooks.net/
Ask David With Special Guest Expert, Dr. Matthew May Daily Mood Log: Does it have to be done perfectly? Somatic Complaints: How does TEAM Help? Passive Aggression: What distortions cause it? Roger, from Australia, asks: Do daily mood logs still work if you complete them ‘imperfectly'? Roger also asks: Based on your clinical experience, what causes a reduction or complete elimination of in symptoms for people who present with somatic complaints or chronic pain? TOZ asks: Does passive aggressive behavior result from All-or-Nothing Thinking? The answers below were written prior to the show, based on correspondence with those who asked the questions. The live answers on the show will be different in many cases. 1, Roger, from Australia, asks: Do daily mood logs still work if you complete them ‘imperfectly'? 2. Roger also asks: Based on your clinical experience, what causes a reduction or complete elimination of symptoms for people who present with somatic complaints or chronic pain? Dear David, Sure, I would love to have my questions be on an Ask David! It would be okay for you to use my real name and my location as being in Australia for the podcast and show notes. I've reworded the questions so that they get across what I was actually trying to ask in my previous email. You might now have a slightly different response based on the new questions. I have to apologise as my wording in my previous email was confusing, even for me. Here's a shorter version of the first question: “Dear David, I've got a question about doing daily mood logs as part of my psychotherapy homework. I tend to start a lot of new daily mood logs where I write my negative emotions and thoughts, as well as do positive reframing, but then get stuck when it comes to doing methods for challenging my negative thoughts, as I get caught up on trying to do the exercise perfectly. I get worried that I won't see as much benefit from the exercise if I don't do the steps perfectly or in order. Did you see improvements in patients who filled out their daily mood logs imperfectly? Perhaps they may have skipped steps or maybe they couldn't crush their negative thoughts completely, but continued to move on to working with new thoughts and seeing if they could crush those.” An even shorter version of the question would be: “Do daily mood logs still work if you complete them ‘imperfectly'?” A shorter version of the question about somatic complaints and pain is: “I've also got a question on treating somatic symptoms and chronic pain. Some clinicians have seen people improve by doing journalling or expressive writing about life stressors such as past stressors, current stressors, and self-limiting behaviours or beliefs. Other activities which seem to be useful include writing unsent letters to people who've hurt you, or doing behavioural changes for self-limiting beliefs like learning how to designate free time for yourself if you have a tendency to take on too much or feel guilty about spending time relaxing and not doing work. I was wondering what you've seen in your clinical experience and what you've seen patients do which helps them reduce or eliminate their somatic symptoms and chronic pain?" An even shorter version of that question would be: “Based on your clinical experience, what causes a reduction or complete elimination of in symptoms for people who present with somatic complaints or chronic pain?" Regards, Roger He David's reply Thanks, these short versions are a big improvement. Here are the quick answers: The critical thing is to come up with one or more positive thoughts that are 100% true, and that reduce your belief in the negative thought. If you send a specific example, it would help. There are several rules about getting workable negative thoughts as well. Perfection is never possible in the universe of daily mood logs, but excellence certainly is. A change in belief in neg thoughts is the goal. In my experience, somatic complaints, such as undiagnosed pain, dizziness, fatigue, and more, are often created or magnified by (or the expression of) negative emotions, as well as hidden emotions / problems. The average reduction of pain, for example, will be 50% if there is a dramatic reduction in negative feelings, or if the patient identifies and tackles some unexpressed problem, like anger, or unexpressed grief, or loneliness when the kids go off to college, and so forth. An average of 50% means that some people will experience a complete elimination of the negative symptoms, like pain. Some will experience no improvement. And some will experience some improvement. With regard to how or why this works, I don't really know, and don't think that anyone knows. But it seems like negative feelings, like depression, anxiety, anger and so forth have a magnifying effect on negative feelings. On the podcast, I can give a personal example of when I was in the Stanford emergency room, screaming in pain from a broken jaw. I can also give an example of what happens to my low back pain when I am in an especially good mood and I am out jogging. Best, David 3. TOZ asks: Does passive aggressive behavior result from All-or-Nothing Thinking? Hi David, I thought my therapist will tell me once he gets to know me that I'm passive aggressive and therefore I do things particularly anxiety disease as all or nothing black or white. I was wondering for you not to answer my case but in general does passive aggressive attitudes or approaches result from all or nothing thinking? Thanks, Toz David's reply. Thanks, Toz. Great question! To find out, you would have to do what I have recommended for nearly 50 years. Write down your negative thought on a piece of paper (can you do that?) and identify the distortions in it, using my lit of ten cognitive distortions. Let me know if you've done this. Most people refuse to do it! Warmly, david Toz replies: So I did your exercise. My thoughts were: I'm crashing. Help I'm scared. I'm going to die. Help me laud. Help me laud. Distortions: predicting the future. Magnification How is that? I looked up. Saw that was fine. Felt better. Then I checked my pulse. Not too fast so okay. Toz. David's reply to Toz, That, Toz, is totally cool! Way to go! Could also add: Emotional Reasoning. You identified two super important distortions that are always present in fear, paranoia and anxiety. Cool, cool, cool! David's comment: This is why I ask for specific examples when people ask general questions. As you can see, Toz asked about passive aggression, but his specific example turned out to be all about something entirely different: anxiety and panic. He did a great job of testing his negative thoughts with the Experimental Technique. Warmly, Rhonda, Matt, and David
We are now coming to the end of another year. What were the biggest stories in education this year? What stories didn't get as much attention as they should have? And what can we expect from the coming year?On this episode of The Report Card, Nat Malkus discusses these questions, and more, with three education journalists: Dana Goldstein of The New York Times, Linda Jacobson of The 74, and Eric Kelderman of The Chronicle of Higher Education.Show Notes:The Youngest Pandemic Children Are Now in School, and StrugglingThe Death of School 10Texas Has Big Goals for College Completion. In Places Like the Coastal Bend, How to Get There Is Still Murky.The Distortions of Joan DonovanWhen a Department Self-DestructsIn a State With School Vouchers for All, Low-Income Families Aren't Choosing to Use Them
In this thought-provoking episode, we delve into the critical questions surrounding the Taliban's actions and their claims of implementing Islamic law. Are the bans on girls' education and the erasure of women from public life truly rooted in Islam, or do they represent a misinterpretation of the deen? We explore the contradiction between their professed adherence to the Hanafi school—renowned for its rational legal reasoning—and their oppressive policies, questioning whether tribal customs overshadow Islamic principles.Beyond women's rights, we discuss the Taliban's broader atrocities, from targeting ethnic minorities to justifying acts of violence under the banner of Sharia. Do groups like the Taliban honor the maqāsid al-sharia—the higher objectives of Islamic law—or are they undermining the faith they claim to uphold?Finally, we confront the silence of scholars and the lack of condemnation from the global Muslim community. How do these factors contribute to disillusionment among Afghan Muslims, and what can be done to inspire accountability and justice? Join us for a candid discussion on faith, politics, and the responsibilities of the Muslim world.https://iqbalcentre.leeds.ac.uk/profiles/dr-mustapha-sheikh/https://leeds.academia.edu/MustaphaSheikhhttps://ahc.leeds.ac.uk/languages/staff/125/dr-mustapha-sheikhhttps://global.oup.com/academic/product/ottoman-puritanism-and-its-discontents-9780198790761Support the show
"The Path of Inner Transformation: The Essential Fourth Way Teachings" is on Amazon, Kindle, and Audible."Influences and Distortions of the Gurdjieff Teachings" is on Amazon, Kindle, Audible:Teachings available for subscribers at :https://www.innerworkforspiritualawakening.net/https://www.theosisbooks.net/
See all series | See all talksTeacher: Tim Geil Date: 2024-12-23 MondaySeriesAwakening Into the Paramis (Monday evenings, 2024) 2024-01-09 Keri Pederson, Lyndal Johnson, Sooz Appel, Steve Wilhelm, Tim Geil, Tuere Sala This recording was edited and prepared for publication by volunteer Jim Matthews.
Here I explain the main reasons people get stuck in bad experiences from the past: traumatic bonds, resentment, and inner vows. These experiences create distortions that contaminate our view of ourselves and God. (This is Part 2 from my interview with @javawithjen .) 0:00" Introduction to the episode 1:59" Why people get stuck: traumatic bonds, resentment, and inner vows 5:00" Good vows, bad vows and promises 9:00" Identifying the roots in your life 11:50" A Prayer for Wholeness to break from the past 16:20" Additional Resources ✅ Important Links:
Live work with Joshua-- The Secret of Self-Esteem I was recently a guest on the “Philosophical Weightlifting” podcast with host Joshua Gibson (link). At the end of the interview, he asked if I could give an example of some of the techniques in TEAM-CBT, so I decided to jump right into a live demonstration, in real time, which we are publishing on today's podcast. I am very grateful to Joshua and hope you enjoy the session as much as we did! The session covers a number of topics that just about everyone can relate to, including a couple extremely common Self-Defeating Beliefs: The Achievement Addiction The Love Addiction The Inadequacy Schema (“I'm not good enough.”) It also covers some familiar territory, including the question, “Am I good enough?” It also provides an answer to the questions: “What is the secret of self-esteem,” and “what is the secret of sex appeal?” To kick things off, Joshua shares an upsetting event along with some of his negative thoughts and feelings. The upsetting event was feeling attracted to a young woman who waited on him in a restaurant, and then going to his car and wishing he'd asked for her personal information for a date. Then he courageously went back and did just that, but got shot down. Paired with this experience, his overwhelming thoughts and how strongly he believes each one are: I won't be successful. 85% I won't get to live the life I want to live. 70% I won't find love. 90% I'm not attractive. 100% This is a list of Joshua's negative feelings, and how strong each one was at the start of the session: Feeling % Now % Goal % End Anxious 95% Sad 90% Guilty 85% Inadequate 90% Lonely 90% Embarrassed 90% Hopeless 85% Frustrated 70% Angry (with self) 75% Two things stand out when you examine this list. First, Joshua is an attractive, friendly, and personable young man hosting a popular podcast. If we didn't have these estimates of his feelings, you would have NO WAY of knowing how he felt inside. These feelings are all very severe. So many people we greet in our daily lives are similar—looking terrific on the outside, but dying of loneliness and unhappiness within. Second, he is experiencing nine different types of similarly elevated negative feelings, and not just one negative feeling. This confirms statistical modeling I've done with data from the Feeling Great App. There appears to be an unknown “Common Cause” in the human psyche that activates numerous feelings simultaneously. This is like the “dark matter” of the human psyche. We can prove its existence, but don't yet know precisely what it is! However, our goal today will be to see if we can help Joshua change the way he's feeling, regardless of what's causing his pain. Positive Reframing Tool Feeling Positives Frustration It has motivated me to work hard It shows I have not given up Anxiety Keeps me from putting myself at risk It has inspired me to face my fears and grow Sadness Shows how much I care about others Helps me understand others who are suffering, like my mom Shows I have high standards and high expectations Guilt Shows that I want to live up to my expectations Shows that I have a strong moral compass Inadequacy Shows I'm honest about my flaws and eager to improve Show I'm humble Makes me approachable Loneliness Has helped my develop independence and autonomy Has motivated me to reach out to close community and to create my own Embarrassment Makes me behave in socially desirable ways Hopelessness This serves as a driving force Shows that I'm a critical and realistic thinker Protects me from disappointment Anger (at self) Shows that I have high expectations for myself and hold myself to a nigh standard You can see Joshua's goals for each negative feeling after we used the Magic Dial. The whole idea was to lower his negative feelings, not all the way to zero, since that would also wipe out all these positives, but lower them enough so that he would suffer less and still preserve all the many positives we listed, and more. Feelings Table with Goal column filled in Feeling % Now % Goal % End Anxious 95% 20% Sad 90% 10-15% Guilty 85-90% 15% Inadequate 90% 10% Lonely 90% 20% Embarrassed 90% 10-15% Hopeless 85% 20% Frustrated 70% 20% Angry (with self) 75% 5% As you can see, he decided to lower all of his negative feelings if possible. Now, we're ready for the M = Methods of TEAM-CBT. Joshua said he wanted to work on, “I'm not attractive” first. I asked Joshua how and why he came to this conclusion, since he is clearly a large and attractive guy. He confessed he had severe acne when he was an adolescent, and now has scarring that makes him look “disfigured”. Although he probably does have some scars, I asked Joshua if he thought this thought might contain some cognitive distortions. He immediately mentioned All-or-Nothing Thinking (AON). I asked Joshua to “Explain this Distortion.” Specifically, I wanted him to imagine that I was a fourth grade student, and to explain to me in simple terms WHY this thought is an example of AON, why the AON in this case is unrealistic and misleading, and why it is also unfair. He did a great job, and this reduced his belief in the thought to 50%. As an exercise, can you think of some additional distortions in this thought? Briefly stop this recording so you can write them down on a piece of paper, and then you can look at the answers at the end of the show notes. “Explain the Distortions” was an excellent first step, but it was not enough, so we went on to the Paradoxical Double Standard Technique. I played the role of a long lost identical twin or best friend who was just like Joshua. I explained that I thought I was not attractive, and asked him what he thought. He did a tremendous job, and argued that this was not really valid, and I asked if he was being honest or just trying to cheer me up. He said he was being completely honest. Then we switched into high gear, using a much more aggressive technique, the Externalization of Voices, including Self-Defense, the Acceptance Paradox, and the Counter-Attack Technique, with perhaps a couple additional techniques thrown in. He got some strong momentum and blew all four negative thoughts out of the water. We were out of time, but did take the time to rate how he felt at the end, which you can see below. Feelings Table at the End of Session Feeling % Now % Goal % End Anxious 95% 20% 0% Sad 90% 10-15% 0% Guilty 85-90% 15% 0% Inadequate 90% 10% 0% Lonely 90% 20% 0% Embarrassed 90% 10-15% 0% Hopeless 85% 20% 0% Frustrated 70% 20% 0% Angry (with self) 75% 5% 0% Answer to the quiz question above: The thought, “I'm not attractive contained many distortions in addition to AON, including: OG = Overgeneralization MF = Mental Filtering DP = Discounting the Positive MR = Mind-Reading Mag/Min = Magnification and Minimization ER = Emotional Reasoning LAB = Labeling SH = Hidden Should Statement SB = Self-Blame I was extremely grateful and honored to be a guest on Joshua's wonderful podcast, Philosophical Weightlifting, and invited him to join our Tuesday psychotherapy training class at Stanford because of his work in coaching. If you are a mental health professional, including a therapist or coach, contact me and let me know! The classes are two hours weekly and free of charge, although some course materials are required. Thank you so much, Joshua, for sharing your “inner self” with me and all of your and our podcast fans! And thank you, all of you, for listening or watching today! Rhonda, Joshua and David The following is an awesome email I received from Jason Meno right after he listened to the Joshua session. Hey there! I just finished listening to the last hour segment of David's "Philosophical Weightlifting" podcast episode with Joshua Gibson (it starts at about 1:13:52). It was fun to see a 45-minute TEAM session in action. I thought the Externalization of Voices (EoV) that was done here that seemed to work really well, really fast. It also highlighted a lot of complex dynamics that I see David use a lot. Here's my analysis of what went down and what I think we can learn from it: Joshua's attack: Joshua's negative thought was "I'm not attractive", but when it came time for him to attack, he said, "You know Joshua, you are disfigured and because of that you're unlovable and that's an unavoidable thing you're going to have to deal with." This attack is a lot more powerful than just the thought "You're not attractive." It digs into hurtful labels, hopelessness, and frustration. When you are in the position of roleplaying as the negative voice, there's often new and subtle dimensions that come out of it. Right now we are making it easy for the user to attack the AI by just printing out their negative thoughts, but I think letting the attack be more dynamic would be a lot better. David uses Be Specific: "Can you tell me in what way I'm disfigured?" I REALLY like Be Specific. It sets things up very well. I'd love to do this as part of the EoV formula. Joshua answers: "Yes, so you had acne growing up and now you have scars as a result and that makes you look different from everyone else." David uses Paradoxical Acceptance / Humorous Magnification: "Well, thank you, wise guru. I'm enlightened now and see that I'm some kind of ugly monster who's going to scare all the women in the United States. But what you're saying is a lot of horseshit, and you know it." David's sarcastic tone belittles the negative voice's criticism, which also lightens up the absurd magnification that follows. He then quickly rejects the absurd and flows into healthy acceptance following this. David uses Straightforward Acceptance: "But it's true I'm not perfect, and I did have acne, and I do have scars, and there there's plenty of Hollywood movie stars who have some kind of fantastic looks." There's something very powerful about going from the absurd magnification into this healthy acceptance. It's kind of like framing the horrifying absurd with the moderately painful truth makes the truth a lot easier to accept. David uses Defense: "I have a lot about me that's attractive that I can be proud of, including my love, my humility. I've built a tremendous body that 99% of men would be the envy of, and 100% of women would love to touch and fondle." The self-compassion and focusing on specific strengths and pride in accomplishments seems to a very effective defense. There's also a little magnification and humor going on here too that works well. This is a lot stronger than a lot of defenses I see where people just say the thought is being distorted or unfair. David sets up the Counter-Attack Technique: "But there is one thing that's very, very unattractive about me that you didn't mention." Joshua asks: "What's that?" David uses the CAT: "That's that effing crappy voice in my head belittling me and constantly putting me down. And when I'm not listening to you, I'm feeling pretty damn happy. So, to quote the Buddha and Jesus alike, shut the f up." One of the things that seems to make the CAT really effective is when you can take the negative voice's criticism and throw it right back at the negative voice itself. In this case, the negative voice is the real unattractive quality. Awesome work David, and I'd love try out this EoV framework in the app. Best, Jason Roughly one week after the session with Joshua, Rhonda and David interviewed him for his reflections on the session and an update on how he's doing now. He said: I've reflected a lot on this, and what has changed for me. There were many things that impacted me, but positive reframing was a game-changer. For example, if I get anxious, I welcome the feeling, and tell myself, "This anxiety will help me with this project." I was getting a tattoo, and it hurt, so I told myself, "I'm glad it hurts. This pain protects my body." And, of course, people with leprosy lose the ability to feel pain, and the consequences are disastrous and tragic. He continued, I have become more accepting, and talk openly about my appearance. I've had the courage to face that fear. The theme of my life has been, "I'm not good enough." But now I remind myself that I've done all kinds of cool stuff. For example, I coached several people into the top five in the United States in power lifting. I'm way less self-critical now. I visited, and loved, the Tuesday group at Stanford. I didn't judge myself but just jumped in and did what I could do! We concluded the session with some Relapse Prevention Training, using Externalization of Voices to challenging his previous negative thoughts, including the thoughts he will have when he relapses. such as I'm not good enough. I'm a hopeless case. The therapy didn't work on me because I'm different. I'm a hopeless case. We used Externalization of Voices with role-reversals, and Joshua won "huge!" His final response was, "There's pain and joy in life. I'll feel joy and love!" Thank you for listening today. We hope you enjoy the intensely personal work with Joshua. Let us know what you think, and if it touched you if you've ever felt like you weren't "good enough!" Warmly, Joshua, Rhonda, and David
See all series | See all talksTeacher: Tim Geil Date: 2024-12-16 MondaySeriesAwakening Into the Paramis (Monday evenings, 2024) 2024-01-09 Keri Pederson, Lyndal Johnson, Sooz Appel, Steve Wilhelm, Tim Geil, Tuere Sala Reflection and Practice Pick one of the paramis to explore: Generosity, Ethics, Renunciation, Wisdom, Energy, Patience, Truthfulness, Resolve, Lovingkindness, Equanimity. Can you see any distortions that arise from trying to adopt this parami, such as projecting a false self-image? How do mindfulness, investigation, and wise view support seeing and understanding? This recording was edited and prepared for publication by volunteer John Stott.
Professor Campbell Harvey, professor of finance at the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University and the inventor of the most famous recession indicator — the inverted yield curve — returns to The Julia La Roche Show for episode 219 to discuss the state of the economy, the yield curve, and what's ahead for U.S. growth. Links: DeFI and the Future of Finance: https://www.amazon.com/DeFi-Future-Finance-Campbell-Harvey/dp/1119836018 https://www.fuqua.duke.edu/faculty/campbell-harvey https://people.duke.edu/~charvey/ https://twitter.com/camharvey Timestamps: 00:02 Introduction to Professor Campbell Harvey 00:51 BlackRock's "end of boom-bust cycle" thesis 04:15 Historical perspective on market cycles 06:14 Impact of wealthy consumers on economy 07:13 Role of technological innovation 11:37 U.S. leadership in innovation 14:31 Growth prospects and productivity potential 16:09 Post-election growth outlook 24:56 U.S. debt and deficit challenges 28:16 Social Security sustainability issues 32:51 Inverted yield curve indicator discussion 40:11 Impact of technological innovations 45:21 Federal Reserve policy critique 50:20 Distortions from Fed's zero-rate policy 54:18 Future consequences of Fed decisions 59:40 Closing thoughts on U.S. prospects
Weekly teachings available here:https://www.innerworkforspiritualawakening.net/"The Path of Inner Transformation: The Essential Fourth Way Teachings" is on Amazon, Kindle, and Audible."Influences and Distortions of the Gurdjieff Teachings" is on Amazon, Kindle, Audible:https://www.theosisbooks.net/
On the surface, seeing hallucinations and distorted faces seems like a mental illness. However, it's actually an issue with sight called Prosopometamorphopsia. Many people with this rare condition don't report it because they're afraid they're going crazy, but our expert breaks down this condition and what more research is needed to truly understand PMO. Learn More: https://radiohealthjournal.org/the-eye-condition-that-causes-hallucinations-and-face-distortions Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Have you ever felt weighed down by the past, unable to move forward because of trauma, distorted perceptions, or unforgiveness? In this powerful episode, I sit down with Lynn Eldridge—an acclaimed author, inner healing coach, and international minister—as she shares her raw and transformative journey from mental illness, addiction, and brokenness to freedom, healing, and a life of purpose.Lynn's story will inspire you to confront the hidden judgments and negative beliefs that could be holding you back. Together, we dive deep into how past pain shapes your relationships, your health, and even your faith. From the grip of unforgiveness to the surprising role of nutrition and obedience in healing, Lynn offers actionable steps to begin your own journey of restoration.If you're tired of the weight of life's “dramas and traumas,” this episode is your call to rise. You'll leave with practical insights, encouragement, and the inspiration to rewrite your story. Healing is possible, and it begins with a single step. Let this be yours! Tune in now.Chapter:[00:00] Podcast Preview[00:58] Introduction to the Visibly Fit Podcast[01:34] Judgment and Perception[02:26] Guest Introduction: Lynn Eldridge[04:26] The Inspiration Behind "Perceptions"[05:17] Personal Struggles with Anorexia[07:22] The Path to Understanding Judgments[08:09] Mental Health and Treatment[10:39] The Impact of Childhood Judgments[12:05] The Key to Health: Forgiveness[12:28] Finding Freedom in Christ[15:05] The Dangers of Sugar[16:03] Nutrition and Mental Clarity[19:20] Shifting Expectations[20:41] The Power of Words and Attitude[22:02] Listening to Your Body[25:00] The Role of Spirituality in Healing[30:26] Surrendering Control to God[33:27] A Life Transformed[38:11] Encouragement for the Struggling[39:17] The Pursuit of Healing[42:12] Lynn's Remarkable Past[45:06] Closing Thoughts and ResourcesResources mentioned:Lynn Eldridge's WebsiteVisibly Fit 7-Week Accelerator ProgramConnect with today's guest:InstagramLynn Eldridge is an acclaimed author, motivational speaker, inner healing coach, and international minister based in Franklin, Tennessee. Despite being raised in the church in Illinois, Lynn grew up in an environment marked by resentment, control, and rejection, particularly from her mother. These early experiences left her battling mental health challenges, distorted perceptions, and unresolved traumas.Through her memoir, Bipolar to Beloved: A Journey from Mental Illness to Freedom, and her latest book, Perceptions: Healing from Distortions of God, Self, and Others, Lynn courageously shares her journey of overcoming deep-rooted pain and finding freedom through forgiveness and faith. Her teachings explore how past dramas and traumas shape our relationships, self-image, and understanding of God.Today, Lynn is a beacon of hope, empowering others to heal from their past and embrace a life of freedom, joy, and purpose through her books, speaking engagements, and mentoring programs.P.S. If you're just checking out the show to see if it's a good fit for you, welcome!If you're really serious about becoming Visibly Fit, you'll get the best experience if you download the worksheets available at https://wendiepett.com/visiblyfitpodcast.
The book "Influences and Distortions of the Gurdjieff Teachings" is available on Amazon, Kindle, and Audible."The Path of Inner Transformation: The Essential Fourth Way Teachings" is on Amazon, Kindle, Audiblehttps://www.innerworkforspiritualawakening.net/
"The Path of Inner Transformation: The Essential Fourth Way Teachings" is on Amazon, Kindle, and Audible."Influences and Distortions of the Gurdjieff Teachings" is on Amazon, Kindle, Audible.Teachings available for subscribers at :https://www.innerworkforspiritualawakening.net/
Distortions in the application of the Law - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings. Are any of these distortions a temptation in your own journey? Could secondary details be eclipsing essentials in your faith life? Do you find that meeting people's approval is too much of a concern for you? How are you using your knowledge of faith to serve others, to open paths for others to know Christ?
"You can't love someone else unless you love yourself."In this episode of Master Your Marriage, we explore the profound connection between self-love and relationships, emphasizing the importance of self-esteem in fostering intimacy. We introduce a reactive behavior map to help listeners understand their own and their partner's behaviors during conflicts. The discussion delves into the distortions of self-esteem, highlighting the one-up and one-down positions that can hinder healthy relationships. The episode concludes with a focus on the necessity of compassionate self-confrontation and the journey of evolving relationships through honest self-reflection.The Self-Esteem distortions: https://drive.google.com/file/d/11vzfQsTiWULK4Uu9pl4fYoa32ckOkDLX/view?usp=sharing TakeawaysYou can't love someone else unless you love yourself.Self-esteem is how you relate to yourself and others.Healthy self-esteem recognizes our inherent value.Distortions in self-esteem can sabotage intimacy.The one-up position leads to superiority and entitlement.The one-down position leads to feelings of inferiority.Contempt is a major predictor of relationship issues.Compassionate self-confrontation is essential for growth.True intimacy requires equality in relationships.Relationships are a continuous journey of self-evaluation.Values Course “Sync Up: Aligning Values & Vision For Lasting Love” is now available! Get registered here: https://stan.store/masteryourmarriage/p/in-sync-together-aligning-values--vision
Forgiveness can be a very confusing idea. And bad teaching about it can inflict undue pain and trauma. If you've ever wondered about how to interpret Matthew 18 and the issue of "church discipline," then you won't want to miss this teaching. Part 3 of a 3-part teaching series.
Like Gerald A Johnson Ministries on Facebook: https:// www.facebook.com/gajm.tv lf you would like to support the continuation of this podcast or give to GAJM please visit: http://geraldajohnson.org/generosity To listen to the full message, visit and subscribe to the Youtube channel here: https:// www.youtube.com/ @FaithCultureChurch New episodes will be uploaded every Thursday. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/GAJMPODCAST/support
Enjoy this episode? Please share it with at least ONE friend who you think needs to hear it! Have you ever wondered what it would be like to tap into the hidden realms of your dreams and unlock deeper layers of your consciousness? In this episode, we are joined by Joel Schafer, a personal empowerment mentor and shamanic dreaming arts teacher. Joel shares his journey from exploring Toltec teachings and psychedelics to discovering the profound work of Carlos Castaneda. With insights drawn from his experiences with medicine men, women, and healers, Joel dives deep into the shamanic dreaming arts and how they have shaped his life and practice. Episode Highlights: Joel's Journey to Toltec Teachings: Hear about Joel's start with Toltec teachings, psychedelics, and how he discovered the work of Carlos Castaneda. Medicine Men, Women, and Healers: Learn how the wisdom of these healers shifted Joel's life and approach to shamanism. Shamanic Dreaming Arts: Explore Joel's work in the shamanic dreaming arts, including how to empty your story and become more resilient. The Gates of Dreaming: Discover how the gates of dreaming lead to your parallel being and what working in these gates feels like. Training Awareness: Understand how you can train yourself to perceive energy with your whole being and the significance of awareness in this practice. Astral Entities and Their Origins: Joel explains where astral entities come from and what they are in relation to shamanic dreaming. Recapitulation and Taking Back Your Power: A breakdown of recapitulation, what it is, and why it's necessary for reclaiming personal power. Power Plants and the Energetic Body: Insights into the role of plant medicine, why it's sometimes necessary, and how it affects the energetic body. Understanding the Flyers: Learn about the “flyers” and how understanding them helps you navigate what's happening on a deeper spiritual level. Shamanic Principles and Practice: Joel emphasizes the consistent work needed in shamanic practices and how to integrate these principles into everyday life. About Joel Schafer Joel Schafer is a personal empowerment mentor and teacher of the shamanic dreaming arts. With years of experience in Toltec teachings and practices, Joel guides people on a path of reclaiming their vital energy and attention. Through online courses, one-on-one mentoring, and in-person workshops, he shares powerful, non-linear techniques based on Toltec knowledge. These methods help individuals discover their purpose, heighten their awareness, ground themselves, and reclaim their focus. Joel's approach blends practicality with magic, offering clear, transformative solutions to life's challenges. Resources: Joel Schafer's Next Online Course: Multiplicity https://www.joelschafer.com/multiplicity Joel Schafer's Next In-person Workshop (Missoula, Montana): Seeing the Mirror https://www.joelschafer.com/seeing-the-mirror The Way Forward podcast is sponsored by: NEW BIOLOGY CLINIC: Experience individually tailored terrain-based health services with virtual consults, practitioner livestreams, movement classes, and more. The New Biology Clinic's motivation is to make you healthy and keep you that way. Visit https://NewBiologyClinic.com and enter code TheWayForward for $50 off your activation fee. Members of The Way Forward get the full activation fee waived. Become a member of The Way Forward here: https://thewayfwrd.com/membership-sign-up/ ————————— Visit our online marketplace for discounts on a variety of the best holistic health brands and products: https://thewayfwrd.com/store/ For all of our links, and to watch or listen to The Way Forward on other platforms, visit: https://www.flowcode.com/page/thewayforward Join The Way Forward to connect with like minded men and women near you, businesses near you, and more! The best part? You pay whatever you want!: https://thewayfwrd.com/membership-sign-up/ Are you a natural health practitioner? Join our private, natural-health practitioner database here: https://thewayfwrd.com/directory-form/ ————————— This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without expressed written permission from The Way Forward, LLC. The purpose of this presentation is to convey information. It is not intended to diagnose, treat or cure a condition; nor is it to be considered medical or legal advice, opinion or recommendation. This information is presented in the spirit of service for all. 0:00 - The Shamanic Dreaming Arts, Recapitulation & Castaneda 2:14 - Introduction 4:08 - Start with Toltec Teachings 13:13 - Allowing Your Dreams to Guide You 17:14 - Shamanic Dreaming Arts 30:50 - Consuming Powerful Materials & Practices Without Cult Mentality 38:50 - Dream Gates 48:12 - The Clay Molded Man 57:52 - How Can We Detach and Still Be In Love With This Reality 1:03:01 - Distortions of the New Age Movement 1:14:42 - Power of Awareness 1:20:44 - Perceiving Whole Energy 1:25:36 - The Art of Controlled Folly 1:33:24 - Astral Entities 1:39:18 - Deeper Layer of Awakening - 1:46:07 - Recapitulation 1:56:10 - Cultivating the Lost Memories 2:02:37 - Importance of Power Plants 2:09:54 - Being Ready to Receive the Second Awareness 2:20:36 - Differentiating Your Thoughts From the Flyers 2:28:20 - Is There a Reincarnation Soul Trap? 2:38:28 - Closing Thoughts
Forgiveness can be a very confusing idea. And bad teaching about it can inflict undue pain and trauma. If you've ever wondered about how to interpret Matthew 18 and the issue of "church discipline," then you won't want to miss this teaching. Part 2 of a 3-part teaching series.
John Stonestreet and Maria Bear discuss the memorial services for 9/11 and how younger generations make light of historical tragedies. Also, an evaluation of the recent reports from Aurora, CO and Springfield, OH, and the implications of large-scale immigration in a weakening culture. Finally, they correct the falsehoods about abortion stated by both candidates during this week's Presidential debate. Recommendations The Only Plane in the Sky: An Oral History of 9/11 by Garrett M. Graff Lighthouse Voices featuring Samuel James Everyone is Numbing Out by Catherine Shannon Segment 1 - Remembering 9/11 How 9/11 Became One of the Internet's Most Popular Memes Shows about Nothing: Nihilism in Popular Culture by Thomas S. Hibbs Everyone is Numbing Out by Catherine Shannon Segment 2 - The Impact of Immigration Concepts of a Plan - Nellie Bowles on The Free Press Springfield, Ohio, resident details 'dystopian nightmare' as Haitian migrants overrun town: 'Breaks my heart' Reports of Missing Pets True or Not, Ohio City Suffers From Huge Haitian Migrant Influx My Village Ministries Segment 3 - Abortion Distortions from the Presidential Debate Tim Walz Removed Requirement to Try to Save Babies Born Alive After Abortion Live Action: Why would a state with dozens of abortion survivors in recent years stop reporting them? Live Action: Fact checker fails to tell the truth on abortion survivors and infanticide Virginia governor faces backlash over comments supporting late-term abortion bill Hidden Epidemic: Nearly 70% of Abortions Are Coerced, Unwanted or Inconsistent With Women's Preferences Segment 4 - Christian Kids in Public School Christianity Today: Public School Can be a Training Ground for Faith LifeWise Academy Michigan school district treats girl as boy behind parents' backs Gateways to Better Education ADF Legal First Liberty __________ Register for the upcoming Breakpoint Forum: Following the Science on Transgender Ideology at colsoncenter.org/forum. Give today at colsoncenter.org/september to receive your copy of After Humanity by Michael Ward or Strange New Worldby Carl Trueman, along with exclusive accompanying digital content.
Forgiveness can be a very confusing idea. And bad teaching about it can inflict undue pain and trauma. I am going to tackle this tricky topic in a short 2-part teaching series.
Join Mark in a Sunday Night Live solo episode, where I address questions about mental, emotional and relationship health: The end times has made someone very impatient and black and white about their journey. How do I deal with friends who are into Harry Potter and Dungeons and Dragons.? Expressing the damage of spiritual abuse […]
Plus, Trump struggling to keep up as Harris backers self-organize to help campaign
Special Announcement #1 Attend the Legendary Summer Intensive Featuring Drs. David Burns and Jill Levitt August 8 - 11. 2024 Learn Advanced TEAM-CBT skills Heal yourself, heal your patients First Intensive in 5 years! It will knock your socks off! Limited Seating--Act Fast Click for registration / more information! Sadly, this workshop is a training program which will be limited to therapists and mental health professionals and graduate students in a mental health field Apologies, but therapists have complained when non-therapists have attended our continuing education training programs. This is partly because of the intimate nature of the small group exercises and the personal work the therapists may do during the workshop. Certified coaches and counselors are welcome to attend. Special Announcement #2 Here's some GREAT news! The Feeling Great App is now available in both app stores (IOS and Android) and is for therapists and the general public, and you can take a ride for free! Check it Today's Podcast Practical Philosophy Month Part 2, Do Humans have “Selves”? This is our second podcast in our Practical Philosophy Month. Last week, in our first episode, we focused on the “free will” question. As humans, we all feel like we have “free will,” but is it just an illusion, especially if all our actions are the result of the physical processes in our brains and the laws of the universe? The Bible certainly dealt with this in the book of Genesis, where we learn that the first humans, Adam and Eve, were given a wonderful Garden of Eden to live in, but they had to choose whether or not to obey God's rule NOT to eat the forbidden fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. They chose to eat the fruit, implying that humans have free choice. But the philosophical arguments rage on. In today's podcast, we are joined by two beloved and brilliant colleagues, Drs. Matthew May and Fabrice Nye, as we explore the question of whether or not the “self” exists. We all feel like we have a “self,” but is this real or just an illusion? When you try to define your “self,” you may run into problems. For example, you might think that the “self” has to be the part of us that does not change from moment to moment, and is always ‘the same.” For example, I might think back on my childhood and feel convinced that I was the “same David Burns” then that I am now. And, if you are religious, you might also be comforted by the idea that your “self” is the same as your “soul,” and that you will therefore live on after you die. This concept of a “soul” is a core belief in many religions. But are we fooling ourselves? And what was the Buddha thinking about 2,500 years ago when we talked about enlightenment as resulting from the “Great Death” of the “self.” He seemed to be hinting that something wonderful can happen when you give up the idea that you have a “self.” In the original draft of my book, Feeling Great, I had a chapter on entitled, “Do you need a “self?” Join the Grateful Dead.” I tried to persuade readers that the existence of a “self” is nonsense, based on the philosophy of Ludwig Wittgenstein in his famous book, Philosophical Investigations. But readers found the chapter so upsetting that I decided, on their urging, to delete it from the manuscript, which I did. My goal is not to disturb people, but to provide a path to joy and to loving connections with others. But to this day, I still get emails from people asking me to offer that chapter, or to deal more deeply with this concept of the “self” vs “no self” in a podcast. So, here is my attempt today. I will start with my own take, and then summarize some of the views about the self that were expressed by Fabrice, Matt, and Rhonda during the show. Here's my thinking. There are many key questions you could ask about the concept of the “self?” including: Do we have a “self?” And if so, what is it? Does the first question even make sense? I'm sure you would agree that if a question doesn't make sense, then it isn't a “real” question, and there really isn't anything to talk about. Then we can just stop feeling frustrated and perplexed, and move on with our lives. That is the precise position that the late Wittgenstein would probably have taken. He stated that words have no ultimate or “true” meaning outside of the various contexts in which we use them in daily life. Most words have many meanings, because they are used in different ways, and you can find most of the meanings in any dictionary. So, if you think of the word, “game,” you will quickly realize that it does not have one “true” or essential meaning. It can mean a sports competition, with two teams competing against each, like soccer. But you can have two teams competing in some way other than a sport. And you don't even need two teams to have a “game.” For example, some games are played by one individual, like solitaire with a deck of cards. Or you can think about the “dating game,” or refer to “game birds,” or a “game boxer.” In short, there is not some single “correct” meaning to the word, “game.” Some uses have overlapping meanings, and some uses do not overlap at all with other uses. So, there is no point in trying to figure out if “games exist,” or what the ultimate or essential meaning is of the word, “game.” Now, how do we use the word, “self,” and what does it mean in each context? You might tell your child to behave themself. This simply means that they are misbehaving and will be punished if they don't behave more politely. You do not have to tell the child that their “self” also has to behave better, because that would be meaningless. We already told the child to change their behavior. You could ask friends, as I did this morning, if they are planning to join me on the Sunday hike. Two of them confirmed and said that “they” would join me today on our hike. I did have to ask them if they would be bringing their “selves,” because I just do not know what that would mean! They already told me they're coming to the hike. (They did come and we had a lot of fun.) In my extremely challenging freshman English class at Amherst College, we had to write two or three papers per week on odd topics. The teachers were relentlessly critical in their feedback, and would nearly always point out that we sounded incredibly phony and need to find our true voices, which came from our real selves, as opposed to the false fronts we often used to try to impress people. Almost every student got dumped on constantly! The professors weren't referring to some metaphysical “true selves.” They were just referring to the fact that our writing didn't sound natural, compelling, or vulnerable, and so forth. Our writing was, for the most part, an enormous turn-off. Most of us never could figure out quite what that class was all about, but it was useful as I became more sensitive to the “tone” or “voice” in any writing. I would have to concede that it was a sobering but helpful class. But they were not referring to some mystical “true self” we had to find. They just wanted us to stop writing in such a sucky way! So here is my point, which you might “not get.” When you keep the word, “self,” in the context of everyday life, it is obvious what it means, and it never refers to some metaphysical “thing” that we could “have” or “not have.” It is just a vague, abstract concept that is devoid of meaning when it's all by itself. A “self,” just like “free will,” is not some “thing” that we might, or might not, have. The question, “Does the self exist,” according to Wittgenstein (or his big fan David) has no meaning and so we can just ignore it. It's not a real question. It is, as Wittgenstein was fond of saying, “language that's out of gear.” Now, does this discussion have anything to do with emotional problems, or TEAM therapy? It absolutely does. That's because nearly all depression results from some version of “I'm not good enough,” including: I'm inferior. I'm a loser. I'm a “hopeless case.” I'm a failure. I'm unlovable. I'm a bad parent. I'm defective. And so forth. If you buy into these “self” condemning proclamations, thinking that they mean something, you'll probably feel depressed, ashamed, inadequate, hopeless, and more. As you can probably see, all these self-critical thoughts contain tons of cognitive distortions, like All-or-Nothing Thinking, Overgeneralization, Labeling, Mental Filtering, Emotional Reasoning, Self-Blame, Hidden Shoulds, and more And to put it in a nutshell, they ALL involve the belief that you have a “self” that's broken, or simply not “good enough.” And all of those statements are meaningless. My goal in therapy is NOT to persuade you that you ARE worthwhile, or “a winner,” or a “good” parent, but rather to show you how to let go of these meaningless but painful ways of belittling yourself. I might use techniques like Empathy, Positive Reframing, Explain the Distortions, Let's Define Terms, Be Specific, the Double Standard Technique, the Externalization of Voices, the Downward Arrow, and many more. That's because the VERY moment you suddenly “see” that these kinds of statements are both untrue and unfair, and you stop believing them, your feelings will instantly change. So, you could say that TEAM really IS a “Wittgensteinian” therapy. And when people ask me how to develop better self-esteem, I would not try to get them to discover how to have some magical and wonderful “thing” called self-esteem, because that concept is just as nonsensical as the concept of a “self.” You might say that “self-esteem,” if you want to use the term, is more about what you DO. And there are two things you can do if you want to change the way you feel. First, you can stop beating up on yourself with hostile criticisms like the bulleted statements listed above, and talk to yourself in the same encouraging way you might talk to a dear friend or loved one who was hurting. And second, you can treat yourself in a loving way, in just the same way you might treat your best friend who was coming for a visit. In other words, you can do nice things for yourself. The day my first book, “Feeling Good,” was finally published, my editor called me with some bad news. She told me that the publisher, William Morrow and Company, loses money on 9 out of 10 of the books they publish, so they decide which ones are most likely to sell, and those are the only ones they'll promote. The rest of the books go on a “loser list,” and the company does little or nothing to promote them. She said my book was #1 on their “loser list,” since the president of the company felt it had no commercial potential, and that very few people would be interest in a long book on depression. She added that the one thing they did do was to send my book to ten popular magazines for first serial rights. That means they get to publish an excerpt from your book as an article, so that stirs up some media interest in your book. Sadly, she said that all ten had turned them down. She said that I'd have to be in charge of any further marketing of my book, so I asked what I should do. She said to call all ten magazines right away and persuade them to change their minds. In a panic, I called them all, including Ladies' Home Journal, Reader's Digest, and on and on. Every magazine said the same thing—they did not want my book, had turned it down, had zero interest in it, and to please top calling since authors shouldn't call them and they considered it a form of phone harassment since they'd already made a decision. Yikes! No fun! When I jogged home from the train station that night, I shouted, “You're a loser, you're a failure.” That didn't sound so good so then I shouted, “No, you're not! You'll figure out how to make it happen! Just keep plugging away.” That sounded a lot more loving, so when I got home, I told my wife that the book at just been published and that I'd been turned down by all ten magazines for serial rights, and the publisher decided not to spend any money on marketing or advertising, so we needed to go out and celebrate. She why we would celebrate? I said, “You don't need to celebrate when you win, because you already feel great. But when you lose, that's when you need to celebrate, because you're feeling down. So, tonight we'll celebrate!” We went out for a fancy dinner and celebrated and had fun. And the rest, they say, is history. I just kept trying and getting turned down by newspapers, radio stations, television programs, and more. But eventually, the tide started to turn. To date, Feeling Good has sold more than 5 million copies and it achieved best-seller status. And the reason was that researchers discovered that the book actually had antidepressant properties, so excitement about it spread by word of mouth. I am hopeful that the new Feeling Great App will help even more people. Fabrice made some interesting and wise comments on the notion of the “self.” He said that the idea that we have a “self” is a sense that we nearly all have. Some people feel like the “self” that is located somewhere behind the eyes or in the middle of the head. But, he emphasizes, there is no such “thing” as a “self.” He has quoted someone who has “said it all,” but the statement only makes sense IF you “get it!” Here's the quote: “No Self? No Problem!” This is actually the title of a book by Chris Niebauer, PhD, and the subtitle is How Neuropsychology Is Catching Up to Buddhism. If you want to check it out, here's a link to it on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/No-Self-Problem-Neuropsychology-Catching/dp/1938289978 Fabrice emphasized that the concept of “self” is “nebulous.” He asked, “Is there a ‘David'?” He explained: You wouldn't be able to prove this in court. Well, you could show ID, but that would not be proof. Where does the information on the ID come from? Birth certificate? Who wrote the information on the birth certificate? Probably some doctor back in 1942. And where did he get that information from? Probably some caregiver said “Write ‘David' here.” Was that from a credible source? Not at all. That info was made up on the spot! Now, you can say that there's a “sense” of a David going around, and that there are some patterns that show signs of “David-ness,” but there is no “David.” Matt added that your body is not your “self.” When you break your arm, you don't say that you have broken a part of your “self.” You just say, “I broke my arm.” Rhonda raised the question of whether the “self” is just the same as “consciousness” or “awareness.” Someone in our group added that the “self” is what we DO, and not what we ARE. And, of course, what we are doing is constantly changing from moment to moment. My understanding of all of this is that once you let go of the notion that you have a “self,” you will no longer worry about whether or not you are “good enough” or “special,” or whoever. You can focus instead on living your life and solving the problems of daily living and appreciating the world around you. If you screw up, you can focus on what specific error you made, rather than obsessing about your inferior or defective “self.” You can actually welcome failure as just another teacher, so you can grow and learn, and simply accept your screw ups, or both. In fact, two of the most popular TEAM techniques for challenging the distorted thoughts in bullets above are called “Let's Define Terms” and “Be Specific.” These techniques are right out of Wittgenstein's playbook, and they are prominently featured in the “Learn” section of the new Feeling Great App. If you're feeling depressed, and thinking of yourself as a “loser” or as being “inferior” or even “worthless,” the goal is NOT to “become a ‘winner,” or more ‘worthwhile,' but rather to give up these notions as nonsensical. But once again, many people cannot “get it,” or “see it,” and that's where a caring and skillful therapist can help. Some people wrongly think that letting go of the notion that you could be “worthwhile” would mean a huge loss of something precious. Many people who don't yet “see” what we're trying to say are terrified of the “Great Death” because they think that giving up the notion that you have a “self” means giving up all hope for improvement, for joy, for intimacy, and so forth. But to my way of thinking, the truth is just the opposite. When your “self” dies, you and your world suddenly wake up and come to life. When you accept yourself and your world, exactly as they are right now, everything suddenly changes. Of course, that's a paradox. I believe that leading our patients to the “Great Death” of the “self” is like giving them the understanding and courage they need to throw some garbage in the trash instead of carrying the garbage around with them all the time! I hope some of this makes a little sense, but if not, don't worry about. Sometimes, it takes a little time before you suddenly “see it!” Thanks for listening today. We love all of you! Rhonda, Fabrice, Matt, and David
On this Citations Needed Live Show, recorded virtually on May 23, 2024, Adam and Nima discuss recent coverage of the campus protests over the ongoing genocide in Gaza, from the media's habit of pathologizing Zoomers to Biden's condescending implication they're just a foaming hate mob. We were joined by guests Layla Saliba and Jonathan Ben-Menachem.