The Sacred Speaks Sun, 04 Oct 2026 09:00:00 -0400 http://www.thesacredspeaks.com en © 2026 The Sacred Speaks yes 6f9be614-05f1-5a0e-89c1-21310fa110b2 Dr. John W. Price serial true Join depth psychotherapist and Jungian scholar Dr. John W. Price in an ongoing exploration of the mysteries that stir beneath the surface of ordinary life. Through wide-ranging conversations with experts, artists, scholars, saints, and skeptics, this podcast uncovers the symbolic, spiritual, and psychological layers hidden in plain sight.


Rooted in the understanding that life itself initiates us, The Sacred Speaks explores how our experiences—grief, wonder, rupture, longing—are invitations to grow, transform, and show up more fully in the world. At its core, the project asks: What if consciousness is always speaking to us—through dreams, synchronicities, crises, or beauty—beckoning us into a deeper, more expansive relationship with ourselves and the mystery we live within?

]]> Buzzsprout (https://www.buzzsprout.com) Dr. John W. Price https://storage.buzzsprout.com/x1ewartxck2whyiq4mq4qpw1fgz8?.jpg The Sacred Speaks http://www.thesacredspeaks.com 144 - Tom Morgan: Awakening or Breakdown? Business, Consciousness, and the Nature of Reality 144 - Tom Morgan: Awakening or Breakdown? Business, Consciousness, and the Nature of Reality What happens when a life built around success, intelligence, and achievement is no longer able to hold the deeper questions beginning to move through you?

Tom Morgan spent years in finance, including time on Wall Street, he achieved an ideal that our culture presents as success, before undergoing a spontaneous spiritual opening filled with synchronicities and an altered sense of reality. What followed was a two-year descent into severe depression, intrusive inner voices, isolation, and suicidality. Tom describes this period as a descent into hell, understood as the experience of profound separation from himself, his family, and the world around him.

In this conversation, Tom and John explore the uncertain territory between spiritual awakening and psychological crisis. Tom shares how ketamine, writing, disciplined routines, and the work of Carl Jung and Iain McGilchrist helped him begin rebuilding his life. He also discusses the experiences that led him to create Leading Edge, a community organized around openness, transformation, building, creating,  meaningful relationships, the mystical, and the human need for modern initiatory containers.

The conversation moves through active imagination, synchronicity, precognition, money and meaning, fatherhood, authenticity, and the relationship between trauma, love, and psi phenomena. At the center of the episode is a question that reaches beyond Tom’s personal story: What kinds of communities do human beings need in order to survive periods of disorientation and allow a different life to emerge? What does our culture need to transform? His answer is found in the number that anthropologists have offered as the ideal community. One hundred and fifty people. 

Learn more about Tom Morgan and Leading Edge:
https://theleading-edge.org

Learn more about John Price, The Sacred Speaks, and Open Gate:
https://www.drjohnwprice.com

Content note: This episode includes candid discussion of severe depression, intrusive thoughts, mental health diagnosis, and suicidality.
Chapters
00:00 Welcome and Guest Introduction
01:58 The Open Gate Community
03:53 Tom Joins the Conversation
05:07 What Is Moving Through Tom Now
07:57 Early Life and a Career in Finance
10:57 Spiritual Opening and Synchronicity
14:51 The Descent Into Hell
16:48 Damnation and Intrusive Inner Voices
29:59 Isolation and the Edge of Suicide
33:43 Psychosis or Spiritual Experience?
38:25 Ketamine and the Turning Point
39:46 Rebuilding Through Structure and Routine
41:46 The Synchronicity That Funded Tom’s Writing
43:14 Honesty and the Transformational Container
47:26 How Disclosure Changes Reality
51:59 AI as a Dialogue With Mystery
56:06 Earth School and Symbolic Living
1:00:04 Movies as Spiritual Mirrors
1:03:39 Jung, McGilchrist, and Curiosity
1:09:49 The Biology of Goal-Directedness
1:11:55 Curiosity as a Movement Toward Wholeness
1:14:16 Bliss, Utility, and Contribution
1:15:47 Precognition and Presentiment
1:21:23 Trauma, Love, and Psi
1:23:22 AI as an Emissary and a Tool
1:26:41 Success and the Shift Into the Second Half of Life
1:29:07 Integrating Money and Meaning
1:36:07 Demons, Dissociation, and Active Imagination
1:39:53 Building Leading Edge
1:43:25 Community as an Antidote to Separation
1:44:22 Gratitude and Closing

]]> What happens when a life built around success, intelligence, and achievement is no longer able to hold the deeper questions beginning to move through you?

Tom Morgan spent years in finance, including time on Wall Street, he achieved an ideal that our culture presents as success, before undergoing a spontaneous spiritual opening filled with synchronicities and an altered sense of reality. What followed was a two-year descent into severe depression, intrusive inner voices, isolation, and suicidality. Tom describes this period as a descent into hell, understood as the experience of profound separation from himself, his family, and the world around him.

In this conversation, Tom and John explore the uncertain territory between spiritual awakening and psychological crisis. Tom shares how ketamine, writing, disciplined routines, and the work of Carl Jung and Iain McGilchrist helped him begin rebuilding his life. He also discusses the experiences that led him to create Leading Edge, a community organized around openness, transformation, building, creating,  meaningful relationships, the mystical, and the human need for modern initiatory containers.

The conversation moves through active imagination, synchronicity, precognition, money and meaning, fatherhood, authenticity, and the relationship between trauma, love, and psi phenomena. At the center of the episode is a question that reaches beyond Tom’s personal story: What kinds of communities do human beings need in order to survive periods of disorientation and allow a different life to emerge? What does our culture need to transform? His answer is found in the number that anthropologists have offered as the ideal community. One hundred and fifty people. 

Learn more about Tom Morgan and Leading Edge:
https://theleading-edge.org

Learn more about John Price, The Sacred Speaks, and Open Gate:
https://www.drjohnwprice.com

Content note: This episode includes candid discussion of severe depression, intrusive thoughts, mental health diagnosis, and suicidality.
Chapters
00:00 Welcome and Guest Introduction
01:58 The Open Gate Community
03:53 Tom Joins the Conversation
05:07 What Is Moving Through Tom Now
07:57 Early Life and a Career in Finance
10:57 Spiritual Opening and Synchronicity
14:51 The Descent Into Hell
16:48 Damnation and Intrusive Inner Voices
29:59 Isolation and the Edge of Suicide
33:43 Psychosis or Spiritual Experience?
38:25 Ketamine and the Turning Point
39:46 Rebuilding Through Structure and Routine
41:46 The Synchronicity That Funded Tom’s Writing
43:14 Honesty and the Transformational Container
47:26 How Disclosure Changes Reality
51:59 AI as a Dialogue With Mystery
56:06 Earth School and Symbolic Living
1:00:04 Movies as Spiritual Mirrors
1:03:39 Jung, McGilchrist, and Curiosity
1:09:49 The Biology of Goal-Directedness
1:11:55 Curiosity as a Movement Toward Wholeness
1:14:16 Bliss, Utility, and Contribution
1:15:47 Precognition and Presentiment
1:21:23 Trauma, Love, and Psi
1:23:22 AI as an Emissary and a Tool
1:26:41 Success and the Shift Into the Second Half of Life
1:29:07 Integrating Money and Meaning
1:36:07 Demons, Dissociation, and Active Imagination
1:39:53 Building Leading Edge
1:43:25 Community as an Antidote to Separation
1:44:22 Gratitude and Closing

]]> Dr. John W. Price Buzzsprout-19906380 Sun, 04 Oct 2026 08:00:00 -0500 6301 full false 143 - Brett Hurt - Love, Fear, Abundance, & AI 143 - Brett Hurt - Love, Fear, Abundance, & AI What happens when someone who has spent nearly his entire life understanding code, data, and technological systems begins questioning the nature of reality itself?

In this episode Dr. John Price is joined by Brett Hurt who began programming at seven years old and went on to become one of Austin’s most successful technology entrepreneurs. He founded Coremetrics, acquired by IBM for $300 million, and Bazaarvoice, which became a billion-dollar public company. Most recently, he co-founded and led data.world before its acquisition by ServiceNow in 2025.

But after decades of building companies and achieving extraordinary financial success, Brett found himself moving toward a very different set of questions.

A series of psychedelic experiences, including one he describes as an encounter with God, initiated what Brett calls his Soul Quest. He read more than 85 books in 18 months, exploring consciousness, post-materialist science, spirituality, ancient wisdom, and the nature of reality. That exploration eventually became his USA TODAY bestselling book, Love Conquers Fear: Humanity, AI, and the Age of Abundance for All.

In this conversation, we begin with the seven-year-old who discovered coding and explore how computer science shaped Brett’s way of seeing the world. We talk about entrepreneurship, failure, self-doubt, wealth, and the “scarcity operating system” that helped drive his success. We then move into the psychedelic experiences that disrupted his understanding of reality and his subsequent investigation into consciousness, science, and spirituality.

We also explore the hard problem of consciousness, whether intelligence and consciousness are actually the same thing, what AI may reveal about being human, and how education must change when information becomes nearly instantaneous. And we examine Brett’s central argument that love can conquer fear, including a deeper question: What if fear is not simply something to overcome, but something that can tell us what matters?

This is a conversation about technology, but underneath it is a conversation about the human being creating the technology: what forms us, what drives us, what our systems cannot measure, and what happens when the worldview that helped us succeed can no longer contain our experience.

Brett Hurt is a serial technology entrepreneur, investor, USA TODAY bestselling author, and CEO of Love Conquers Fear. Alongside his wife, Debra, he co-leads Hurt Family Investments, which has backed more than 150 startups and 50 venture funds.

Topics include: computer science and coding, AI and consciousness, psychedelics and mystical experience, the nature of reality, 
entrepreneurship and self-doubt, wealth and success, fear and love, education in the age of AI, post-materialist science, and the limits of what data can tell us about being human.

https://www.loveconquersfear.org

]]> What happens when someone who has spent nearly his entire life understanding code, data, and technological systems begins questioning the nature of reality itself?

In this episode Dr. John Price is joined by Brett Hurt who began programming at seven years old and went on to become one of Austin’s most successful technology entrepreneurs. He founded Coremetrics, acquired by IBM for $300 million, and Bazaarvoice, which became a billion-dollar public company. Most recently, he co-founded and led data.world before its acquisition by ServiceNow in 2025.

But after decades of building companies and achieving extraordinary financial success, Brett found himself moving toward a very different set of questions.

A series of psychedelic experiences, including one he describes as an encounter with God, initiated what Brett calls his Soul Quest. He read more than 85 books in 18 months, exploring consciousness, post-materialist science, spirituality, ancient wisdom, and the nature of reality. That exploration eventually became his USA TODAY bestselling book, Love Conquers Fear: Humanity, AI, and the Age of Abundance for All.

In this conversation, we begin with the seven-year-old who discovered coding and explore how computer science shaped Brett’s way of seeing the world. We talk about entrepreneurship, failure, self-doubt, wealth, and the “scarcity operating system” that helped drive his success. We then move into the psychedelic experiences that disrupted his understanding of reality and his subsequent investigation into consciousness, science, and spirituality.

We also explore the hard problem of consciousness, whether intelligence and consciousness are actually the same thing, what AI may reveal about being human, and how education must change when information becomes nearly instantaneous. And we examine Brett’s central argument that love can conquer fear, including a deeper question: What if fear is not simply something to overcome, but something that can tell us what matters?

This is a conversation about technology, but underneath it is a conversation about the human being creating the technology: what forms us, what drives us, what our systems cannot measure, and what happens when the worldview that helped us succeed can no longer contain our experience.

Brett Hurt is a serial technology entrepreneur, investor, USA TODAY bestselling author, and CEO of Love Conquers Fear. Alongside his wife, Debra, he co-leads Hurt Family Investments, which has backed more than 150 startups and 50 venture funds.

Topics include: computer science and coding, AI and consciousness, psychedelics and mystical experience, the nature of reality, 
entrepreneurship and self-doubt, wealth and success, fear and love, education in the age of AI, post-materialist science, and the limits of what data can tell us about being human.

https://www.loveconquersfear.org

]]> Dr. John W. Price Buzzsprout-19796424 Sun, 13 Sep 2026 07:00:00 -0500 5235 full false 142: Simon Yugler: Psychedelics and the Soul 142: Simon Yugler: Psychedelics and the Soul Simon Yugler has spent time inside traditions ranging from Aboriginal Australia to the Shipibo lineage in Peru. Most of us will only ever read about experiences like that. I admire the ground he's stood on, and what it has done to his worldview. 

Simon is a depth psychotherapist, psychedelic facilitator, educator, and the author of Psychedelics and the Soul: A Mythic Guide to Psychedelic Healing, Depth Psychology, and Cultural Repair — and his central conviction is that psychedelics are not primarily a mental health intervention. They are initiatory and speak to the soul.

At twenty, he traveled to an Aboriginal community in Arnhem Land, Australia, and was changed by what he encountered there. He went on to apprentice within the Shipibo ayahuasca tradition in the Peruvian Amazon, spending six weeks inside a lineage that didn't reconstruct its transmission from texts. He completed his master's at Pacifica Graduate Institute, where his thesis explored the loss of male initiation rites in Western culture and what the medicine might restore. Today he trains facilitators, runs men's groups, and continues his healing work with individual. 

In this conversation, Simon walks inside what he calls mythopoetics — the practice of helping people find the mythic story inside their experience and carry it home. We get into what myth actually means, what archetypes are doing inside psychedelic experience, and why Jungian depth psychology sees what the neuroscience frameworks are blind to.

We also talk about what the medicine gets right. Simon offers a moving case study: a man who, during a psilocybin retreat, rediscovered his own goodness and a genuine encounter with soul.

And we hold the critique. A six-month facilitator training is not a substitute for years of depth work. The medicalization box is too small — and, as Simon puts it, the alien always gets out.

In this conversation:

Mythopoetics and what myth actually is
What living Indigenous traditions carry that Western therapy lost and can't get back from books
The male initiation crisis and the loneliness epidemic
What the medicine reveals that slow depth work cannot reach
A case study in rediscovering one's own goodness
Why the initiatory can't be regulated and why it never will be

Timestamps

00:00 Welcome and Show Intro
00:47 Housekeeping and Links
02:57 Meet Simon
05:57 Mythopoetic Approach Explained
07:32 What Myth Really Means
10:20 Archetypes and Psyche
14:16 Simon's Origin Story
16:57 Australia and Indigenous Reality
23:23 Apprenticeship and Lineage
26:16 Western vs. Psychedelic Training
30:32 Why Psychedelics
36:44 Roots and Calling to Heal
38:41 Therapy Spark Moment
39:33 Choosing Pacifica
41:17 Lineage and Early Openings
43:14 Men's Work Thesis Roots
45:07 Why Men Need Gathering
48:40 Loneliness, Grief, and Soul
53:15 Psychedelic Healing Story
58:41 What Psychedelic Work Gets Right
1:04:32 Critique: The Medicalization Box
1:06:41 The Alien Always Gets Out
1:08:22 Closing: Book and Where to Find Simon
Find Simon:
simonyugler.com
simonyugler.substack.com

The Sacred Speaks:
www.drjohnwprice.com
youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg
instagram.com/thesacredspeaks
facebook.com/thesacredspeaks

Theme music: Modern Nations — modernnationsmusic.com

]]> Simon Yugler has spent time inside traditions ranging from Aboriginal Australia to the Shipibo lineage in Peru. Most of us will only ever read about experiences like that. I admire the ground he's stood on, and what it has done to his worldview. 

Simon is a depth psychotherapist, psychedelic facilitator, educator, and the author of Psychedelics and the Soul: A Mythic Guide to Psychedelic Healing, Depth Psychology, and Cultural Repair — and his central conviction is that psychedelics are not primarily a mental health intervention. They are initiatory and speak to the soul.

At twenty, he traveled to an Aboriginal community in Arnhem Land, Australia, and was changed by what he encountered there. He went on to apprentice within the Shipibo ayahuasca tradition in the Peruvian Amazon, spending six weeks inside a lineage that didn't reconstruct its transmission from texts. He completed his master's at Pacifica Graduate Institute, where his thesis explored the loss of male initiation rites in Western culture and what the medicine might restore. Today he trains facilitators, runs men's groups, and continues his healing work with individual. 

In this conversation, Simon walks inside what he calls mythopoetics — the practice of helping people find the mythic story inside their experience and carry it home. We get into what myth actually means, what archetypes are doing inside psychedelic experience, and why Jungian depth psychology sees what the neuroscience frameworks are blind to.

We also talk about what the medicine gets right. Simon offers a moving case study: a man who, during a psilocybin retreat, rediscovered his own goodness and a genuine encounter with soul.

And we hold the critique. A six-month facilitator training is not a substitute for years of depth work. The medicalization box is too small — and, as Simon puts it, the alien always gets out.

In this conversation:

Mythopoetics and what myth actually is
What living Indigenous traditions carry that Western therapy lost and can't get back from books
The male initiation crisis and the loneliness epidemic
What the medicine reveals that slow depth work cannot reach
A case study in rediscovering one's own goodness
Why the initiatory can't be regulated and why it never will be

Timestamps

00:00 Welcome and Show Intro
00:47 Housekeeping and Links
02:57 Meet Simon
05:57 Mythopoetic Approach Explained
07:32 What Myth Really Means
10:20 Archetypes and Psyche
14:16 Simon's Origin Story
16:57 Australia and Indigenous Reality
23:23 Apprenticeship and Lineage
26:16 Western vs. Psychedelic Training
30:32 Why Psychedelics
36:44 Roots and Calling to Heal
38:41 Therapy Spark Moment
39:33 Choosing Pacifica
41:17 Lineage and Early Openings
43:14 Men's Work Thesis Roots
45:07 Why Men Need Gathering
48:40 Loneliness, Grief, and Soul
53:15 Psychedelic Healing Story
58:41 What Psychedelic Work Gets Right
1:04:32 Critique: The Medicalization Box
1:06:41 The Alien Always Gets Out
1:08:22 Closing: Book and Where to Find Simon
Find Simon:
simonyugler.com
simonyugler.substack.com

The Sacred Speaks:
www.drjohnwprice.com
youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg
instagram.com/thesacredspeaks
facebook.com/thesacredspeaks

Theme music: Modern Nations — modernnationsmusic.com

]]> Dr. John W. Price Buzzsprout-19586850 Sun, 16 Aug 2026 08:00:00 -0500 4221 full false 141: Robert Forte: Psychedelics, the Sacred, and the Profane 141: Robert Forte: Psychedelics, the Sacred, and the Profane Robert Forte has been at every major inflection point of the psychedelic movement for half a century, and he is skeptical of where it is going. That skepticism, coming from someone who knew Wasson, Hofmann, Grof, and Eliade personally. 

Forte brings a rare formation to this conversation: graduate training in religious studies at the University of Chicago under Mircea Eliade, decades of work with the foundational figures in psychedelic scholarship, phenomenological site work in Greece, and the republication of The Road to Eleusis — the thesis that seeded the most popular book in the current psychedelic renaissance. He is a historian of religion who has lived inside the territory he studies.

This conversation opens with a Sufi tale about "changed waters" — a story about what happens when an entire culture shifts its baseline of perception and the one person who held onto the old water eventually drinks the new, because the loneliness of being different became unbearable. Forte has used this story to frame his entire body of work.

From there we move through his formation: a childhood mystical experience by a stream, a turning point in a Columbia lecture hall when a professor wrote R. Gordon Wasson on the chalkboard, and the life that followed. We explore the mystery traditions and what secrecy actually protected, the difference between psychedelics as cultural healing and psychedelics as weapon, and the documented record — MKUltra, media promotion, Huxley's dark warnings, and an account linking JFK's alleged psilocybin experience to his 1963 peace speech. We close on what Forte considers the essential question for this moment: how do we cultivate virtue and discernment when the sacred is being commercialized faster than it can be integrated?

In this conversation:

The Sufi tale of the changed waters — and what it names about modern spiritual confusion
The mystery traditions: what secrecy was protecting, and what its loss costs
Forte's formation — Wasson, Hofmann, Eliade, Grof, and what it means to have received a living transmission
The phenomenology of Eleusis: site work, The Road to Eleusis, and the Mysteries as lived encounter
Psychedelics as both healing and weapon: MKUltra, media, and the politics of altered states
JFK, psilocybin, and the 1963 peace speech
Huxley's warning — and whether we are watching it come true
What virtue and discernment look like when the sacred meets the market

Timestamps

00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro
05:54 Greek Mysteries and Lineage
09:41 Sufi Tale: When the Waters Change
12:00 Amnesia and the Extremes of Religion
16:23 Childhood: The Mystical Stream
22:15 LSD, Democracy, and TM
26:00 Soma, Wasson, and the Calling
30:31 Psychedelic History: Light and Shadow
34:34 Mystery Schools: Secrecy and Stages
43:50 Jung, the Road to Eleusis
50:10 Why Cultures Need Initiation
52:37 From Weapon to Sacrament
53:59 Kennedy's Psychedelic Turn
56:13 The Peace Speech and Its Fallout
1:00:58 MKUltra and the Acid Hype
1:08:18 Huxley's Dark Warning
1:16:26 Eleusis and Power
1:35:58 Virtue and Discernment
1:38:46 Where to Find Robert

Find Robert:
www.alteredstatesofamerica.net
alteredstatesofamerica.substack.com

The Sacred Speaks:
www.drjohnwprice.com
youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg
instagram.com/thesacredspeaks
facebook.com/thesacredspeaks

Brought to you by The Center for Healing Arts and Sciences — thecenterforhas.com

Theme music: Modern Nations — modernnationsmusic.com

]]> Robert Forte has been at every major inflection point of the psychedelic movement for half a century, and he is skeptical of where it is going. That skepticism, coming from someone who knew Wasson, Hofmann, Grof, and Eliade personally. 

Forte brings a rare formation to this conversation: graduate training in religious studies at the University of Chicago under Mircea Eliade, decades of work with the foundational figures in psychedelic scholarship, phenomenological site work in Greece, and the republication of The Road to Eleusis — the thesis that seeded the most popular book in the current psychedelic renaissance. He is a historian of religion who has lived inside the territory he studies.

This conversation opens with a Sufi tale about "changed waters" — a story about what happens when an entire culture shifts its baseline of perception and the one person who held onto the old water eventually drinks the new, because the loneliness of being different became unbearable. Forte has used this story to frame his entire body of work.

From there we move through his formation: a childhood mystical experience by a stream, a turning point in a Columbia lecture hall when a professor wrote R. Gordon Wasson on the chalkboard, and the life that followed. We explore the mystery traditions and what secrecy actually protected, the difference between psychedelics as cultural healing and psychedelics as weapon, and the documented record — MKUltra, media promotion, Huxley's dark warnings, and an account linking JFK's alleged psilocybin experience to his 1963 peace speech. We close on what Forte considers the essential question for this moment: how do we cultivate virtue and discernment when the sacred is being commercialized faster than it can be integrated?

In this conversation:

The Sufi tale of the changed waters — and what it names about modern spiritual confusion
The mystery traditions: what secrecy was protecting, and what its loss costs
Forte's formation — Wasson, Hofmann, Eliade, Grof, and what it means to have received a living transmission
The phenomenology of Eleusis: site work, The Road to Eleusis, and the Mysteries as lived encounter
Psychedelics as both healing and weapon: MKUltra, media, and the politics of altered states
JFK, psilocybin, and the 1963 peace speech
Huxley's warning — and whether we are watching it come true
What virtue and discernment look like when the sacred meets the market

Timestamps

00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro
05:54 Greek Mysteries and Lineage
09:41 Sufi Tale: When the Waters Change
12:00 Amnesia and the Extremes of Religion
16:23 Childhood: The Mystical Stream
22:15 LSD, Democracy, and TM
26:00 Soma, Wasson, and the Calling
30:31 Psychedelic History: Light and Shadow
34:34 Mystery Schools: Secrecy and Stages
43:50 Jung, the Road to Eleusis
50:10 Why Cultures Need Initiation
52:37 From Weapon to Sacrament
53:59 Kennedy's Psychedelic Turn
56:13 The Peace Speech and Its Fallout
1:00:58 MKUltra and the Acid Hype
1:08:18 Huxley's Dark Warning
1:16:26 Eleusis and Power
1:35:58 Virtue and Discernment
1:38:46 Where to Find Robert

Find Robert:
www.alteredstatesofamerica.net
alteredstatesofamerica.substack.com

The Sacred Speaks:
www.drjohnwprice.com
youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg
instagram.com/thesacredspeaks
facebook.com/thesacredspeaks

Brought to you by The Center for Healing Arts and Sciences — thecenterforhas.com

Theme music: Modern Nations — modernnationsmusic.com

]]> Dr. John W. Price Buzzsprout-19586885 Sun, 02 Aug 2026 10:00:00 -0500 6063 full false 140: Susan Schwartz – The Absent Father and The Father Complex 140: Susan Schwartz – The Absent Father and The Father Complex In this In this episode of The Sacred Speaks, Dr. John W. Price sits down with Dr. Susan Schwartz, Jungian analyst and author, for a searching conversation about one of the most underaddressed wounds in contemporary psychology: the absent father.
Susan is the author of The Absent Father Effect on Daughters and the forthcoming Absent Fathers, Yearning Sons. Her clinical work draws on decades of practice and deep immersion in Jungian theory, and what she brings to this conversation is not just scholarly precision but the kind of knowledge that only comes from sitting with this material in the consulting room across a lifetime. Father absence, she argues, is routinely minimized in both psychoanalytic literature and popular culture. 
John and Susan move through the specific ways absence shapes identity, relatedness, sexuality, and the gaze. They explore what it means when a father's eyes are never there to confirm a daughter's body, her mind, her worth, and how fathers model partnering, love, and respect for soul. Susan brings two clinical dreams into the conversation: one involving Vladimir Putin as a figure for the negative father complex, and one about cleaning a closet that opens into something unexpected and alive. These are not illustrations. They are the unconscious at work, showing what the personal father could not provide and what the psyche has done with that absence in the meantime.
The conversation moves into territory that will matter to men as much as women: the relationship between absent fathers and male brutality, the failure of initiation when the father is not present to initiate, the ancestral and communal dimensions of the wound, and whether fathers can actually change. Susan's answer to that last question is honest and worth hearing slowly. The episode closes with the questions she believes everyone should be asking, and almost no one does.

Key Takeaways
•Susan Schwartz argues that father absence is one of the most consistently minimized wounds in both psychoanalytic literature and popular culture, with consequences that reach into identity, sexuality, and the capacity for relatedness in ways that rarely get named directly.
•The father's gaze is not a metaphor. It is the mechanism through which a daughter learns whether her body, her mind, and her inner life are welcome in the world. The absence of the gaze leaves a specific wound, and the psyche does not leave that wound unfilled.
•The conversation uses the Putin dream and the closet dream to show how the negative father complex operates in the unconscious: organizing itself around the figures the psyche produces when what the personal father could not offer goes unprocessed.
•Susan draws a direct line between absent fathers and male brutality, tracing it through the failure of initiation. Sons who were never initiated seek it through violence, extreme bonding, and the edges of experience where the stakes finally feel real enough to matter.
•Fathers can change. Susan names what that requires, and the conversation holds both the possibility and the difficulty honestly, without collapsing into sentiment or despair.

Timestamps
(00:00) Welcome and Guest Intro
(00:55) Community and Events
(03:15) Opening Monologue on Absence
(04:40) Why Study Fathers
(08:37) The Cultural Blind Spot
(11:25) Forgiveness and Low Expectations
(13:18) Men and Inner Life
(15:40) The Putin Dream and the Father Complex
(18:01) How Fathers Teach Love
(19:28) Body Shame and Daughterhood
(24:42) The Incest Taboo and The Gaze
(27:46) Social Media and Psychic Absence
(30:48) The Ideal Father
(34:05) Wider View and Psyche Renewal
(35:07) The Father in the Closet Dream
(36:42) Dreamwork and Renewal
(38:17) Ancestors and Grandfathers
(40:06) Sons vs. Daughters: The Different Wound
(43:20) Bonding in Extremes
(47:48) Fathers Can Change
(50:00) Unconscious Repetition
(53:38) The Humble Father Archetype
(54:39) Initiating the Uninitiated
(01:00:23) Nature as Initiation
(01:02:57) Therapy as Father Projection
(01:03:50) Questions to Ask Yourself
(01:06:17) Rage and Self-Agency
(01:09:58) Closing

Connect with Dr. Susan Schwartz
Website: susanschwartzphd.com
Instagram: instagram.com/susanschwartzphd
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/susanschwartzphd
Academia: independent.academia.edu/susanschwartz1
Jung Studies: jungstudies.net/author/seschwartz/

Website for John
drjohnwprice.com
WATCH:
YouTube for The Sacred Speaks
youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg
Instagram:
instagram.com/thesacredspeaks
@thesacredspeaks
Facebook:
facebook.com/thesacredspeaks
Brought to you by:
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]]> In this In this episode of The Sacred Speaks, Dr. John W. Price sits down with Dr. Susan Schwartz, Jungian analyst and author, for a searching conversation about one of the most underaddressed wounds in contemporary psychology: the absent father.
Susan is the author of The Absent Father Effect on Daughters and the forthcoming Absent Fathers, Yearning Sons. Her clinical work draws on decades of practice and deep immersion in Jungian theory, and what she brings to this conversation is not just scholarly precision but the kind of knowledge that only comes from sitting with this material in the consulting room across a lifetime. Father absence, she argues, is routinely minimized in both psychoanalytic literature and popular culture. 
John and Susan move through the specific ways absence shapes identity, relatedness, sexuality, and the gaze. They explore what it means when a father's eyes are never there to confirm a daughter's body, her mind, her worth, and how fathers model partnering, love, and respect for soul. Susan brings two clinical dreams into the conversation: one involving Vladimir Putin as a figure for the negative father complex, and one about cleaning a closet that opens into something unexpected and alive. These are not illustrations. They are the unconscious at work, showing what the personal father could not provide and what the psyche has done with that absence in the meantime.
The conversation moves into territory that will matter to men as much as women: the relationship between absent fathers and male brutality, the failure of initiation when the father is not present to initiate, the ancestral and communal dimensions of the wound, and whether fathers can actually change. Susan's answer to that last question is honest and worth hearing slowly. The episode closes with the questions she believes everyone should be asking, and almost no one does.

Key Takeaways
•Susan Schwartz argues that father absence is one of the most consistently minimized wounds in both psychoanalytic literature and popular culture, with consequences that reach into identity, sexuality, and the capacity for relatedness in ways that rarely get named directly.
•The father's gaze is not a metaphor. It is the mechanism through which a daughter learns whether her body, her mind, and her inner life are welcome in the world. The absence of the gaze leaves a specific wound, and the psyche does not leave that wound unfilled.
•The conversation uses the Putin dream and the closet dream to show how the negative father complex operates in the unconscious: organizing itself around the figures the psyche produces when what the personal father could not offer goes unprocessed.
•Susan draws a direct line between absent fathers and male brutality, tracing it through the failure of initiation. Sons who were never initiated seek it through violence, extreme bonding, and the edges of experience where the stakes finally feel real enough to matter.
•Fathers can change. Susan names what that requires, and the conversation holds both the possibility and the difficulty honestly, without collapsing into sentiment or despair.

Timestamps
(00:00) Welcome and Guest Intro
(00:55) Community and Events
(03:15) Opening Monologue on Absence
(04:40) Why Study Fathers
(08:37) The Cultural Blind Spot
(11:25) Forgiveness and Low Expectations
(13:18) Men and Inner Life
(15:40) The Putin Dream and the Father Complex
(18:01) How Fathers Teach Love
(19:28) Body Shame and Daughterhood
(24:42) The Incest Taboo and The Gaze
(27:46) Social Media and Psychic Absence
(30:48) The Ideal Father
(34:05) Wider View and Psyche Renewal
(35:07) The Father in the Closet Dream
(36:42) Dreamwork and Renewal
(38:17) Ancestors and Grandfathers
(40:06) Sons vs. Daughters: The Different Wound
(43:20) Bonding in Extremes
(47:48) Fathers Can Change
(50:00) Unconscious Repetition
(53:38) The Humble Father Archetype
(54:39) Initiating the Uninitiated
(01:00:23) Nature as Initiation
(01:02:57) Therapy as Father Projection
(01:03:50) Questions to Ask Yourself
(01:06:17) Rage and Self-Agency
(01:09:58) Closing

Connect with Dr. Susan Schwartz
Website: susanschwartzphd.com
Instagram: instagram.com/susanschwartzphd
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/susanschwartzphd
Academia: independent.academia.edu/susanschwartz1
Jung Studies: jungstudies.net/author/seschwartz/

Website for John
drjohnwprice.com
WATCH:
YouTube for The Sacred Speaks
youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg
Instagram:
instagram.com/thesacredspeaks
@thesacredspeaks
Facebook:
facebook.com/thesacredspeaks
Brought to you by:
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Theme music provided by:
modernnationsmusic.com



]]> Dr. John W. Price Buzzsprout-19280262 Tue, 02 Jun 2026 09:00:00 -0500 4270 full false 139: Wouter Hanegraaff – Rejected Knowledge, Idolatry, and Colonialism 139: Wouter Hanegraaff – Rejected Knowledge, Idolatry, and Colonialism In this episode of The Sacred Speaks, Dr. John W. Price returns to a conversation with Dr. Wouter J. Hanegraaff, professor at the University of Amsterdam and one of the foremost scholars of Western esotericism. Their first conversation opened into the history of Hermetic spirituality. This one goes further. Hanegraaff's new book, Esotericism in Western Culture: Counter-Normativity and Rejected Knowledge, reframes the entire question: esotericism is not a tradition to be catalogued. It is what the West threw out.
Hanegraaff has spent decades mapping the archive of what official Western culture could not contain, magic, alchemy, gnosis, visionary experience, and asking what those exclusions reveal about the culture that made them. The conversation opens, perhaps unexpectedly, with music. Hanegraaff describes how early encounters with sound became his first experience of altered states and shaped his life's work. The scholarly and the experiential are not separate for him. They never were.
The episode builds toward his concept of the "Greater West," a geographical, cultural, and historical frame encompassing the Mediterranean basin, the Middle East and North Africa, and the global expansion that followed 1492. At the center of this history is the anti-idolatry polemic. The monotheistic prohibition against images did not remain a theological dispute. It became a template: a way of naming, marginalizing, and eventually exterminating whatever could be labeled pagan, superstitious, or primitive. What began inside Europe was later exported to every culture the colonial project reached. The logic that condemned the idol condemned the person holding it.
The episode closes with Rilke. What Hanegraaff calls "counter-normative" experience, the visionary, the numinous, the strange encounter that doesn't resolve into explanation, is not a curiosity at the margins of Western thought. It is the part that was deliberately buried. This conversation is an act of recovery.

Key Takeaways:
Esotericism is defined by exclusion rather than content. It is what Western culture rejected, not a unified tradition or school of thought.
The "Greater West" expands the map of Western culture to include Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, and North African roots, and the global reach of colonialism after 1492.
Anti-idolatry polemics produced a reusable template for cultural rejection later applied to the spiritual traditions of indigenous peoples during colonial expansion.
The Reformation and Enlightenment did not end the purge of magic and superstition but accelerated it, removing even the possibility of enchantment from the official picture of reality.
Counter-normative experiences, altered states, synchronicities, visions, deserve serious intellectual engagement rather than dismissal. The West forgot them deliberately. Remembering them is a scholarly and a moral act.

00:00 Welcome and Episode Setup
04:11 Guest and Book Spotlight
07:48 Remembering the Rejected West
08:35 Music as Gnosis Gateway
20:58 Alitheia and Unconcealing Reality
24:32 Defining theGreater West
39:05 Paganism and Christianity’s Roots
42:31 Christian Shadow Projection
44:15 Pagan Roots in Islam
47:02 Idolatry and Monotheism
52:26 Magic as Demon Worship
54:03 Reformation to Enlightenment Purge
59:54 Colonial Template Exported
01:04:06Racism and Extermination Logic
01:09:07 Reconstructing the West
01:15:37 Counter Normality and Weirdness
01:19:09 Rilke Quote and Closing


Website for John
http://www.drjohnwprice.com
WATCH:
YouTube for The Sacred Speaks
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
@thesacredspeaks
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/
Brought to you by:
https://www.thecenterforhas.com
Theme music provided by:
http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> In this episode of The Sacred Speaks, Dr. John W. Price returns to a conversation with Dr. Wouter J. Hanegraaff, professor at the University of Amsterdam and one of the foremost scholars of Western esotericism. Their first conversation opened into the history of Hermetic spirituality. This one goes further. Hanegraaff's new book, Esotericism in Western Culture: Counter-Normativity and Rejected Knowledge, reframes the entire question: esotericism is not a tradition to be catalogued. It is what the West threw out.
Hanegraaff has spent decades mapping the archive of what official Western culture could not contain, magic, alchemy, gnosis, visionary experience, and asking what those exclusions reveal about the culture that made them. The conversation opens, perhaps unexpectedly, with music. Hanegraaff describes how early encounters with sound became his first experience of altered states and shaped his life's work. The scholarly and the experiential are not separate for him. They never were.
The episode builds toward his concept of the "Greater West," a geographical, cultural, and historical frame encompassing the Mediterranean basin, the Middle East and North Africa, and the global expansion that followed 1492. At the center of this history is the anti-idolatry polemic. The monotheistic prohibition against images did not remain a theological dispute. It became a template: a way of naming, marginalizing, and eventually exterminating whatever could be labeled pagan, superstitious, or primitive. What began inside Europe was later exported to every culture the colonial project reached. The logic that condemned the idol condemned the person holding it.
The episode closes with Rilke. What Hanegraaff calls "counter-normative" experience, the visionary, the numinous, the strange encounter that doesn't resolve into explanation, is not a curiosity at the margins of Western thought. It is the part that was deliberately buried. This conversation is an act of recovery.

Key Takeaways:
Esotericism is defined by exclusion rather than content. It is what Western culture rejected, not a unified tradition or school of thought.
The "Greater West" expands the map of Western culture to include Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, and North African roots, and the global reach of colonialism after 1492.
Anti-idolatry polemics produced a reusable template for cultural rejection later applied to the spiritual traditions of indigenous peoples during colonial expansion.
The Reformation and Enlightenment did not end the purge of magic and superstition but accelerated it, removing even the possibility of enchantment from the official picture of reality.
Counter-normative experiences, altered states, synchronicities, visions, deserve serious intellectual engagement rather than dismissal. The West forgot them deliberately. Remembering them is a scholarly and a moral act.

00:00 Welcome and Episode Setup
04:11 Guest and Book Spotlight
07:48 Remembering the Rejected West
08:35 Music as Gnosis Gateway
20:58 Alitheia and Unconcealing Reality
24:32 Defining theGreater West
39:05 Paganism and Christianity’s Roots
42:31 Christian Shadow Projection
44:15 Pagan Roots in Islam
47:02 Idolatry and Monotheism
52:26 Magic as Demon Worship
54:03 Reformation to Enlightenment Purge
59:54 Colonial Template Exported
01:04:06Racism and Extermination Logic
01:09:07 Reconstructing the West
01:15:37 Counter Normality and Weirdness
01:19:09 Rilke Quote and Closing


Website for John
http://www.drjohnwprice.com
WATCH:
YouTube for The Sacred Speaks
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
@thesacredspeaks
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/
Brought to you by:
https://www.thecenterforhas.com
Theme music provided by:
http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> Dr. John W. Price Buzzsprout-19165549 Tue, 12 May 2026 12:00:00 -0500 5158 full false 138: Leslie Kean on Surviving Death, UFO Reporting, and Non-Local Consciousness 138: Leslie Kean on Surviving Death, UFO Reporting, and Non-Local Consciousness Does consciousness survive death? Investigative journalist Leslie Kean has spent two decades following the evidence, from Pentagon UFO reports to physical mediums in the UK. In this episode, she and John Price explore what happens when rigorous investigation meets phenomena that refuse to fit inside a materialist frame.

Kean describes her path from Zen practice and investigative journalism through the pivotal 1999 French UFO report, to the landmark 2017 New York Times Pentagon UFO story (with Ralph Blumenthal and Helene Cooper). She explains her evidence-based approach in Surviving Death: near-death experiences, children's verifiable past-life memories, and physical mediumship, including her experiences with UK medium Stewart Alexander.

The conversation moves through non-local consciousness, ontological shock, the reduction of fear that comes with encountering this material directly, shifts in modern journalism, and open questions connecting UFO phenomena to afterlife research.

About Leslie Kean
Investigative journalist. Author of Surviving Death and UFOs: Generals, Pilots, and Government Officials Go on the Record. Her 2017 NYT Pentagon UFO investigation was one of the most-read articles in Times history. Zen practitioner for over 30 years.

Key Takeaways
Kean describes an evidence-first approach to phenomena dismissed by mainstream science, grounding investigation in verifiable cases rather than belief.
Non-local consciousness is framed as a working hypothesis supported by NDEs, past-life memories, and mediumship research.
The 2017 NYT Pentagon UFO story catalyzed a cultural shift, connecting investigative journalism to ontological disruption.
Ontological shock surfaces as lived experience: the moment when the worldview cracks, and what integration looks like after.
Kean's encounters with physical medium Stewart Alexander raise questions that challenge even sympathetic investigators.

Timestamps
(00:00) Welcome and Guest Intro
(01:15) Housekeeping and Links
(02:27) Workshops and Community
(04:02) Does Consciousness Survive Death?
(06:22) Non-Local Consciousness
(10:22) How a French UFO Report Changed Leslie's Career
(13:06) The Pentagon UFO Story in the New York Times
(20:56) Handling Ridicule and Maintaining Rigor
(26:15) Ectoplasm and Physical Mediums: Stewart Alexander
(30:03) Evidence Before Transformation
(32:30) Children's Past Life Memories
(34:25) Writing as Investigation
(36:28) Reincarnation and NDE Research
(38:04) The Shoe on the Ledge: A Famous NDE Case
(40:07) Explaining the Unexplainable
(45:15) Journalism and Evidence Standards
(49:54) Why Podcasts Reach Where Print Cannot
(55:12) Integration and the Non-Local Mind
(01:01:00) Ontological Shock: When Your Worldview Breaks
(01:06:33) Being Touched by a Physical Medium
(01:11:14) Evidence Versus Direct Experience
(01:11:55) Why We Survive Death
(01:14:19) How This Evidence Transforms Belief
(01:16:52) Humility Over Certainty
(01:20:29) Beyond Religion Through Evidence
(01:22:55) UFOs and Afterlife Research: Connected?
(01:26:36) Meaningful Work and Gratitude
(01:28:54) Documenting the Impossible
(01:33:42) Closing Reflections

Explore more at Alethia, John's Substack: https://drjohnwprice.substack.com

Connect with Leslie Kean: lesliekean.com

Website: http://www.drjohnwprice.com
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/
Brought to you by: https://www.thecenterf

]]> Does consciousness survive death? Investigative journalist Leslie Kean has spent two decades following the evidence, from Pentagon UFO reports to physical mediums in the UK. In this episode, she and John Price explore what happens when rigorous investigation meets phenomena that refuse to fit inside a materialist frame.

Kean describes her path from Zen practice and investigative journalism through the pivotal 1999 French UFO report, to the landmark 2017 New York Times Pentagon UFO story (with Ralph Blumenthal and Helene Cooper). She explains her evidence-based approach in Surviving Death: near-death experiences, children's verifiable past-life memories, and physical mediumship, including her experiences with UK medium Stewart Alexander.

The conversation moves through non-local consciousness, ontological shock, the reduction of fear that comes with encountering this material directly, shifts in modern journalism, and open questions connecting UFO phenomena to afterlife research.

About Leslie Kean
Investigative journalist. Author of Surviving Death and UFOs: Generals, Pilots, and Government Officials Go on the Record. Her 2017 NYT Pentagon UFO investigation was one of the most-read articles in Times history. Zen practitioner for over 30 years.

Key Takeaways
Kean describes an evidence-first approach to phenomena dismissed by mainstream science, grounding investigation in verifiable cases rather than belief.
Non-local consciousness is framed as a working hypothesis supported by NDEs, past-life memories, and mediumship research.
The 2017 NYT Pentagon UFO story catalyzed a cultural shift, connecting investigative journalism to ontological disruption.
Ontological shock surfaces as lived experience: the moment when the worldview cracks, and what integration looks like after.
Kean's encounters with physical medium Stewart Alexander raise questions that challenge even sympathetic investigators.

Timestamps
(00:00) Welcome and Guest Intro
(01:15) Housekeeping and Links
(02:27) Workshops and Community
(04:02) Does Consciousness Survive Death?
(06:22) Non-Local Consciousness
(10:22) How a French UFO Report Changed Leslie's Career
(13:06) The Pentagon UFO Story in the New York Times
(20:56) Handling Ridicule and Maintaining Rigor
(26:15) Ectoplasm and Physical Mediums: Stewart Alexander
(30:03) Evidence Before Transformation
(32:30) Children's Past Life Memories
(34:25) Writing as Investigation
(36:28) Reincarnation and NDE Research
(38:04) The Shoe on the Ledge: A Famous NDE Case
(40:07) Explaining the Unexplainable
(45:15) Journalism and Evidence Standards
(49:54) Why Podcasts Reach Where Print Cannot
(55:12) Integration and the Non-Local Mind
(01:01:00) Ontological Shock: When Your Worldview Breaks
(01:06:33) Being Touched by a Physical Medium
(01:11:14) Evidence Versus Direct Experience
(01:11:55) Why We Survive Death
(01:14:19) How This Evidence Transforms Belief
(01:16:52) Humility Over Certainty
(01:20:29) Beyond Religion Through Evidence
(01:22:55) UFOs and Afterlife Research: Connected?
(01:26:36) Meaningful Work and Gratitude
(01:28:54) Documenting the Impossible
(01:33:42) Closing Reflections

Explore more at Alethia, John's Substack: https://drjohnwprice.substack.com

Connect with Leslie Kean: lesliekean.com

Website: http://www.drjohnwprice.com
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/
Brought to you by: https://www.thecenterf

]]> Dr. John W. Price Buzzsprout-19051494 Tue, 21 Apr 2026 09:00:00 -0500 5802 full false 137: Timothy Morton – Facing The Flames: Exploring Hell and Reality 137: Timothy Morton – Facing The Flames: Exploring Hell and Reality In this episode of The Sacred Speaks, Dr. John W. Price sits down with Timothy Morton, philosopher, writer, and Rita Shea Guffey Chair in English at Rice University, for a wide-ranging conversation about hell, ontology, and what it means to live without an "outside."
Morton is the author of Hell, along with numerous works on ecology, object-oriented ontology, and the entanglement of human and nonhuman worlds. Together, John and Morton explore hell not as an afterlife destination but as a lived condition of felt distance from the divine and deep entanglement with the biosphere.
This conversation moves through ontology and how things exist, the critique of holism and mastery as tied to fascism and colonial habits of thought, the distinction between panic and grief as pathways to change, and why mystery, irony, and hesitation may be the most honest responses to reality. Morton frames social media as a continuation of 18th-century politics of sensibility, critiques metaphysics of presence and gnostic hierarchies, and suggests that paradise is not elsewhere but something we build inside hell.
Rather than offering resolution, this episode invites listeners into an uncomfortable and generative encounter with the structures we inhabit without seeing.
Key Takeaways:
Timothy Morton defines ontology as how things exist and argues that our deepest assumptions about reality shape everything from ecology to politics.
The conversation frames holism and mastery as colonial and fascist habits of thought, suggesting that ecology requires giving up the fantasy of total comprehension.
Morton distinguishes panic from grief, proposing that panic is an ontological shock when our worldview cracks, while grief is the doorway through.
The interview explores hell as an embodied, cultural structure rather than a metaphysical location, and suggests irony, hesitation, and mystery as reality signals.
Morton reads William Blake as a poet of infinite narrators and weaponized gentleness, connecting the Lamb and the Tiger to questions of presence and paradox.
Timestamps
(00:00) Welcome and Guest Intro
(01:26) Workshops and Community Updates
(03:38) Substack and Upcoming Book
(04:26) Jumping Straight Into the Recording
(05:34) Writing Without Forcing
(07:54) Why Hell and Ontology
(13:22) Ontology Explained Simply
(14:41) Holism and Fascism Critique
(18:53) Ecology Against Mastery
(23:02) Building Heaven in Hell
(25:22) Trauma and Meaning Saturation
(26:48) Mystery and Opacity of Truth
(33:01) Colonizer Mind and Worldviews
(39:00) Panic as Ontological Shock
(41:19) Panic Before Grief
(42:28) Mockery and Woke
(43:26) Grief Breaks Control
(44:24) Worldviews as Weapons
(45:52) Frog Versus Soldier
(49:02) Initiation and Identity Loss
(52:37) Phenomenology Explained
(56:46) Glitches and Consciousness
(58:44) Gods of Decay
(01:01:45) Evolution Without a Plan
(01:06:34) Trust Made of Mistrust
(01:08:29) Art as Emotional Poison
(01:12:27) Social Media Sensibility
(01:15:46) Irony Hesitation Reality
(01:18:47) Online Irony Lacks Democracy
(01:19:29) Blake Tiger Infinite Narrators
(01:23:02) Lamb Poem Weaponized Gentleness
(01:24:34) Hell as Flipped God Presence
(01:27:04) Buddhism Fixation and Bypass
(01:31:33) VIP Paranormal Double Speak

Rice University Faculty Page: Timothy Morton, Rita Shea Guffey Chair in English, Rice University
Book: Hell by Timothy Morton
Website for John
http://www.drjohnwprice.com
WATCH:
YouTube for The Sacred Speaks
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
@thesacredspeaks
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/
Brought to you by:
https://www.thecenterforhas.com
Theme music provided by:
http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> In this episode of The Sacred Speaks, Dr. John W. Price sits down with Timothy Morton, philosopher, writer, and Rita Shea Guffey Chair in English at Rice University, for a wide-ranging conversation about hell, ontology, and what it means to live without an "outside."
Morton is the author of Hell, along with numerous works on ecology, object-oriented ontology, and the entanglement of human and nonhuman worlds. Together, John and Morton explore hell not as an afterlife destination but as a lived condition of felt distance from the divine and deep entanglement with the biosphere.
This conversation moves through ontology and how things exist, the critique of holism and mastery as tied to fascism and colonial habits of thought, the distinction between panic and grief as pathways to change, and why mystery, irony, and hesitation may be the most honest responses to reality. Morton frames social media as a continuation of 18th-century politics of sensibility, critiques metaphysics of presence and gnostic hierarchies, and suggests that paradise is not elsewhere but something we build inside hell.
Rather than offering resolution, this episode invites listeners into an uncomfortable and generative encounter with the structures we inhabit without seeing.
Key Takeaways:
Timothy Morton defines ontology as how things exist and argues that our deepest assumptions about reality shape everything from ecology to politics.
The conversation frames holism and mastery as colonial and fascist habits of thought, suggesting that ecology requires giving up the fantasy of total comprehension.
Morton distinguishes panic from grief, proposing that panic is an ontological shock when our worldview cracks, while grief is the doorway through.
The interview explores hell as an embodied, cultural structure rather than a metaphysical location, and suggests irony, hesitation, and mystery as reality signals.
Morton reads William Blake as a poet of infinite narrators and weaponized gentleness, connecting the Lamb and the Tiger to questions of presence and paradox.
Timestamps
(00:00) Welcome and Guest Intro
(01:26) Workshops and Community Updates
(03:38) Substack and Upcoming Book
(04:26) Jumping Straight Into the Recording
(05:34) Writing Without Forcing
(07:54) Why Hell and Ontology
(13:22) Ontology Explained Simply
(14:41) Holism and Fascism Critique
(18:53) Ecology Against Mastery
(23:02) Building Heaven in Hell
(25:22) Trauma and Meaning Saturation
(26:48) Mystery and Opacity of Truth
(33:01) Colonizer Mind and Worldviews
(39:00) Panic as Ontological Shock
(41:19) Panic Before Grief
(42:28) Mockery and Woke
(43:26) Grief Breaks Control
(44:24) Worldviews as Weapons
(45:52) Frog Versus Soldier
(49:02) Initiation and Identity Loss
(52:37) Phenomenology Explained
(56:46) Glitches and Consciousness
(58:44) Gods of Decay
(01:01:45) Evolution Without a Plan
(01:06:34) Trust Made of Mistrust
(01:08:29) Art as Emotional Poison
(01:12:27) Social Media Sensibility
(01:15:46) Irony Hesitation Reality
(01:18:47) Online Irony Lacks Democracy
(01:19:29) Blake Tiger Infinite Narrators
(01:23:02) Lamb Poem Weaponized Gentleness
(01:24:34) Hell as Flipped God Presence
(01:27:04) Buddhism Fixation and Bypass
(01:31:33) VIP Paranormal Double Speak

Rice University Faculty Page: Timothy Morton, Rita Shea Guffey Chair in English, Rice University
Book: Hell by Timothy Morton
Website for John
http://www.drjohnwprice.com
WATCH:
YouTube for The Sacred Speaks
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
@thesacredspeaks
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/
Brought to you by:
https://www.thecenterforhas.com
Theme music provided by:
http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> Dr. John W. Price Buzzsprout-18983140 Thu, 09 Apr 2026 10:00:00 -0500 6855 full false 136: John Bucher: Telling A Better Story 136: John Bucher: Telling A Better Story In this episode of The Sacred Speaks, host Dr. John W Price sits down with mythologist and storyteller Dr. John Bucher, Executive Director of the Joseph Campbell Foundation, to explore how story functions as a living force that shapes our lives, culture, and sense of meaning. They trace John's early "graduate degree in storytelling" in a small Texas video store, move through themes like the quest to come home, reconciliation with the father, and the "magical orphan," and show how our favorite films reveal the deep mythic patterns we're unconsciously living. The conversation dives into archetypes, subtext, AI as a new cultural story, the loss of shared myths in a hyper-individualized media landscape, and the possibility of a "collective heroic journey" where groups answer a shared call of desperation rather than a single hero saving the day. John also offers very practical tools for "telling a better story" in our own lives, from changing our information diet to small daily rituals that reorient us toward hope, connection, and agency.

Key Takeaways: John Bucher: Telling A Better Story
Stories and myths are the "operating system" of the human mind, shaping how we make sense of everything from traffic to transcendence.
What truly draws us into stories is not plot but theme, like coming home or reconciling with the father.
Our favorite movies quietly reveal our core genres, themes, and unresolved psychological material.
We are losing shared cultural stories, which contributes to loneliness and fragmentation.
Finding a "better story" starts locally: in our media diet, daily practices, and small collective actions.

Timestamps
(00:00) Meet Mythologist John Bucher
(00:58) Housekeeping
(03:45) The Storytelling Almanac & Why Story Matters
(05:52) East Texas Video Store as a Storytelling School
(09:36) Theme Over Plot (Homecoming & Other Motifs)
(12:56) Genre as a Mirror
(18:27) Cinderella, Hope, and "Telling a Better Story"
(20:45) So What Is Story?
(23:49) Myth vs History: When Religion Literalizes Story
(29:13) Subtext, Symbol, and What's Unsaid
(31:56) Stepping Outside Old Stories, Grief, and Trying on New Identities
(37:48) Grace, identity & the 'fedora guy'
(39:21) AI as a cultural story
(41:06) Ritual and the last 'collective story'
(42:37) Beyond the Hero's Journey
(44:26) What we lose with curated, individualized media
(46:09) Addicted to hope: choosing a better collective future
(48:43) History & pop culture
(51:56) Why stories repeat
(54:19) What is an archetype?
(58:15) Back to AI: tool vs. threat
(01:06:55) Hearing the local call and joining the collective journey
(01:10:22) Practical antidotes to despair
(01:16:53) Closing gratitude & where to find John's work

Connect with John Bucher
Website: https://www.tellingabetterstory.com
Link hub (books, podcast, etc.): https://linktr.ee/tellingabetterstory
X (Twitter): https://x.com/johnkbucher
Instagram (personal): https://www.instagram.com/johnkbucher
Instagram (Telling a Better Story): https://www.instagram.com/tellingabetterstory
Joseph Campbell Foundation profile / team page: https://www.jcf.org/about-joseph-campbell-foundation/team
Pacifica Graduate Institute faculty page: https://www.pacifica.edu/faculty/john-bucher
"Learning to Tell a Better Story" YouTube interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLIOUw4dAB0

Connect with John Price
Website: http://www.drjohnwprice.com
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/
Brought to you by: https://www.thecenterforhas.com
Theme music provided by: http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> In this episode of The Sacred Speaks, host Dr. John W Price sits down with mythologist and storyteller Dr. John Bucher, Executive Director of the Joseph Campbell Foundation, to explore how story functions as a living force that shapes our lives, culture, and sense of meaning. They trace John's early "graduate degree in storytelling" in a small Texas video store, move through themes like the quest to come home, reconciliation with the father, and the "magical orphan," and show how our favorite films reveal the deep mythic patterns we're unconsciously living. The conversation dives into archetypes, subtext, AI as a new cultural story, the loss of shared myths in a hyper-individualized media landscape, and the possibility of a "collective heroic journey" where groups answer a shared call of desperation rather than a single hero saving the day. John also offers very practical tools for "telling a better story" in our own lives, from changing our information diet to small daily rituals that reorient us toward hope, connection, and agency.

Key Takeaways: John Bucher: Telling A Better Story
Stories and myths are the "operating system" of the human mind, shaping how we make sense of everything from traffic to transcendence.
What truly draws us into stories is not plot but theme, like coming home or reconciling with the father.
Our favorite movies quietly reveal our core genres, themes, and unresolved psychological material.
We are losing shared cultural stories, which contributes to loneliness and fragmentation.
Finding a "better story" starts locally: in our media diet, daily practices, and small collective actions.

Timestamps
(00:00) Meet Mythologist John Bucher
(00:58) Housekeeping
(03:45) The Storytelling Almanac & Why Story Matters
(05:52) East Texas Video Store as a Storytelling School
(09:36) Theme Over Plot (Homecoming & Other Motifs)
(12:56) Genre as a Mirror
(18:27) Cinderella, Hope, and "Telling a Better Story"
(20:45) So What Is Story?
(23:49) Myth vs History: When Religion Literalizes Story
(29:13) Subtext, Symbol, and What's Unsaid
(31:56) Stepping Outside Old Stories, Grief, and Trying on New Identities
(37:48) Grace, identity & the 'fedora guy'
(39:21) AI as a cultural story
(41:06) Ritual and the last 'collective story'
(42:37) Beyond the Hero's Journey
(44:26) What we lose with curated, individualized media
(46:09) Addicted to hope: choosing a better collective future
(48:43) History & pop culture
(51:56) Why stories repeat
(54:19) What is an archetype?
(58:15) Back to AI: tool vs. threat
(01:06:55) Hearing the local call and joining the collective journey
(01:10:22) Practical antidotes to despair
(01:16:53) Closing gratitude & where to find John's work

Connect with John Bucher
Website: https://www.tellingabetterstory.com
Link hub (books, podcast, etc.): https://linktr.ee/tellingabetterstory
X (Twitter): https://x.com/johnkbucher
Instagram (personal): https://www.instagram.com/johnkbucher
Instagram (Telling a Better Story): https://www.instagram.com/tellingabetterstory
Joseph Campbell Foundation profile / team page: https://www.jcf.org/about-joseph-campbell-foundation/team
Pacifica Graduate Institute faculty page: https://www.pacifica.edu/faculty/john-bucher
"Learning to Tell a Better Story" YouTube interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLIOUw4dAB0

Connect with John Price
Website: http://www.drjohnwprice.com
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/
Brought to you by: https://www.thecenterforhas.com
Theme music provided by: http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> Dr. John W. Price Buzzsprout-18844581 Sun, 15 Mar 2026 06:00:00 -0500 4675 full false 135 - Molly Carroll: Trust Within - Exploring Intuition 135 - Molly Carroll: Trust Within - Exploring Intuition In this episode of The Sacred Speaks, Dr. John Price sits down with Molly Carroll, therapist, writer, and host of the podcast Cracking Open, for a searching conversation about intuition, rupture, and the cost of inner honesty.
Molly is the author of Trust Within: Letting Intuition Lead and Cracking Open. Her work grows out of lived dislocation, from moments when the life she was building no longer aligned with what she knew in her body. Together, John and Molly explore intuition not as a slogan or guarantee, but as a capacity that often becomes audible only after something in our lives refuses to continue as planned.
The conversation moves through engagement endings, grief, codependency, therapy, and the subtle tension between anxiety and knowing. It considers whether intuition steadies us or unsettles us, and whether following it restores coherence or quietly dismantles the identities we once relied upon.
Rather than offering formulaic guidance, this episode invites listeners into a more honest and discerning relationship with their own interior life.

Key Takeaways:
Molly Carroll describes the first “white picket fence dwindling moment” when she realized the life she planned (including an engagement) wasn’t the life she truly wanted.

The conversation frames intuition as a lived capacity shaped by rupture, grief, and risk rather than a simple gift or guarantee.

The hosts emphasize integration of experiences—personal, spiritual, and professional—rather than retreating from discomfort after rupture.

Molly recounts leaving an engagement with a fiancé visa in play, choosing honesty with herself over social expectations.

The interview situates therapy and healing arts as pathways to listen to deep truths, even when those truths disrupt established life scripts

Time-stamps

(00:00) Introduction and Guest Overview
(00:41) Housekeeping and Announcements
(02:44) Introducing Molly Carroll
(04:31) Molly's Journey and Intuition
(07:16) Cracking Open Moments
(11:28) The Role of Intuition and Personal Growth
(22:53) Victimhood and Personal Responsibility
(33:01) Connection and Compassion
(43:05) Exploring Emotional Expression
(43:53) The Healing Power of Tears
(46:32) Creating Space for Vulnerability
(49:20) Understanding Codependency
(52:57) Intuition vs. Codependency
(54:41) The Role of Intuition in Decision Making
(01:08:56) Money, Worth, and Intuition
(01:18:17) Concluding Thoughts and Reflections

Connect with Molly

Website https://molly-carroll.com/about/
Book https://www.amazon.com/Cracking-Open-2nd-Molly-Carroll/dp/1320934374?keywords=cracking+open&qid=1572021083&sr=8-1


Website for John  

http://www.drjohnwprice.com 

WATCH:

YouTube for The Sacred Speaks
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

Instagram: 
https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
@thesacredspeaks
Facebook: 
https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/
Brought to you by: 
https://www.thecenterforhas.com

Theme music provided by:
http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> In this episode of The Sacred Speaks, Dr. John Price sits down with Molly Carroll, therapist, writer, and host of the podcast Cracking Open, for a searching conversation about intuition, rupture, and the cost of inner honesty.
Molly is the author of Trust Within: Letting Intuition Lead and Cracking Open. Her work grows out of lived dislocation, from moments when the life she was building no longer aligned with what she knew in her body. Together, John and Molly explore intuition not as a slogan or guarantee, but as a capacity that often becomes audible only after something in our lives refuses to continue as planned.
The conversation moves through engagement endings, grief, codependency, therapy, and the subtle tension between anxiety and knowing. It considers whether intuition steadies us or unsettles us, and whether following it restores coherence or quietly dismantles the identities we once relied upon.
Rather than offering formulaic guidance, this episode invites listeners into a more honest and discerning relationship with their own interior life.

Key Takeaways:
Molly Carroll describes the first “white picket fence dwindling moment” when she realized the life she planned (including an engagement) wasn’t the life she truly wanted.

The conversation frames intuition as a lived capacity shaped by rupture, grief, and risk rather than a simple gift or guarantee.

The hosts emphasize integration of experiences—personal, spiritual, and professional—rather than retreating from discomfort after rupture.

Molly recounts leaving an engagement with a fiancé visa in play, choosing honesty with herself over social expectations.

The interview situates therapy and healing arts as pathways to listen to deep truths, even when those truths disrupt established life scripts

Time-stamps

(00:00) Introduction and Guest Overview
(00:41) Housekeeping and Announcements
(02:44) Introducing Molly Carroll
(04:31) Molly's Journey and Intuition
(07:16) Cracking Open Moments
(11:28) The Role of Intuition and Personal Growth
(22:53) Victimhood and Personal Responsibility
(33:01) Connection and Compassion
(43:05) Exploring Emotional Expression
(43:53) The Healing Power of Tears
(46:32) Creating Space for Vulnerability
(49:20) Understanding Codependency
(52:57) Intuition vs. Codependency
(54:41) The Role of Intuition in Decision Making
(01:08:56) Money, Worth, and Intuition
(01:18:17) Concluding Thoughts and Reflections

Connect with Molly

Website https://molly-carroll.com/about/
Book https://www.amazon.com/Cracking-Open-2nd-Molly-Carroll/dp/1320934374?keywords=cracking+open&qid=1572021083&sr=8-1


Website for John  

http://www.drjohnwprice.com 

WATCH:

YouTube for The Sacred Speaks
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

Instagram: 
https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
@thesacredspeaks
Facebook: 
https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/
Brought to you by: 
https://www.thecenterforhas.com

Theme music provided by:
http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> Dr. John W. Price Buzzsprout-18769158 Sun, 01 Mar 2026 11:00:00 -0600 4942 full false 134 - Douglas Thomas: The Deep Psychology of BDSM and Kink 134 - Douglas Thomas: The Deep Psychology of BDSM and Kink In this episode of The Sacred Speaks, we explore what it means to embrace the full range of our humanity, including shadow, aggression, sexuality, contradiction, and desire as something that longs to be understood.
My guest, Dr. Douglas Thomas, joins me for a wide-ranging and thoughtful conversation about BDSM and kink through the lens of depth psychology. Rather than approaching these practices as pathology or spectacle, Douglas invites us to see them as symbolic, archetypal expressions of the psyche — places where power, surrender, ritual, and imagination reveal what we most often exile from consciousness.
Together, we explore why sexuality and kink function as cultural “third rails,” why moral rigidity so often masks unconscious shadow, and how ordinary people can participate in extraordinary harm when disowned material is projected outward. This conversation moves beyond questions of “good” and “bad” and instead asks what wholeness actually requires of us personally, culturally, and spiritually.
At its heart, this episode is an invitation into a more courageous ethic: facing the darkness within so that we reduce hatred, loosen moral certainty, and relate to ourselves and one another with greater honesty, humility, and compassion.
Key Takeaways
Wholeness matters more than appearing morally “good.” Denying our darker impulses fuels projection, rigidity, and violence.
Projection is largely unconscious, which is why “ordinary” people can participate in extraordinary harm while believing they are righteous.
Sexuality and kink operate as cultural shadows, exposing fear, shame, and control dynamics we often refuse to confront directly.
Cultivating curiosity instead of certainty around our shadow opens space for intimacy, ethical responsibility, and collective healing.
Episode Timeline
(00:00) — Introduction and orientation
(00:46) — Announcements and resources
(03:50) — Introducing Dr. Douglas Thomas
(05:36) — Douglas’ background and personal journey
(11:31) — Entering the leather community
(14:44) — Masculinity and hyper-masculinity
(23:39) — Transgressive necessities and psychological wholeness
(32:37) — Sexuality, kink, and cultural taboos
(36:27) — The complexity of kissing and biting
(37:37) — Historical context of sexual disorders
(39:35) — Fetishes and their psychological meaning
(40:30) — Defining healthy and unhealthy sexual behaviors
(42:52) — Introducing kink and BDSM
(46:44) — The Theatricality of BDSM
BDSM as embodied theater — where ritual, archetype, and imagination shape experience.
(49:47) — Spiritual and Transformative Dimensions
Erotic intensity as a doorway into altered states, presence, and transformation.
(56:29) — Negotiation and Consent
Consent as sacred contract — how boundaries and negotiation create safety and depth.
(01:01:15) — Trauma and Empowerment
Moving beyond simplistic narratives to explore reenactment, reclamation, and integration.
(01:08:06) — Personal Reflections and Broader Implications
What this work has revealed personally — and what it offers our wider culture.
Connect with Dr. Douglas Thomas

Website https://www.drdouglasthomas.com/
Practice (Jungian-based psychotherapy, Pasadena, CA): https://www.drdouglasthomas.com/abou 
Check out the book “The Deep Psychology of BDSM and Kink: Jungian and Archetypal Perspectives on the Soul’s Transgressive Necessities – https://www.drdouglasthomas.com/book 

Website for The Sacred Speaks: 

http://www.drjohnwprice.com 

WATCH:

YouTube for The Sacred Speaks
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

Instagram: 
https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
@thesacredspeaks
Twitter: 
https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks
Facebook: 
https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/
Brought to you by: 

]]> In this episode of The Sacred Speaks, we explore what it means to embrace the full range of our humanity, including shadow, aggression, sexuality, contradiction, and desire as something that longs to be understood.
My guest, Dr. Douglas Thomas, joins me for a wide-ranging and thoughtful conversation about BDSM and kink through the lens of depth psychology. Rather than approaching these practices as pathology or spectacle, Douglas invites us to see them as symbolic, archetypal expressions of the psyche — places where power, surrender, ritual, and imagination reveal what we most often exile from consciousness.
Together, we explore why sexuality and kink function as cultural “third rails,” why moral rigidity so often masks unconscious shadow, and how ordinary people can participate in extraordinary harm when disowned material is projected outward. This conversation moves beyond questions of “good” and “bad” and instead asks what wholeness actually requires of us personally, culturally, and spiritually.
At its heart, this episode is an invitation into a more courageous ethic: facing the darkness within so that we reduce hatred, loosen moral certainty, and relate to ourselves and one another with greater honesty, humility, and compassion.
Key Takeaways
Wholeness matters more than appearing morally “good.” Denying our darker impulses fuels projection, rigidity, and violence.
Projection is largely unconscious, which is why “ordinary” people can participate in extraordinary harm while believing they are righteous.
Sexuality and kink operate as cultural shadows, exposing fear, shame, and control dynamics we often refuse to confront directly.
Cultivating curiosity instead of certainty around our shadow opens space for intimacy, ethical responsibility, and collective healing.
Episode Timeline
(00:00) — Introduction and orientation
(00:46) — Announcements and resources
(03:50) — Introducing Dr. Douglas Thomas
(05:36) — Douglas’ background and personal journey
(11:31) — Entering the leather community
(14:44) — Masculinity and hyper-masculinity
(23:39) — Transgressive necessities and psychological wholeness
(32:37) — Sexuality, kink, and cultural taboos
(36:27) — The complexity of kissing and biting
(37:37) — Historical context of sexual disorders
(39:35) — Fetishes and their psychological meaning
(40:30) — Defining healthy and unhealthy sexual behaviors
(42:52) — Introducing kink and BDSM
(46:44) — The Theatricality of BDSM
BDSM as embodied theater — where ritual, archetype, and imagination shape experience.
(49:47) — Spiritual and Transformative Dimensions
Erotic intensity as a doorway into altered states, presence, and transformation.
(56:29) — Negotiation and Consent
Consent as sacred contract — how boundaries and negotiation create safety and depth.
(01:01:15) — Trauma and Empowerment
Moving beyond simplistic narratives to explore reenactment, reclamation, and integration.
(01:08:06) — Personal Reflections and Broader Implications
What this work has revealed personally — and what it offers our wider culture.
Connect with Dr. Douglas Thomas

Website https://www.drdouglasthomas.com/
Practice (Jungian-based psychotherapy, Pasadena, CA): https://www.drdouglasthomas.com/abou 
Check out the book “The Deep Psychology of BDSM and Kink: Jungian and Archetypal Perspectives on the Soul’s Transgressive Necessities – https://www.drdouglasthomas.com/book 

Website for The Sacred Speaks: 

http://www.drjohnwprice.com 

WATCH:

YouTube for The Sacred Speaks
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

Instagram: 
https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
@thesacredspeaks
Twitter: 
https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks
Facebook: 
https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/
Brought to you by: 

]]> Dr. John W. Price Buzzsprout-18449455 Mon, 05 Jan 2026 05:00:00 -0600 4575 full false 133 - Dr. Jennifer Freed - A Map To Your Soul: Astrology, Depth Psychology, and the Soul’s Invitation 133 - Dr. Jennifer Freed - A Map To Your Soul: Astrology, Depth Psychology, and the Soul’s Invitation Dr. Jennifer Freed joins host Dr. John W. Price on The Sacred Speaks for a wide-ranging and intimate conversation at the crossroads of psychological astrology, Jungian depth psychology, and lived mysticism.
Jennifer shares her personal journey—from early childhood visions and psychedelic experiences, through trauma, therapy, and decades of clinical and spiritual work—to her current understanding of astrology as a living, symbolic map rather than a fixed fate. Together, we explore how the birth chart functions as an invitation into “divine possibilities,” revealing our growth edges, shadow material, and evolving expressions across a lifetime.
Our dialogue moves through themes of shadow integration, relational devotion, nervous system regulation, and cultural upheaval, including reflections on Pluto in Aquarius and what this moment asks of humanity. Jennifer offers a sobering yet hopeful vision—one that calls for discernment, humility, and deeper participation in the unfolding mystery of being human.

Key Takeaways
Astrology as Invitation, Not Determinism
The birth chart reveals our cosmic DNA—a range of primitive, adaptive, and evolving expressions—inviting conscious participation rather than passive identification.
Shadow Integration and the Nervous System
Owning projections and shadow material brings regulation and clarity, helping us think more clearly amid ideological rigidity and identity fixation.
Romance as Daily Devotion
True intimacy is not sustained by chemistry alone, but by ongoing self-care and a quiet, consistent service to the subtle needs of the beloved.
Cultural Crossroads
Under Pluto in Aquarius, humanity faces a profound threshold—between fragmentation and unity—with discernment, responsibility, and imagination required.

Time Stamps
(00:00) Introduction and updates
(00:27) Upcoming events and community initiatives
(01:27) Special mentions and acknowledgements
(02:51) Introducing Dr. Jennifer Freed
(04:13) Jennifer’s journey and body of work
(06:51) Early mystical experiences
(08:35) Psychedelic insights and Jungian influence
(10:58) Therapeutic journey and personal growth
(16:35) Astrology and personal insight
(36:53) The role of intuition in astrology
(42:47) Adding value, embodiment, and ecstatic dance
(43:08) Mars in Pisces: challenges and opportunities
(43:58) Rigidity, discipline, and devotion
(44:57) The joy of dance and energetic freedom
(45:21) Astrology as a path of growth
(50:08) Self-care and relational health
(50:31) Serving your partner with presence
(52:18) Astrology in romantic relationships
(01:05:12) The human experiment and the future
(01:08:18) Extraterrestrial encounters and meaning
(01:12:59) Closing reflections


Website & Offerings:
https://www.jenniferfreed.com
(Includes her Substack, courses, and retreat work)
Books:
Use Your Planets Wisely — exploring planetary expressions from primitive to evolving
Beyond Aquarius — a romance novel emphasizing inner work and conscious relationship

Learn more about this project at: 
http://www.drjohnwprice.com
Instagram: 
https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/    
Twitter: 

Theme music provided by:
http://www.modernnationsmusic.com 

]]> Dr. Jennifer Freed joins host Dr. John W. Price on The Sacred Speaks for a wide-ranging and intimate conversation at the crossroads of psychological astrology, Jungian depth psychology, and lived mysticism.
Jennifer shares her personal journey—from early childhood visions and psychedelic experiences, through trauma, therapy, and decades of clinical and spiritual work—to her current understanding of astrology as a living, symbolic map rather than a fixed fate. Together, we explore how the birth chart functions as an invitation into “divine possibilities,” revealing our growth edges, shadow material, and evolving expressions across a lifetime.
Our dialogue moves through themes of shadow integration, relational devotion, nervous system regulation, and cultural upheaval, including reflections on Pluto in Aquarius and what this moment asks of humanity. Jennifer offers a sobering yet hopeful vision—one that calls for discernment, humility, and deeper participation in the unfolding mystery of being human.

Key Takeaways
Astrology as Invitation, Not Determinism
The birth chart reveals our cosmic DNA—a range of primitive, adaptive, and evolving expressions—inviting conscious participation rather than passive identification.
Shadow Integration and the Nervous System
Owning projections and shadow material brings regulation and clarity, helping us think more clearly amid ideological rigidity and identity fixation.
Romance as Daily Devotion
True intimacy is not sustained by chemistry alone, but by ongoing self-care and a quiet, consistent service to the subtle needs of the beloved.
Cultural Crossroads
Under Pluto in Aquarius, humanity faces a profound threshold—between fragmentation and unity—with discernment, responsibility, and imagination required.

Time Stamps
(00:00) Introduction and updates
(00:27) Upcoming events and community initiatives
(01:27) Special mentions and acknowledgements
(02:51) Introducing Dr. Jennifer Freed
(04:13) Jennifer’s journey and body of work
(06:51) Early mystical experiences
(08:35) Psychedelic insights and Jungian influence
(10:58) Therapeutic journey and personal growth
(16:35) Astrology and personal insight
(36:53) The role of intuition in astrology
(42:47) Adding value, embodiment, and ecstatic dance
(43:08) Mars in Pisces: challenges and opportunities
(43:58) Rigidity, discipline, and devotion
(44:57) The joy of dance and energetic freedom
(45:21) Astrology as a path of growth
(50:08) Self-care and relational health
(50:31) Serving your partner with presence
(52:18) Astrology in romantic relationships
(01:05:12) The human experiment and the future
(01:08:18) Extraterrestrial encounters and meaning
(01:12:59) Closing reflections


Website & Offerings:
https://www.jenniferfreed.com
(Includes her Substack, courses, and retreat work)
Books:
Use Your Planets Wisely — exploring planetary expressions from primitive to evolving
Beyond Aquarius — a romance novel emphasizing inner work and conscious relationship

Learn more about this project at: 
http://www.drjohnwprice.com
Instagram: 
https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/    
Twitter: 

Theme music provided by:
http://www.modernnationsmusic.com 

]]> Dr. John W. Price Buzzsprout-18351512 Mon, 15 Dec 2025 06:00:00 -0600 4571 full false 132: Solo - The Sacred Rhythm: Ritual, Meaning & Sacred Practice 132: Solo - The Sacred Rhythm: Ritual, Meaning & Sacred Practice In this solo episode, I explore the deep significance of ritual—especially as we move through the season of descent and into the longest night of the year.
Modern culture has stripped ritual of its heart, reducing sacred rhythms to holidays and surface forms. What once rooted us in mystery has become spectacle or habit. In this conversation, I want to return to the essence of ritual as something alive—something that helps us remember what we’ve forgotten.
I share personal stories and reflections from my own spiritual practice, from early meditation experiences to what I’ve learned through depth psychology and comparative religion. We’ll look at how genuine ritual serves not as superstition, but as an act of remembering, reconnecting, and transforming—an embodied way of saying yes to the unseen life moving through us.
This episode explores how ritual bridges matter and spirit, how mystical experience can reorient the psyche, and how remembering the sacred in everyday life is both an act of rebellion and a return home.
Ritual invites us to tend what still burns within us—to live in rhythm with the mystery that underlies all things.

Key Reflections
Ritual anchors the sacred in the rhythms of everyday life.
Modern culture often forgets the true essence and transformative power of ritual.
Mystical and peak experiences ask to be honored, integrated, and lived—not chased.
Remembering and reclaiming ritual is an act of rebellion, renewal, and belonging.
In This Episode
(00:00) Introduction to Ritual and Peak Experience
(00:59) The Cultural Disconnect with Rituals
(03:34) Personal Story: Meditation and Transformation
(07:48) The Dual Structure of Human Experience
(10:12) The Importance of Mystical Experience
(14:34) Ritual as Rebellion and Remembrance
(16:02) Invitation to Free Webinar on Ritual
(17:08) Conclusion and Closing Reflection

WATCH:
YouTube for The Sacred Speaks
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
@thesacredspeaks
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/
Brought to you by:
https://www.thecenterforhas.com

Theme music provided by:
http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> In this solo episode, I explore the deep significance of ritual—especially as we move through the season of descent and into the longest night of the year.
Modern culture has stripped ritual of its heart, reducing sacred rhythms to holidays and surface forms. What once rooted us in mystery has become spectacle or habit. In this conversation, I want to return to the essence of ritual as something alive—something that helps us remember what we’ve forgotten.
I share personal stories and reflections from my own spiritual practice, from early meditation experiences to what I’ve learned through depth psychology and comparative religion. We’ll look at how genuine ritual serves not as superstition, but as an act of remembering, reconnecting, and transforming—an embodied way of saying yes to the unseen life moving through us.
This episode explores how ritual bridges matter and spirit, how mystical experience can reorient the psyche, and how remembering the sacred in everyday life is both an act of rebellion and a return home.
Ritual invites us to tend what still burns within us—to live in rhythm with the mystery that underlies all things.

Key Reflections
Ritual anchors the sacred in the rhythms of everyday life.
Modern culture often forgets the true essence and transformative power of ritual.
Mystical and peak experiences ask to be honored, integrated, and lived—not chased.
Remembering and reclaiming ritual is an act of rebellion, renewal, and belonging.
In This Episode
(00:00) Introduction to Ritual and Peak Experience
(00:59) The Cultural Disconnect with Rituals
(03:34) Personal Story: Meditation and Transformation
(07:48) The Dual Structure of Human Experience
(10:12) The Importance of Mystical Experience
(14:34) Ritual as Rebellion and Remembrance
(16:02) Invitation to Free Webinar on Ritual
(17:08) Conclusion and Closing Reflection

WATCH:
YouTube for The Sacred Speaks
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
@thesacredspeaks
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/
Brought to you by:
https://www.thecenterforhas.com

Theme music provided by:
http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> Dr. John W. Price Buzzsprout-18238620 Sun, 23 Nov 2025 11:00:00 -0600 1092 full false 131: Terry Real - Redefining Masculinity: Men’s Hidden Depression & Relational Healing 131: Terry Real - Redefining Masculinity: Men’s Hidden Depression & Relational Healing In this episode of The Sacred Speaks, host Dr. John W. Price sits down with pioneering therapist and author Terry Real, whose decades of work have redefined how we understand men, relationships, and emotional life.
Nearly thirty years after the release of his groundbreaking book I Don’t Want to Talk About It: Overcoming the Secret Legacy of Male Depression, Terry reflects on the evolution of men’s inner worlds, the cultural forces that still shape them, and the courageous work required to heal.
This conversation moves between the personal and the collective—between the suffering of individual men and the systems that taught them to suffer silently. Together, John and Terry explore how patriarchy has halved both men and women, severing men from their emotional lives, and how healing requires a return to connection, empathy, and embodied relational practice.
Through heartfelt stories, clinical insight, and grounded wisdom, Terry calls us toward a new model of masculinity—one rooted not in dominance or disconnection but in courage, accountability, and love.
This episode is an invitation to anyone longing to understand the hidden pain of men and the pathways toward relational wholeness.

Key Themes
-Male depression as a covert epidemic—often masked by addiction, anger, or withdrawal rather than sadness.
-How patriarchy teaches men to fear vulnerability and equate worth with production, control, and performance.
-The intergenerational inheritance of silence and shame between fathers and sons.
-Why true intimacy depends on empathy, humility, and repair—not dominance or emotional avoidance.
-The call for a new relational culture that honors interdependence and shared healing.

Time Stamps
00:00 – Introduction & framing the conversation
03:00 – Revisiting I Don’t Want to Talk About It nearly 30 years later
06:30 – How patriarchy harms men and the women who love them
10:45 – Understanding covert male depression
16:20 – The producer model: when net worth becomes self-worth
22:10 – Loneliness and the erosion of male friendship
29:40 – Family systems, shame, and the father wound
37:15 – Relational Life Therapy: a model for repair
44:00 – Vulnerability as strength
50:30 – Healing through accountability and compassion
58:00 – The future of masculinity and relational wholeness
Connect with Terry Real
Explore Terry’s courses and trainings in Relational Life Therapy (RLT) for both professionals and general audiences:
🌐 terryreal.com
🌐 relationallife.com

Connect with Dr. John W. Price
Website: https://drjohnwprice.com
Podcast: https://thesacredspeaks.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjohnwprice/

If this conversation resonates, please like, share, and subscribe to The Sacred Speaks to support these ongoing dialogues at the crossroads of psyche, soul, and the sacred.

]]> In this episode of The Sacred Speaks, host Dr. John W. Price sits down with pioneering therapist and author Terry Real, whose decades of work have redefined how we understand men, relationships, and emotional life.
Nearly thirty years after the release of his groundbreaking book I Don’t Want to Talk About It: Overcoming the Secret Legacy of Male Depression, Terry reflects on the evolution of men’s inner worlds, the cultural forces that still shape them, and the courageous work required to heal.
This conversation moves between the personal and the collective—between the suffering of individual men and the systems that taught them to suffer silently. Together, John and Terry explore how patriarchy has halved both men and women, severing men from their emotional lives, and how healing requires a return to connection, empathy, and embodied relational practice.
Through heartfelt stories, clinical insight, and grounded wisdom, Terry calls us toward a new model of masculinity—one rooted not in dominance or disconnection but in courage, accountability, and love.
This episode is an invitation to anyone longing to understand the hidden pain of men and the pathways toward relational wholeness.

Key Themes
-Male depression as a covert epidemic—often masked by addiction, anger, or withdrawal rather than sadness.
-How patriarchy teaches men to fear vulnerability and equate worth with production, control, and performance.
-The intergenerational inheritance of silence and shame between fathers and sons.
-Why true intimacy depends on empathy, humility, and repair—not dominance or emotional avoidance.
-The call for a new relational culture that honors interdependence and shared healing.

Time Stamps
00:00 – Introduction & framing the conversation
03:00 – Revisiting I Don’t Want to Talk About It nearly 30 years later
06:30 – How patriarchy harms men and the women who love them
10:45 – Understanding covert male depression
16:20 – The producer model: when net worth becomes self-worth
22:10 – Loneliness and the erosion of male friendship
29:40 – Family systems, shame, and the father wound
37:15 – Relational Life Therapy: a model for repair
44:00 – Vulnerability as strength
50:30 – Healing through accountability and compassion
58:00 – The future of masculinity and relational wholeness
Connect with Terry Real
Explore Terry’s courses and trainings in Relational Life Therapy (RLT) for both professionals and general audiences:
🌐 terryreal.com
🌐 relationallife.com

Connect with Dr. John W. Price
Website: https://drjohnwprice.com
Podcast: https://thesacredspeaks.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjohnwprice/

If this conversation resonates, please like, share, and subscribe to The Sacred Speaks to support these ongoing dialogues at the crossroads of psyche, soul, and the sacred.

]]> Dr. John W. Price Buzzsprout-18162242 Tue, 11 Nov 2025 06:00:00 -0600 3644 full false 130 - Richard Rohr: Happiness is an Inside Job 130 - Richard Rohr: Happiness is an Inside Job In this heartfelt episode of The Sacred Speaks, John Price sits down with longtime spiritual guide and Franciscan friar, Father Richard Rohr. Together they explore the deeper dimensions of happiness and meaning—moving far beyond cultural clichés.

Drawing on Richard’s decades of integrating psychology, spirituality, and mysticism, the conversation challenges conventional ideas of happiness as mere pleasure or circumstance. Instead, Richard invites us to embrace a “just right mind”—a way of living that balances ego, suffering, and joy.

Speaking with candor and humility, he reflects on aging, facing death, and the transformative power of love, community, and humor. This conversation is a profound invitation to shift from sin management to radical compassion and participation in a bigger, joyful universal flow.

Key Takeaways
True happiness emerges from a “just right mind” that balances enough ego to appreciate life without judgment or denial.
Happiness is not external comfort, but the capacity to meet suffering with grace and mindfulness.
Radical acceptance and surrender open us to a joy larger than the self.
Humor and community sustain lightheartedness and connection in the face of life’s challenges.

 In This Episode
(00:00) Welcome to The Sacred Speaks
(03:57) A Deep Dive into Happiness
(05:33) The Concept of "Just Right" Mind
(10:49) Sin Management and Spiritual Growth
(14:40) The Role of Ritual and Authority
(18:27) Balancing Ego and Humility
(25:47) Order, Disorder, and Reorder
(27:45) The Illusion of Happiness in Modern Culture
(28:44) The Shadow Side of Comfort and Entertainment
(29:51) The Interplay of Happiness and Suffering
(33:28) Personal Reflections on Happiness
(36:11) Finding Joy in Simple Pleasures
(47:06) The Role of Humor in Happiness
(50:41) Nature as a Source of Happiness
(53:32) Final Thoughts on Happiness and Meaning

Connect with Richard Rohr
Official Website (Center for Action and Contemplation): https://cac.org
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cac_abq/
Twitter/X: https://x.com/richardrohrofm
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Rohr
CAC Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/re-release-father-richard-rohr-falling-upward/id1080170463
CAC YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMkqKAtSgijU439fJUNHnkA

Connect with Dr. John W. Price
Website: https://drjohnwprice.com
Podcast: https://thesacredspeaks.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjohnwprice/

If this conversation resonates, please like, share, and subscribe to The Sacred Speaks to support these ongoing dialogues at the crossroads of psyche, soul, and the sacred.

]]> In this heartfelt episode of The Sacred Speaks, John Price sits down with longtime spiritual guide and Franciscan friar, Father Richard Rohr. Together they explore the deeper dimensions of happiness and meaning—moving far beyond cultural clichés.

Drawing on Richard’s decades of integrating psychology, spirituality, and mysticism, the conversation challenges conventional ideas of happiness as mere pleasure or circumstance. Instead, Richard invites us to embrace a “just right mind”—a way of living that balances ego, suffering, and joy.

Speaking with candor and humility, he reflects on aging, facing death, and the transformative power of love, community, and humor. This conversation is a profound invitation to shift from sin management to radical compassion and participation in a bigger, joyful universal flow.

Key Takeaways
True happiness emerges from a “just right mind” that balances enough ego to appreciate life without judgment or denial.
Happiness is not external comfort, but the capacity to meet suffering with grace and mindfulness.
Radical acceptance and surrender open us to a joy larger than the self.
Humor and community sustain lightheartedness and connection in the face of life’s challenges.

 In This Episode
(00:00) Welcome to The Sacred Speaks
(03:57) A Deep Dive into Happiness
(05:33) The Concept of "Just Right" Mind
(10:49) Sin Management and Spiritual Growth
(14:40) The Role of Ritual and Authority
(18:27) Balancing Ego and Humility
(25:47) Order, Disorder, and Reorder
(27:45) The Illusion of Happiness in Modern Culture
(28:44) The Shadow Side of Comfort and Entertainment
(29:51) The Interplay of Happiness and Suffering
(33:28) Personal Reflections on Happiness
(36:11) Finding Joy in Simple Pleasures
(47:06) The Role of Humor in Happiness
(50:41) Nature as a Source of Happiness
(53:32) Final Thoughts on Happiness and Meaning

Connect with Richard Rohr
Official Website (Center for Action and Contemplation): https://cac.org
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cac_abq/
Twitter/X: https://x.com/richardrohrofm
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Rohr
CAC Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/re-release-father-richard-rohr-falling-upward/id1080170463
CAC YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMkqKAtSgijU439fJUNHnkA

Connect with Dr. John W. Price
Website: https://drjohnwprice.com
Podcast: https://thesacredspeaks.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjohnwprice/

If this conversation resonates, please like, share, and subscribe to The Sacred Speaks to support these ongoing dialogues at the crossroads of psyche, soul, and the sacred.

]]> Dr. John W. Price Buzzsprout-17861529 Thu, 16 Oct 2025 08:00:00 -0500 3398 full false 129: Solo - Patterns Written in the Soul: Building a Rhythm for Spiritual Practice in Everyday Life 129: Solo - Patterns Written in the Soul: Building a Rhythm for Spiritual Practice in Everyday Life Explore the new site: 
www.drjohnwprice.com
Join us in The Open Gate: https://www.drjohnwprice.com/the-open-gate-lt

In this solo episode, I explore what it means to build a rhythm of spiritual practice—not as an escape from life, but as a way of showing up for it.
I draw from my background growing up in a socially engaged religious community, my years as a psychotherapist, and the long process of returning to a deeper, embodied spirituality.

We’ll look at the difference between outer ritual and inner transformation, between spiritual performance and real participation. Along the way, I weave in ideas from Jungian psychology, the necessity of emotional honesty, and the quiet work of remembering the sacred within ordinary life.
This conversation is about developing a living rhythm, a pattern written in the soul, that keeps us connected to meaning, community, and presence.

Key Themes
Spiritual practice is both an inner path and a shared human process.
Rhythm matters more than perfection.
Emotional experiences—grief, fear, longing—are not obstacles; they are initiations.
Nature and everyday ritual reawaken a sense of belonging and presence.
Community, teaching, and discipline form the architecture of a spiritual life.
In This Episode
00:00 — Introduction to Spiritual Practice
02:06 — Defining Spirituality
03:53 — The Importance of Contemplative Practice
08:44 — Personal Experiences and Insights
18:07 — Challenges and Misconceptions
23:56 — Practical Steps and Final Reflections


Follow:
Instagram — @thesacredspeaks
Facebook — The Sacred Speaks

Brought to you by: www.centerforhas.com 
Theme Music: www.modernnationmusic.com

]]> Explore the new site: 
www.drjohnwprice.com
Join us in The Open Gate: https://www.drjohnwprice.com/the-open-gate-lt

In this solo episode, I explore what it means to build a rhythm of spiritual practice—not as an escape from life, but as a way of showing up for it.
I draw from my background growing up in a socially engaged religious community, my years as a psychotherapist, and the long process of returning to a deeper, embodied spirituality.

We’ll look at the difference between outer ritual and inner transformation, between spiritual performance and real participation. Along the way, I weave in ideas from Jungian psychology, the necessity of emotional honesty, and the quiet work of remembering the sacred within ordinary life.
This conversation is about developing a living rhythm, a pattern written in the soul, that keeps us connected to meaning, community, and presence.

Key Themes
Spiritual practice is both an inner path and a shared human process.
Rhythm matters more than perfection.
Emotional experiences—grief, fear, longing—are not obstacles; they are initiations.
Nature and everyday ritual reawaken a sense of belonging and presence.
Community, teaching, and discipline form the architecture of a spiritual life.
In This Episode
00:00 — Introduction to Spiritual Practice
02:06 — Defining Spirituality
03:53 — The Importance of Contemplative Practice
08:44 — Personal Experiences and Insights
18:07 — Challenges and Misconceptions
23:56 — Practical Steps and Final Reflections


Follow:
Instagram — @thesacredspeaks
Facebook — The Sacred Speaks

Brought to you by: www.centerforhas.com 
Theme Music: www.modernnationmusic.com

]]> Dr. John W. Price Buzzsprout-17996912 Sun, 12 Oct 2025 09:00:00 -0500 1674 full false 128 - Mirabai Starr: Ordinary Mysticism: Your Life as Sacred Ground 128 - Mirabai Starr: Ordinary Mysticism: Your Life as Sacred Ground In this episode of The Sacred Speaks, host Dr. John W. Price welcomes Mirabai Starr—acclaimed translator of the mystics, teacher of interspiritual wisdom, and luminous guide to the sacred woven through daily life. Together, they explore the heart of ordinary mysticism: discovering holiness not only in monasteries or mountaintops, but in the tender rhythms of our own existence.

Mirabai opens her story with radical honesty—her countercultural Jewish upbringing, alternative education, and the teachers and traditions that shaped her. The conversation turns to how rigid ideas of “being spiritual” can keep us from true intimacy with the divine, and how humility, humor, and embodiment restore us to a living spirituality. Mirabai shares how the death of her teenage daughter became a devastating but sacred initiation, revealing grief as one of the deepest portals into divine love.

Moving between ancient voices and her own life, Mirabai offers a mysticism that is fiercely tender, humble, embodied, and accessible to all. This dialogue invites us to see our own lives as sacred ground—woven with loss and beauty, pain and joy, shadow and wonder.

Key Takeaways
Mysticism is accessible in everyday life, not just in monasteries or religious settings.
Rigid religious or cultural ideas of “spirituality” can block authentic spiritual experience.
Embodiment and emotions—especially grief—are sacred entry points into deeper connection.
Translating the mystics is less about history than entering a living dialogue across time.
Friendship, humor, humility, and even money can be part of an integrated spiritual life.

In This Episode
(00:00) Introduction and Welcome
(00:20) Introducing Mirabai
(01:14) Mirabai’s Background and Influences
(02:30) Personal Tragedy and Grief
(03:21) Housekeeping and Announcements
(05:26) Interview with Mirabai Starr Begins
(07:33) Ordinary Mysticism and Everyday Spirituality
(08:54) Critique of Organized Religion
(13:38) Counterculture Upbringing and Influence
(18:39) Alternative Education and Teaching Philosophy
(23:29) Feminine Mysticism and Embodiment
(38:32) Translating the Mystics as Living Companions
(43:33) The Supernatural and the Natural
(45:55) Writing as Dialogic Spiritual Practice
(51:27) Grief and the Sacredness of Loss
(01:00:21) Writing as a Spiritual Path
(01:14:02) Navigating Money and Spirituality
(01:18:17) Closing Reflections & Resources

Connect with Mirabai Starr
Company: Wild Heart
Community: Holy Lament (online support for grief; opens twice yearly, next in Nov 2025)
 Book: Ordinary Mysticism: Your Life as Sacred Ground (HarperOne, Sept 2025)
Earlier Works: Wild Mercy, Caravan of No Despair, her translations of Dark Night of the Soul and The Interior Castle, and more - check out Mirabai's website:  mirabaistarr.com

Connect with John
Come and join, The Open Gate. Link on website
Website: https://drjohnwprice.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjohnwprice/

]]> In this episode of The Sacred Speaks, host Dr. John W. Price welcomes Mirabai Starr—acclaimed translator of the mystics, teacher of interspiritual wisdom, and luminous guide to the sacred woven through daily life. Together, they explore the heart of ordinary mysticism: discovering holiness not only in monasteries or mountaintops, but in the tender rhythms of our own existence.

Mirabai opens her story with radical honesty—her countercultural Jewish upbringing, alternative education, and the teachers and traditions that shaped her. The conversation turns to how rigid ideas of “being spiritual” can keep us from true intimacy with the divine, and how humility, humor, and embodiment restore us to a living spirituality. Mirabai shares how the death of her teenage daughter became a devastating but sacred initiation, revealing grief as one of the deepest portals into divine love.

Moving between ancient voices and her own life, Mirabai offers a mysticism that is fiercely tender, humble, embodied, and accessible to all. This dialogue invites us to see our own lives as sacred ground—woven with loss and beauty, pain and joy, shadow and wonder.

Key Takeaways
Mysticism is accessible in everyday life, not just in monasteries or religious settings.
Rigid religious or cultural ideas of “spirituality” can block authentic spiritual experience.
Embodiment and emotions—especially grief—are sacred entry points into deeper connection.
Translating the mystics is less about history than entering a living dialogue across time.
Friendship, humor, humility, and even money can be part of an integrated spiritual life.

In This Episode
(00:00) Introduction and Welcome
(00:20) Introducing Mirabai
(01:14) Mirabai’s Background and Influences
(02:30) Personal Tragedy and Grief
(03:21) Housekeeping and Announcements
(05:26) Interview with Mirabai Starr Begins
(07:33) Ordinary Mysticism and Everyday Spirituality
(08:54) Critique of Organized Religion
(13:38) Counterculture Upbringing and Influence
(18:39) Alternative Education and Teaching Philosophy
(23:29) Feminine Mysticism and Embodiment
(38:32) Translating the Mystics as Living Companions
(43:33) The Supernatural and the Natural
(45:55) Writing as Dialogic Spiritual Practice
(51:27) Grief and the Sacredness of Loss
(01:00:21) Writing as a Spiritual Path
(01:14:02) Navigating Money and Spirituality
(01:18:17) Closing Reflections & Resources

Connect with Mirabai Starr
Company: Wild Heart
Community: Holy Lament (online support for grief; opens twice yearly, next in Nov 2025)
 Book: Ordinary Mysticism: Your Life as Sacred Ground (HarperOne, Sept 2025)
Earlier Works: Wild Mercy, Caravan of No Despair, her translations of Dark Night of the Soul and The Interior Castle, and more - check out Mirabai's website:  mirabaistarr.com

Connect with John
Come and join, The Open Gate. Link on website
Website: https://drjohnwprice.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjohnwprice/

]]> Dr. John W. Price Buzzsprout-17876008 Sat, 20 Sep 2025 07:00:00 -0500 4926 full false 127 - Jeffrey Kripal: How To Think Impossibly 127 - Jeffrey Kripal: How To Think Impossibly What does it mean to think impossibly? How do paranormal events, mystical visions, and encounters with the unknown reshape our understanding of what it means to be human?

In this episode, host Dr. John W. Price sits down with Dr. Jeffrey Kripal — J. Newton Rayzor Professor of Philosophy and Religious Thought at Rice University, and one of today’s most daring scholars of religion — to explore the borders between the possible and the impossible.

Together, they trace the line where scholarship meets the mystical, where imagination bends into healing, and where our deepest worldviews determine what we are even able to see. From UFOs and near-death experiences to William Blake, dual-aspect monism, and the future of spirituality, this is a wide-ranging conversation about living at the edges of reality.

Be sure to check out Jeff’s latest book, How to Think Impossibly: About Souls, UFOs, Time, Belief, and Everything Else.

Key Takeaways
Embracing the impossible expands not just our knowledge, but our capacity for awe, healing, and transformation.
Worldviews — personal and cultural — filter what counts as “real,” shaping how we encounter extraordinary experiences.
Paranormal phenomena aren’t just curiosities; they are symbolic invitations into deeper practice and meaning.
Thinking impossibly is less about belief and more about orientation — a way of living that opens us to mystery.
Dialogue at the borderlands of science, religion, and imagination may hold the key to the future of spirituality.

In This Episode
(00:00) Introduction & Guest Bio
(01:59) Housekeeping & Announcements
(05:13) The Origins of “Thinking Impossibly”
(09:52) Stories of the Impossible
(13:16) The Role of Worldviews
(16:34) Religion, Science, and the Paranormal
(22:14) Healing, Suffering, and Transformation
(28:32) The Power of Story & Magic
(35:12) Teaching the Impossible
(42:39) The Future of Spirituality
(46:06) Closing Reflections & Resources

Connect: 
Jeffrey: https://jeffreyjkripal.com
John: https://www.drjohnwprice.com

]]> What does it mean to think impossibly? How do paranormal events, mystical visions, and encounters with the unknown reshape our understanding of what it means to be human?

In this episode, host Dr. John W. Price sits down with Dr. Jeffrey Kripal — J. Newton Rayzor Professor of Philosophy and Religious Thought at Rice University, and one of today’s most daring scholars of religion — to explore the borders between the possible and the impossible.

Together, they trace the line where scholarship meets the mystical, where imagination bends into healing, and where our deepest worldviews determine what we are even able to see. From UFOs and near-death experiences to William Blake, dual-aspect monism, and the future of spirituality, this is a wide-ranging conversation about living at the edges of reality.

Be sure to check out Jeff’s latest book, How to Think Impossibly: About Souls, UFOs, Time, Belief, and Everything Else.

Key Takeaways
Embracing the impossible expands not just our knowledge, but our capacity for awe, healing, and transformation.
Worldviews — personal and cultural — filter what counts as “real,” shaping how we encounter extraordinary experiences.
Paranormal phenomena aren’t just curiosities; they are symbolic invitations into deeper practice and meaning.
Thinking impossibly is less about belief and more about orientation — a way of living that opens us to mystery.
Dialogue at the borderlands of science, religion, and imagination may hold the key to the future of spirituality.

In This Episode
(00:00) Introduction & Guest Bio
(01:59) Housekeeping & Announcements
(05:13) The Origins of “Thinking Impossibly”
(09:52) Stories of the Impossible
(13:16) The Role of Worldviews
(16:34) Religion, Science, and the Paranormal
(22:14) Healing, Suffering, and Transformation
(28:32) The Power of Story & Magic
(35:12) Teaching the Impossible
(42:39) The Future of Spirituality
(46:06) Closing Reflections & Resources

Connect: 
Jeffrey: https://jeffreyjkripal.com
John: https://www.drjohnwprice.com

]]> Dr. John W. Price Buzzsprout-17812063 Tue, 09 Sep 2025 08:00:00 -0500 4735 full false 126 - Adele Getty - A Sense of the Sacred: Finding Our Spiritual Lives Through Ceremony 126 - Adele Getty - A Sense of the Sacred: Finding Our Spiritual Lives Through Ceremony In this  episode of The Sacred Speaks,  John sits down with Adele Getty—spiritual teacher, author, and cultural bridge—to explore the urgent, timeless wisdom of her book A Sense of the Sacred. Though written nearly 30 years ago, Adele’s work feels more relevant than ever in a world hungry for meaning, ritual, and reconnection with the more-than-human world.

Together, John and Adele reflect on the lost world of animism, the power of symbolic action, and the aching grief of cultural severance from the sacred. Adele shares her path as a modern-day rite-maker, offering personal stories, cross-cultural insights, and poetic invitations to remember what it means to live in a living world. The conversation moves fluidly between anthropology, personal spirituality, indigenous wisdom, and the transformative potential of ceremony—especially in a time of ecological crisis and soul loss.

This episode is both an intellectual dialogue and a soul invocation. If you've ever felt the quiet mourning of a life unlived—or sensed the sacred just beneath the surface of ordinary things—this conversation is for you.

Key Themes:
Animism as a lived cosmology—not a belief system, but a relationship
The grief of modernity and the longing for reconnection
Ceremony as both personal healing and collective repair
The sacred role of women, humor, and voice in ritual
How to begin building meaningful ceremonies in contemporary life
Why symbolic acts matter in a disenchanted world
Reflections on the psychedelic resurgence and ritual ethics

Episode Timeline:
(00:00) Introduction and Guest Announcement
(00:37) Podcast Updates and Announcements
(02:25) Introducing Adele Getty
(04:02) The Book as a Lament and a Love Song
(09:05) Adele’s Personal Background and Influences
(11:56) Animism and the Cosmology of Connection
(16:44) Ceremony as Daily Practice and Communal Healing
(24:54) Spirit, Voice, and Song in Ritual Work
(35:32) Historical Context and Cultural Amnesia
(47:34) The Psychedelic Explosion and Western Disconnection
(50:26) Modern Psychedelics, Integration, and Ethical Ceremony
(51:24) Nature as Teacher and Ceremony Ground
(52:35) Creating Sacred Spaces in Ordinary Life
(01:14:21) The Role of Humor, Play, and the Trickster
(01:18:51) Symbolic Acts and Soul Reenchantment
(01:19:57) Final Reflections on Ceremony and Belonging
(01:26:44) Closing Thoughts and Upcoming Offerings

Connect with Adele Getty & The Limina Foundation:
Website: https://www.liminafoundation.org/
Facebook: @liminafoundation
Instagram: @liminafoundation

]]> In this  episode of The Sacred Speaks,  John sits down with Adele Getty—spiritual teacher, author, and cultural bridge—to explore the urgent, timeless wisdom of her book A Sense of the Sacred. Though written nearly 30 years ago, Adele’s work feels more relevant than ever in a world hungry for meaning, ritual, and reconnection with the more-than-human world.

Together, John and Adele reflect on the lost world of animism, the power of symbolic action, and the aching grief of cultural severance from the sacred. Adele shares her path as a modern-day rite-maker, offering personal stories, cross-cultural insights, and poetic invitations to remember what it means to live in a living world. The conversation moves fluidly between anthropology, personal spirituality, indigenous wisdom, and the transformative potential of ceremony—especially in a time of ecological crisis and soul loss.

This episode is both an intellectual dialogue and a soul invocation. If you've ever felt the quiet mourning of a life unlived—or sensed the sacred just beneath the surface of ordinary things—this conversation is for you.

Key Themes:
Animism as a lived cosmology—not a belief system, but a relationship
The grief of modernity and the longing for reconnection
Ceremony as both personal healing and collective repair
The sacred role of women, humor, and voice in ritual
How to begin building meaningful ceremonies in contemporary life
Why symbolic acts matter in a disenchanted world
Reflections on the psychedelic resurgence and ritual ethics

Episode Timeline:
(00:00) Introduction and Guest Announcement
(00:37) Podcast Updates and Announcements
(02:25) Introducing Adele Getty
(04:02) The Book as a Lament and a Love Song
(09:05) Adele’s Personal Background and Influences
(11:56) Animism and the Cosmology of Connection
(16:44) Ceremony as Daily Practice and Communal Healing
(24:54) Spirit, Voice, and Song in Ritual Work
(35:32) Historical Context and Cultural Amnesia
(47:34) The Psychedelic Explosion and Western Disconnection
(50:26) Modern Psychedelics, Integration, and Ethical Ceremony
(51:24) Nature as Teacher and Ceremony Ground
(52:35) Creating Sacred Spaces in Ordinary Life
(01:14:21) The Role of Humor, Play, and the Trickster
(01:18:51) Symbolic Acts and Soul Reenchantment
(01:19:57) Final Reflections on Ceremony and Belonging
(01:26:44) Closing Thoughts and Upcoming Offerings

Connect with Adele Getty & The Limina Foundation:
Website: https://www.liminafoundation.org/
Facebook: @liminafoundation
Instagram: @liminafoundation

]]> John Price Buzzsprout-17688787 Tue, 19 Aug 2025 15:00:00 -0500 5393 full false 125 - Sean Manseau: The Devil You Know & Entheogenic Fitness Training 125 - Sean Manseau: The Devil You Know & Entheogenic Fitness Training In this unforgettable episode, Dr. John Price sits down with writer, ritualist, and mytho-technologist Sean Manseau, whose work bridges depth psychology, psychedelics, performance, and esoteric theology. Together, they explore Entheogenic Fitness Training (EFT)—a radical spiritual system designed for the metamodern age.

EFT combines physical resistance training, psychedelic states, mythic storytelling, and ritual performance to create a structured path of transformation. At its core is the archetype of the Phonomancer—a shamanic superhero trained to channel divine energy through movement, voice, and ecstatic states.

Sean also shares the inner journey behind his visionary book The Devil You Know, a Jungian-style self-analysis written as a dialogue between two imagined selves. This conversation offers a deep dive into imagination, magic, trauma, shadow work, and the struggle to maintain integrity while mapping new sacred ground.

From ayahuasca visions to ecstatic dance, from black magic to simulated belief, this is a conversation for those willing to question what’s real, what’s possible, and what the future of spiritual practice might become.

Topics Covered:

How suffering can become sacred resistance
Psychedelics as initiatory stressors (not just therapy)
Make-Believe vs. Make-Belief as spiritual technology
Designing a religion for the age of simulation
The adversary as a real force in consciousness
Ritual performance as a container for ego death
From anima to AI: dialoguing with the inner divine
Addiction, psychosis, and how to build inner structure
The idea of “Functional Enlightenment” and training spiritual capacity
Gnosis, the Christ archetype, and becoming a conscious myth-maker

In This Episode
(00:00) Introduction and updates
(06:35) Ayahuasca, ritual, and the origin of EFT
(13:00) Phonomantic method and psychedelic training
(17:00) Make-believe, religion, and sacred play
(22:00) Ecstatic states, magic, and the imaginal
(30:00) Dark magic, possession, and archetypal rage
(35:00) Writing The Devil You Know as active imagination
(41:00) Addiction, psychosis, and safety in altered states
(49:00) Resistance, shamanic ecology, and loving the adversary
(57:00) What is Functional Enlightenment?
(1:14:00) Christ 2.0 and the collective evolution of soul
(1:26:00) Ending the psychedelic Tower of Babel

Subscribe to stay connected to conversations on psychology, mysticism, imagination, and the evolving face of spiritual practice.

Find Sean at: https://www.phonomancer.com/home

Learn more: www.drjohnwprice.com
Sign up for the newsletter
Follow on Instagram: @thesacredspeaks
Check us out at www.thecenterforhas.com

]]> In this unforgettable episode, Dr. John Price sits down with writer, ritualist, and mytho-technologist Sean Manseau, whose work bridges depth psychology, psychedelics, performance, and esoteric theology. Together, they explore Entheogenic Fitness Training (EFT)—a radical spiritual system designed for the metamodern age.

EFT combines physical resistance training, psychedelic states, mythic storytelling, and ritual performance to create a structured path of transformation. At its core is the archetype of the Phonomancer—a shamanic superhero trained to channel divine energy through movement, voice, and ecstatic states.

Sean also shares the inner journey behind his visionary book The Devil You Know, a Jungian-style self-analysis written as a dialogue between two imagined selves. This conversation offers a deep dive into imagination, magic, trauma, shadow work, and the struggle to maintain integrity while mapping new sacred ground.

From ayahuasca visions to ecstatic dance, from black magic to simulated belief, this is a conversation for those willing to question what’s real, what’s possible, and what the future of spiritual practice might become.

Topics Covered:

How suffering can become sacred resistance
Psychedelics as initiatory stressors (not just therapy)
Make-Believe vs. Make-Belief as spiritual technology
Designing a religion for the age of simulation
The adversary as a real force in consciousness
Ritual performance as a container for ego death
From anima to AI: dialoguing with the inner divine
Addiction, psychosis, and how to build inner structure
The idea of “Functional Enlightenment” and training spiritual capacity
Gnosis, the Christ archetype, and becoming a conscious myth-maker

In This Episode
(00:00) Introduction and updates
(06:35) Ayahuasca, ritual, and the origin of EFT
(13:00) Phonomantic method and psychedelic training
(17:00) Make-believe, religion, and sacred play
(22:00) Ecstatic states, magic, and the imaginal
(30:00) Dark magic, possession, and archetypal rage
(35:00) Writing The Devil You Know as active imagination
(41:00) Addiction, psychosis, and safety in altered states
(49:00) Resistance, shamanic ecology, and loving the adversary
(57:00) What is Functional Enlightenment?
(1:14:00) Christ 2.0 and the collective evolution of soul
(1:26:00) Ending the psychedelic Tower of Babel

Subscribe to stay connected to conversations on psychology, mysticism, imagination, and the evolving face of spiritual practice.

Find Sean at: https://www.phonomancer.com/home

Learn more: www.drjohnwprice.com
Sign up for the newsletter
Follow on Instagram: @thesacredspeaks
Check us out at www.thecenterforhas.com

]]> John Price Buzzsprout-17590415 Wed, 30 Jul 2025 18:00:00 -0500 6111 full true 124 - Gregory Shaw: The Ancient Art of Theurgy, Hellenic Tantra 124 - Gregory Shaw: The Ancient Art of Theurgy, Hellenic Tantra In this episode of The Sacred Speaks, I sit down with Dr. Gregory Shaw—renowned scholar of Neoplatonism and author of Hellenic Tantra and Theurgy and the Soul—to explore a forgotten path of spiritual transformation: theurgy.

Together, we investigate:

What theurgy actually is—not as abstract philosophy, but as a living practice.
How modern culture’s loss of a mythic worldview creates both psychological pathology and spiritual hunger.
Why Iamblichus taught that the divine does not live “elsewhere” but is present within matter itself.
How ancient rites and rituals can restore a sense of sacred participation in our lives today.
Gregory Shaw’s work bridges ancient philosophy and contemporary spirituality, showing how ritual, sacred embodiment, and symbolic consciousness can help us recover the animistic worldview our culture has lost. This conversation moves beyond ideas—it’s a call to remember.

Subscribe to The Sacred Speaks for more conversations at the intersection of psychology, spirituality, and myth.

Learn more about Gregory Shaw:
• Hellenic Tantra: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CVN69KY7
• Theurgy and the Soul: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0271023228
• Interview on The SHWEP Podcast: https://shwep.net/podcast/gregory-shaw-on-the-phenomenology-of-iamblichean-theurgy/

Connect with me:
• Website & offerings: https://www.drjohnwprice.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
• Podcast archive: https://www.youtube.com/c/thesacredspeaks

]]> In this episode of The Sacred Speaks, I sit down with Dr. Gregory Shaw—renowned scholar of Neoplatonism and author of Hellenic Tantra and Theurgy and the Soul—to explore a forgotten path of spiritual transformation: theurgy.

Together, we investigate:

What theurgy actually is—not as abstract philosophy, but as a living practice.
How modern culture’s loss of a mythic worldview creates both psychological pathology and spiritual hunger.
Why Iamblichus taught that the divine does not live “elsewhere” but is present within matter itself.
How ancient rites and rituals can restore a sense of sacred participation in our lives today.
Gregory Shaw’s work bridges ancient philosophy and contemporary spirituality, showing how ritual, sacred embodiment, and symbolic consciousness can help us recover the animistic worldview our culture has lost. This conversation moves beyond ideas—it’s a call to remember.

Subscribe to The Sacred Speaks for more conversations at the intersection of psychology, spirituality, and myth.

Learn more about Gregory Shaw:
• Hellenic Tantra: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CVN69KY7
• Theurgy and the Soul: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0271023228
• Interview on The SHWEP Podcast: https://shwep.net/podcast/gregory-shaw-on-the-phenomenology-of-iamblichean-theurgy/

Connect with me:
• Website & offerings: https://www.drjohnwprice.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
• Podcast archive: https://www.youtube.com/c/thesacredspeaks

]]> John Price Buzzsprout-17516066 Wed, 16 Jul 2025 14:00:00 -0500 5285 full false 123 - Miles Neale: Return with Elixir 123 - Miles Neale: Return with Elixir In this episode of 'The Sacred Speaks,' host Dr. John W. Price engages in a conversation with Dr. Miles Neale, a Buddhist psychotherapist and esteemed teacher. Dr. Neal, who specializes in Tibetan Buddhism and contemplative practices, discusses his book, 'Return with Elixir,' which maps out the pilgrimage through death and rebirth. The discussion explores the intricacies of ancient Greek dream temples, Jungian psychology, and Tibetan tantric practices. Dr. Neal also shares his personal journey, including the impact of a significant mentor-mentee relationship, and the transformative power of pilgrimages, both outer and inner. He reflects on a recent pilgrimage in the Sum Valley, emphasizing the importance of virtue and integrity in the present age. This episode invites listeners to explore the ancient wisdoms and methodologies that guide the path to self-discovery and holistic healing.

In this episode

(00:00) Introduction and Guest Overview
(01:09) Host Announcements and Updates
(03:09) Introducing Dr. Miles Neal
(03:57) Exploring Ancient Healing Practices
(05:54) The Journey of Writing 'Return with Elixir'
(18:07) Critique of Modern Western Medicine
(28:30) Personal Transformations and Pilgrimage
(53:20) The Role of the Inner Guru
(59:03) The Mythological Journey to Sun Valley
(59:55) The Mission of Lama Zopa
(01:01:08) Building the Stupa: A Symbol of Enlightenment
(01:05:59) The Collapse of Civilization and the Role of the Stupa
(01:09:16) The Importance of Virtue and Integrity
(01:15:06) Pilgrimages and Inner Journeys
(01:21:13) The Tibetan Art of Dying and Reincarnation
(01:38:25) The Living Tradition of Tantra
(01:52:07) Final Thoughts and Reflections

Connect with Miles Neale
Website https://www.milesneale.com/
Instagram @milesneale https://www.instagram.com/milesneale/?hl=en
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/user/DrMilesNeale


Website for John: 

www.drjohnwprice.com 

WATCH:

YouTube for The Sacred Speaks
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

Instagram: 
https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
@thesacredspeaks
Twitter: 
https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks
Facebook: 
https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/
Brought to you by: 
https://www.thecenterforhas.com

Theme music provided by:
http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> In this episode of 'The Sacred Speaks,' host Dr. John W. Price engages in a conversation with Dr. Miles Neale, a Buddhist psychotherapist and esteemed teacher. Dr. Neal, who specializes in Tibetan Buddhism and contemplative practices, discusses his book, 'Return with Elixir,' which maps out the pilgrimage through death and rebirth. The discussion explores the intricacies of ancient Greek dream temples, Jungian psychology, and Tibetan tantric practices. Dr. Neal also shares his personal journey, including the impact of a significant mentor-mentee relationship, and the transformative power of pilgrimages, both outer and inner. He reflects on a recent pilgrimage in the Sum Valley, emphasizing the importance of virtue and integrity in the present age. This episode invites listeners to explore the ancient wisdoms and methodologies that guide the path to self-discovery and holistic healing.

In this episode

(00:00) Introduction and Guest Overview
(01:09) Host Announcements and Updates
(03:09) Introducing Dr. Miles Neal
(03:57) Exploring Ancient Healing Practices
(05:54) The Journey of Writing 'Return with Elixir'
(18:07) Critique of Modern Western Medicine
(28:30) Personal Transformations and Pilgrimage
(53:20) The Role of the Inner Guru
(59:03) The Mythological Journey to Sun Valley
(59:55) The Mission of Lama Zopa
(01:01:08) Building the Stupa: A Symbol of Enlightenment
(01:05:59) The Collapse of Civilization and the Role of the Stupa
(01:09:16) The Importance of Virtue and Integrity
(01:15:06) Pilgrimages and Inner Journeys
(01:21:13) The Tibetan Art of Dying and Reincarnation
(01:38:25) The Living Tradition of Tantra
(01:52:07) Final Thoughts and Reflections

Connect with Miles Neale
Website https://www.milesneale.com/
Instagram @milesneale https://www.instagram.com/milesneale/?hl=en
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/user/DrMilesNeale


Website for John: 

www.drjohnwprice.com 

WATCH:

YouTube for The Sacred Speaks
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

Instagram: 
https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
@thesacredspeaks
Twitter: 
https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks
Facebook: 
https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/
Brought to you by: 
https://www.thecenterforhas.com

Theme music provided by:
http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> John Price Buzzsprout-17297771 Sun, 08 Jun 2025 10:00:00 -0500 7036 full false 122: Solo - The Feminine: The Forgotten Spiral 122: Solo - The Feminine: The Forgotten Spiral Check out John’s new website https://www.drjohnwprice.com/

Join The Open Gate – A Monthly Journey Through the Emotional Underworld

The Open Gate is a live, monthly membership circle where we explore what I call the Little Teachers—emotions like shame, jealousy, and anxiety—not as pathologies, but as sacred guides.

Each gathering includes teaching, meditation, journaling prompts, and a chance to reframe suffering as initiation.
If you’re longing for community, rhythm, and depth—this is a space to walk that path. - https://www.drjohnwprice.com/the-open-gate-lt

In this deeply reflective solo episode of The Sacred Speaks, host John W. Price explores the elusive and powerful principle of the feminine—drawing on insights from his  previous interviews with Dr. Jaime Clark-Soles (author of Women in the Bible) and Elise Loehnen (author of On Our Best Behavior).

John shares personal stories of his own initiation into the world of nurturing and care as a single father, and discusses how our culture’s overemphasis on the masculine has led to the neglect and invisibility of feminine values like intuition, mystery, and nurturing.

Through the lens of archetypes—not gender—John examines how both masculine and feminine energies exist in all of us, and why restoring harmony between them is essential for personal and collective well-being.

Using metaphors from music, psychology, and mythology, he invites listeners to embrace the mystery, honor the feminine, and seek a sacred balance within themselves and the world.

Some key takeaways:

The feminine represents mystery, intuition, and nurturing—qualities often undervalued in our culture.

Masculine and feminine are archetypal energies, not tied to gender, and both are needed for inner and outer harmony.

Restoring balance means honoring both energies, embracing the unknown, and seeking integration rather than dominance.

In this episode

(00:00) Introduction and Episode Overview
(01:06) Synthesizing Interviews: Dr. Jaime Clark-Soles and Elise Loehnen
(01:50) Exploring the Feminine and Masculine Principles
(05:16) Personal Reflections and Experiences
(09:28) Cultural and Archetypal Analysis
(19:46) Insights from Jamie and Elise
(27:46) Concluding Thoughts and Call to Action

🌎Find John W. Price

WATCH:
YouTube for The Sacred Speaks
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

Instagram: 
https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
@thesacredspeaks
Twitter: 
https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks
Facebook: 
https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/
Brought to you by: 
https://www.thecenterforhas.com

Theme music provided by:
http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> Check out John’s new website https://www.drjohnwprice.com/

Join The Open Gate – A Monthly Journey Through the Emotional Underworld

The Open Gate is a live, monthly membership circle where we explore what I call the Little Teachers—emotions like shame, jealousy, and anxiety—not as pathologies, but as sacred guides.

Each gathering includes teaching, meditation, journaling prompts, and a chance to reframe suffering as initiation.
If you’re longing for community, rhythm, and depth—this is a space to walk that path. - https://www.drjohnwprice.com/the-open-gate-lt

In this deeply reflective solo episode of The Sacred Speaks, host John W. Price explores the elusive and powerful principle of the feminine—drawing on insights from his  previous interviews with Dr. Jaime Clark-Soles (author of Women in the Bible) and Elise Loehnen (author of On Our Best Behavior).

John shares personal stories of his own initiation into the world of nurturing and care as a single father, and discusses how our culture’s overemphasis on the masculine has led to the neglect and invisibility of feminine values like intuition, mystery, and nurturing.

Through the lens of archetypes—not gender—John examines how both masculine and feminine energies exist in all of us, and why restoring harmony between them is essential for personal and collective well-being.

Using metaphors from music, psychology, and mythology, he invites listeners to embrace the mystery, honor the feminine, and seek a sacred balance within themselves and the world.

Some key takeaways:

The feminine represents mystery, intuition, and nurturing—qualities often undervalued in our culture.

Masculine and feminine are archetypal energies, not tied to gender, and both are needed for inner and outer harmony.

Restoring balance means honoring both energies, embracing the unknown, and seeking integration rather than dominance.

In this episode

(00:00) Introduction and Episode Overview
(01:06) Synthesizing Interviews: Dr. Jaime Clark-Soles and Elise Loehnen
(01:50) Exploring the Feminine and Masculine Principles
(05:16) Personal Reflections and Experiences
(09:28) Cultural and Archetypal Analysis
(19:46) Insights from Jamie and Elise
(27:46) Concluding Thoughts and Call to Action

🌎Find John W. Price

WATCH:
YouTube for The Sacred Speaks
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

Instagram: 
https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
@thesacredspeaks
Twitter: 
https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks
Facebook: 
https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/
Brought to you by: 
https://www.thecenterforhas.com

Theme music provided by:
http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> John Price Buzzsprout-17227518 Tue, 27 May 2025 11:00:00 -0500 1762 full false 121: Jaime Clark-Soles: The Women They Tried to Erase: Bible, Power & Psychedelics 121: Jaime Clark-Soles: The Women They Tried to Erase: Bible, Power & Psychedelics Join me for a live webinar – Reframing Suffering: The Little Teachers
We'll explore anxiety, jealousy, and shame as sacred teachers.
Date: Wednesday, May 14
https://www.drjohnwprice.com/littleteachers-event-2025

Make sure to check out the book Women in the Bible
https://www.amazon.com/Women-Bible-Interpretation-Resources-Scripture/dp/0664234011

 In this episode of The Sacred Speaks, Dr. John W. Price speaks with Dr. Jaime Clark-Soles, a New Testament professor at SMU and ordained Baptist minister. The discussion covers Dr. Clark-Soles’ groundbreaking work on women in the Bible and her forthcoming book on psychedelics and Christianity.

Dr. Clark-Soles shares her insights into translation, interpretation, and the often hidden or misrepresented roles of women in sacred texts. The conversation also delves into her personal experiences—including participating in a psilocybin clinical trial—which deepened her spiritual understanding and informed her scholarship.

Together, they explore the complexity and richness of scriptural interpretation, the transformative possibilities of embodied reading, and the role of community, humility, and curiosity in authentic spiritual exploration.

🧠 Connect with Jaime:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jaimeclarksoles/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jaimeclarksoles/
Website: https://www.jaimeclarksoles.com/

In this episode:

(00:00) Introduction and Guest Overview
(00:29) Exploring Women in the Bible and Psychedelics
(02:25) Invitation to Upcoming Webinar and Resources
(03:52) In-Depth Conversation with Dr. Jaime Clark-Soles
(06:19) The Intersection of Religion and Psychedelics
(07:59) Personal and Professional Journey
(12:02) Challenges and Misconceptions in Christian Communities
(17:48) Hermeneutics and Interpretation of Scripture
(28:40) Fear and Pride as Obstacles to Learning
(38:49) Calendar Confusion and Community Building
(39:53) Psychedelics and Spiritual Experiences
(45:10) The Mystical Side of Christianity
(56:33) Women in the Bible: A Deep Dive
(01:13:13) Exploring Greek and Hebrew Language Nuances
(01:14:42) Patriarchy and Gender in Biblical Context
(01:17:13) Women’s Roles in Ancient Societies
(01:23:30) Reevaluating Female Biblical Figures
(01:28:16) Challenging Traditional Interpretations
(01:39:26) Finding Community and Hope in Faith

🌐 Website: www.drjohnwprice.com

🎥 WATCH on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

📷 Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
@thesacredspeaks

🐦 Twitter:
https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

📘 Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/

🏛️ Brought to you by:
The Center for Healing Arts and Sciences
https://www.thecenterforhas.com

🎶 Theme music provided by:
Modern Nations
http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> Join me for a live webinar – Reframing Suffering: The Little Teachers
We'll explore anxiety, jealousy, and shame as sacred teachers.
Date: Wednesday, May 14
https://www.drjohnwprice.com/littleteachers-event-2025

Make sure to check out the book Women in the Bible
https://www.amazon.com/Women-Bible-Interpretation-Resources-Scripture/dp/0664234011

 In this episode of The Sacred Speaks, Dr. John W. Price speaks with Dr. Jaime Clark-Soles, a New Testament professor at SMU and ordained Baptist minister. The discussion covers Dr. Clark-Soles’ groundbreaking work on women in the Bible and her forthcoming book on psychedelics and Christianity.

Dr. Clark-Soles shares her insights into translation, interpretation, and the often hidden or misrepresented roles of women in sacred texts. The conversation also delves into her personal experiences—including participating in a psilocybin clinical trial—which deepened her spiritual understanding and informed her scholarship.

Together, they explore the complexity and richness of scriptural interpretation, the transformative possibilities of embodied reading, and the role of community, humility, and curiosity in authentic spiritual exploration.

🧠 Connect with Jaime:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jaimeclarksoles/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jaimeclarksoles/
Website: https://www.jaimeclarksoles.com/

In this episode:

(00:00) Introduction and Guest Overview
(00:29) Exploring Women in the Bible and Psychedelics
(02:25) Invitation to Upcoming Webinar and Resources
(03:52) In-Depth Conversation with Dr. Jaime Clark-Soles
(06:19) The Intersection of Religion and Psychedelics
(07:59) Personal and Professional Journey
(12:02) Challenges and Misconceptions in Christian Communities
(17:48) Hermeneutics and Interpretation of Scripture
(28:40) Fear and Pride as Obstacles to Learning
(38:49) Calendar Confusion and Community Building
(39:53) Psychedelics and Spiritual Experiences
(45:10) The Mystical Side of Christianity
(56:33) Women in the Bible: A Deep Dive
(01:13:13) Exploring Greek and Hebrew Language Nuances
(01:14:42) Patriarchy and Gender in Biblical Context
(01:17:13) Women’s Roles in Ancient Societies
(01:23:30) Reevaluating Female Biblical Figures
(01:28:16) Challenging Traditional Interpretations
(01:39:26) Finding Community and Hope in Faith

🌐 Website: www.drjohnwprice.com

🎥 WATCH on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

📷 Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
@thesacredspeaks

🐦 Twitter:
https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

📘 Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/

🏛️ Brought to you by:
The Center for Healing Arts and Sciences
https://www.thecenterforhas.com

🎶 Theme music provided by:
Modern Nations
http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> John Price Buzzsprout-17055543 Mon, 28 Apr 2025 07:00:00 -0500 6224 full false 120: Elise Loehnen - The Seven Deadly Sins and the Price Women Pay to be Good 120: Elise Loehnen - The Seven Deadly Sins and the Price Women Pay to be Good In this episode of The Sacred Speaks, host Dr. John W. Price sits down with Elise Loehnen—writer, researcher, and author of On Our Best Behavior, a book that explores how the ancient moral framework of the seven deadly sins has been internalized by women, shaping their identities, relationships, and sense of worth.

This conversation is not just a review—it’s a ritual inquiry. Together, John and Elise explore:

The invisible “scripts” that define femininity in a patriarchal culture; How envy, pride, sloth, and other so-called “sins” reveal deeper spiritual truths; What Elise risked—and learned—by stepping out from her “invisibility cloak”; How patriarchal systems harm men as well, and the cost of emotional suppression; How men and women can co-create a future rooted in collaboration, not competition
The role of grief, longing, and sacred agency in personal and cultural awakening; Elise also shares behind-the-scenes insight into her writing process, her podcast Pulling the Thread, and her evolving work around binaries, individuation, and collective healing.

This episode is part of a broader arc on The Sacred Speaks focused on rebalancing the masculine and feminine within us and in our culture.

Join John for the upcoming live webinar:
Reframing Suffering – The Little Teachers
Explore anxiety, jealousy, and shame as sacred messengers
📅 Wednesday, May 14
https://www.drjohnwprice.com/littleteachers-event-2025

or see @thesacredspeaks on Instagram

👉 CONNECT WITH ELISE LOEHNEN:
Website: https://www.eliseloehnen.com/about
 Check out Elise Loehnen’s powerful book:
On Our Best Behavior: The Seven Deadly Sins and the Price Women Pay to Be Good
https://www.amazon.com/Our-Best-Behavior-Seven-Deadly-ebook/dp/B0BN574QYK
Substack: https://eliseloehnen.substack.com/
Podcast: Pulling the Thread
🧭 CHAPTERS:
(00:00) Introduction and Guest Announcement
(00:12) Book Recommendation and Feminine Focus
(00:36) Upcoming Episodes and Personal Projects
(00:49) Cultural Excavation and Feminine Scripts
(03:30) Interview with Elise Loehnen Begins
(04:27) Exploring the Seven Deadly Sins
(06:00) Patriarchy and Cultural Conditioning
(16:54) Masculine and Feminine Archetypes
(20:04) Podcasting and Personal Growth
(25:33) Psychedelics and Personal Experiences
(41:25) Writing as a Transformative Process
(45:16) The 'Me' Story vs. The 'We' Story
(46:52) Individualism vs. Collectivism
(47:31) Individuation and Awakening
(48:36) The Matrix and Cultural Narratives
(50:24) Exploring Envy and Its Origins
(52:17) The Seven Deadly Sins and Their History
(56:45) Navigating Envy in Men and Women
(01:13:40) Patriarchy and Its Impact on Men
(01:19:26) Building a Bigger Tent for Everyone
(01:20:31) Final Thoughts and Closing Remarks

🎧 Interview begins at (03:30)

🔗 THE SACRED SPEAKS:
Website: http://www.thesacredspeaks.com

WATCH:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

FOLLOW:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/

Brought to you by:
www.thecenterforhas.com

🎶 Theme music by Modern Nations @ www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> In this episode of The Sacred Speaks, host Dr. John W. Price sits down with Elise Loehnen—writer, researcher, and author of On Our Best Behavior, a book that explores how the ancient moral framework of the seven deadly sins has been internalized by women, shaping their identities, relationships, and sense of worth.

This conversation is not just a review—it’s a ritual inquiry. Together, John and Elise explore:

The invisible “scripts” that define femininity in a patriarchal culture; How envy, pride, sloth, and other so-called “sins” reveal deeper spiritual truths; What Elise risked—and learned—by stepping out from her “invisibility cloak”; How patriarchal systems harm men as well, and the cost of emotional suppression; How men and women can co-create a future rooted in collaboration, not competition
The role of grief, longing, and sacred agency in personal and cultural awakening; Elise also shares behind-the-scenes insight into her writing process, her podcast Pulling the Thread, and her evolving work around binaries, individuation, and collective healing.

This episode is part of a broader arc on The Sacred Speaks focused on rebalancing the masculine and feminine within us and in our culture.

Join John for the upcoming live webinar:
Reframing Suffering – The Little Teachers
Explore anxiety, jealousy, and shame as sacred messengers
📅 Wednesday, May 14
https://www.drjohnwprice.com/littleteachers-event-2025

or see @thesacredspeaks on Instagram

👉 CONNECT WITH ELISE LOEHNEN:
Website: https://www.eliseloehnen.com/about
 Check out Elise Loehnen’s powerful book:
On Our Best Behavior: The Seven Deadly Sins and the Price Women Pay to Be Good
https://www.amazon.com/Our-Best-Behavior-Seven-Deadly-ebook/dp/B0BN574QYK
Substack: https://eliseloehnen.substack.com/
Podcast: Pulling the Thread
🧭 CHAPTERS:
(00:00) Introduction and Guest Announcement
(00:12) Book Recommendation and Feminine Focus
(00:36) Upcoming Episodes and Personal Projects
(00:49) Cultural Excavation and Feminine Scripts
(03:30) Interview with Elise Loehnen Begins
(04:27) Exploring the Seven Deadly Sins
(06:00) Patriarchy and Cultural Conditioning
(16:54) Masculine and Feminine Archetypes
(20:04) Podcasting and Personal Growth
(25:33) Psychedelics and Personal Experiences
(41:25) Writing as a Transformative Process
(45:16) The 'Me' Story vs. The 'We' Story
(46:52) Individualism vs. Collectivism
(47:31) Individuation and Awakening
(48:36) The Matrix and Cultural Narratives
(50:24) Exploring Envy and Its Origins
(52:17) The Seven Deadly Sins and Their History
(56:45) Navigating Envy in Men and Women
(01:13:40) Patriarchy and Its Impact on Men
(01:19:26) Building a Bigger Tent for Everyone
(01:20:31) Final Thoughts and Closing Remarks

🎧 Interview begins at (03:30)

🔗 THE SACRED SPEAKS:
Website: http://www.thesacredspeaks.com

WATCH:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

FOLLOW:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/

Brought to you by:
www.thecenterforhas.com

🎶 Theme music by Modern Nations @ www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> John Price Buzzsprout-17019419 Tue, 22 Apr 2025 07:00:00 -0500 4901 full false 119: Solo - Mentorship and the Archetypal Masculine: A Sacred Transmission 119: Solo - Mentorship and the Archetypal Masculine: A Sacred Transmission Visit drjohnwprice.com to explore the new site and sign up for the free live webinar on May 14th at 7:00pm CST—a communal space to deepen this work together.

In this first solo episode of The Sacred Speaks, I open the door to a new format—one that invites reflection, story, and personal encounter. We begin with mentorship.

Drawing from Homer’s Odyssey, we explore the sacred roots of the mentor archetype. I offer reflections on what mentorship has meant in my life—from the early days as a musician to the path of a seeker—and trace the thread through conversations with two giants in this work: Father Richard Rohr and Dr. James Hollis.

We’ll move through the terrain of masculine energy, myth, music, therapy, and spiritual awakening—touching on what it means to be shaped by others and what it might mean to become a shaping force ourselves. I also share where the podcast is headed, including an upcoming turn toward the feminine.

You’re invited to consider your own mentors—those seen and unseen—and how they’ve helped guide your becoming.

🌀 Episode Guide:

(00:00) Introduction to Mentorship
(00:40) Welcome to The Sacred Speaks
(00:58) New Solo Format and Intention
(01:42) Mentorship and the Masculine Archetype
(03:27) Personal Encounters with Mentors
(05:34) Music as Initiation
(07:07) Therapy, Teachers, and Turning Points
(11:41) Rohr and Hollis: Two Guiding Lights
(21:00) Masculine Wisdom in Archetypal Form
(22:50) A Glimpse Ahead: The Sacred Feminine

WATCH:
YouTube for The Sacred Speaks
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

Instagram: 
https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
@thesacredspeaks
Twitter: 
https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks
Facebook: 
https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/
Brought to you by: 
https://www.thecenterforhas.com

Theme music provided by:
http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> Visit drjohnwprice.com to explore the new site and sign up for the free live webinar on May 14th at 7:00pm CST—a communal space to deepen this work together.

In this first solo episode of The Sacred Speaks, I open the door to a new format—one that invites reflection, story, and personal encounter. We begin with mentorship.

Drawing from Homer’s Odyssey, we explore the sacred roots of the mentor archetype. I offer reflections on what mentorship has meant in my life—from the early days as a musician to the path of a seeker—and trace the thread through conversations with two giants in this work: Father Richard Rohr and Dr. James Hollis.

We’ll move through the terrain of masculine energy, myth, music, therapy, and spiritual awakening—touching on what it means to be shaped by others and what it might mean to become a shaping force ourselves. I also share where the podcast is headed, including an upcoming turn toward the feminine.

You’re invited to consider your own mentors—those seen and unseen—and how they’ve helped guide your becoming.

🌀 Episode Guide:

(00:00) Introduction to Mentorship
(00:40) Welcome to The Sacred Speaks
(00:58) New Solo Format and Intention
(01:42) Mentorship and the Masculine Archetype
(03:27) Personal Encounters with Mentors
(05:34) Music as Initiation
(07:07) Therapy, Teachers, and Turning Points
(11:41) Rohr and Hollis: Two Guiding Lights
(21:00) Masculine Wisdom in Archetypal Form
(22:50) A Glimpse Ahead: The Sacred Feminine

WATCH:
YouTube for The Sacred Speaks
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

Instagram: 
https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
@thesacredspeaks
Twitter: 
https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks
Facebook: 
https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/
Brought to you by: 
https://www.thecenterforhas.com

Theme music provided by:
http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> John Price Buzzsprout-16923961 Sun, 06 Apr 2025 09:00:00 -0500 1607 full false 118: Richard Rohr - The Tears of Things 118: Richard Rohr - The Tears of Things Check out Richard Rohr’s latest book, The Tears of Things, where he explores the wisdom of the prophets and the realities of social sin.

In this episode of The Sacred Speaks, I sit down with Father Richard Rohr—one of the most respected spiritual teachers of our time. We dive into the significance of prophecy, the necessity of self-awareness in transformation, and the ways in which religion can both illuminate and obscure the path to truth.

Father Rohr shares insights from The Tears of Things, his latest book, which reframes the role of the prophets—not as finger-wagging moralists but as voices crying out against the deep, systemic sins that threaten to unravel society. Our conversation moves through themes of non-dual thinking, the dangers of religious idolatry, and how true spiritual growth requires both inner work and a commitment to the collective good.

Throughout the episode, Richard offers deeply personal reflections on his own spiritual journey, the necessity of sadness and self-doubt, and the ongoing process of transformation that never really ends.

Episode Timestamps
(00:00) Introduction and Announcements
(02:44) Richard Rohr’s Spiritual Journey and Early Influences
(08:21) The Franciscan Way and the Practice of Humility
(13:39) The Trap of Dualistic Thinking and the Ego
(18:43) The Power of Initiation and Rites of Passage
(35:00) The Role of Prophets in Society Today
(47:23) Understanding the Concept of Demons and Possession
(49:14) The Father Wound and Healing Parental Relationships
(50:23) The Prophets and Their Enduring Insights
(50:52) The Remnant and the Wisdom of the Minority
(53:27) The Problem with Majority Rule and Empires
(57:29) Personal Struggles, Doubt, and the Spiritual Journey
(01:06:17) The Role of Sadness in Awakening and Solidarity
(01:10:55) Medicalizing Sin and the Social Consequences
(01:14:49) The Prophet’s Vision and Its Relevance Today
(01:18:40) Reflections on Life, Death, and Spiritual Evolution
(01:27:52) Final Thoughts: Reward, Punishment, and the Nature of Grace

Watch & Listen:
YouTube: The Sacred Speaks
Instagram: @thesacredspeaks
Twitter: @thesacredspeaks
Facebook: The Sacred Speaks

🙏 Brought to you by: The Center for Healing Arts & Sciences
🎵 Theme music by: Modern Nations

Announcements & Updates
Exciting news! In May, I’ll be hosting my first online workshop, where I’ll explore key ideas from my upcoming book. This is a free offering, and if you want to be part of it, you can sign up when the new website is live @. www.drjohnwprice.com
 You’ll have six weeks to register—don’t miss it!

Also, I’m getting back into a regular podcast rhythm—two episodes per month, including at least one solo episode where I’ll dive deeper into the themes of spirituality, psychology, and transformation. I’ve had a full year, but I’m excited to re-engage with these conversations and this community.

So, let’s get into it. Richard Rohr, welcome to The Sacred Speaks.

]]> Check out Richard Rohr’s latest book, The Tears of Things, where he explores the wisdom of the prophets and the realities of social sin.

In this episode of The Sacred Speaks, I sit down with Father Richard Rohr—one of the most respected spiritual teachers of our time. We dive into the significance of prophecy, the necessity of self-awareness in transformation, and the ways in which religion can both illuminate and obscure the path to truth.

Father Rohr shares insights from The Tears of Things, his latest book, which reframes the role of the prophets—not as finger-wagging moralists but as voices crying out against the deep, systemic sins that threaten to unravel society. Our conversation moves through themes of non-dual thinking, the dangers of religious idolatry, and how true spiritual growth requires both inner work and a commitment to the collective good.

Throughout the episode, Richard offers deeply personal reflections on his own spiritual journey, the necessity of sadness and self-doubt, and the ongoing process of transformation that never really ends.

Episode Timestamps
(00:00) Introduction and Announcements
(02:44) Richard Rohr’s Spiritual Journey and Early Influences
(08:21) The Franciscan Way and the Practice of Humility
(13:39) The Trap of Dualistic Thinking and the Ego
(18:43) The Power of Initiation and Rites of Passage
(35:00) The Role of Prophets in Society Today
(47:23) Understanding the Concept of Demons and Possession
(49:14) The Father Wound and Healing Parental Relationships
(50:23) The Prophets and Their Enduring Insights
(50:52) The Remnant and the Wisdom of the Minority
(53:27) The Problem with Majority Rule and Empires
(57:29) Personal Struggles, Doubt, and the Spiritual Journey
(01:06:17) The Role of Sadness in Awakening and Solidarity
(01:10:55) Medicalizing Sin and the Social Consequences
(01:14:49) The Prophet’s Vision and Its Relevance Today
(01:18:40) Reflections on Life, Death, and Spiritual Evolution
(01:27:52) Final Thoughts: Reward, Punishment, and the Nature of Grace

Watch & Listen:
YouTube: The Sacred Speaks
Instagram: @thesacredspeaks
Twitter: @thesacredspeaks
Facebook: The Sacred Speaks

🙏 Brought to you by: The Center for Healing Arts & Sciences
🎵 Theme music by: Modern Nations

Announcements & Updates
Exciting news! In May, I’ll be hosting my first online workshop, where I’ll explore key ideas from my upcoming book. This is a free offering, and if you want to be part of it, you can sign up when the new website is live @. www.drjohnwprice.com
 You’ll have six weeks to register—don’t miss it!

Also, I’m getting back into a regular podcast rhythm—two episodes per month, including at least one solo episode where I’ll dive deeper into the themes of spirituality, psychology, and transformation. I’ve had a full year, but I’m excited to re-engage with these conversations and this community.

So, let’s get into it. Richard Rohr, welcome to The Sacred Speaks.

]]> John Price Buzzsprout-16805109 Mon, 17 Mar 2025 08:00:00 -0500 5404 1 118 full false 117: Dr. James Hollis - Living with Borrowed Dust 117: Dr. James Hollis - Living with Borrowed Dust In this episode of The Sacred Speaks, host Dr. John W. Price welcomes renowned Jungian analyst and depth psychologist Dr. James Hollis to discuss his new book, 'Living with Borrowed Dust: Reflections on Life, Love, and Other Grievances.'

The conversation explores significant themes such as confronting one's shadow, taking personal responsibility, and liberating oneself from societal and cultural scripts. Dr. Hollis shares personal experiences, including his own recent encounters with mortality and the importance of lifelong personal growth.

The episode also explores the role of dreams in psychological insight and emphasizes the necessity of asking large existential questions to live a fulfilling life. Listen in and get some profound advice from Dr. Hollis, who has a truly impressive six decades of analytical work and authorship to draw from. 

👉Connect to James Hollis
Website https://jameshollis.net/

👉In this episode

(00:00) Welcome and Introduction
(00:07) Exciting Announcement from John
(01:50) Introducing Dr. James Hollis
(03:25) Deep Dive into 'Living with Borrowed Dust'
(04:51) Exploring Life's Big Questions
(07:40) Personal Reflections and Experiences
(17:34) The Gift of Mortality
(26:46) Shut Up, Suit Up, and Show Up
(28:39) Embracing Failure: The Path to Growth
(29:12) Facing Life's Intimidations
(30:56) The Role of Dreams in Self-Discovery
(31:50) The Power of Meaning and Symptomatology
(33:13) Exploring the Depths of Dreams
(34:39) The Autonomy of the Psyche
(39:24) The Wisdom of Historical Figures
(44:26) Modern Culture and the Abyss of the Self
(51:17) The Importance of a Larger Story
(51:55) Reflections on Learning and Teaching
(58:10) Gratitude and Passing It On

WATCH:

YouTube for The Sacred Speaks
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

Instagram: 
https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
@thesacredspeaks
Twitter: 
https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks
Facebook: 
https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/
Brought to you by: 
https://www.thecenterforhas.com

Theme music provided by:
http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> In this episode of The Sacred Speaks, host Dr. John W. Price welcomes renowned Jungian analyst and depth psychologist Dr. James Hollis to discuss his new book, 'Living with Borrowed Dust: Reflections on Life, Love, and Other Grievances.'

The conversation explores significant themes such as confronting one's shadow, taking personal responsibility, and liberating oneself from societal and cultural scripts. Dr. Hollis shares personal experiences, including his own recent encounters with mortality and the importance of lifelong personal growth.

The episode also explores the role of dreams in psychological insight and emphasizes the necessity of asking large existential questions to live a fulfilling life. Listen in and get some profound advice from Dr. Hollis, who has a truly impressive six decades of analytical work and authorship to draw from. 

👉Connect to James Hollis
Website https://jameshollis.net/

👉In this episode

(00:00) Welcome and Introduction
(00:07) Exciting Announcement from John
(01:50) Introducing Dr. James Hollis
(03:25) Deep Dive into 'Living with Borrowed Dust'
(04:51) Exploring Life's Big Questions
(07:40) Personal Reflections and Experiences
(17:34) The Gift of Mortality
(26:46) Shut Up, Suit Up, and Show Up
(28:39) Embracing Failure: The Path to Growth
(29:12) Facing Life's Intimidations
(30:56) The Role of Dreams in Self-Discovery
(31:50) The Power of Meaning and Symptomatology
(33:13) Exploring the Depths of Dreams
(34:39) The Autonomy of the Psyche
(39:24) The Wisdom of Historical Figures
(44:26) Modern Culture and the Abyss of the Self
(51:17) The Importance of a Larger Story
(51:55) Reflections on Learning and Teaching
(58:10) Gratitude and Passing It On

WATCH:

YouTube for The Sacred Speaks
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

Instagram: 
https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
@thesacredspeaks
Twitter: 
https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks
Facebook: 
https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/
Brought to you by: 
https://www.thecenterforhas.com

Theme music provided by:
http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> John Price Buzzsprout-16755454 Sun, 09 Mar 2025 06:00:00 -0500 3578 full false 116: Henry Shukman - Zen Teacher, Poet, Author of "Original Love" 116: Henry Shukman - Zen Teacher, Poet, Author of "Original Love" 📌Make sure to check out Henry’s book “Original Love” https://henryshukman.com/writing/original-love

📌Also check out the meditation app “The Way” https://www.thewayapp.com/?source=us_traffic


Welcome to The Sacred Speaks! In this episode, I sit down with Henry Shukman—a Zen teacher, poet, and co-founder of The Way meditation app. Together, we explore the profound mysteries of meditation, spirituality, and the human experience. Henry shares his journey from his early struggles with eczema and psychological challenges to his transformative awakening and his life as a Zen teacher.

We dive deep into Zen concepts, the beauty of ordinary experience, and the intersection of poetry and meditation. Henry offers wisdom on navigating common meditation hindrances and shares practical advice for cultivating awareness, deepening meaning, and connecting with the unseen currents of existence.

Join us as we uncover the power of meditation to transform both our inner and outer lives.
👉Connect to Henry Shukman
Website https://henryshukman.com/
The Way Meditation App https://www.thewayapp.com/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/henryshukman/?hl=en
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCA645lNnrksSrZIwe6mJ4mQ


(00:00) Welcome to The Sacred Speaks
(00:29)  Introducing Henry Shookman
(01:27)  Henry's Journey into Zen and Meditation
(03:24)  The Essence of Zen Practice
(05:13)  The Transformative Power of Meditation
(11:40)  Early Struggles and Discoveries
(21:12)  The Awakening Experience
(32:17)  The Path to Healing and Teaching
(45:01)  The Beauty of Ordinary Experience
(52:09)  Exploring the Zen Concept of Oneness
(53:40)  The Feminine Perspective in Philosophy
(54:58)  Zen Stories and Their Parallels
(56:16)  A Transformative Zen Experience
(01:00:13)  The Intersection of Poetry and Meditation
(01:08:56)  A Simple Guide to Meditation
(01:17:51)  Navigating Cultural and Religious Views on Meditation
(01:25:23)  Understanding and Overcoming Meditation Hindrances
(01:35:31)  Final Thoughts and Gratitude

]]> 📌Make sure to check out Henry’s book “Original Love” https://henryshukman.com/writing/original-love

📌Also check out the meditation app “The Way” https://www.thewayapp.com/?source=us_traffic


Welcome to The Sacred Speaks! In this episode, I sit down with Henry Shukman—a Zen teacher, poet, and co-founder of The Way meditation app. Together, we explore the profound mysteries of meditation, spirituality, and the human experience. Henry shares his journey from his early struggles with eczema and psychological challenges to his transformative awakening and his life as a Zen teacher.

We dive deep into Zen concepts, the beauty of ordinary experience, and the intersection of poetry and meditation. Henry offers wisdom on navigating common meditation hindrances and shares practical advice for cultivating awareness, deepening meaning, and connecting with the unseen currents of existence.

Join us as we uncover the power of meditation to transform both our inner and outer lives.
👉Connect to Henry Shukman
Website https://henryshukman.com/
The Way Meditation App https://www.thewayapp.com/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/henryshukman/?hl=en
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCA645lNnrksSrZIwe6mJ4mQ


(00:00) Welcome to The Sacred Speaks
(00:29)  Introducing Henry Shookman
(01:27)  Henry's Journey into Zen and Meditation
(03:24)  The Essence of Zen Practice
(05:13)  The Transformative Power of Meditation
(11:40)  Early Struggles and Discoveries
(21:12)  The Awakening Experience
(32:17)  The Path to Healing and Teaching
(45:01)  The Beauty of Ordinary Experience
(52:09)  Exploring the Zen Concept of Oneness
(53:40)  The Feminine Perspective in Philosophy
(54:58)  Zen Stories and Their Parallels
(56:16)  A Transformative Zen Experience
(01:00:13)  The Intersection of Poetry and Meditation
(01:08:56)  A Simple Guide to Meditation
(01:17:51)  Navigating Cultural and Religious Views on Meditation
(01:25:23)  Understanding and Overcoming Meditation Hindrances
(01:35:31)  Final Thoughts and Gratitude

]]> John Price Buzzsprout-16255485 Wed, 11 Dec 2024 12:00:00 -0600 5813 1 116 full false 115: Ayize Jama Evertt - Decolonizing Healing: A Conversation on Spirituality, Race, and Community 115: Ayize Jama Evertt - Decolonizing Healing: A Conversation on Spirituality, Race, and Community Interview begins: 3:40

 In this episode of The Sacred Speaks, Dr. John Price hosts Ayize Jama-Everett for a discussion on spirituality, religion, cultural identity, and the pervasive impact of colonization. Ayize shares insights from his journey, beginning with how his roots in Harlem and his work within the psychedelic space have shaped his perspective on community, healing, and cultural reclamation.

Together, they examine how long-established cultural dynamics continue to influence our lives, often without our conscious awareness. Ayize discusses his efforts to influence these dynamics at a cultural level, reflecting on religious and spiritual practices as tools for both personal and collective transformation. They also explore the complexities of whiteness—not only as a cultural identity shaped by colonization but as an orientation that often perpetuates colonizing behaviors toward other cultures.

Ayize shares the purpose behind his documentary, A Table of Our Own, which aims to expand access to healing practices for Black people and to highlight the important work already being done within these communities. The project seeks to de-stigmatize these substances, reframing them as natural balms that have served as spiritual and psychological support for Black people over millennia.

The conversation touches on Black joy, the importance of reconnecting with land-based spiritual practices, and the need to decolonize healing spaces. Ayize’s reflections offer a fresh lens on the healing power of connection, inspiring listeners to consider how we might engage in reclaiming and honoring our spiritual and cultural roots.

 Bio: Ayize Jama-Everett holds three Master’s degrees: Divinity, Psychology, and in Fine Arts, Writing. He blends these degrees in all his work, often identifying as a guerilla theologian, a community-based therapist, and an afro-futurist in the same breath. He’s taught at Starr King School for the Ministry, California College of the Arts, The University of California, Riverside, Western Colorado College, and several private High schools for over twenty years. His expertise includes working with adolescents, the history of substance use in the United States, the history of Sacred Plant medicines in the Maghreb, the religious roots of political violence from Ireland to the Middle East, educational arts pedagogy, and Afrofuturism. He’s published four novels (The Liminal series) and two graphic novels (Box of Bones and The Last Count of Monte Cristo). 

www.atableofourown.org 

Website for The Sacred Speaks: 

 www.thesacredspeaks.com/

 WATCH:

 YouTube for The Sacred Speaks

www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

 Instagram: 

www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/

@thesacredspeaks

Twitter: 

twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

Facebook: 

www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/

Brought to you by: 

www.thecenterforhas.com/

 Theme music provided by:

www.modernnationsmusic.com/

]]> Interview begins: 3:40

 In this episode of The Sacred Speaks, Dr. John Price hosts Ayize Jama-Everett for a discussion on spirituality, religion, cultural identity, and the pervasive impact of colonization. Ayize shares insights from his journey, beginning with how his roots in Harlem and his work within the psychedelic space have shaped his perspective on community, healing, and cultural reclamation.

Together, they examine how long-established cultural dynamics continue to influence our lives, often without our conscious awareness. Ayize discusses his efforts to influence these dynamics at a cultural level, reflecting on religious and spiritual practices as tools for both personal and collective transformation. They also explore the complexities of whiteness—not only as a cultural identity shaped by colonization but as an orientation that often perpetuates colonizing behaviors toward other cultures.

Ayize shares the purpose behind his documentary, A Table of Our Own, which aims to expand access to healing practices for Black people and to highlight the important work already being done within these communities. The project seeks to de-stigmatize these substances, reframing them as natural balms that have served as spiritual and psychological support for Black people over millennia.

The conversation touches on Black joy, the importance of reconnecting with land-based spiritual practices, and the need to decolonize healing spaces. Ayize’s reflections offer a fresh lens on the healing power of connection, inspiring listeners to consider how we might engage in reclaiming and honoring our spiritual and cultural roots.

 Bio: Ayize Jama-Everett holds three Master’s degrees: Divinity, Psychology, and in Fine Arts, Writing. He blends these degrees in all his work, often identifying as a guerilla theologian, a community-based therapist, and an afro-futurist in the same breath. He’s taught at Starr King School for the Ministry, California College of the Arts, The University of California, Riverside, Western Colorado College, and several private High schools for over twenty years. His expertise includes working with adolescents, the history of substance use in the United States, the history of Sacred Plant medicines in the Maghreb, the religious roots of political violence from Ireland to the Middle East, educational arts pedagogy, and Afrofuturism. He’s published four novels (The Liminal series) and two graphic novels (Box of Bones and The Last Count of Monte Cristo). 

www.atableofourown.org 

Website for The Sacred Speaks: 

 www.thesacredspeaks.com/

 WATCH:

 YouTube for The Sacred Speaks

www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

 Instagram: 

www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/

@thesacredspeaks

Twitter: 

twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

Facebook: 

www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/

Brought to you by: 

www.thecenterforhas.com/

 Theme music provided by:

www.modernnationsmusic.com/

]]> John Price Buzzsprout-15936210 Wed, 16 Oct 2024 09:00:00 -0500 4836 full false 114: Cynthia Brix and William Keepin – Gender Reconciliation, Consciousness, and Cultural Healing 114: Cynthia Brix and William Keepin – Gender Reconciliation, Consciousness, and Cultural Healing Interview begins: 5:03
In this episode of The Sacred Speaks, we explore the profound spiritual and social dimensions of gender with Rev. Cynthia Brix and Dr. Will Keepin, pioneers in the field of gender reconciliation and equity. Cynthia, an interfaith minister and wellness expert, and Will, a former quantum physicist turned healer and spiritual seeker, share their journeys and the transformative power of their work.

Cynthia discusses her path from atheism to a dynamic spirituality grounded in activism and human relationships. She reflects on how her experiences and education led her to focus on bridging divides through dialogue and connection. Will, drawing from his background in quantum physics and mysticism, discusses the distinction between Newtonian and quantum physics, landing on what he refers to as an "epistemology of the heart," a way of knowing that transcends reason and embraces the interconnectedness of the universe. Will notes that his crisis of science was related to the conclusions of many radical scientists who determined that there is a deeper register to reality that is not subject to our scientific instruments, highlighting some of the limitations of our modern sciences. We discussed both of their understanding of spirituality, defining the concept and exploring how practice transforms our lived experience. Together, they explore duality and nonduality, the integration of spiritual wisdom with social engagement, emphasizing the healing potential of personal storytelling in their workshops.

https://www.genderreconciliationinternational.org/

Link to Houston workshop: 

https://www.thecenterforhas.com/event/the-alchemy-of-reconciliation-a-workshop-for-women-men-healing-across-genders/

Website for The Sacred Speaks:  http://www.thesacredspeaks.com
WATCH:

 YouTube for The Sacred Speaks https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

Instagram: 

https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/

@thesacredspeaks

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/

Brought to you by:  https://www.thecenterforhas.com

 Theme music provided by: http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> Interview begins: 5:03
In this episode of The Sacred Speaks, we explore the profound spiritual and social dimensions of gender with Rev. Cynthia Brix and Dr. Will Keepin, pioneers in the field of gender reconciliation and equity. Cynthia, an interfaith minister and wellness expert, and Will, a former quantum physicist turned healer and spiritual seeker, share their journeys and the transformative power of their work.

Cynthia discusses her path from atheism to a dynamic spirituality grounded in activism and human relationships. She reflects on how her experiences and education led her to focus on bridging divides through dialogue and connection. Will, drawing from his background in quantum physics and mysticism, discusses the distinction between Newtonian and quantum physics, landing on what he refers to as an "epistemology of the heart," a way of knowing that transcends reason and embraces the interconnectedness of the universe. Will notes that his crisis of science was related to the conclusions of many radical scientists who determined that there is a deeper register to reality that is not subject to our scientific instruments, highlighting some of the limitations of our modern sciences. We discussed both of their understanding of spirituality, defining the concept and exploring how practice transforms our lived experience. Together, they explore duality and nonduality, the integration of spiritual wisdom with social engagement, emphasizing the healing potential of personal storytelling in their workshops.

https://www.genderreconciliationinternational.org/

Link to Houston workshop: 

https://www.thecenterforhas.com/event/the-alchemy-of-reconciliation-a-workshop-for-women-men-healing-across-genders/

Website for The Sacred Speaks:  http://www.thesacredspeaks.com
WATCH:

 YouTube for The Sacred Speaks https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

Instagram: 

https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/

@thesacredspeaks

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/

Brought to you by:  https://www.thecenterforhas.com

 Theme music provided by: http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> John Price Buzzsprout-15756523 Sun, 15 Sep 2024 15:00:00 -0500 6353 full false 113: Barry Taylor: Music, Mysticism, and Modernity 113: Barry Taylor: Music, Mysticism, and Modernity Interview begins @ 3:11

In this episode, I sit down with Barry Taylor to explore the intersections of rock 'n' roll, counterculture, and spirituality. Barry shares his early experiences in the vibrant world of music and discusses how these experiences opened up a new language for understanding the invisible aspects of our world.

Highlights of this episode include:

  • Music as a Gateway: Barry and I explore how music acts as a symbolic language that helps articulate the invisible, shaping our perception of the mystical.
  • The Famous Quote Explained: Barry elucidates the quote famously referenced by Pete Holmes, discussing how the invisible world is like a blanket we lay to give shape to what we cannot see.
  • Forensic Faith and Fluid Reality: We dive into the challenges of making spirituality overly concrete and discuss the benefits of embracing the fluid nature of reality.
  • Religion as Interpretive Framework: Barry articulates how religion should be approached as a framework for interpreting reality, rather than a rigid truth.
  • Transgression and Kindness: We discuss how simple acts of kindness can be transgressive in a culture that often overlooks them.
  • Culture, Tattoos, and Taboos: We examine how tattoos and fashion challenge cultural norms and serve as powerful expressions of individual identity.
  • The Digital as Divine: Barry makes a compelling argument that our technological advancements have taken on a divine-like role in society, shaping our responses to societal challenges and the concept of otherness.

Closing Thoughts: As we wrap up, Barry offers insights into the future role of technology in spirituality and the potential illusions of growth in our digital age.

 Bio:

Barry Taylor lives and works in London, having returned to the U.K. after many years in Los Angeles. He has committed his life to following his curiosities, which have taken many forms including music, fashion, art, religion, and academia. His interests primarily lie in the areas of religion, theology, and philosophy, particularly exploring how cultural shifts reshape our understanding of what it means to be human, our interactions with others, and our grappling with fundamental questions about human existence and ultimate meaning. His wide variety of interests currently converge around the impact of technology on society and culture. Taylor teaches for an online graduate platform, the Global Centre for Advanced Studies (GCAS), and writes extensively on his Patreon page (patreon.com/barrytaylor). He also engages with the complexities of contemporary life and shares his insights on Instagram (@ukbloke).

 

https://www.patreon.com/barrytaylor

Website for The Sacred Speaks:  

http://www.thesacredspeaks.com

 WATCH:

 YouTube for The Sacred Speaks

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

 Instagram: 

https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/

@thesacredspeaks

Twitter: 

https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

Facebook: 

https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/

Brought to you by: 

https://www.thecenterforhas.com

 Theme music provided by:

http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> Interview begins @ 3:11

In this episode, I sit down with Barry Taylor to explore the intersections of rock 'n' roll, counterculture, and spirituality. Barry shares his early experiences in the vibrant world of music and discusses how these experiences opened up a new language for understanding the invisible aspects of our world.

Highlights of this episode include:

  • Music as a Gateway: Barry and I explore how music acts as a symbolic language that helps articulate the invisible, shaping our perception of the mystical.
  • The Famous Quote Explained: Barry elucidates the quote famously referenced by Pete Holmes, discussing how the invisible world is like a blanket we lay to give shape to what we cannot see.
  • Forensic Faith and Fluid Reality: We dive into the challenges of making spirituality overly concrete and discuss the benefits of embracing the fluid nature of reality.
  • Religion as Interpretive Framework: Barry articulates how religion should be approached as a framework for interpreting reality, rather than a rigid truth.
  • Transgression and Kindness: We discuss how simple acts of kindness can be transgressive in a culture that often overlooks them.
  • Culture, Tattoos, and Taboos: We examine how tattoos and fashion challenge cultural norms and serve as powerful expressions of individual identity.
  • The Digital as Divine: Barry makes a compelling argument that our technological advancements have taken on a divine-like role in society, shaping our responses to societal challenges and the concept of otherness.

Closing Thoughts: As we wrap up, Barry offers insights into the future role of technology in spirituality and the potential illusions of growth in our digital age.

 Bio:

Barry Taylor lives and works in London, having returned to the U.K. after many years in Los Angeles. He has committed his life to following his curiosities, which have taken many forms including music, fashion, art, religion, and academia. His interests primarily lie in the areas of religion, theology, and philosophy, particularly exploring how cultural shifts reshape our understanding of what it means to be human, our interactions with others, and our grappling with fundamental questions about human existence and ultimate meaning. His wide variety of interests currently converge around the impact of technology on society and culture. Taylor teaches for an online graduate platform, the Global Centre for Advanced Studies (GCAS), and writes extensively on his Patreon page (patreon.com/barrytaylor). He also engages with the complexities of contemporary life and shares his insights on Instagram (@ukbloke).

 

https://www.patreon.com/barrytaylor

Website for The Sacred Speaks:  

http://www.thesacredspeaks.com

 WATCH:

 YouTube for The Sacred Speaks

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

 Instagram: 

https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/

@thesacredspeaks

Twitter: 

https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

Facebook: 

https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/

Brought to you by: 

https://www.thecenterforhas.com

 Theme music provided by:

http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> John Price Buzzsprout-15440914 Fri, 19 Jul 2024 10:00:00 -0500 7061 full false 112: Pete Holmes and Barry Taylor – The Art of Transgression: Comedy, Rock, and Spirituality 112: Pete Holmes and Barry Taylor – The Art of Transgression: Comedy, Rock, and Spirituality Interview begins @ 6:04

In this episode, comedian Pete Holmes meets theologian and former AC/DC road manager, Barry Taylor, for the first time, despite Pete having referenced a profound quote from Barry in his work for nearly a decade. The conversation kicks off with Pete diving into Barry's storied history with rock & roll, setting the stage for a deeper exploration into how both comedy and rock music act as catalysts for transformation, challenging societal norms and speaking truth to power during critical times. Together, they discuss the delicate dance between the sacred and the profane and how art masterfully navigates the lines of culture, taboo, transgression, and spirituality. As the digital age reshapes our world, creating divisions and highlighting polarization, Barry points out the unique role of the arts in cutting through these dynamics. Throughout the episode, the influence of Richard Rohr is evident, as all participants share their personal connections to his teachings and reflect on spiritual practice as an essential tool to combat the ego's pull. 

 Bio:

 Pete Holmes is the creator and star of HBO's Crashing (produced by Judd Apatow) and TBS' The Pete Holmes Show (produced by Conan O'Brien). He's also the star of CBS' How We Roll as well as two HBO stand-up comedy specials. Pete's also the voice of the e*trade baby and was a guest writer/star on multiple episodes of The Simpsons. He's also proud to be the dumbest Batman on YouTube (Badman), the host of the wildly popular You Made It Weird podcast and the author of Comedy Sex God. Check out his Netflix special, I Am Not For Everyone. He wrote this bio in third person. He napped shortly thereafter.

 https://peteholmes.com

 Barry Taylor lives and works in London, having returned to the U.K. after many years in Los Angeles. He has committed his life to following his curiosities, which have taken many forms including music, fashion, art, religion, and academia. His interests primarily lie in the areas of religion, theology, and philosophy, particularly exploring how cultural shifts reshape our understanding of what it means to be human, our interactions with others, and our grappling with fundamental questions about human existence and ultimate meaning. His wide variety of interests currently converge around the impact of technology on society and culture. Taylor teaches for an online graduate platform, the Global Centre for Advanced Studies (GCAS), and writes extensively on his Patreon page (patreon.com/barrytaylor). He also engages with the complexities of contemporary life and shares his insights on Instagram (@ukbloke). 

https://www.patreon.com/barrytaylor

 Website for The Sacred Speaks: 

 http://www.thesacredspeaks.com

 WATCH:

 YouTube for The Sacred Speaks

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

 Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/

@thesacredspeaks

Twitter: 

https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

Facebook: 

https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/

Brought to you by: 

https://www.thecenterforhas.com

 Theme music provided by:

http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> Interview begins @ 6:04

In this episode, comedian Pete Holmes meets theologian and former AC/DC road manager, Barry Taylor, for the first time, despite Pete having referenced a profound quote from Barry in his work for nearly a decade. The conversation kicks off with Pete diving into Barry's storied history with rock & roll, setting the stage for a deeper exploration into how both comedy and rock music act as catalysts for transformation, challenging societal norms and speaking truth to power during critical times. Together, they discuss the delicate dance between the sacred and the profane and how art masterfully navigates the lines of culture, taboo, transgression, and spirituality. As the digital age reshapes our world, creating divisions and highlighting polarization, Barry points out the unique role of the arts in cutting through these dynamics. Throughout the episode, the influence of Richard Rohr is evident, as all participants share their personal connections to his teachings and reflect on spiritual practice as an essential tool to combat the ego's pull. 

 Bio:

 Pete Holmes is the creator and star of HBO's Crashing (produced by Judd Apatow) and TBS' The Pete Holmes Show (produced by Conan O'Brien). He's also the star of CBS' How We Roll as well as two HBO stand-up comedy specials. Pete's also the voice of the e*trade baby and was a guest writer/star on multiple episodes of The Simpsons. He's also proud to be the dumbest Batman on YouTube (Badman), the host of the wildly popular You Made It Weird podcast and the author of Comedy Sex God. Check out his Netflix special, I Am Not For Everyone. He wrote this bio in third person. He napped shortly thereafter.

 https://peteholmes.com

 Barry Taylor lives and works in London, having returned to the U.K. after many years in Los Angeles. He has committed his life to following his curiosities, which have taken many forms including music, fashion, art, religion, and academia. His interests primarily lie in the areas of religion, theology, and philosophy, particularly exploring how cultural shifts reshape our understanding of what it means to be human, our interactions with others, and our grappling with fundamental questions about human existence and ultimate meaning. His wide variety of interests currently converge around the impact of technology on society and culture. Taylor teaches for an online graduate platform, the Global Centre for Advanced Studies (GCAS), and writes extensively on his Patreon page (patreon.com/barrytaylor). He also engages with the complexities of contemporary life and shares his insights on Instagram (@ukbloke). 

https://www.patreon.com/barrytaylor

 Website for The Sacred Speaks: 

 http://www.thesacredspeaks.com

 WATCH:

 YouTube for The Sacred Speaks

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

 Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/

@thesacredspeaks

Twitter: 

https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

Facebook: 

https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/

Brought to you by: 

https://www.thecenterforhas.com

 Theme music provided by:

http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> John Price Buzzsprout-15140765 Mon, 27 May 2024 10:00:00 -0500 4952 full true 111: Ellen Petry Leanse – The Brain and Beyond 111: Ellen Petry Leanse – The Brain and Beyond Interview begins @ 4:03

 Ellen and John discuss the dual dynamics of the brain—analyzing the up/down, front/back, left/right structures—and how these reflect in our politics, gender roles, and broader societal interactions. Ellen shares insights from her early days at Apple, emphasizing the company's innovative spirit and its role as a pioneer in the digital space. We explore the complex differences between male and female brains, addressing the contentious debates surrounding gender and sex in neuroscience. A key theme of our discussion is the concept of mutuality over polarity, symbolized aptly by the yin/yang, suggesting that integration and cooperation lead to stronger societal bonds.

We also venture into the sensitive topic of "cancel culture," exploring its impact on ethical development and how it may stifle the diversity of thought. Ellen argues that many societal divisions, particularly around gender, are less pronounced in other cultures, offering valuable lessons on inclusivity. Ellen criticizes the tendency towards rigidity when curiosity fades, and discusses the neurological underpinnings of the "amygdala hijack"—the brain's threat response mechanism. We explore how these responses manifest differently in men and women. Finally, we touch on the intriguing subject of psychedelics and their role in returning us to a state of awe and wonder, emphasizing the transformative power of these experiences.

 Bio:

 An acclaimed Silicon Valley innovator, former Stanford University instructor, TEDx speaker, and published author, Ellen Petry Leanse works at the crossroads of creative and scientific inquiry. Her career at Apple established her as a digital pioneer and the catalyst of history’s first online connection between a technology company and its users. Continuing on this course, she challenged assumptions as an entrepreneur, as a leader at Google, in venture capital, and as a global innovation advisor. Ellen is the author of “The Happiness Hack” a neuroscience-based guide to life satisfaction, the originator of popular Stanford courses including “The Neuroscience of Creativity and Innovation,” a TEDx speaker (“Happiness by Design”) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5p3NC9OwB0), and a globally followed keynote presenter. She contributes articles on ethics, leadership, functional neuroscience, and gender equality to publications including Huffington Post, Business Insider, Inc.com, CNBC, Self, and Women’s Health. After leaving a C-level role at a technology company in 2022, she relocated to New Mexico to deepen her inquiry into indigenous philosophy and sustainable lifeways. During this time, her coaching practice shaped future-facing leadership for founders, C-Suite executives, non-profit leaders, and investors in the US, Europe, and the Global South. In 2023 Ellen launched “The Brain and 

 https://www.ellenleanse.com

 https://thebrainandbeyond.com

 Website for The Sacred Speaks:  http://www.thesacredspeaks.com

 WATCH:

 YouTube for The Sacred Speaks

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/

@thesacredspeaks

Twitter: https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/

Brought to you by: https://www.thecenterforhas.com

 Theme music provided by:http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> Interview begins @ 4:03

 Ellen and John discuss the dual dynamics of the brain—analyzing the up/down, front/back, left/right structures—and how these reflect in our politics, gender roles, and broader societal interactions. Ellen shares insights from her early days at Apple, emphasizing the company's innovative spirit and its role as a pioneer in the digital space. We explore the complex differences between male and female brains, addressing the contentious debates surrounding gender and sex in neuroscience. A key theme of our discussion is the concept of mutuality over polarity, symbolized aptly by the yin/yang, suggesting that integration and cooperation lead to stronger societal bonds.

We also venture into the sensitive topic of "cancel culture," exploring its impact on ethical development and how it may stifle the diversity of thought. Ellen argues that many societal divisions, particularly around gender, are less pronounced in other cultures, offering valuable lessons on inclusivity. Ellen criticizes the tendency towards rigidity when curiosity fades, and discusses the neurological underpinnings of the "amygdala hijack"—the brain's threat response mechanism. We explore how these responses manifest differently in men and women. Finally, we touch on the intriguing subject of psychedelics and their role in returning us to a state of awe and wonder, emphasizing the transformative power of these experiences.

 Bio:

 An acclaimed Silicon Valley innovator, former Stanford University instructor, TEDx speaker, and published author, Ellen Petry Leanse works at the crossroads of creative and scientific inquiry. Her career at Apple established her as a digital pioneer and the catalyst of history’s first online connection between a technology company and its users. Continuing on this course, she challenged assumptions as an entrepreneur, as a leader at Google, in venture capital, and as a global innovation advisor. Ellen is the author of “The Happiness Hack” a neuroscience-based guide to life satisfaction, the originator of popular Stanford courses including “The Neuroscience of Creativity and Innovation,” a TEDx speaker (“Happiness by Design”) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5p3NC9OwB0), and a globally followed keynote presenter. She contributes articles on ethics, leadership, functional neuroscience, and gender equality to publications including Huffington Post, Business Insider, Inc.com, CNBC, Self, and Women’s Health. After leaving a C-level role at a technology company in 2022, she relocated to New Mexico to deepen her inquiry into indigenous philosophy and sustainable lifeways. During this time, her coaching practice shaped future-facing leadership for founders, C-Suite executives, non-profit leaders, and investors in the US, Europe, and the Global South. In 2023 Ellen launched “The Brain and 

 https://www.ellenleanse.com

 https://thebrainandbeyond.com

 Website for The Sacred Speaks:  http://www.thesacredspeaks.com

 WATCH:

 YouTube for The Sacred Speaks

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/

@thesacredspeaks

Twitter: https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/

Brought to you by: https://www.thecenterforhas.com

 Theme music provided by:http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> John Price Buzzsprout-15072658 Wed, 15 May 2024 10:00:00 -0500 6254 full false 110: Greg Wrenn – Mothership: A Journey of Identity, Ecology, & Ayahuasca 110: Greg Wrenn – Mothership: A Journey of Identity, Ecology, & Ayahuasca Interview begins @ 5:18

We  dive into the compelling journey of Greg Wrenn, author of the ayahuasca eco-memoir Mothership. Greg begins by sharing a poignant excerpt from his book that ties back to an early memory of his mother, illustrating the profound impact of growing up with an emotionally dysregulated parent. His memoir not only explores personal trauma but also the psychodynamics that have shaped his life. Greg, discusses the transformative nature of poetry, suggesting that a poem is not merely read but experienced. This belief mirrors his view on life's most impactful experiences—they may not always be pleasant, but they are transformative. A central theme of our conversation is the role of psychedelics, particularly ayahuasca, in personal healing and growth. Greg offers insights into current research, highlighting how psychedelics can reopen critical developmental periods, fostering integration, trauma recovery, and creativity. He emphasizes the importance of being mindful about what we "feed" our brain during these malleable times, as the experiences can deeply sculpt our mind and consciousness. We also critique the modern education system's focus on outcomes over experiences, discussing how this emphasis can hinder deep, meaningful engagement with learning processes. Greg shares how his healing was profoundly influenced by his connections with nature and his experiences with ayahuasca, drawing a powerful link between ecological awareness and personal well-being.

 Bio:

A former Stegner Fellow and Jones Lecturer at Stanford University, Greg Wrenn is the author of ayahuasca eco-memoir Mothership: A Memoir of Wonder and Crisis (Regalo Press 2024), an evidence-based account of his turning to coral reefs and plant medicines to heal from childhood trauma, and Centaur (U of Wisconsin Press 2013), which National Book Award-winning poet Terrance Hayes awarded the Brittingham Prize.

​Greg's work has appeared or is forthcoming in HuffPost, The New Republic, Al Jazeera, The Rumpus, LitHub, Writer's Digest, Kenyon Review, New England Review, The Iowa Review, and elsewhere. He has received awards and fellowships from the James Merrill House, the Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference, the Vermont Studio Center, the Poetry Society of America, the Hermitage Artist Retreat, the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, and the Spiro Arts Center.
​
As an associate English professor at James Madison University, he teaches creative nonfiction, poetry, and environmental literature. He also teaches in the low-residency MFA Program at Bennington Writing Seminars and in the Memoir Certificate Program at Stanford Continuing Studies. He was educated at Harvard University and Washington University in St. Louis. 

www.gregwrenn.com

 Website for The Sacred Speaks:  http://www.thesacredspeaks.com

 WATCH:

 YouTube for The Sacred Speaks https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/

@thesacredspeaks
Twitter: https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/
Brought to you by: https://www.thecenterforhas.com
Theme music provided by: http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> Interview begins @ 5:18

We  dive into the compelling journey of Greg Wrenn, author of the ayahuasca eco-memoir Mothership. Greg begins by sharing a poignant excerpt from his book that ties back to an early memory of his mother, illustrating the profound impact of growing up with an emotionally dysregulated parent. His memoir not only explores personal trauma but also the psychodynamics that have shaped his life. Greg, discusses the transformative nature of poetry, suggesting that a poem is not merely read but experienced. This belief mirrors his view on life's most impactful experiences—they may not always be pleasant, but they are transformative. A central theme of our conversation is the role of psychedelics, particularly ayahuasca, in personal healing and growth. Greg offers insights into current research, highlighting how psychedelics can reopen critical developmental periods, fostering integration, trauma recovery, and creativity. He emphasizes the importance of being mindful about what we "feed" our brain during these malleable times, as the experiences can deeply sculpt our mind and consciousness. We also critique the modern education system's focus on outcomes over experiences, discussing how this emphasis can hinder deep, meaningful engagement with learning processes. Greg shares how his healing was profoundly influenced by his connections with nature and his experiences with ayahuasca, drawing a powerful link between ecological awareness and personal well-being.

 Bio:

A former Stegner Fellow and Jones Lecturer at Stanford University, Greg Wrenn is the author of ayahuasca eco-memoir Mothership: A Memoir of Wonder and Crisis (Regalo Press 2024), an evidence-based account of his turning to coral reefs and plant medicines to heal from childhood trauma, and Centaur (U of Wisconsin Press 2013), which National Book Award-winning poet Terrance Hayes awarded the Brittingham Prize.

​Greg's work has appeared or is forthcoming in HuffPost, The New Republic, Al Jazeera, The Rumpus, LitHub, Writer's Digest, Kenyon Review, New England Review, The Iowa Review, and elsewhere. He has received awards and fellowships from the James Merrill House, the Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference, the Vermont Studio Center, the Poetry Society of America, the Hermitage Artist Retreat, the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, and the Spiro Arts Center.
​
As an associate English professor at James Madison University, he teaches creative nonfiction, poetry, and environmental literature. He also teaches in the low-residency MFA Program at Bennington Writing Seminars and in the Memoir Certificate Program at Stanford Continuing Studies. He was educated at Harvard University and Washington University in St. Louis. 

www.gregwrenn.com

 Website for The Sacred Speaks:  http://www.thesacredspeaks.com

 WATCH:

 YouTube for The Sacred Speaks https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/

@thesacredspeaks
Twitter: https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/
Brought to you by: https://www.thecenterforhas.com
Theme music provided by: http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> John Price Buzzsprout-15012022 Sun, 05 May 2024 16:00:00 -0500 6576 full false 109: Ross Ellenhorn – The Art of Drawing a Life, Play, and the Gift of Being a Human 109: Ross Ellenhorn – The Art of Drawing a Life, Play, and the Gift of Being a Human Interview begins @ 5:03

 In this episode of The Sacred Speaks, we explore the pioneering work of Dr. Ross Ellenhorn, a visionary dedicated to reshaping mental health care. Dr. Ellenhorn introduces us to his unique "hospital without walls," a concept that challenges traditional mental health treatments and seeks to destigmatize the way we approach psychological well-being. Through his innovative psychedelic business, he emphasizes creativity and play as crucial therapeutic tools.

Dr. Ellenhorn shares his personal journey, starting from being labeled as "not normal" by societal standards, and discusses how such labels feed into a detrimental power dynamic that fosters dependence and hopelessness. He critiques the pharmaceutical industry, conventional education systems, and the medicalization of mental health, prompting us to question whether mental health issues are truly "diseases."

The episode explores the limitations of reductive diagnoses and the potential harms of treating mental health with a purely medical approach that overlooks the human element of healing. Dr. Ellenhorn highlights the significance of play in therapy, describing it as a process where rigid experiences of suffering can become malleable and manageable.

Further, Dr. Ellenhorn recounts his personal struggles with learning differences and how these experiences fueled his passion for writing and advocating for a system that embraces playfulness and creativity as essential components of healing.

 

Bio:

Dr. Ellenhorn is a pioneer and leader in the development and promotion of community integration services, types of care that serve and empower individuals diagnosed with psychiatric and/or addiction issues while they remain in their own communities and outside institutional settings. 

Trained as a sociologist, psychotherapist and social worker, Ross Ellenhorn, Ph.D., created the first fully operational intensive hospital-diversion and wraparound program in Massachusetts, and went on to establish and lead one of the first public Programs for Assertive Community Treatment teams in the state. He is the owner and CEO of Ellenhorn, the most robust community-integration program in the United States, which offers services outside of a hospital or residential setting for individuals experiencing addictive behaviors and/or extreme and complex states of mind and mood. Ellenhorn has offices in Boston, New York and Los Angeles.

https://www.ellenhorn.com
https://cardea.net
Website for The Sacred Speaks:
http://www.thesacredspeaks.com
WATCH:
YouTube for The Sacred Speaks
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg
Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/ 
@thesacredspeaks

Twitter: https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/

Brought to you by:  https://www.thecenterforhas.com

Theme music provided by: http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> Interview begins @ 5:03

 In this episode of The Sacred Speaks, we explore the pioneering work of Dr. Ross Ellenhorn, a visionary dedicated to reshaping mental health care. Dr. Ellenhorn introduces us to his unique "hospital without walls," a concept that challenges traditional mental health treatments and seeks to destigmatize the way we approach psychological well-being. Through his innovative psychedelic business, he emphasizes creativity and play as crucial therapeutic tools.

Dr. Ellenhorn shares his personal journey, starting from being labeled as "not normal" by societal standards, and discusses how such labels feed into a detrimental power dynamic that fosters dependence and hopelessness. He critiques the pharmaceutical industry, conventional education systems, and the medicalization of mental health, prompting us to question whether mental health issues are truly "diseases."

The episode explores the limitations of reductive diagnoses and the potential harms of treating mental health with a purely medical approach that overlooks the human element of healing. Dr. Ellenhorn highlights the significance of play in therapy, describing it as a process where rigid experiences of suffering can become malleable and manageable.

Further, Dr. Ellenhorn recounts his personal struggles with learning differences and how these experiences fueled his passion for writing and advocating for a system that embraces playfulness and creativity as essential components of healing.

 

Bio:

Dr. Ellenhorn is a pioneer and leader in the development and promotion of community integration services, types of care that serve and empower individuals diagnosed with psychiatric and/or addiction issues while they remain in their own communities and outside institutional settings. 

Trained as a sociologist, psychotherapist and social worker, Ross Ellenhorn, Ph.D., created the first fully operational intensive hospital-diversion and wraparound program in Massachusetts, and went on to establish and lead one of the first public Programs for Assertive Community Treatment teams in the state. He is the owner and CEO of Ellenhorn, the most robust community-integration program in the United States, which offers services outside of a hospital or residential setting for individuals experiencing addictive behaviors and/or extreme and complex states of mind and mood. Ellenhorn has offices in Boston, New York and Los Angeles.

https://www.ellenhorn.com
https://cardea.net
Website for The Sacred Speaks:
http://www.thesacredspeaks.com
WATCH:
YouTube for The Sacred Speaks
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg
Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/ 
@thesacredspeaks

Twitter: https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/

Brought to you by:  https://www.thecenterforhas.com

Theme music provided by: http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> John Price Buzzsprout-14968910 Sun, 28 Apr 2024 11:00:00 -0500 6496 full false 108: Anne Lamott & Neal Allen – Love and Taming the Inner Critic 108: Anne Lamott & Neal Allen – Love and Taming the Inner Critic Interview begins @ 5:58

Annie Lamott and Neal Allen invite us into the heart of their relationship, where creativity, curiosity, and vulnerability intertwine. Annie introduces Neal's latest book, "Better Days: Tame Your Inner Critic," while Neal shares insights into Annie's newest work, "Somehow: Thoughts on Love." As we explore their dynamic, we're reminded of Annie's infamous KFKD radio – a familiar concept for anyone acquainted with her writings – and how Neal's exploration of the inner critic seamlessly complements Annie's work.  They recount moments of openness and vulnerability, testing the waters of acceptance and understanding. Their willingness to confront their deepest wounds and expose them to the world underscores their authenticity and likability. Neal challenges the corrosive nature of identity politics, emphasizing the importance of transcending rigid notions of identity to foster genuine connection. Annie shares her experience with cancel culture and the anxiety it breeds in our social landscape. We explore the implications of cancel culture and societal discourse. Annie and Neal offer a masterclass in marriage, highlighting the value of acceptance, curiosity, and patience. They demonstrate how years of spiritual and psychological work pave the way for navigating conflicts with grace and understanding.

Midway through, Annie steps away, allowing Neal and John to dive into the realm of the inner critic. Through an active Gestault exercise, Neal provides a firsthand example of confronting the superego and shedding the layers of defensiveness that obscure our true selves. Together, we explore the perception that shame and the superego serve as sufficient motivators for progress, while also examining the divisive nature of identity politics and its impact on our culture. Neal offers insights into the role of defensiveness in protecting against vulnerability, urging us to embrace authenticity over superficiality.

Bio:

Anne Lamott, author of twenty books, including the New York Times bestsellers Help, Thanks, Wow; Dusk, Night, Dawn; Traveling Mercies; and Bird by Bird, as well as seven novels. A recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship and an inductee to the California Hall of Fame and Neal Allen is a spiritual coach, workshop leader, and author who began his transformative journey about ten years ago. Bob Birnbaum,  introduced him to the teachings of notable figures like Fritz Perls, Carl Rogers, and Adyashanti, as well as spiritual practices such as Eckhart Tolle's neo-Buddhism and Hameed Ali's Diamond Approach. His exploration deepened into self-realization, guiding him through phases of shedding personal narratives and societal beliefs, embracing the absurd, and confronting the concept of death, which included volunteering at hospice and dealing with personal loss. Hiss books include  "Shapes of Truth: Discover God Inside You" and "Better Days: Tame Your Inner Critic."

 www.shapesoftruth.com

 Website for The Sacred Speaks:  www.thesacredspeaks.com

 WATCH:

 YouTube for The Sacred Speaks https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

 Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/

@thesacredspeaks

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/

Brought to you by:  https://www.thecenterforhas.com

Theme music provided by: http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> Interview begins @ 5:58

Annie Lamott and Neal Allen invite us into the heart of their relationship, where creativity, curiosity, and vulnerability intertwine. Annie introduces Neal's latest book, "Better Days: Tame Your Inner Critic," while Neal shares insights into Annie's newest work, "Somehow: Thoughts on Love." As we explore their dynamic, we're reminded of Annie's infamous KFKD radio – a familiar concept for anyone acquainted with her writings – and how Neal's exploration of the inner critic seamlessly complements Annie's work.  They recount moments of openness and vulnerability, testing the waters of acceptance and understanding. Their willingness to confront their deepest wounds and expose them to the world underscores their authenticity and likability. Neal challenges the corrosive nature of identity politics, emphasizing the importance of transcending rigid notions of identity to foster genuine connection. Annie shares her experience with cancel culture and the anxiety it breeds in our social landscape. We explore the implications of cancel culture and societal discourse. Annie and Neal offer a masterclass in marriage, highlighting the value of acceptance, curiosity, and patience. They demonstrate how years of spiritual and psychological work pave the way for navigating conflicts with grace and understanding.

Midway through, Annie steps away, allowing Neal and John to dive into the realm of the inner critic. Through an active Gestault exercise, Neal provides a firsthand example of confronting the superego and shedding the layers of defensiveness that obscure our true selves. Together, we explore the perception that shame and the superego serve as sufficient motivators for progress, while also examining the divisive nature of identity politics and its impact on our culture. Neal offers insights into the role of defensiveness in protecting against vulnerability, urging us to embrace authenticity over superficiality.

Bio:

Anne Lamott, author of twenty books, including the New York Times bestsellers Help, Thanks, Wow; Dusk, Night, Dawn; Traveling Mercies; and Bird by Bird, as well as seven novels. A recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship and an inductee to the California Hall of Fame and Neal Allen is a spiritual coach, workshop leader, and author who began his transformative journey about ten years ago. Bob Birnbaum,  introduced him to the teachings of notable figures like Fritz Perls, Carl Rogers, and Adyashanti, as well as spiritual practices such as Eckhart Tolle's neo-Buddhism and Hameed Ali's Diamond Approach. His exploration deepened into self-realization, guiding him through phases of shedding personal narratives and societal beliefs, embracing the absurd, and confronting the concept of death, which included volunteering at hospice and dealing with personal loss. Hiss books include  "Shapes of Truth: Discover God Inside You" and "Better Days: Tame Your Inner Critic."

 www.shapesoftruth.com

 Website for The Sacred Speaks:  www.thesacredspeaks.com

 WATCH:

 YouTube for The Sacred Speaks https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

 Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/

@thesacredspeaks

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/

Brought to you by:  https://www.thecenterforhas.com

Theme music provided by: http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> John Price Buzzsprout-14883359 Sun, 14 Apr 2024 10:00:00 -0500 7234 full false 107: Dimitri Mugainis - A Journey Beyond Addiction: Healing, Psychedelics, and Harm Reduction 107: Dimitri Mugainis - A Journey Beyond Addiction: Healing, Psychedelics, and Harm Reduction Interview begins @ 4:06

In this episode Dimitri Mugianis shares his captivating journey from a tumultuous early life marked by drug use as a means to alleviate pain and delve into alternate states of consciousness, to a life-transforming encounter with iboga. This African sacrament catalyzed his confrontation with trauma, miraculously eradicating his heroin dependency post-experience. Our conversation navigates through the realms of alternate states of consciousness, religion, healing, harm reduction, and the significance of art in recovery.

Dimitri highlights the spiritual longing inherent in addiction, resonating with Jung's insights on the quest for the divine. He reflects on the invaluable lessons and spiritual insights gained from his time within the Bwiti community in Gabon, Africa, underscoring the profound impact of music, specifically rock and roll and jazz, in his survival and healing journey. The discussion extends to the power of community, family, art, connection, medicine, and spirituality in fostering healing environments.

We explore Dimitri's transformative work in Harlem, assisting individuals in overcoming opiate addiction through the principles of the Bwiti tradition and his innovative approach to harm reduction. This episode challenges conventional perspectives on addiction treatment, inviting a reevaluation of success beyond mere abstinence. Dimitri's insights into the fetishization of trauma and the creation of the experiential space, Cardea, in New York City, offer a fresh lens on healing and recovery.

 Bio:

Dimitri Mugianis, harm reduction advocate and psychedelic practitioner, musician, writer, and community organizer, became the face of using underground Ibogaine to kick heroin addiction in the United States. He developed a hybrid modality of administration that integrates the ceremonial and musical elements of traditional ibogaine ceremonies with the best safety protocols of Western medicine. His story is the focus of the documentary I’m Dangerous With Love and his work has been documented by The New York Times, The Rolling Stone, This American Life, HBO, and many more. Even though Ibogaine is still prohibited in the United States, it is attracting avid interest from researchers all over the world and becoming accepted among care providers and clinics.

Dimitri has led over five hundred Ibogaine ceremonies and supported numerous individuals with their problematic habits. He’s also performed thousands of ceremonies using sound, art and psychedelics – especially Psilocybin and MDMA – to help individuals break with their psychological suffering and to spark spiritual awakenings.
A respected icon in the field of harm reduction, he co-created a holistic program at New York Harm Reduction Educators (NYHRE), a groundbreaking Harlem-based community organization bringing together acupuncture, ritual, sound meditation, reiki, bodywork and other treatment modalities for people experiencing homelessness, active drug users, sex workers and the formerly incarcerated.

https://www.dimitrimugianis.com
https://cardea.net
Website for The Sacred Speaks:  http://www.thesacredspeaks.com

WATCH:
YouTube for The Sacred Speaks
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg
Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/

@thesacredspeaks

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

Brought to you by:  https://www.thecenterforhas.com

]]> Interview begins @ 4:06

In this episode Dimitri Mugianis shares his captivating journey from a tumultuous early life marked by drug use as a means to alleviate pain and delve into alternate states of consciousness, to a life-transforming encounter with iboga. This African sacrament catalyzed his confrontation with trauma, miraculously eradicating his heroin dependency post-experience. Our conversation navigates through the realms of alternate states of consciousness, religion, healing, harm reduction, and the significance of art in recovery.

Dimitri highlights the spiritual longing inherent in addiction, resonating with Jung's insights on the quest for the divine. He reflects on the invaluable lessons and spiritual insights gained from his time within the Bwiti community in Gabon, Africa, underscoring the profound impact of music, specifically rock and roll and jazz, in his survival and healing journey. The discussion extends to the power of community, family, art, connection, medicine, and spirituality in fostering healing environments.

We explore Dimitri's transformative work in Harlem, assisting individuals in overcoming opiate addiction through the principles of the Bwiti tradition and his innovative approach to harm reduction. This episode challenges conventional perspectives on addiction treatment, inviting a reevaluation of success beyond mere abstinence. Dimitri's insights into the fetishization of trauma and the creation of the experiential space, Cardea, in New York City, offer a fresh lens on healing and recovery.

 Bio:

Dimitri Mugianis, harm reduction advocate and psychedelic practitioner, musician, writer, and community organizer, became the face of using underground Ibogaine to kick heroin addiction in the United States. He developed a hybrid modality of administration that integrates the ceremonial and musical elements of traditional ibogaine ceremonies with the best safety protocols of Western medicine. His story is the focus of the documentary I’m Dangerous With Love and his work has been documented by The New York Times, The Rolling Stone, This American Life, HBO, and many more. Even though Ibogaine is still prohibited in the United States, it is attracting avid interest from researchers all over the world and becoming accepted among care providers and clinics.

Dimitri has led over five hundred Ibogaine ceremonies and supported numerous individuals with their problematic habits. He’s also performed thousands of ceremonies using sound, art and psychedelics – especially Psilocybin and MDMA – to help individuals break with their psychological suffering and to spark spiritual awakenings.
A respected icon in the field of harm reduction, he co-created a holistic program at New York Harm Reduction Educators (NYHRE), a groundbreaking Harlem-based community organization bringing together acupuncture, ritual, sound meditation, reiki, bodywork and other treatment modalities for people experiencing homelessness, active drug users, sex workers and the formerly incarcerated.

https://www.dimitrimugianis.com
https://cardea.net
Website for The Sacred Speaks:  http://www.thesacredspeaks.com

WATCH:
YouTube for The Sacred Speaks
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg
Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/

@thesacredspeaks

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

Brought to you by:  https://www.thecenterforhas.com

]]> John Price Buzzsprout-14671717 Mon, 11 Mar 2024 21:00:00 -0500 4634 full false 106: Lisa Marchiano - The Vital Spark: Reclaim Your Outlaw Feminine Energies and Find Your Feminine Fire 106: Lisa Marchiano - The Vital Spark: Reclaim Your Outlaw Feminine Energies and Find Your Feminine Fire Interview begins @ 4:08

In episode 106 of "The Sacred Speaks" podcast, John and guest Lisa Marchiano dive into the complex realms of anger, manipulation, rage, and their inherent values for the feminine in our conversation as we discuss her book, The Vital Spark: Reclaim Your Outlaw Feminine Energies and Find Your Feminine Fire. Our conversation starts with a focus on the feminine wisdom tradition, contrasting the masculine and feminine as psychological principles. These principles are hard to define precisely, and it's essential to clarify our terms to truly understand them.

We discuss the narrative of Lilith from Jewish lore, representing empowered women challenging norms, and how this ties into Lisa's book-writing journey and the theme of claiming authority. The episode delves into archetypes, Freudian and Jungian developmental theories, and the impact of family systems on our psyche.

Key topics include the concept of a 'worthy opponent' in various relationships, encouraging full self-expression, and the nuances of gender dynamics in sexuality. We also cover the significance of fairy tales in representing universal psychological patterns and the shadow aspect of the feminine, with Lisa providing deep insights.

Join us in this insightful exploration of our inner selves and the psychological principles that influence our lives on "The Sacred Speaks."

 Bio:

Lisa Marchiano is an award-winning author, podcaster, and certified Jungian analyst. Her highly-acclaimed books draw upon the healing wisdom of fairy tales to help women connect more deeply with themselves. Lisa is a host of the popular depth-psychology podcast This Jungian Life. With over 10 million downloads and a loyal following that includes artists, journalists, and celebrities, This Jungian Life is a top podcast in the US in the health and fitness category. Lisa obtained her BA from Brown University. She holds a Master of International Affairs from Columbia University and a Master of Social Work from New York University. She trained at the Inter-regional Society of Jungian Analysts.

In addition to her books, Lisa’s writing has appeared in numerous publications, including the Journal of Analytical Psychology. She is a sought-after speaking and workshop facilitator who has lectured widely both in the US and abroad.

https://lisamarchiano.com

 www.spinningstraw.com

 https://thisjungianlife.com

Website for The Sacred Speaks:  http://www.thesacredspeaks.com

WATCH: YouTube for The Sacred Speaks https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/

@thesacredspeaks

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/

Brought to you by:  https://www.thecenterforhas.com

Theme music provided by: http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> Interview begins @ 4:08

In episode 106 of "The Sacred Speaks" podcast, John and guest Lisa Marchiano dive into the complex realms of anger, manipulation, rage, and their inherent values for the feminine in our conversation as we discuss her book, The Vital Spark: Reclaim Your Outlaw Feminine Energies and Find Your Feminine Fire. Our conversation starts with a focus on the feminine wisdom tradition, contrasting the masculine and feminine as psychological principles. These principles are hard to define precisely, and it's essential to clarify our terms to truly understand them.

We discuss the narrative of Lilith from Jewish lore, representing empowered women challenging norms, and how this ties into Lisa's book-writing journey and the theme of claiming authority. The episode delves into archetypes, Freudian and Jungian developmental theories, and the impact of family systems on our psyche.

Key topics include the concept of a 'worthy opponent' in various relationships, encouraging full self-expression, and the nuances of gender dynamics in sexuality. We also cover the significance of fairy tales in representing universal psychological patterns and the shadow aspect of the feminine, with Lisa providing deep insights.

Join us in this insightful exploration of our inner selves and the psychological principles that influence our lives on "The Sacred Speaks."

 Bio:

Lisa Marchiano is an award-winning author, podcaster, and certified Jungian analyst. Her highly-acclaimed books draw upon the healing wisdom of fairy tales to help women connect more deeply with themselves. Lisa is a host of the popular depth-psychology podcast This Jungian Life. With over 10 million downloads and a loyal following that includes artists, journalists, and celebrities, This Jungian Life is a top podcast in the US in the health and fitness category. Lisa obtained her BA from Brown University. She holds a Master of International Affairs from Columbia University and a Master of Social Work from New York University. She trained at the Inter-regional Society of Jungian Analysts.

In addition to her books, Lisa’s writing has appeared in numerous publications, including the Journal of Analytical Psychology. She is a sought-after speaking and workshop facilitator who has lectured widely both in the US and abroad.

https://lisamarchiano.com

 www.spinningstraw.com

 https://thisjungianlife.com

Website for The Sacred Speaks:  http://www.thesacredspeaks.com

WATCH: YouTube for The Sacred Speaks https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/

@thesacredspeaks

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/

Brought to you by:  https://www.thecenterforhas.com

Theme music provided by: http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> John Price Buzzsprout-14392281 Sun, 28 Jan 2024 13:00:00 -0600 3811 full true 105: Becca Tarnas – The Imagination and The Red Books of Tolkien & Jung 105: Becca Tarnas – The Imagination and The Red Books of Tolkien & Jung Interview begins @ 4:40

Join us in this episode of The Sacred Speaks as we explore the imagination with Dr. Becca Tarnas. We delve into her process and insights influenced by Tolkien and Jung, particularly focusing on Jung's active imagination and its co-creative role with the collective unconscious. Dr. Tarnas discusses how these experiences fueled Jung's work and paralleled Tolkien's creation of Middle-earth and "The Lord of the Rings."

Our discussion challenges the reductionist worldview, emphasizing how our perceptions are shaped and often limited. We explore Jung's influence on Dr. Tarnas, especially through her astrological perspective on archetypes, and critique the limitations of materialism in understanding imagination.

We also discuss the potential for transformation in confronting materialistic views, using archetypal astrology to understand this shift. The conversation covers heroic narratives, the role of the feminine in myth, and communing with the dead, as seen in Jung's "The Red Book." We conclude with a look at Dr. Tarnas's upcoming biography on Stanislov Grof and his work on psychedelics.

Bio:
Dr. Becca Tarnas, a scholar, artist, and counseling astrologer, holds a PhD from CIIS. She teaches at Pacifica Graduate Institute and CIIS, and authored "Journey to the Imaginal Realm." Her research spans depth psychology, archetypal studies, and the ecological imagination.

https://beccatarnas.com

Website for The Sacred Speaks:
http://www.thesacredspeaks.com

WATCH:
YouTube for The Sacred Speaks
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

Follow us:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/

Brought to you by:
https://www.thecenterforhas.com

Theme music by:
http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> Interview begins @ 4:40

Join us in this episode of The Sacred Speaks as we explore the imagination with Dr. Becca Tarnas. We delve into her process and insights influenced by Tolkien and Jung, particularly focusing on Jung's active imagination and its co-creative role with the collective unconscious. Dr. Tarnas discusses how these experiences fueled Jung's work and paralleled Tolkien's creation of Middle-earth and "The Lord of the Rings."

Our discussion challenges the reductionist worldview, emphasizing how our perceptions are shaped and often limited. We explore Jung's influence on Dr. Tarnas, especially through her astrological perspective on archetypes, and critique the limitations of materialism in understanding imagination.

We also discuss the potential for transformation in confronting materialistic views, using archetypal astrology to understand this shift. The conversation covers heroic narratives, the role of the feminine in myth, and communing with the dead, as seen in Jung's "The Red Book." We conclude with a look at Dr. Tarnas's upcoming biography on Stanislov Grof and his work on psychedelics.

Bio:
Dr. Becca Tarnas, a scholar, artist, and counseling astrologer, holds a PhD from CIIS. She teaches at Pacifica Graduate Institute and CIIS, and authored "Journey to the Imaginal Realm." Her research spans depth psychology, archetypal studies, and the ecological imagination.

https://beccatarnas.com

Website for The Sacred Speaks:
http://www.thesacredspeaks.com

WATCH:
YouTube for The Sacred Speaks
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

Follow us:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/

Brought to you by:
https://www.thecenterforhas.com

Theme music by:
http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> John Price Buzzsprout-14160973 Sun, 17 Dec 2023 12:00:00 -0600 6006 full false 104: Stephen Aizenstat - The Imagination Matrix: How to Access the Greatest Power You Have for Creativity, Connection, and Purpose 104: Stephen Aizenstat - The Imagination Matrix: How to Access the Greatest Power You Have for Creativity, Connection, and Purpose Interview begins @ 4:00

In this episode of "The Sacred Speaks," embark on an exploratory journey with Dr. Stephen Aizenstat, diving into the depths of the inner self. Our dialogue begins with the concept of the inner journey, ignited by curiosity, as seen through the lens of Dr. Aizenstat. A masterful storyteller, he intertwines compelling narratives from both his personal and professional realms, offering a glimpse into his distinctive worldview.

Our conversation reveals the notion of 'genius' residing in each individual, transcending the bounds of the extraordinary. Dr. Aizenstat shares enlightening stories that demonstrate how engaging with our imagination can propel us beyond mere rationality, leading us into a life imbued with soulfulness and fulfillment. We confront the nature of resistance, both within ourselves and in others, discussing how a nondefensive, curious approach can pave the way for deeper understanding and personal growth. Dr. Aizenstat's methodology, marked by compassion and openness, provides a novel perspective on personal evolution. As we delve further, we examine the influence of depth psychology on Dr. Aizenstat's work, especially his interaction with inner figures and the transformative power of genuine curiosity. He champions a co-creative journey with these inner entities, illustrating how exploration and engagement can alleviate discomfort and enrich our inner world. A memorable segment of our discussion highlights Dr. Aizenstat's encounter with Joseph Campbell at Esalen, marking the beginning of a significant friendship. He recounts a fascinating story about Campbell's meeting with George Lucas, a pivotal moment that shaped the narrative of Star Wars, exemplifying the exploration of shadow and archetypes. Additionally, we explore the personification of emotions and the inner world, a central element of Dr. Aizenstat's approach. The episode culminates with an insightful discussion on the four quadrants of his Creative Matrix: Earth, Mind, Machine, and Universe, shedding light on the interplay of these elements in our lives. https://dreamtending.com

Bio:
Stephen Aizenstat, Ph.D., is the founder and Chancellor Emeritus of Pacifica Graduate Institute, Dream Tending, and the Academy of Imagination. For more than 35 years, he has explored the power of dreams through depth psychology and has devoted his life to understanding the profound wisdom and healing power that exist within each of us and has helped thousands of students, individuals, businesses, and organizations through the techniques revealed in The Imagination Matrix. His work centers on the insight that, through our dreams and imagination, we can access limitless creativity, innovation, improved relationships, and, ultimately, our human potential. He has collaborated with Joseph Campbell, Marion Woodman, Robert Johnson, James Hillman, and Native elders worldwide. He conducts dreamwork and imagination seminars throughout the US, Europe, and Asia.

Website for The Sacred Speaks: 

http://www.thesacredspeaks.com

WATCH:

YouTube for The Sacred Speaks
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

Instagram: 

https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/

@thesacredspeaks

Twitter: 

https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

Facebook: 

https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/

Brought to you by: 

https://www.thecenterforhas.com

Theme music provided by:

http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> Interview begins @ 4:00

In this episode of "The Sacred Speaks," embark on an exploratory journey with Dr. Stephen Aizenstat, diving into the depths of the inner self. Our dialogue begins with the concept of the inner journey, ignited by curiosity, as seen through the lens of Dr. Aizenstat. A masterful storyteller, he intertwines compelling narratives from both his personal and professional realms, offering a glimpse into his distinctive worldview.

Our conversation reveals the notion of 'genius' residing in each individual, transcending the bounds of the extraordinary. Dr. Aizenstat shares enlightening stories that demonstrate how engaging with our imagination can propel us beyond mere rationality, leading us into a life imbued with soulfulness and fulfillment. We confront the nature of resistance, both within ourselves and in others, discussing how a nondefensive, curious approach can pave the way for deeper understanding and personal growth. Dr. Aizenstat's methodology, marked by compassion and openness, provides a novel perspective on personal evolution. As we delve further, we examine the influence of depth psychology on Dr. Aizenstat's work, especially his interaction with inner figures and the transformative power of genuine curiosity. He champions a co-creative journey with these inner entities, illustrating how exploration and engagement can alleviate discomfort and enrich our inner world. A memorable segment of our discussion highlights Dr. Aizenstat's encounter with Joseph Campbell at Esalen, marking the beginning of a significant friendship. He recounts a fascinating story about Campbell's meeting with George Lucas, a pivotal moment that shaped the narrative of Star Wars, exemplifying the exploration of shadow and archetypes. Additionally, we explore the personification of emotions and the inner world, a central element of Dr. Aizenstat's approach. The episode culminates with an insightful discussion on the four quadrants of his Creative Matrix: Earth, Mind, Machine, and Universe, shedding light on the interplay of these elements in our lives. https://dreamtending.com

Bio:
Stephen Aizenstat, Ph.D., is the founder and Chancellor Emeritus of Pacifica Graduate Institute, Dream Tending, and the Academy of Imagination. For more than 35 years, he has explored the power of dreams through depth psychology and has devoted his life to understanding the profound wisdom and healing power that exist within each of us and has helped thousands of students, individuals, businesses, and organizations through the techniques revealed in The Imagination Matrix. His work centers on the insight that, through our dreams and imagination, we can access limitless creativity, innovation, improved relationships, and, ultimately, our human potential. He has collaborated with Joseph Campbell, Marion Woodman, Robert Johnson, James Hillman, and Native elders worldwide. He conducts dreamwork and imagination seminars throughout the US, Europe, and Asia.

Website for The Sacred Speaks: 

http://www.thesacredspeaks.com

WATCH:

YouTube for The Sacred Speaks
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

Instagram: 

https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/

@thesacredspeaks

Twitter: 

https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

Facebook: 

https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/

Brought to you by: 

https://www.thecenterforhas.com

Theme music provided by:

http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> John Price Buzzsprout-14034176 Sun, 26 Nov 2023 10:00:00 -0600 3841 full false 103: Richard Rohr – The Quest for the Grail 103: Richard Rohr – The Quest for the Grail Interview begins @ 9:25

 

Father Richard Rohr explores his experiences with men and men's work. Growing up in a Catholic seminary surrounded by males, he became acutely aware of both the beautiful and neurotic facets of masculinity. His time working in an Albuquerque jail exposed him to the ways men suffer and express their pain, which deepened his understanding and prompted reflection on male-centric theories. This allowed him to better address the unique sufferings faced by men. He emphasizes the importance of healthy male role models for men to emulate, ensuring they engage with the world with integrity. Drawing parallels, he narrates a fascinating tale of aggressive young elephants in Africa that were pacified when elder bull elephants were introduced as positive male influences.

The episode touches on the intricacies of the masculine archetype, navigating the sensitive conversation surrounding masculinity and femininity, and the unification of separated entities. Father Rohr elaborates on the four central male archetypes: King, Warrior, Lover, & Magician. The discussion then shifts to rites of passage, highlighting how certain traditions may miss the essence of such rites. Father Rohr points out that unlike females, who undergo a natural rite of passage with the onset of menstruation, males lack an equivalent biological marker, necessitating cultural rites to signal their transition to manhood.

The conversation examines the significance of rites of passage in balancing the spirit and soul, the importance of shadow dynamics in personal development, and the paradoxical nature of a religion centered around divine incarnation yet suppressive of bodily pleasures. The conversation doesn't shy away from controversial topics, discussing the Catholic Church's history with pedophilia, the systemic issues that might contribute to such atrocities, and the cyclical nature of sin and redemption.

This comprehensive discussion offers invaluable insights into masculinity, spirituality, and the complexities of human nature.

Bio:

Franciscan friar and ecumenical teacher, Father Richard Rohr bears witness to the deep wisdom of Christian mysticism and traditions of action and contemplation. Founder of the Center for Action and Contemplation, Father Richard teaches how God’s grace guides us to our birthright as beings made of Divine Love. He is the author of numerous books, including The Universal Christ, The Wisdom Pattern, Just This, and Falling Upward.

 

www.cac.org

 

Website for The Sacred Speaks: 

 

http://www.thesacredspeaks.com

 

WATCH:

 

YouTube for The Sacred Speaks

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

 

Instagram: 

https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/

@thesacredspeaks

Twitter: 

https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

Facebook: 

https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/

Brought to you by: 

https://www.thecenterforhas.com

 

Theme music provided by:

http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> Interview begins @ 9:25

 

Father Richard Rohr explores his experiences with men and men's work. Growing up in a Catholic seminary surrounded by males, he became acutely aware of both the beautiful and neurotic facets of masculinity. His time working in an Albuquerque jail exposed him to the ways men suffer and express their pain, which deepened his understanding and prompted reflection on male-centric theories. This allowed him to better address the unique sufferings faced by men. He emphasizes the importance of healthy male role models for men to emulate, ensuring they engage with the world with integrity. Drawing parallels, he narrates a fascinating tale of aggressive young elephants in Africa that were pacified when elder bull elephants were introduced as positive male influences.

The episode touches on the intricacies of the masculine archetype, navigating the sensitive conversation surrounding masculinity and femininity, and the unification of separated entities. Father Rohr elaborates on the four central male archetypes: King, Warrior, Lover, & Magician. The discussion then shifts to rites of passage, highlighting how certain traditions may miss the essence of such rites. Father Rohr points out that unlike females, who undergo a natural rite of passage with the onset of menstruation, males lack an equivalent biological marker, necessitating cultural rites to signal their transition to manhood.

The conversation examines the significance of rites of passage in balancing the spirit and soul, the importance of shadow dynamics in personal development, and the paradoxical nature of a religion centered around divine incarnation yet suppressive of bodily pleasures. The conversation doesn't shy away from controversial topics, discussing the Catholic Church's history with pedophilia, the systemic issues that might contribute to such atrocities, and the cyclical nature of sin and redemption.

This comprehensive discussion offers invaluable insights into masculinity, spirituality, and the complexities of human nature.

Bio:

Franciscan friar and ecumenical teacher, Father Richard Rohr bears witness to the deep wisdom of Christian mysticism and traditions of action and contemplation. Founder of the Center for Action and Contemplation, Father Richard teaches how God’s grace guides us to our birthright as beings made of Divine Love. He is the author of numerous books, including The Universal Christ, The Wisdom Pattern, Just This, and Falling Upward.

 

www.cac.org

 

Website for The Sacred Speaks: 

 

http://www.thesacredspeaks.com

 

WATCH:

 

YouTube for The Sacred Speaks

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

 

Instagram: 

https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/

@thesacredspeaks

Twitter: 

https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

Facebook: 

https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/

Brought to you by: 

https://www.thecenterforhas.com

 

Theme music provided by:

http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> John Price Buzzsprout-13820844 Sun, 22 Oct 2023 10:00:00 -0500 6875 full false 102: Connie Zweig – Meeting the Shadow on the Spiritual Path 102: Connie Zweig – Meeting the Shadow on the Spiritual Path Interview begins @ 5:09

Embark on a profound spiritual journey with Dr. Connie Zweig in episode 102 of The Sacred Speaks. Dr. Zweig, intertwining personal history and spiritual practice, unveils an exploration into the contrasts within spiritual leadership and the violations within spiritual and religious traditions. Illuminating "holy longing" – a movement toward spiritual paths – she reveals how projection onto spiritual figures can lead to violations and wounding. The episode navigates power abuses toward followers, especially those questing for transformative experiences. The central inquiry: "How do we embrace the beauty of spiritual transmissions while acknowledging the low moral development of some teachers?" Dr. Zweig guides a path toward healing, dissecting distinctions between archetypal and parental transference, and underscores the necessity of communal and personal shadow work, especially in modern psychedelic communities. Cautioning against the hypno-persuasive aspects of psychedelics, she affirms, "If we learn shadow awareness, each community will be more likely to survive," advocating for mindful training and vulnerability on the spiritual path. Join us in this deep dive into the complex interplay of shadows and light on spiritual journeys.

 Bio:

Connie Zweig, Ph.D. is a retired therapist and coauthor of Meeting the Shadow and Romancing the Shadow. Her award-winning book, The Inner Work of Age: Shifting from Role to Soul, extends her work on the Shadow into midlife and beyond and explores aging as a spiritual practice. It won the 2022 Gold COVR Award, the 2022 Gold Nautilus Award, the 2021 American Book Fest Award, and the 2021 Best Indie Book Award for best inspirational non-fiction. Her new book, Meeting the Shadow on the Spiritual Path: The Dance of Darkness and Light in Our Search for Awakening, is available now. Connie has been doing contemplative practices for more than 50 years. She is a wife, stepmother, and grandmother. After all these roles, she’s practicing the shift from role to soul. 

www.conniezweig.com

 https://www.temenosdream.com

 https://www.esalen.org/workshops/portals-and-pathways-ecstatic-experience-music-and-jungs-red-book-102323

 Website for The Sacred Speaks: 

 http://www.thesacredspeaks.com

 WATCH:

 YouTube for The Sacred Speaks

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

 Instagram: 

https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/

@thesacredspeaks

Twitter: 

https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

Facebook: 

https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/

Brought to you by: 

https://www.thecenterforhas.com

 Theme music provided by:

http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> Interview begins @ 5:09

Embark on a profound spiritual journey with Dr. Connie Zweig in episode 102 of The Sacred Speaks. Dr. Zweig, intertwining personal history and spiritual practice, unveils an exploration into the contrasts within spiritual leadership and the violations within spiritual and religious traditions. Illuminating "holy longing" – a movement toward spiritual paths – she reveals how projection onto spiritual figures can lead to violations and wounding. The episode navigates power abuses toward followers, especially those questing for transformative experiences. The central inquiry: "How do we embrace the beauty of spiritual transmissions while acknowledging the low moral development of some teachers?" Dr. Zweig guides a path toward healing, dissecting distinctions between archetypal and parental transference, and underscores the necessity of communal and personal shadow work, especially in modern psychedelic communities. Cautioning against the hypno-persuasive aspects of psychedelics, she affirms, "If we learn shadow awareness, each community will be more likely to survive," advocating for mindful training and vulnerability on the spiritual path. Join us in this deep dive into the complex interplay of shadows and light on spiritual journeys.

 Bio:

Connie Zweig, Ph.D. is a retired therapist and coauthor of Meeting the Shadow and Romancing the Shadow. Her award-winning book, The Inner Work of Age: Shifting from Role to Soul, extends her work on the Shadow into midlife and beyond and explores aging as a spiritual practice. It won the 2022 Gold COVR Award, the 2022 Gold Nautilus Award, the 2021 American Book Fest Award, and the 2021 Best Indie Book Award for best inspirational non-fiction. Her new book, Meeting the Shadow on the Spiritual Path: The Dance of Darkness and Light in Our Search for Awakening, is available now. Connie has been doing contemplative practices for more than 50 years. She is a wife, stepmother, and grandmother. After all these roles, she’s practicing the shift from role to soul. 

www.conniezweig.com

 https://www.temenosdream.com

 https://www.esalen.org/workshops/portals-and-pathways-ecstatic-experience-music-and-jungs-red-book-102323

 Website for The Sacred Speaks: 

 http://www.thesacredspeaks.com

 WATCH:

 YouTube for The Sacred Speaks

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

 Instagram: 

https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/

@thesacredspeaks

Twitter: 

https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

Facebook: 

https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/

Brought to you by: 

https://www.thecenterforhas.com

 Theme music provided by:

http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> John Price Buzzsprout-13728216 Sun, 08 Oct 2023 10:00:00 -0500 4023 Spirituality, Psychological Depth, Shadow Work, Dr. Connie Zweig, The Sacred Speaks, Spiritual Leadership, Ethical Violations, Religious Traditions, Shamanic Communities, Holy Longing, Projection, Power Abuse, Spiritual Teachers, Moral Development, Healin full false 101: Miriam Volat - The RiverStyx Foundation, Ecology, & Indigenous Wisdom 101: Miriam Volat - The RiverStyx Foundation, Ecology, & Indigenous Wisdom Interview begins @ 4:37

Join your host, John Price as he welcomes Miriam Volat, the co-director of The RiverStyx Foundation, co-director of the Indigenous Medicine Conservation Fund, and Executive Director of IPCI. Together, they engage in an eye-opening discussion that bridges the gap between ecology, indigenous traditions, and the Sacred.

Episode Overview
In this episode, we learn about The RiverStyx Foundation, discussing its mission and vision for a more connected world. Miriam shares her extensive background in ecology, with a special focus on soil science. She reveals how her work in ecology has been a gateway to exploring indigenous traditions, particularly entheogenic healing practices. Miriam argues that a deeper, more direct connection with the Sacred can catalyze to rekindling our relationship with our immediate environment.

 Key Points

  • Ecology as a Lens: Miriam shows how her work in soil science enriches her understanding of indigenous practices.
  • The Disconnect: We examine the pervasive alienation from community and culture, worsened by lacking tools to process trauma.
  • Extractive Models: The hosts question the sustainability of our current approaches to culture and the Earth.
  • Colonialism's Role: A quick dive into how colonialism dismisses the value of context in our interactions with the world.
  • Cultural Roots: Miriam urges the importance of knowing your cultural and environmental ties.
  • Consumerism's Toll: We discuss how consumerism undermines our need for community and culture.
  • Patents and Healing: The conversation challenges the ownership of natural healing elements, advocating for a communal approach.
  • Sustainable Death Practices: Miriam shares insights on death and sustainability, like compostable toilets.
  • Sacred Medicines: The episode concludes by exploring the personal responsibility involved in using sacred medicines for healing.

Bio:
Miriam Volat M.S. Co-Director of Riverstyx Foundation & Indigenous Medicine Conservation Fund,  Executive Director of IPCI, is an educator, organizer, facilitator and ecologist with a passion for soils and nutrient cycles. She works Nationally and Internationally to increase health in all systems. She is dedicated to the biocultural conservation of Peyote and other sacred medicines supported by the IMC Fund, and works in any way she can to ensure the conservation of these medicines for Indigenous communities and their precious ways of life. As a mom, she is fortunate her daughter, Cora, also supports her work.

https://www.riverstyxfoundation.org
https://imc.fund
https://www.ipci.life

Website for The Sacred Speaks:
http://www.thesacredspeaks.com

WATCH:

YouTube for The Sacred Speaks
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/

@thesacredspeaks
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/
Brought to you by:
https://www.thecenterforhas.com
Theme music provided by:
http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> Interview begins @ 4:37

Join your host, John Price as he welcomes Miriam Volat, the co-director of The RiverStyx Foundation, co-director of the Indigenous Medicine Conservation Fund, and Executive Director of IPCI. Together, they engage in an eye-opening discussion that bridges the gap between ecology, indigenous traditions, and the Sacred.

Episode Overview
In this episode, we learn about The RiverStyx Foundation, discussing its mission and vision for a more connected world. Miriam shares her extensive background in ecology, with a special focus on soil science. She reveals how her work in ecology has been a gateway to exploring indigenous traditions, particularly entheogenic healing practices. Miriam argues that a deeper, more direct connection with the Sacred can catalyze to rekindling our relationship with our immediate environment.

 Key Points

  • Ecology as a Lens: Miriam shows how her work in soil science enriches her understanding of indigenous practices.
  • The Disconnect: We examine the pervasive alienation from community and culture, worsened by lacking tools to process trauma.
  • Extractive Models: The hosts question the sustainability of our current approaches to culture and the Earth.
  • Colonialism's Role: A quick dive into how colonialism dismisses the value of context in our interactions with the world.
  • Cultural Roots: Miriam urges the importance of knowing your cultural and environmental ties.
  • Consumerism's Toll: We discuss how consumerism undermines our need for community and culture.
  • Patents and Healing: The conversation challenges the ownership of natural healing elements, advocating for a communal approach.
  • Sustainable Death Practices: Miriam shares insights on death and sustainability, like compostable toilets.
  • Sacred Medicines: The episode concludes by exploring the personal responsibility involved in using sacred medicines for healing.

Bio:
Miriam Volat M.S. Co-Director of Riverstyx Foundation & Indigenous Medicine Conservation Fund,  Executive Director of IPCI, is an educator, organizer, facilitator and ecologist with a passion for soils and nutrient cycles. She works Nationally and Internationally to increase health in all systems. She is dedicated to the biocultural conservation of Peyote and other sacred medicines supported by the IMC Fund, and works in any way she can to ensure the conservation of these medicines for Indigenous communities and their precious ways of life. As a mom, she is fortunate her daughter, Cora, also supports her work.

https://www.riverstyxfoundation.org
https://imc.fund
https://www.ipci.life

Website for The Sacred Speaks:
http://www.thesacredspeaks.com

WATCH:

YouTube for The Sacred Speaks
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/

@thesacredspeaks
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/
Brought to you by:
https://www.thecenterforhas.com
Theme music provided by:
http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> John Price Buzzsprout-13562714 Sun, 10 Sep 2023 10:00:00 -0500 5816 full false 100: James Hollis – The Broken Mirror: Refracted Visions of Ourselves 100: James Hollis – The Broken Mirror: Refracted Visions of Ourselves The interview begins @ 6:24

 In this enlightening conversation with Dr. James Hollis, renowned Jungian analyst, we dive deep into the psychic underpinnings of our religious traditions and explore the profound concept of the soul. Using Jung's understanding of God as a starting point, we traverse the labyrinth of depth psychology, examining not religious theology but the spiritual essence embedded within our psyche. Dr. Hollis challenges preconceived notions of Western healing approaches, underscoring the importance of addressing long-term developmental tasks contributing to our life's suffering and our existential quest for meaning. We probe into the power of choice, its pivotal role in harmonizing our inner and outer worlds, and the necessity of viewing our lives through a transpersonal lens. In a contemplative reflection on his own life and the influence of Jungian theory, Dr. Hollis encourages us all to engage in a deeper dialogue with our lives, acknowledging the humbling realization that we aren't truly in control. Our discussion pivots to the human propensity for constructing theology, culture, and structures as conduits to the mystery of existence, bearing the psychological imprints of their originators. We navigate the intricate dynamics of resistance within the relationship between the ego and the unconscious, emphasizing our responsibility for our choices. The existential query is central to our exploration: "What stirs your spirit to evolve and redefine your life?" We touch upon cultural sickness, institutional failure, and the potential for growth within tradition, culminating in a discourse on gender fluidity, the impact of consumerism, and the essence of a truly healing analysis.

 This exploration offers listeners the tools to navigate toward their own 'true north,' fostering a stronger connection with their intuitive inner life. Join us as we transcend the diversions of popular culture and dive into the depths of our collective psyche.

 Bio:

James Hollis, Ph. D., was born in Springfield, Illinois, and graduated from Manchester University in 1962 and Drew University in 1967. He taught Humanities 26 years in various colleges and universities before retraining as a Jungian analyst at the Jung Institute of Zurich, Switzerland (1977-82). He is presently a licensed Jungian analyst in private practice in Washington, D.C. He served as Executive Director of the Jung Educational Center in Houston, Texas for many years and now was Executive Director of the Jung Society of Washington until 2019, and now serves on the JSW Board of Directors. He is a retired Senior Training Analyst for the Inter-Regional Society of Jungian Analysts, was first Director of Training of the Philadelphia Jung Institute, and is Vice-President Emeritus of the Philemon Foundation. Additionally, he is a Professor of Jungian Studies for Saybrook University of San Francisco/Houston. 
He lives with his wife Jill, an artist and retired therapist, in Washington, DC. Together they have three living children and eight grand-children. 
He has written a total of eighteen books, which have been translated into Swedish, Russian, German, Spanish, French, Hungarian, Portuguese, Turkish, Italian, Korean, Finnish, Romanian, Bulgarian, Farsi, Japanese, Greek, Chinese, Serbian, Latvian, Ukranian and Czech. 

www.jameshollis.net
 
Website for The Sacred Speaks: 

 http://www.thesacredspeaks.com

 WATCH:

 YouTube for The Sacred Speaks

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

 Instagram: 

https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/

@thesacredspeaks

Twitter: 

]]> The interview begins @ 6:24

 In this enlightening conversation with Dr. James Hollis, renowned Jungian analyst, we dive deep into the psychic underpinnings of our religious traditions and explore the profound concept of the soul. Using Jung's understanding of God as a starting point, we traverse the labyrinth of depth psychology, examining not religious theology but the spiritual essence embedded within our psyche. Dr. Hollis challenges preconceived notions of Western healing approaches, underscoring the importance of addressing long-term developmental tasks contributing to our life's suffering and our existential quest for meaning. We probe into the power of choice, its pivotal role in harmonizing our inner and outer worlds, and the necessity of viewing our lives through a transpersonal lens. In a contemplative reflection on his own life and the influence of Jungian theory, Dr. Hollis encourages us all to engage in a deeper dialogue with our lives, acknowledging the humbling realization that we aren't truly in control. Our discussion pivots to the human propensity for constructing theology, culture, and structures as conduits to the mystery of existence, bearing the psychological imprints of their originators. We navigate the intricate dynamics of resistance within the relationship between the ego and the unconscious, emphasizing our responsibility for our choices. The existential query is central to our exploration: "What stirs your spirit to evolve and redefine your life?" We touch upon cultural sickness, institutional failure, and the potential for growth within tradition, culminating in a discourse on gender fluidity, the impact of consumerism, and the essence of a truly healing analysis.

 This exploration offers listeners the tools to navigate toward their own 'true north,' fostering a stronger connection with their intuitive inner life. Join us as we transcend the diversions of popular culture and dive into the depths of our collective psyche.

 Bio:

James Hollis, Ph. D., was born in Springfield, Illinois, and graduated from Manchester University in 1962 and Drew University in 1967. He taught Humanities 26 years in various colleges and universities before retraining as a Jungian analyst at the Jung Institute of Zurich, Switzerland (1977-82). He is presently a licensed Jungian analyst in private practice in Washington, D.C. He served as Executive Director of the Jung Educational Center in Houston, Texas for many years and now was Executive Director of the Jung Society of Washington until 2019, and now serves on the JSW Board of Directors. He is a retired Senior Training Analyst for the Inter-Regional Society of Jungian Analysts, was first Director of Training of the Philadelphia Jung Institute, and is Vice-President Emeritus of the Philemon Foundation. Additionally, he is a Professor of Jungian Studies for Saybrook University of San Francisco/Houston. 
He lives with his wife Jill, an artist and retired therapist, in Washington, DC. Together they have three living children and eight grand-children. 
He has written a total of eighteen books, which have been translated into Swedish, Russian, German, Spanish, French, Hungarian, Portuguese, Turkish, Italian, Korean, Finnish, Romanian, Bulgarian, Farsi, Japanese, Greek, Chinese, Serbian, Latvian, Ukranian and Czech. 

www.jameshollis.net
 
Website for The Sacred Speaks: 

 http://www.thesacredspeaks.com

 WATCH:

 YouTube for The Sacred Speaks

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

 Instagram: 

https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/

@thesacredspeaks

Twitter: 

]]> John Price Buzzsprout-13396095 Sun, 13 Aug 2023 10:00:00 -0500 3800 full false 99: Béa Gonzalez – Invocation and Sophia Cycles 99: Béa Gonzalez – Invocation and Sophia Cycles Interview begins @ 4:00

In this episode, we explore the enriching journey of Bea Gonzalez, an accomplished novelist and facilitator of a depth-oriented women's collective. Known for her innate ability to weave stories, Bea intertwines feminine wisdom with a holistic approach to understanding the world, as demonstrated in her widely acclaimed work on sophiacycles.com. Our conversation starts with Bea's early dreams of professional writing, a passion that has blossomed into several published novels with Harper Collins and beyond. We investigate the significance of writing as active imagination, taking cues from Jung's Red Book. Bea presents the intriguing notion that everyone should write a novel, an exercise in self-exploration and a canvas to observe the interactions of our inner personalities. Drawing from Jungian psychology, Bea highlights the value of this framework as a lens to perceive reality. Its influence is manifest in her personal growth and resonates powerfully within the groups she leads. As we navigate through the intricate labyrinth of Jung’s Collected Works and post-Jungian writers, Bea emphasizes writing as not merely a craft but a spiritual path. We discuss the potency of storytelling, the exploration of the self through narratives, and the harmonious dance of the masculine and feminine. Engaging with the profound insights of Iain McGilchrist, we uncover the junctures where his work converges with Jung's philosophy. The dialogue evolves to encompass topics such as the inner struggles we all face, the societal impacts of shadow projection in politics, and the significance of the multiplicity of the pantheon versus the social value of a monotheistic god. With her women's groups as a platform for meaningful conversations, Bea eloquently underscores the importance of discussing and writing about these explorations, fostering a vibrant exchange of ideas that spur personal and collective growth. Tune in for a profound exploration into the heart of depth psychology.

Bio:

Béa Gonzalez is a writer, lecturer, and educator. Her first two novels were published in Canada by HarperCollins and seven other countries [the UK, USA, Spain, Germany, Holland and Serbia]. Her second novel, The Mapmaker's Opera, was adapted into a musical by Kevin Purcell which was featured at the 2014 New York Musical Theatre Festival. She is also the founder of SophiaCycles, a project aimed at teaching metaphorical thinking through an examination of classical works, fairy tales and myths and can be found on YouTube, Twitter and Instagram @sophiacycles. Invocation is her third novel.

 https://www.sophiacycles.com

 www.esalen.org

 Website for The Sacred Speaks: 

 http://www.thesacredspeaks.com

 WATCH:

 YouTube for The Sacred Speaks

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

 Instagram: 

https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/

@thesacredspeaks

Twitter: 

https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

Facebook: 

https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/

Brought to you by: 

https://www.thecenterforhas.com

 Theme music provided by:

http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> Interview begins @ 4:00

In this episode, we explore the enriching journey of Bea Gonzalez, an accomplished novelist and facilitator of a depth-oriented women's collective. Known for her innate ability to weave stories, Bea intertwines feminine wisdom with a holistic approach to understanding the world, as demonstrated in her widely acclaimed work on sophiacycles.com. Our conversation starts with Bea's early dreams of professional writing, a passion that has blossomed into several published novels with Harper Collins and beyond. We investigate the significance of writing as active imagination, taking cues from Jung's Red Book. Bea presents the intriguing notion that everyone should write a novel, an exercise in self-exploration and a canvas to observe the interactions of our inner personalities. Drawing from Jungian psychology, Bea highlights the value of this framework as a lens to perceive reality. Its influence is manifest in her personal growth and resonates powerfully within the groups she leads. As we navigate through the intricate labyrinth of Jung’s Collected Works and post-Jungian writers, Bea emphasizes writing as not merely a craft but a spiritual path. We discuss the potency of storytelling, the exploration of the self through narratives, and the harmonious dance of the masculine and feminine. Engaging with the profound insights of Iain McGilchrist, we uncover the junctures where his work converges with Jung's philosophy. The dialogue evolves to encompass topics such as the inner struggles we all face, the societal impacts of shadow projection in politics, and the significance of the multiplicity of the pantheon versus the social value of a monotheistic god. With her women's groups as a platform for meaningful conversations, Bea eloquently underscores the importance of discussing and writing about these explorations, fostering a vibrant exchange of ideas that spur personal and collective growth. Tune in for a profound exploration into the heart of depth psychology.

Bio:

Béa Gonzalez is a writer, lecturer, and educator. Her first two novels were published in Canada by HarperCollins and seven other countries [the UK, USA, Spain, Germany, Holland and Serbia]. Her second novel, The Mapmaker's Opera, was adapted into a musical by Kevin Purcell which was featured at the 2014 New York Musical Theatre Festival. She is also the founder of SophiaCycles, a project aimed at teaching metaphorical thinking through an examination of classical works, fairy tales and myths and can be found on YouTube, Twitter and Instagram @sophiacycles. Invocation is her third novel.

 https://www.sophiacycles.com

 www.esalen.org

 Website for The Sacred Speaks: 

 http://www.thesacredspeaks.com

 WATCH:

 YouTube for The Sacred Speaks

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

 Instagram: 

https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/

@thesacredspeaks

Twitter: 

https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

Facebook: 

https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/

Brought to you by: 

https://www.thecenterforhas.com

 Theme music provided by:

http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> John Price Buzzsprout-13230952 Sun, 16 Jul 2023 09:00:00 -0500 6406 #TheSacredSpeaks, #BeaGonzalez, #SophiaCycles, #DepthPsychology, #JungianPsychology, #Storytelling, #InnerWorld, #SelfExploration, #Healing, #Transformation, #NarrativeTherapy, #PodcastEpisode, #Individuation, #SelfUnderstanding, #SpiritualPath, #PodcastC full false 98: Thomas Moore – The Eloquence of Silence 98: Thomas Moore – The Eloquence of Silence Interview begins @ 3:29

 Join us for a profound exploration of spiritual emptiness with Thomas Moore. Our conversation traverses the concept of kenosis, a process of spiritual emptying present in both Greek antiquity and Eastern philosophies. We challenge the notion of a 'purpose-driven' life, suggesting instead a life led by openness and spontaneity. Thomas endorses a religious attitude, permitting divine 'angels' to guide us, rather than our ego. We delve into the mystery of God, advocating for an open-minded approach to his ineffable nature.

Thomas shares his personal journey, which included joining the monastery at a young age, and provides his insights into the image of Christ as it pertains to emptiness. We also discuss soul and spirit cosmology, the parallels between Dionysus and Christ, as well as the influences of thinkers like James Hillman and Carl Jung. We further examine how music can serve as a model for meaning-making, and the significance of 'emptying' a romantic relationship from egoic control. This conversation offers a fresh perspective on life's enigmas, inviting listeners to journey with us through these contemplative mysteries.

 

Bio:

Thomas Moore is the author of The Eloquence of Silence and 24 other books about bringing soul to our personal lives and culture, including the #1 New York Times bestseller Care of the Soul. He has been a Catholic monk and university professor and is also a psychotherapist influenced mainly by C. G. Jung and James Hillman. His work brings together spirituality, mythology, depth psychology, and the arts, emphasizing the importance of images and imagination.

 

https://www.thomasmooresoul.com

 Website for The Sacred Speaks: 

 

http://www.thesacredspeaks.com

 Esalen Class: 


https://www.esalen.org/workshops/portals-and-pathways-ecstatic-experience-music-and-jungs-red-book-102323

 

WATCH:

 

YouTube for The Sacred Speaks

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

 

Instagram: 

https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/

@thesacredspeaks

Facebook: 

https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/

Theme music provided by:

http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

 

Brought to you by: 

https://www.thecenterforhas.com

]]> Interview begins @ 3:29

 Join us for a profound exploration of spiritual emptiness with Thomas Moore. Our conversation traverses the concept of kenosis, a process of spiritual emptying present in both Greek antiquity and Eastern philosophies. We challenge the notion of a 'purpose-driven' life, suggesting instead a life led by openness and spontaneity. Thomas endorses a religious attitude, permitting divine 'angels' to guide us, rather than our ego. We delve into the mystery of God, advocating for an open-minded approach to his ineffable nature.

Thomas shares his personal journey, which included joining the monastery at a young age, and provides his insights into the image of Christ as it pertains to emptiness. We also discuss soul and spirit cosmology, the parallels between Dionysus and Christ, as well as the influences of thinkers like James Hillman and Carl Jung. We further examine how music can serve as a model for meaning-making, and the significance of 'emptying' a romantic relationship from egoic control. This conversation offers a fresh perspective on life's enigmas, inviting listeners to journey with us through these contemplative mysteries.

 

Bio:

Thomas Moore is the author of The Eloquence of Silence and 24 other books about bringing soul to our personal lives and culture, including the #1 New York Times bestseller Care of the Soul. He has been a Catholic monk and university professor and is also a psychotherapist influenced mainly by C. G. Jung and James Hillman. His work brings together spirituality, mythology, depth psychology, and the arts, emphasizing the importance of images and imagination.

 

https://www.thomasmooresoul.com

 Website for The Sacred Speaks: 

 

http://www.thesacredspeaks.com

 Esalen Class: 


https://www.esalen.org/workshops/portals-and-pathways-ecstatic-experience-music-and-jungs-red-book-102323

 

WATCH:

 

YouTube for The Sacred Speaks

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

 

Instagram: 

https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/

@thesacredspeaks

Facebook: 

https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/

Theme music provided by:

http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

 

Brought to you by: 

https://www.thecenterforhas.com

]]> John Price Buzzsprout-13159440 Tue, 04 Jul 2023 13:00:00 -0500 6055 full false 97: Mary Cosimano: Tales of love and heart-centered guidance at Johns Hopkins 97: Mary Cosimano: Tales of love and heart-centered guidance at Johns Hopkins Interview begins @ 3:30

Mary Cosimano begins with the question, "What is suffering?". Renowned for her heart-led approach,  Mary shares her personal encounters with suffering, particularly as a professional in her scientific network and system. She highlights the constraints and limitations inherent within her field's foundational principles, which often hinder expansive thinking and inspiration. Mary also talks about her journey joining the Johns Hopkins Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research, shedding light on what prepared her for becoming a part of this vibrant community. We further examine the foundation of the psilocybin therapy process at Hopkins. Mary emphasizes the importance of setting genuine intentions when individuals choose psychedelics as part of their healing journey. Hopkins has been at the forefront of psychedelic therapies, collaborating closely with the FDA to explore the efficacy of these natural compounds in contexts such as palliative care, treatment-resistant depression, eating disorders, and trauma healing. In this illuminating dialogue, Mary discloses the remarkable benefits of psilocybin interventions, including a notable depression study where subjects witnessed a 50% reduction in treatment-resistant depression symptoms. Our conversation broadens to encompass themes of love, safety, fear, laughter, play, and joy as potent forces for healing and transformation. We conclude with thought-provoking insights into forgiveness and death, rounding off a deeply profound exploration of human suffering and healing.

Bio:
Mary Cosimano, LMSW, has been with the Department of Psychiatry at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in the Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research since 2000 when they began research with psilocybin. She is currently a Psychedelic Session Facilitator and has served as Director of Clinical Services and as a research coordinator. She has been involved with all the psilocybin studies and has conducted over 500 study sessions including Club Drug studies with Salvia Divinorum and Dextromethorphan. Mary has trained post doctorate fellows, faculty, clinicians, and research assistants as guides and taught individual and group meditation to breast cancer patients in a Johns Hopkins research study. She is a teacher and mentor at California Institute to Integral Studies for their Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies and Research (CPTR) certificate program and conducts trainings for therapists in psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy. In 2003 she started a meditation group for employees in her department. She also has 15 years of experience with direct patient care as a hospice volunteer.

 https://hopkinspsychedelic.org

 https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/psychiatry/research/psychedelics-research.html

 Website for The Sacred Speaks: 

 http://www.thesacredspeaks.com

 WATCH:

 YouTube for The Sacred Speaks

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

 Instagram: 

https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/

@thesacredspeaks

Twitter: 

https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

Facebook: 

https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/

Brought to you by: 

https://www.thecenterforhas.com

 Theme music provided by:

http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> Interview begins @ 3:30

Mary Cosimano begins with the question, "What is suffering?". Renowned for her heart-led approach,  Mary shares her personal encounters with suffering, particularly as a professional in her scientific network and system. She highlights the constraints and limitations inherent within her field's foundational principles, which often hinder expansive thinking and inspiration. Mary also talks about her journey joining the Johns Hopkins Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research, shedding light on what prepared her for becoming a part of this vibrant community. We further examine the foundation of the psilocybin therapy process at Hopkins. Mary emphasizes the importance of setting genuine intentions when individuals choose psychedelics as part of their healing journey. Hopkins has been at the forefront of psychedelic therapies, collaborating closely with the FDA to explore the efficacy of these natural compounds in contexts such as palliative care, treatment-resistant depression, eating disorders, and trauma healing. In this illuminating dialogue, Mary discloses the remarkable benefits of psilocybin interventions, including a notable depression study where subjects witnessed a 50% reduction in treatment-resistant depression symptoms. Our conversation broadens to encompass themes of love, safety, fear, laughter, play, and joy as potent forces for healing and transformation. We conclude with thought-provoking insights into forgiveness and death, rounding off a deeply profound exploration of human suffering and healing.

Bio:
Mary Cosimano, LMSW, has been with the Department of Psychiatry at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in the Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research since 2000 when they began research with psilocybin. She is currently a Psychedelic Session Facilitator and has served as Director of Clinical Services and as a research coordinator. She has been involved with all the psilocybin studies and has conducted over 500 study sessions including Club Drug studies with Salvia Divinorum and Dextromethorphan. Mary has trained post doctorate fellows, faculty, clinicians, and research assistants as guides and taught individual and group meditation to breast cancer patients in a Johns Hopkins research study. She is a teacher and mentor at California Institute to Integral Studies for their Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies and Research (CPTR) certificate program and conducts trainings for therapists in psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy. In 2003 she started a meditation group for employees in her department. She also has 15 years of experience with direct patient care as a hospice volunteer.

 https://hopkinspsychedelic.org

 https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/psychiatry/research/psychedelics-research.html

 Website for The Sacred Speaks: 

 http://www.thesacredspeaks.com

 WATCH:

 YouTube for The Sacred Speaks

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

 Instagram: 

https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/

@thesacredspeaks

Twitter: 

https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

Facebook: 

https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/

Brought to you by: 

https://www.thecenterforhas.com

 Theme music provided by:

http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> John Price Buzzsprout-13023322 Mon, 12 Jun 2023 08:00:00 -0500 5973 full false 96: Rachel Harris – Swimming in the Sacred: Wisdom from the Psychedelic Underground 96: Rachel Harris – Swimming in the Sacred: Wisdom from the Psychedelic Underground Interview begins @ 3:53

In this enlightening episode of The Sacred Speaks, host Dr. John Price converses with Dr. Rachel Harris, who shares insights from her latest book, "Swimming in the Sacred: Wisdom from the Psychedelic Underground". Dr. Harris illuminates her interview process with 15 veteran female guides from the psychedelic underground, revealing their enduring commitment to the spiritual over the medicalized use of these compounds. The discussion delves into the reasons these guides remain in the underground despite societal changes and legalization, attributing it to their belief in the greater spiritual and religious value of psychedelics. The disparity between psychotherapy and the spiritually-oriented approach these guides embody is examined, with Dr. Harris emphasizing that the spiritual process stands alone, independent yet not exclusive of therapy. The conversation explores the ontology of the visionary or “unseen others”, often present in psychedelic experiences, the transformative power of psychedelics, the voices of doubly silenced women, the unique bond women share with these medicines, and the relevance of cultural frameworks for the sacred. They also touch on the importance of selecting an ethical guide, concerns about the healer's ethical wellbeing, and the profound link between death and the psychedelic experience, and the importance and nature of integration for psychedelic process. 

Bio:

Dr. Rachel Harris is a respected psychologist, prolific author, and eminent figure in the realm of psychospiritual development. She spent thirty-five years in private practice, focusing on individuals seeking psychospiritual growth. Rachel has an impressive research career, having received a National Institutes of Health New Investigator's Award and publishing over forty scientific studies in peer-reviewed journals. She has also shared her expertise with Fortune 500 companies. Rachel participated in the 1968 Esalen Residential Program, an intensive six-month meditation and bodywork course. She also studied Structural Awareness, a movement system founded on Dr. Ida Rolf's Structural Integration. This awareness of body consciousness deeply influences her psychotherapeutic approach. In the mid-1980s to early 2000s, Rachel facilitated workshops at esteemed institutions like Omega Institute, NY, and Esalen Institute, CA. She is the author of "Twenty Minute Retreats," which details the exercises she taught in her workshops. A serendipitous encounter with ayahuasca in Costa Rica in 2005 sparked Rachel's interest in the therapeutic potential of this medicine. This led to a three-year research project, culminating in "A Study of Ayahuasca Use in North America," and her influential book "Listening to Ayahuasca: New Hope for Depression, Addiction, PTSD, and Anxiety." She has recently authored "Swimming in the Sacred: Wisdom from the Psychedelic Underground." 

https://www.swimminginthesacred.com

Website for The Sacred Speaks: 

http://www.thesacredspeaks.com

 WATCH:

YouTube for The Sacred Speaks

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

Instagram: 

https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/

@thesacredspeaks

Twitter: 

https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

Facebook: 

https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/

Brought to you by: 

https://www.thecenterforhas.com

Theme music provided by:

http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

 

]]> Interview begins @ 3:53

In this enlightening episode of The Sacred Speaks, host Dr. John Price converses with Dr. Rachel Harris, who shares insights from her latest book, "Swimming in the Sacred: Wisdom from the Psychedelic Underground". Dr. Harris illuminates her interview process with 15 veteran female guides from the psychedelic underground, revealing their enduring commitment to the spiritual over the medicalized use of these compounds. The discussion delves into the reasons these guides remain in the underground despite societal changes and legalization, attributing it to their belief in the greater spiritual and religious value of psychedelics. The disparity between psychotherapy and the spiritually-oriented approach these guides embody is examined, with Dr. Harris emphasizing that the spiritual process stands alone, independent yet not exclusive of therapy. The conversation explores the ontology of the visionary or “unseen others”, often present in psychedelic experiences, the transformative power of psychedelics, the voices of doubly silenced women, the unique bond women share with these medicines, and the relevance of cultural frameworks for the sacred. They also touch on the importance of selecting an ethical guide, concerns about the healer's ethical wellbeing, and the profound link between death and the psychedelic experience, and the importance and nature of integration for psychedelic process. 

Bio:

Dr. Rachel Harris is a respected psychologist, prolific author, and eminent figure in the realm of psychospiritual development. She spent thirty-five years in private practice, focusing on individuals seeking psychospiritual growth. Rachel has an impressive research career, having received a National Institutes of Health New Investigator's Award and publishing over forty scientific studies in peer-reviewed journals. She has also shared her expertise with Fortune 500 companies. Rachel participated in the 1968 Esalen Residential Program, an intensive six-month meditation and bodywork course. She also studied Structural Awareness, a movement system founded on Dr. Ida Rolf's Structural Integration. This awareness of body consciousness deeply influences her psychotherapeutic approach. In the mid-1980s to early 2000s, Rachel facilitated workshops at esteemed institutions like Omega Institute, NY, and Esalen Institute, CA. She is the author of "Twenty Minute Retreats," which details the exercises she taught in her workshops. A serendipitous encounter with ayahuasca in Costa Rica in 2005 sparked Rachel's interest in the therapeutic potential of this medicine. This led to a three-year research project, culminating in "A Study of Ayahuasca Use in North America," and her influential book "Listening to Ayahuasca: New Hope for Depression, Addiction, PTSD, and Anxiety." She has recently authored "Swimming in the Sacred: Wisdom from the Psychedelic Underground." 

https://www.swimminginthesacred.com

Website for The Sacred Speaks: 

http://www.thesacredspeaks.com

 WATCH:

YouTube for The Sacred Speaks

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

Instagram: 

https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/

@thesacredspeaks

Twitter: 

https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

Facebook: 

https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/

Brought to you by: 

https://www.thecenterforhas.com

Theme music provided by:

http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

 

]]> John Price Buzzsprout-12889750 Sun, 21 May 2023 13:00:00 -0500 6858 full true 95: Deborah D.E.E.P. Mouton – Black Chameleon: Memory, Womanhood, and Myth 95: Deborah D.E.E.P. Mouton – Black Chameleon: Memory, Womanhood, and Myth Interview begins @ 4:39

In today's episode, we examine the concept of myth and the oral tradition, focusing on the wisdom conveyed through stories in Black History across the Americas, particularly in the United States. Deborah DEEP Mouton masterfully creates and weaves stories from various mythologies of Black America and shares experiences from her own upbringing within her neighborhood and community. We begin by defining myth and exploring the significance of art in intertwining moral, religious, or philosophical messages with cultural values, customs, and history. We then discuss several myths featured in Deborah's book, "Black Chameleon," examining the intersection between universal human experiences and our individual personal development. Deborah shares examples from her book that illustrate some of the unique cultural aspects of Black womanhood. We delve into the unspoken connections between Black women, the character traits forged through struggle, and the concept of code-switching as an adaptive mechanism. Our conversation also touches on the cultural dynamics that both separated and united people, the gendered and racist structures present in religious and political systems, and the importance of creating new mythologies. We further discuss the impact of not seeing oneself reflected in the mythologies and religious systems of one's own tradition, revisionist American history, Black critical theory, and the multiple layers found within a story. Lastly, we address the topic of hair and the struggles faced by a young Black girl navigating societal expectations.

Bio:

Deborah D.E.E.P. Mouton is an internationally-known writer, educator, activist, performer, and the first Black Poet Laureate of Houston, Texas. Formerly ranked the #2 Best Female Performance Poet in the World (PSI), Her recent poetry collection, Newsworthy, garnered her a Pushcart nomination, was named a finalist for the 2019 Writer’s League of Texas Book Award, and received honorable mention for the Summerlee Book Prize. Its German translation, under the title "Berichtenswert," was released in Summer 2021 by Elif Verlag.  The opera, Marian’s Song, for which she wrote the libretto, debuted in 2020 to roaring reviews. 

Honored by Houston Business Journal as a part of their 2021 40 Under 40 class, D.E.E.P. has been a finalist for Texas State Poet Laureate, a Kennedy Center Citizen fellowship, and the prestigious Breadloaf Retreat. Her work has been highlighted and studied in Canada, England, New Zealand, and Germany. She performed as a part of the Kennedy Center's Arts Across America event. Named a Houston Artist Commissioning Project award winner by the Society for the Performing Arts Houston, her second book, Black Chameleon, is set to release in 2023 by Henry Holt & Co. 

 https://youtu.be/TLjhAHFUPMU
https://www.livelifedeep.com
Website for The Sacred Speaks:
http://www.thesacredspeaks.com

WATCH:
YouTube for The Sacred Speaks

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/

@thesacredspeaks

Twitter:
https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/

Brought to you by:
https://www.thecenterforhas.com

Theme music provided by:
http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> Interview begins @ 4:39

In today's episode, we examine the concept of myth and the oral tradition, focusing on the wisdom conveyed through stories in Black History across the Americas, particularly in the United States. Deborah DEEP Mouton masterfully creates and weaves stories from various mythologies of Black America and shares experiences from her own upbringing within her neighborhood and community. We begin by defining myth and exploring the significance of art in intertwining moral, religious, or philosophical messages with cultural values, customs, and history. We then discuss several myths featured in Deborah's book, "Black Chameleon," examining the intersection between universal human experiences and our individual personal development. Deborah shares examples from her book that illustrate some of the unique cultural aspects of Black womanhood. We delve into the unspoken connections between Black women, the character traits forged through struggle, and the concept of code-switching as an adaptive mechanism. Our conversation also touches on the cultural dynamics that both separated and united people, the gendered and racist structures present in religious and political systems, and the importance of creating new mythologies. We further discuss the impact of not seeing oneself reflected in the mythologies and religious systems of one's own tradition, revisionist American history, Black critical theory, and the multiple layers found within a story. Lastly, we address the topic of hair and the struggles faced by a young Black girl navigating societal expectations.

Bio:

Deborah D.E.E.P. Mouton is an internationally-known writer, educator, activist, performer, and the first Black Poet Laureate of Houston, Texas. Formerly ranked the #2 Best Female Performance Poet in the World (PSI), Her recent poetry collection, Newsworthy, garnered her a Pushcart nomination, was named a finalist for the 2019 Writer’s League of Texas Book Award, and received honorable mention for the Summerlee Book Prize. Its German translation, under the title "Berichtenswert," was released in Summer 2021 by Elif Verlag.  The opera, Marian’s Song, for which she wrote the libretto, debuted in 2020 to roaring reviews. 

Honored by Houston Business Journal as a part of their 2021 40 Under 40 class, D.E.E.P. has been a finalist for Texas State Poet Laureate, a Kennedy Center Citizen fellowship, and the prestigious Breadloaf Retreat. Her work has been highlighted and studied in Canada, England, New Zealand, and Germany. She performed as a part of the Kennedy Center's Arts Across America event. Named a Houston Artist Commissioning Project award winner by the Society for the Performing Arts Houston, her second book, Black Chameleon, is set to release in 2023 by Henry Holt & Co. 

 https://youtu.be/TLjhAHFUPMU
https://www.livelifedeep.com
Website for The Sacred Speaks:
http://www.thesacredspeaks.com

WATCH:
YouTube for The Sacred Speaks

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/

@thesacredspeaks

Twitter:
https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/

Brought to you by:
https://www.thecenterforhas.com

Theme music provided by:
http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> John Price Buzzsprout-12846334 Sun, 14 May 2023 21:00:00 -0500 6172 full false 94: Hunt Priest & Jessica Felix Romero – Ligare: Psychedelic Christians 94: Hunt Priest & Jessica Felix Romero – Ligare: Psychedelic Christians Interview begins @ 6:02

In this episode of The Sacred Speak podcast, we explore the potential of the Christian church as a sanctuary for psychedelic healing. Our guests, Hunt and Jessica, seek to reconnect the worlds of psychedelics and organized religion, addressing the misinformation that has driven them apart for the past 50 years. They assert that the church must prioritize healing and work to rectify the damage caused by this disconnect.

Throughout our discussion, we delve into the concept of the church as a nurturing environment for fostering profound experiences, self-love, and personal growth through the exploration of one's relationship with their body and the importance of firsthand experiences. We also lay the groundwork for defining a "psychedelic Christian" and how this integration could lead to a more comprehensive understanding of how a divine encounter can be paired with the Christian faith.

Recurring themes in this conversation include social justice within the psychedelic movement, the democratization of psychedelics, the significance of mystical experiences, embracing one's true self within small community groups, the power of honesty and truth in community settings, the church's role in healing, and the experiences of people of color within psychedelic communities. Join us as we examine this thought-provoking and transformative topic.

 Bio:

Hunt Priest is a priest in The Episcopal Church and the founding Executive Director of Ligare: A Christian Psychedelic Society, a non-profit network of Christian leaders educating themselves and those they lead about the intersection of open-hearted Christianity and the Psychedelic renaissance. A participant in a psilocybin study in early 2016, he had two life-changing mystical experiences under the care of a research team. His encounters with psilocybin opened him to the healing and consciousness-raising power of psychedelic medicines and changed the landscape of his work. Hunt believes the healing power of psychedelics should be in the toolkits of all who are healers of bodies, minds, and souls and can’t wait to be part of providing access for legal, safe, and guided experiences in a Christian setting. In April 2021 Hunt took an extended break from full-time parish ministry to expand his priesthood out into the emerging psychedelic landscape.

 Jessica Felix Romero has over 16 years of experience in social justice advocacy, organizing, and communications. With a doctorate in conflict analysis and resolution, she integrates holistic system analysis and transformative design to help nonprofits advance social change. She is Vice President & Chief Strategy and Impact Officer at Sojourners, a faith-inspired nonprofit that works with Christians to put their faith into action in the passionate pursuit of social justice, peace, and environmental stewardship.  Her current work explores the intersections of spirituality, ancestral wisdom, psychedelics, and Christianity. 

 www.ligare.org
www.sojo.net

 Website for The Sacred Speaks:
 http://www.thesacredspeaks.com

 WATCH:

 YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

 Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
@thesacredspeaks

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/

Brought to you by:
https://www.thecenterforhas.com

Theme music provided by:
http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> Interview begins @ 6:02

In this episode of The Sacred Speak podcast, we explore the potential of the Christian church as a sanctuary for psychedelic healing. Our guests, Hunt and Jessica, seek to reconnect the worlds of psychedelics and organized religion, addressing the misinformation that has driven them apart for the past 50 years. They assert that the church must prioritize healing and work to rectify the damage caused by this disconnect.

Throughout our discussion, we delve into the concept of the church as a nurturing environment for fostering profound experiences, self-love, and personal growth through the exploration of one's relationship with their body and the importance of firsthand experiences. We also lay the groundwork for defining a "psychedelic Christian" and how this integration could lead to a more comprehensive understanding of how a divine encounter can be paired with the Christian faith.

Recurring themes in this conversation include social justice within the psychedelic movement, the democratization of psychedelics, the significance of mystical experiences, embracing one's true self within small community groups, the power of honesty and truth in community settings, the church's role in healing, and the experiences of people of color within psychedelic communities. Join us as we examine this thought-provoking and transformative topic.

 Bio:

Hunt Priest is a priest in The Episcopal Church and the founding Executive Director of Ligare: A Christian Psychedelic Society, a non-profit network of Christian leaders educating themselves and those they lead about the intersection of open-hearted Christianity and the Psychedelic renaissance. A participant in a psilocybin study in early 2016, he had two life-changing mystical experiences under the care of a research team. His encounters with psilocybin opened him to the healing and consciousness-raising power of psychedelic medicines and changed the landscape of his work. Hunt believes the healing power of psychedelics should be in the toolkits of all who are healers of bodies, minds, and souls and can’t wait to be part of providing access for legal, safe, and guided experiences in a Christian setting. In April 2021 Hunt took an extended break from full-time parish ministry to expand his priesthood out into the emerging psychedelic landscape.

 Jessica Felix Romero has over 16 years of experience in social justice advocacy, organizing, and communications. With a doctorate in conflict analysis and resolution, she integrates holistic system analysis and transformative design to help nonprofits advance social change. She is Vice President & Chief Strategy and Impact Officer at Sojourners, a faith-inspired nonprofit that works with Christians to put their faith into action in the passionate pursuit of social justice, peace, and environmental stewardship.  Her current work explores the intersections of spirituality, ancestral wisdom, psychedelics, and Christianity. 

 www.ligare.org
www.sojo.net

 Website for The Sacred Speaks:
 http://www.thesacredspeaks.com

 WATCH:

 YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

 Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
@thesacredspeaks

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/

Brought to you by:
https://www.thecenterforhas.com

Theme music provided by:
http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> John Price Buzzsprout-12801315 Sun, 07 May 2023 15:00:00 -0500 6343 full true 93: Edward Bever – Magic in the Modern World 93: Edward Bever – Magic in the Modern World Interview begins @ 6:17

 In this episode of The Sacred Speaks, we delve into the multifaceted world of magic, exploring its neurological, spiritual, and cultural aspects. Dr. Bever, provides insights and expertise throughout our discussion. We begin with the question, "what is magic?" and Dr. Bever offers a definition of magic and shamanism, setting the stage for the rest of the conversation. As we discuss the interplay between magic and popular beliefs, including the rational and irrational, we examine how these shape our understanding of the world. We explore the impact of Descartes's ideas on dreams and dualism, and how they have influenced our worldviews and ways of thinking. Touching on the concept of suppressed knowledge in the context of magic, we delve into how it has been perceived historically. We further investigate the role of alternate states of consciousness in witchcraft trials and the blurred lines between religion and magic. Analyzing the theory of mind from a rationalistic perspective, we discuss how it relates to the controllable aspects of religion. We then examine the value and potential pitfalls associated with the concept of "experience" in religious contexts. Exploring the relationship between power dynamics and the practice of magic in society, we consider the impact of population size on the development and evolution of religious beliefs and practices. We discuss the role of prophets in contemporary religious movements and the challenges they face in today's society. Looking at the resurgence of esotericism and magic in modern times, we inquire into their relevance and significance. Finally, we venture into the world of the paranormal, discussing topics such as poltergeists and the role of narratives in shaping our understanding of truth. 

Bio:

Edward Bever earned a Ph.D. in History from Princeton University and is Professor of History and Director of the School of Professional Studies at SUNY Old Westbury.  He specializes in the history of magic and witchcraft; is the author of The Realities of Witchcraft and Popular Magic in Early Modern Europe: Culture, Cognition, and Everyday Life (2008) and co-editor of Magic in the Modern World: Strategies of Repression and Legitimization (2017); contributed chapters to the Oxford Handbook of Witchcraft in Early Modern Europe and Colonial America, The Routledge History of Witchcraft, and Emotions in the History of Witchcraft; and published articles on the topics in The Journal of Interdisciplinary History, the Journal of Social History, and Magic, Ritual, and Witchcraft.

Website for The Sacred Speaks: 

http://www.thesacredspeaks.com

WATCH:

 YouTube for The Sacred Speaks

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

Instagram: 

https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/

@thesacredspeaks

Twitter: 

https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

Facebook: 

https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/

Brought to you by: 

https://www.thecenterforhas.com

 Theme music provided by:

http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> Interview begins @ 6:17

 In this episode of The Sacred Speaks, we delve into the multifaceted world of magic, exploring its neurological, spiritual, and cultural aspects. Dr. Bever, provides insights and expertise throughout our discussion. We begin with the question, "what is magic?" and Dr. Bever offers a definition of magic and shamanism, setting the stage for the rest of the conversation. As we discuss the interplay between magic and popular beliefs, including the rational and irrational, we examine how these shape our understanding of the world. We explore the impact of Descartes's ideas on dreams and dualism, and how they have influenced our worldviews and ways of thinking. Touching on the concept of suppressed knowledge in the context of magic, we delve into how it has been perceived historically. We further investigate the role of alternate states of consciousness in witchcraft trials and the blurred lines between religion and magic. Analyzing the theory of mind from a rationalistic perspective, we discuss how it relates to the controllable aspects of religion. We then examine the value and potential pitfalls associated with the concept of "experience" in religious contexts. Exploring the relationship between power dynamics and the practice of magic in society, we consider the impact of population size on the development and evolution of religious beliefs and practices. We discuss the role of prophets in contemporary religious movements and the challenges they face in today's society. Looking at the resurgence of esotericism and magic in modern times, we inquire into their relevance and significance. Finally, we venture into the world of the paranormal, discussing topics such as poltergeists and the role of narratives in shaping our understanding of truth. 

Bio:

Edward Bever earned a Ph.D. in History from Princeton University and is Professor of History and Director of the School of Professional Studies at SUNY Old Westbury.  He specializes in the history of magic and witchcraft; is the author of The Realities of Witchcraft and Popular Magic in Early Modern Europe: Culture, Cognition, and Everyday Life (2008) and co-editor of Magic in the Modern World: Strategies of Repression and Legitimization (2017); contributed chapters to the Oxford Handbook of Witchcraft in Early Modern Europe and Colonial America, The Routledge History of Witchcraft, and Emotions in the History of Witchcraft; and published articles on the topics in The Journal of Interdisciplinary History, the Journal of Social History, and Magic, Ritual, and Witchcraft.

Website for The Sacred Speaks: 

http://www.thesacredspeaks.com

WATCH:

 YouTube for The Sacred Speaks

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

Instagram: 

https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/

@thesacredspeaks

Twitter: 

https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

Facebook: 

https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/

Brought to you by: 

https://www.thecenterforhas.com

 Theme music provided by:

http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> John Price Buzzsprout-12658349 Sun, 16 Apr 2023 22:00:00 -0500 7205 full false 92: Jeffrey Kripal – The Superhumanities: Historical Precedents, Moral Objections, New Realities. 92: Jeffrey Kripal – The Superhumanities: Historical Precedents, Moral Objections, New Realities. Interview begins @ 5:00

Scholars who investigate paranormal, religious, philosophical, metaphysical, and other similar topics fall under the umbrella of the humanities. However, many professors are hesitant to delve into topics that cannot be explained through empirical data or scientific methods. Cultural historian and scholar of religion at Rice University, Jeff Kripal, has dedicated much of his work to exploring these questions. In his latest book, "The Superhumanities," Kripal argues that the humanities must expand beyond their traditional scope and engage with supernatural and paranormal phenomena that challenge our understanding of what it means to be human. Kripal suggests that the people we revere in the humanities were "weird" and had altered states of consciousness, embodiment, precognitive dreams, out-of-body experiences, and mystical experiences of unity with the cosmos. He argues that these alternate states of consciousness and embodiments were, in fact, the origins of their thinking. To fully understand and appreciate the humanities, Kripal believes we must embrace the strange and eerie in our academic and cultural discussions. In this interview, Kripal discussed his new book and the significance of embracing unconventional phenomena in the humanities. The conversation covers a range of topics, including the fractals of social systems, psychotherapy as a means of adapting to a sick social system, listening to the symbolic communication from experiences of the paranormal, metaphysics and the U.F.O., the beauty of not knowing, Christianity and the paranormal, Christianity as a modernized sociological tribal container, black critical theory, feminist theory, psychoanalytic theory, queer theory, post-colonial theory, & ecocriticism, and gender and the modern world. 

 Bio:

Jeffrey J. Kripal is the Associate Dean of the School of Humanities and holds the J. Newton Rayzor Chair in Philosophy and Religious Thought at Rice University, where he chaired the Department of Religion for eight years and helped create the GEM Program, a doctoral concentration in the study of Gnosticism, Esotericism, and Mysticism that is the largest program of its kind in the world. He presently helps direct the Center for Theory and Research at the Esalen Institute in Big Sur, California, where he served as Chair of Board from 2015 to 2020. Jeff is the author or co-author of twelve books, eight of which are with The University of Chicago Press. He has also served as the Editor in Chief of the Macmillan Handbook Series on Religion (ten volumes, 2015-2016). He specializes in the study of extreme religious states and the re-visioning of a New Comparativism, particularly as both involve putting “the impossible” back on the academic table again. He is presently working on a three-volume study of paranormal currents in the history of religions and the sciences for The University of Chicago Press, collectively entitled The Super Story.

 https://jeffreyjkripal.com

 Website for The Sacred Speaks: 

 http://www.thesacredspeaks.com

 WATCH:

 YouTube for The Sacred Speaks

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/

@thesacredspeaks

Twitter:
https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/

Brought to you by:
https://www.thecenterforhas.com

 Theme music provided by:
http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> Interview begins @ 5:00

Scholars who investigate paranormal, religious, philosophical, metaphysical, and other similar topics fall under the umbrella of the humanities. However, many professors are hesitant to delve into topics that cannot be explained through empirical data or scientific methods. Cultural historian and scholar of religion at Rice University, Jeff Kripal, has dedicated much of his work to exploring these questions. In his latest book, "The Superhumanities," Kripal argues that the humanities must expand beyond their traditional scope and engage with supernatural and paranormal phenomena that challenge our understanding of what it means to be human. Kripal suggests that the people we revere in the humanities were "weird" and had altered states of consciousness, embodiment, precognitive dreams, out-of-body experiences, and mystical experiences of unity with the cosmos. He argues that these alternate states of consciousness and embodiments were, in fact, the origins of their thinking. To fully understand and appreciate the humanities, Kripal believes we must embrace the strange and eerie in our academic and cultural discussions. In this interview, Kripal discussed his new book and the significance of embracing unconventional phenomena in the humanities. The conversation covers a range of topics, including the fractals of social systems, psychotherapy as a means of adapting to a sick social system, listening to the symbolic communication from experiences of the paranormal, metaphysics and the U.F.O., the beauty of not knowing, Christianity and the paranormal, Christianity as a modernized sociological tribal container, black critical theory, feminist theory, psychoanalytic theory, queer theory, post-colonial theory, & ecocriticism, and gender and the modern world. 

 Bio:

Jeffrey J. Kripal is the Associate Dean of the School of Humanities and holds the J. Newton Rayzor Chair in Philosophy and Religious Thought at Rice University, where he chaired the Department of Religion for eight years and helped create the GEM Program, a doctoral concentration in the study of Gnosticism, Esotericism, and Mysticism that is the largest program of its kind in the world. He presently helps direct the Center for Theory and Research at the Esalen Institute in Big Sur, California, where he served as Chair of Board from 2015 to 2020. Jeff is the author or co-author of twelve books, eight of which are with The University of Chicago Press. He has also served as the Editor in Chief of the Macmillan Handbook Series on Religion (ten volumes, 2015-2016). He specializes in the study of extreme religious states and the re-visioning of a New Comparativism, particularly as both involve putting “the impossible” back on the academic table again. He is presently working on a three-volume study of paranormal currents in the history of religions and the sciences for The University of Chicago Press, collectively entitled The Super Story.

 https://jeffreyjkripal.com

 Website for The Sacred Speaks: 

 http://www.thesacredspeaks.com

 WATCH:

 YouTube for The Sacred Speaks

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/

@thesacredspeaks

Twitter:
https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/

Brought to you by:
https://www.thecenterforhas.com

 Theme music provided by:
http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> John Price Buzzsprout-12516835 Sun, 26 Mar 2023 11:00:00 -0500 5264 Jeff Kripal, The Sacred Speaks, Superhumanities, paranormal, podcast, interview, humanities, Rice University, religious studies, altered states of consciousness, metaphysics, UFO, critical theory, cultural history, mystical experiences, spirituality, supe full false 91: Richard Rohr– The Universal Christ; ego development, forgiveness, & non-dual consciousness 91: Richard Rohr– The Universal Christ; ego development, forgiveness, & non-dual consciousness Interview begins @ 4:06

Richard Rohr is a Franciscan friar, spiritual teacher, and founder of the Center for Action and Contemplation in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He is a well-known author and speaker on topics such as spirituality, mysticism, and Christian mysticism. In this interview Fr. Rohr and John begin by outlining the four worldviews that Richard identifies in the appendix of his book, The Universal Christ, they are material, spiritual, priestly, and incarnational – all of these highlighting the various ways in which matter and spirit are related and experienced. We continue exploring the first half of life or the ways that each of us adapt to our environment, a process that often results in wounding, religion’s role of helping each of us experience the whole of reality, and not simply reducing reality to it’s constituent parts, God as a name or face that we give to the nature of reality, Fr. Richard comments on his early formation as a priest and notes a few fortunate aspects of his childhood that contributed to his worldview of inherent goodness in the world, what he likes about being Catholic, the 1962/66 second Vatican council, the analogy between a wrathful god and one’s relationship to a punitive early family life, the mystical view of god, belonging systems and how they are valuable and can also be misused, homogony, self-criticism, proper containers for religious and philosophical formation, nondual consciousness and how thinking separates us from unitive consciousness, Fr. Rohr’s audience with Pope Francis, inclusivity and the church, the false self and development, initiation into the second half of life, fathering, men desiring to matter to their father, the practice of forgiveness, the “cult of innocence,” psychedelics, the repression of the sacrament, healthy containers, and psychedelics  as  a friend to religion.   

Bio:

Franciscan friar and ecumenical teacher, Father Richard Rohr bears witness to the deep wisdom of Christian mysticism and traditions of action and contemplation. Founder of the Center for Action and Contemplation, Father Richard teaches how God’s grace guides us to our birthright as beings made of Divine Love. He is the author of numerous books, including The Universal Christ, The Wisdom Pattern, Just This, and Falling Upward.

John’s Esalen Workshop: 


https://www.esalen.org/workshops/portals-and-pathways-ecstatic-experience-music-and-the-red-book-022723

Website for The Sacred Speaks: 

 http://www.thesacredspeaks.com 

WATCH:

 YouTube for The Sacred Speaks

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

 Instagram: 

https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/

@thesacredspeaks

Twitter: 

https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

Facebook: 

https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/

Brought to you by: 

https://www.thecenterforhas.com

 Theme music provided by:

http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> Interview begins @ 4:06

Richard Rohr is a Franciscan friar, spiritual teacher, and founder of the Center for Action and Contemplation in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He is a well-known author and speaker on topics such as spirituality, mysticism, and Christian mysticism. In this interview Fr. Rohr and John begin by outlining the four worldviews that Richard identifies in the appendix of his book, The Universal Christ, they are material, spiritual, priestly, and incarnational – all of these highlighting the various ways in which matter and spirit are related and experienced. We continue exploring the first half of life or the ways that each of us adapt to our environment, a process that often results in wounding, religion’s role of helping each of us experience the whole of reality, and not simply reducing reality to it’s constituent parts, God as a name or face that we give to the nature of reality, Fr. Richard comments on his early formation as a priest and notes a few fortunate aspects of his childhood that contributed to his worldview of inherent goodness in the world, what he likes about being Catholic, the 1962/66 second Vatican council, the analogy between a wrathful god and one’s relationship to a punitive early family life, the mystical view of god, belonging systems and how they are valuable and can also be misused, homogony, self-criticism, proper containers for religious and philosophical formation, nondual consciousness and how thinking separates us from unitive consciousness, Fr. Rohr’s audience with Pope Francis, inclusivity and the church, the false self and development, initiation into the second half of life, fathering, men desiring to matter to their father, the practice of forgiveness, the “cult of innocence,” psychedelics, the repression of the sacrament, healthy containers, and psychedelics  as  a friend to religion.   

Bio:

Franciscan friar and ecumenical teacher, Father Richard Rohr bears witness to the deep wisdom of Christian mysticism and traditions of action and contemplation. Founder of the Center for Action and Contemplation, Father Richard teaches how God’s grace guides us to our birthright as beings made of Divine Love. He is the author of numerous books, including The Universal Christ, The Wisdom Pattern, Just This, and Falling Upward.

John’s Esalen Workshop: 


https://www.esalen.org/workshops/portals-and-pathways-ecstatic-experience-music-and-the-red-book-022723

Website for The Sacred Speaks: 

 http://www.thesacredspeaks.com 

WATCH:

 YouTube for The Sacred Speaks

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

 Instagram: 

https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/

@thesacredspeaks

Twitter: 

https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

Facebook: 

https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/

Brought to you by: 

https://www.thecenterforhas.com

 Theme music provided by:

http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> Richard Rohr Buzzsprout-12284589 Sun, 19 Feb 2023 15:00:00 -0600 4278 #TheSacredSpeaks #RichardRohr #SpiritualityPodcast #Mysticism #ChristianMysticism #WisdomTeachings #ContemplativeLife #DivineLove #SpiritualJourney #Enneagram #CenteringPrayer #Transformation #FaithAndSpirituality #SpiritualGrowth #SpiritualInsights full false 90: Murray Stein – Jung’s Red Book For Our Time 90: Murray Stein – Jung’s Red Book For Our Time Interview begins @ 4:43

 The Red Book, also known as Liber Novus, is a manuscript created by Carl Jung between 1914 and 1930. It is a highly personal and symbolic work that documents Jung's exploration of his own psyche through active imagination and dream analysis. The book contains a wealth of material, including paintings and calligraphy, that Jung created as part of his self-exploration, and it is considered to be one of the most important works of Jung's career. The Red Book was not published during Jung's lifetime, but it was eventually edited and published posthumously in 2009. In this episode, Dr. Murray Stein and John discuss the impact of Liber Novus on the study of depth psychology and religion. We begin by exploring the anthology, Jung’s Red Book for Our Time: Searching for Soul under Postmodern Conditions, created and edited by today’s participant, Dr. Stein, and physicist, Dr. Thomas Arzt, who organized over seventy essays contributed to the process by various writers in the community of analytical psychology. We continue with the nature of Jung’s suffering expressed through the process of active imagination, we discuss what Liber Novus has done for the Jungian field, and we continue by identifying the practice of active imagination as the key method for self-knowledge, psychedelics and the unconscious, the ethical obligation following an encounter with the unconscious – whether through dream work, active imagination, psychedelics, incubation, or any other ecstatic experience -  depth psychology, the rational and irrational, alchemy and the unconscious, Dr. Stein explains the process of active imagination, mysteries traditions, Orphic tradition, subtle bodies and synchronicity, the encounter with Soul, and integrating the inferior function.  

 Bio:

 Dr. Stein is a graduate of Yale University (B.A. and M.Div.), the University of Chicago (Ph.D.), and the C.G. Jung Institute-Zurich (Diploma). He is a founding member of the Inter-Regional Society of Jungian Analysts and of the Chicago Society of Jungian Analysts. He has been the president of the International Association for Analytical Psychology (2001-4), and the President of The International School of Analytical Psychology-Zurich (2008-2012). 

http://murraystein.com

 Eranos Symposium 2022: 

 https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXkVRxhi1xeS3Mwomyoszk4VqO8m-jFwV

 John’s Esalen Workshop: 


https://www.esalen.org/workshops/portals-and-pathways-ecstatic-experience-music-and-the-red-book-022723

 Website for The Sacred Speaks: 

 http://www.thesacredspeaks.com

 WATCH:

 YouTube for The Sacred Speaks

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

 Instagram: 

https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/

@thesacredspeaks

Twitter: 

https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

Facebook: 

https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/

Brought to you by: 

https://www.thecenterforhas.com

 Theme music provided by:

http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> Interview begins @ 4:43

 The Red Book, also known as Liber Novus, is a manuscript created by Carl Jung between 1914 and 1930. It is a highly personal and symbolic work that documents Jung's exploration of his own psyche through active imagination and dream analysis. The book contains a wealth of material, including paintings and calligraphy, that Jung created as part of his self-exploration, and it is considered to be one of the most important works of Jung's career. The Red Book was not published during Jung's lifetime, but it was eventually edited and published posthumously in 2009. In this episode, Dr. Murray Stein and John discuss the impact of Liber Novus on the study of depth psychology and religion. We begin by exploring the anthology, Jung’s Red Book for Our Time: Searching for Soul under Postmodern Conditions, created and edited by today’s participant, Dr. Stein, and physicist, Dr. Thomas Arzt, who organized over seventy essays contributed to the process by various writers in the community of analytical psychology. We continue with the nature of Jung’s suffering expressed through the process of active imagination, we discuss what Liber Novus has done for the Jungian field, and we continue by identifying the practice of active imagination as the key method for self-knowledge, psychedelics and the unconscious, the ethical obligation following an encounter with the unconscious – whether through dream work, active imagination, psychedelics, incubation, or any other ecstatic experience -  depth psychology, the rational and irrational, alchemy and the unconscious, Dr. Stein explains the process of active imagination, mysteries traditions, Orphic tradition, subtle bodies and synchronicity, the encounter with Soul, and integrating the inferior function.  

 Bio:

 Dr. Stein is a graduate of Yale University (B.A. and M.Div.), the University of Chicago (Ph.D.), and the C.G. Jung Institute-Zurich (Diploma). He is a founding member of the Inter-Regional Society of Jungian Analysts and of the Chicago Society of Jungian Analysts. He has been the president of the International Association for Analytical Psychology (2001-4), and the President of The International School of Analytical Psychology-Zurich (2008-2012). 

http://murraystein.com

 Eranos Symposium 2022: 

 https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXkVRxhi1xeS3Mwomyoszk4VqO8m-jFwV

 John’s Esalen Workshop: 


https://www.esalen.org/workshops/portals-and-pathways-ecstatic-experience-music-and-the-red-book-022723

 Website for The Sacred Speaks: 

 http://www.thesacredspeaks.com

 WATCH:

 YouTube for The Sacred Speaks

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

 Instagram: 

https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/

@thesacredspeaks

Twitter: 

https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

Facebook: 

https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/

Brought to you by: 

https://www.thecenterforhas.com

 Theme music provided by:

http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> John Price/Murray Stein Buzzsprout-12068466 Wed, 18 Jan 2023 08:00:00 -0600 4072 full false 89: Miles Neale – Coming down from the mountaintop 89: Miles Neale – Coming down from the mountaintop Interview begins @ 8:08

Today Dr. Miles Neale and Dr. John explore “ego death”, and a few issues with this language, we continue discussing the nature of the ego, the Buddhist frame for soul, returning from the mountaintop or a break-through experience, nondualism, Miles reveals several of his transcendent experiences and also a personal experience with death, “cheap” nondualism, addiction to the nondual, spiritual bypassing, grief, experiencing death, trauma and the unconscious, the healing relationship between teacher and student, holding suffering, the ego’s avoidance, guru devotion, pilgrimage, psychedelic experience, sacred journeys, and we finish with Tibetan Buddhism and the infrastructure of the return from the “mountaintop”.

 

Bio:

Dr. Miles Neale, PsyD, is a Buddhist psychotherapist in private practice, founder of the Contemplative Studies Program, international speaker, and host of the Wisdom Keeper Podcast. He has taught psychology and meditation at prestigious university hospitals including Harvard, Columbia, and Cornell. Author of Gradual Awakening (Sounds True, 2018) and co-editor of Advances in Contemplative Psychotherapy (Routledge, 2017), Miles is currently writing his next book Return with Elixir: Journey of Conscious Death and Rebirth (Inner Traditions, 2023). With more than twenty years integrating the mind science of Tibetan Buddhism with psychology, trauma research, neuroscience, and mythology, Miles is a forerunner in the emerging field of contemplative psychotherapy, and leads pilgrimages around the Buddhist world.

https://www.milesneale.com

John’s Esalen Workshop: 


https://www.esalen.org/workshops/portals-and-pathways-ecstatic-experience-music-and-the-red-book-022723

 Website for The Sacred Speaks: 

 http://www.thesacredspeaks.com

 WATCH:

 YouTube for The Sacred Speaks

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

 Instagram: 

https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/

@thesacredspeaks

Twitter: 

https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

Facebook: 

https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/

Brought to you by: 

https://www.thecenterforhas.com

 Theme music provided by:

http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> Interview begins @ 8:08

Today Dr. Miles Neale and Dr. John explore “ego death”, and a few issues with this language, we continue discussing the nature of the ego, the Buddhist frame for soul, returning from the mountaintop or a break-through experience, nondualism, Miles reveals several of his transcendent experiences and also a personal experience with death, “cheap” nondualism, addiction to the nondual, spiritual bypassing, grief, experiencing death, trauma and the unconscious, the healing relationship between teacher and student, holding suffering, the ego’s avoidance, guru devotion, pilgrimage, psychedelic experience, sacred journeys, and we finish with Tibetan Buddhism and the infrastructure of the return from the “mountaintop”.

 

Bio:

Dr. Miles Neale, PsyD, is a Buddhist psychotherapist in private practice, founder of the Contemplative Studies Program, international speaker, and host of the Wisdom Keeper Podcast. He has taught psychology and meditation at prestigious university hospitals including Harvard, Columbia, and Cornell. Author of Gradual Awakening (Sounds True, 2018) and co-editor of Advances in Contemplative Psychotherapy (Routledge, 2017), Miles is currently writing his next book Return with Elixir: Journey of Conscious Death and Rebirth (Inner Traditions, 2023). With more than twenty years integrating the mind science of Tibetan Buddhism with psychology, trauma research, neuroscience, and mythology, Miles is a forerunner in the emerging field of contemplative psychotherapy, and leads pilgrimages around the Buddhist world.

https://www.milesneale.com

John’s Esalen Workshop: 


https://www.esalen.org/workshops/portals-and-pathways-ecstatic-experience-music-and-the-red-book-022723

 Website for The Sacred Speaks: 

 http://www.thesacredspeaks.com

 WATCH:

 YouTube for The Sacred Speaks

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

 Instagram: 

https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/

@thesacredspeaks

Twitter: 

https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

Facebook: 

https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/

Brought to you by: 

https://www.thecenterforhas.com

 Theme music provided by:

http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> John Price/ Miles Neale Buzzsprout-11965738 Mon, 02 Jan 2023 13:00:00 -0600 7515 mysticism, psychology, death, psychedelics, pilgrimage full false 88: Stephen Gray – How Psychedelics Can Help Save The World: Visionary and Indigenous Voices Speak Out 88: Stephen Gray – How Psychedelics Can Help Save The World: Visionary and Indigenous Voices Speak Out Conversation starts @ 4:36

 In this episode I meet with Dr. Stephen Gray to discuss his latest book, How Psychedelics Can Help Save The World: Visionary and Indigenous Voices Speak Out. We begin by noting the cultural and individual issues that that psychedelic medicine is positioned to treat, we continue with the ways that we have lost our mythic and symbolic root and religious systems, overpopulation, planetary sickness, the universality of change and transformation, the Dunbar number and social systems, the nature of these reality revealing medicines, explore indigenous traditions as revelatory to the hegemony, healing cultural wounds, cultural dynamics exposed by psychedelic practice, psychedelic capitalism, medical and pharma intervention with psychedelics, the lost Mystery Schools, trusting what is, surrender as an attitude nourished by working with entheogens, and more.

 Bio:

 Stephen has been involved in spiritual work and psychedelics for 50 years. This includes more than 20 years as a student and occasional teacher of Tibetan Buddhism; a dozen years actively involved with Native American Church peyote prayer ceremonies; “guest” membership in the ayahuasca-using Santo Daime Church, and experience with a number of other entheogens.

He is also the author of Returning to Sacred World: A Spiritual Toolkit for the Emerging Reality, and editor as well as one of 18 contributors to the popular Cannabis and Spirituality: An Explorer’s Guide to an Ancient Plant Spirit Ally. Stephen teaches people about the spiritual benefits of intentional cannabis use and conduct cannabis meditation and sound-journeying ceremonies.

Perhaps most relevant to the mission of StephenGray Vision, for the past 10 years, he’s co-organized the influential Spirit Plant Medicine Conference in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. That work has connected him to dozens of remarkable spokespeople on behalf of the skillful understanding and use of psychedelic/entheogenic sacramental medicines. 

 https://www.stephengrayvision.com

 John’s Esalen Workshop: 

https://www.esalen.org/workshops/portals-and-pathways-ecstatic-experience-music-and-the-red-book-022723

 Website for The Sacred Speaks: 

 http://www.thesacredspeaks.com

 WATCH:

 YouTube for The Sacred Speaks

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/

@thesacredspeaks

Twitter: https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/

Brought to you by: https://www.thecenterforhas.com

 Theme music provided by: http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> Conversation starts @ 4:36

 In this episode I meet with Dr. Stephen Gray to discuss his latest book, How Psychedelics Can Help Save The World: Visionary and Indigenous Voices Speak Out. We begin by noting the cultural and individual issues that that psychedelic medicine is positioned to treat, we continue with the ways that we have lost our mythic and symbolic root and religious systems, overpopulation, planetary sickness, the universality of change and transformation, the Dunbar number and social systems, the nature of these reality revealing medicines, explore indigenous traditions as revelatory to the hegemony, healing cultural wounds, cultural dynamics exposed by psychedelic practice, psychedelic capitalism, medical and pharma intervention with psychedelics, the lost Mystery Schools, trusting what is, surrender as an attitude nourished by working with entheogens, and more.

 Bio:

 Stephen has been involved in spiritual work and psychedelics for 50 years. This includes more than 20 years as a student and occasional teacher of Tibetan Buddhism; a dozen years actively involved with Native American Church peyote prayer ceremonies; “guest” membership in the ayahuasca-using Santo Daime Church, and experience with a number of other entheogens.

He is also the author of Returning to Sacred World: A Spiritual Toolkit for the Emerging Reality, and editor as well as one of 18 contributors to the popular Cannabis and Spirituality: An Explorer’s Guide to an Ancient Plant Spirit Ally. Stephen teaches people about the spiritual benefits of intentional cannabis use and conduct cannabis meditation and sound-journeying ceremonies.

Perhaps most relevant to the mission of StephenGray Vision, for the past 10 years, he’s co-organized the influential Spirit Plant Medicine Conference in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. That work has connected him to dozens of remarkable spokespeople on behalf of the skillful understanding and use of psychedelic/entheogenic sacramental medicines. 

 https://www.stephengrayvision.com

 John’s Esalen Workshop: 

https://www.esalen.org/workshops/portals-and-pathways-ecstatic-experience-music-and-the-red-book-022723

 Website for The Sacred Speaks: 

 http://www.thesacredspeaks.com

 WATCH:

 YouTube for The Sacred Speaks

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/

@thesacredspeaks

Twitter: https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/

Brought to you by: https://www.thecenterforhas.com

 Theme music provided by: http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> John Price Buzzsprout-11780249 Tue, 29 Nov 2022 06:00:00 -0600 6751 full false 87: Wouter Hanegraaff – Hermetic Spirituality and The Historical Imagination: Altered States of Knowledge in Late Antiquity 87: Wouter Hanegraaff – Hermetic Spirituality and The Historical Imagination: Altered States of Knowledge in Late Antiquity Conversation starts @ 5:47

Hermes Trismegistus was believed to be one of the wise men of his time, and a study of his texts reveals, not a general philosophy, but a spiritual path for initiates who seek to achieve gnosis by direct acquaintance of the true nature of reality as we experience it. Dr. Wouter Hanegraaff begins this analysis by guiding us into the four-core dimension of his book, Hermeticism, spirituality, historical imagination, and altered states of knowledge. All of this knowledge circulated through small groups of people beginning in the first century A.D. 

 Wouter explains how he landed a position as The University of Amsterdam chair of Hermeticism, and then began to “map” the field of esoterism, the two poles of his academic interests are Hermeticism and esotericism. We discuss the nature of esotericism, rejected forms of knowledge, monotheism and exclusion, the shadow of the collective, Isaac Newton’s heresy, Western exclusion, nonduality, the experiential nature of spiritual practice, Diotima - the female visionary who taught Socrates, drugs in the ancient world, The East and the irrational, academic ideological orientation to Greek as rational, misunderstanding and misinterpretation of antiquity, gender, the spiritual nature of rebirth, life and death, immortality and “The Flip,” shoutout to Miles Neale and Jeff Kripal, music and the cosmos, tones and chanting, initiation, apprenticeship, magic, therapy, and more.   

 Bio:

 Wouter J. Hanegraaff is Professor of History of Hermetic Philosophy and Related Currents at the University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands, a member of the Royal Dutch Academy of Arts and Sciences, as well as past President and now honorary member of the European Society for the Study of Western Esotericism. Alongside numerous articles, he is the author of New Age Religion and Western Culture: Esotericism in the Mirror of Secular Thought (Leiden 1996/Albany 1998); Lodovico Lazzarelli (1447-1500): The Hermetic Writings and Related Documents (Tempe 2005; with Ruud M. Bouthoorn); Swedenborg, Oetinger, Kant: Three Perspectives on the Secrets of Heaven (West Chester 2007); Esotericism and the Academy: Rejected Knowledge in Western Culture (Cambridge 2012); and Western Esotericism: A Guide for the Perplexed (London 2013). He has (co)edited eight collective volumes, including the 1200-page Dictionary of Gnosis and Western Esotericism (Leiden 2005) and Hidden Intercourse: Eros and Sexuality in the History of Western Esotericism (New York 2011; with Jeffrey J. Kripal). His most recent monograph Hermetic Spirituality and the Historical Imagination: Altered States of Knowledge in Late Antiquity is forthcoming with Cambridge University Press in 2022. His current projects are focused on the history of consciousness in German Idealism and  Romanticism, and the role of the imagination in Western culture.

 https://www.wouterjhanegraaff.net

 Website for The Sacred Speaks: 

 http://www.thesacredspeaks.com

 WATCH:

 YouTube for The Sacred Speaks

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

 Instagram: 

https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/

@thesacredspeaks

Twitter: 

https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

Facebook: 

https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/

Brought to you by: 

https://www.thecenterforhas.com

 Theme music provided by:

http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> Conversation starts @ 5:47

Hermes Trismegistus was believed to be one of the wise men of his time, and a study of his texts reveals, not a general philosophy, but a spiritual path for initiates who seek to achieve gnosis by direct acquaintance of the true nature of reality as we experience it. Dr. Wouter Hanegraaff begins this analysis by guiding us into the four-core dimension of his book, Hermeticism, spirituality, historical imagination, and altered states of knowledge. All of this knowledge circulated through small groups of people beginning in the first century A.D. 

 Wouter explains how he landed a position as The University of Amsterdam chair of Hermeticism, and then began to “map” the field of esoterism, the two poles of his academic interests are Hermeticism and esotericism. We discuss the nature of esotericism, rejected forms of knowledge, monotheism and exclusion, the shadow of the collective, Isaac Newton’s heresy, Western exclusion, nonduality, the experiential nature of spiritual practice, Diotima - the female visionary who taught Socrates, drugs in the ancient world, The East and the irrational, academic ideological orientation to Greek as rational, misunderstanding and misinterpretation of antiquity, gender, the spiritual nature of rebirth, life and death, immortality and “The Flip,” shoutout to Miles Neale and Jeff Kripal, music and the cosmos, tones and chanting, initiation, apprenticeship, magic, therapy, and more.   

 Bio:

 Wouter J. Hanegraaff is Professor of History of Hermetic Philosophy and Related Currents at the University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands, a member of the Royal Dutch Academy of Arts and Sciences, as well as past President and now honorary member of the European Society for the Study of Western Esotericism. Alongside numerous articles, he is the author of New Age Religion and Western Culture: Esotericism in the Mirror of Secular Thought (Leiden 1996/Albany 1998); Lodovico Lazzarelli (1447-1500): The Hermetic Writings and Related Documents (Tempe 2005; with Ruud M. Bouthoorn); Swedenborg, Oetinger, Kant: Three Perspectives on the Secrets of Heaven (West Chester 2007); Esotericism and the Academy: Rejected Knowledge in Western Culture (Cambridge 2012); and Western Esotericism: A Guide for the Perplexed (London 2013). He has (co)edited eight collective volumes, including the 1200-page Dictionary of Gnosis and Western Esotericism (Leiden 2005) and Hidden Intercourse: Eros and Sexuality in the History of Western Esotericism (New York 2011; with Jeffrey J. Kripal). His most recent monograph Hermetic Spirituality and the Historical Imagination: Altered States of Knowledge in Late Antiquity is forthcoming with Cambridge University Press in 2022. His current projects are focused on the history of consciousness in German Idealism and  Romanticism, and the role of the imagination in Western culture.

 https://www.wouterjhanegraaff.net

 Website for The Sacred Speaks: 

 http://www.thesacredspeaks.com

 WATCH:

 YouTube for The Sacred Speaks

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

 Instagram: 

https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/

@thesacredspeaks

Twitter: 

https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

Facebook: 

https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/

Brought to you by: 

https://www.thecenterforhas.com

 Theme music provided by:

http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> https://www.thesacredspeaks.com John Price/Wouter Hanegraaff Buzzsprout-11585785 Fri, 28 Oct 2022 07:00:00 -0500 10642 consciousness, spirituality, Hermetica, Jung, Jungian, religion, mysticism, depth psychology full true 86: Sean Manseau – A.P. Psychedelics: Going Beyond Set and Setting to Achieve Visionary Virtuosity 86: Sean Manseau – A.P. Psychedelics: Going Beyond Set and Setting to Achieve Visionary Virtuosity Conversation starts @ 6:31

 We begin with a discussion of Sean’s shift of consciousness during a psychedelic experience at a young age wherein he could map his experience onto what the traditions of chaos theory and Aldous Huxley’s perennial philosophy explained. Following this experience and at the suggestion of a professor of mysticism, Sean followed the thread to help with his integration. With a deep history as a psychonaut combined with Sean’s interest is in music and pop culture he therefore approaches the material of psychedelic experience from a different lens than one that we hear from traditional academia. Sean integrated his personal experimentation in both magic and psychedelics into a particular ceremony inspired by the archetype of the magician as imaged by David Bowie. Sean notes that when working with the medicine of mushrooms he experienced an archetypal messianic shift and worked to make sense of what Jung called, “holding the tension of the opposites” – not fully identifying with this experience, though not writing it off either. The middle path. We offer a disclaimer for the healthy use of psychedelics, noting how overwhelming these substances can be and the necessity to approach the use of these sacramental substances with care and reverence. We discuss cancel culture, anti-fragility, high-dose psilocybin practice, ceremonial magic, repurposing the energy of popular culture to help bring in awareness of the sacred, and more.

Bio:

Sean Manseau was born in Boston, MA, the son of a married Roman Catholic priest and a former Sister of St. Joseph. At various points he has been a mall janitor, a lounge act guitarist, a failed paratrooper, a San Francisco bike messenger, a video game animator, a Muay Thai instructor, homeless, an East Village NYC bartender, a failed novelist, a gym owner, and a video game industry executive. In addition to A.P. Psychedelics: Going Beyond Set and Setting to Achieve Visionary Virtuosity, he is the author of the spiritual autobiography Spotify the Gnostics, Here's the First Church of David Bowie, the coaching manual By the Numbers: A Practical Method for Instructing Multi-Modal GPP Training, the novel Lapdance, and the short story collection You Are Not a Planet and Other Stories. He lives in Portland, OR, with his dog Jones.

 to purchase book: 

 https://www.amazon.com/P-Psychedelics-Setting-Visionary-Virtuosity/dp/B09X35NDQF/ref=sr_1_2?crid=34QIVK0FPWPW8&keywords=a.p.+psychedelics&qid=1664877430&qu=eyJxc2MiOiIwLjAwIiwicXNhIjoiMC4wMCIsInFzcCI6IjAuMDAifQ%3D%3D&sprefix=a.p.+psychedelics%2Caps%2C87&sr=8-2

 ]Website for The Sacred Speaks: 

 http://www.thesacredspeaks.com

 WATCH:

 YouTube for The Sacred Speaks

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

 Instagram: 

https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/

@thesacredspeaks

Twitter: 

https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

Facebook: 

https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/

Brought to you by: 

https://www.thecenterforhas.com

 Theme music provided by:

http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> Conversation starts @ 6:31

 We begin with a discussion of Sean’s shift of consciousness during a psychedelic experience at a young age wherein he could map his experience onto what the traditions of chaos theory and Aldous Huxley’s perennial philosophy explained. Following this experience and at the suggestion of a professor of mysticism, Sean followed the thread to help with his integration. With a deep history as a psychonaut combined with Sean’s interest is in music and pop culture he therefore approaches the material of psychedelic experience from a different lens than one that we hear from traditional academia. Sean integrated his personal experimentation in both magic and psychedelics into a particular ceremony inspired by the archetype of the magician as imaged by David Bowie. Sean notes that when working with the medicine of mushrooms he experienced an archetypal messianic shift and worked to make sense of what Jung called, “holding the tension of the opposites” – not fully identifying with this experience, though not writing it off either. The middle path. We offer a disclaimer for the healthy use of psychedelics, noting how overwhelming these substances can be and the necessity to approach the use of these sacramental substances with care and reverence. We discuss cancel culture, anti-fragility, high-dose psilocybin practice, ceremonial magic, repurposing the energy of popular culture to help bring in awareness of the sacred, and more.

Bio:

Sean Manseau was born in Boston, MA, the son of a married Roman Catholic priest and a former Sister of St. Joseph. At various points he has been a mall janitor, a lounge act guitarist, a failed paratrooper, a San Francisco bike messenger, a video game animator, a Muay Thai instructor, homeless, an East Village NYC bartender, a failed novelist, a gym owner, and a video game industry executive. In addition to A.P. Psychedelics: Going Beyond Set and Setting to Achieve Visionary Virtuosity, he is the author of the spiritual autobiography Spotify the Gnostics, Here's the First Church of David Bowie, the coaching manual By the Numbers: A Practical Method for Instructing Multi-Modal GPP Training, the novel Lapdance, and the short story collection You Are Not a Planet and Other Stories. He lives in Portland, OR, with his dog Jones.

 to purchase book: 

 https://www.amazon.com/P-Psychedelics-Setting-Visionary-Virtuosity/dp/B09X35NDQF/ref=sr_1_2?crid=34QIVK0FPWPW8&keywords=a.p.+psychedelics&qid=1664877430&qu=eyJxc2MiOiIwLjAwIiwicXNhIjoiMC4wMCIsInFzcCI6IjAuMDAifQ%3D%3D&sprefix=a.p.+psychedelics%2Caps%2C87&sr=8-2

 ]Website for The Sacred Speaks: 

 http://www.thesacredspeaks.com

 WATCH:

 YouTube for The Sacred Speaks

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

 Instagram: 

https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/

@thesacredspeaks

Twitter: 

https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

Facebook: 

https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/

Brought to you by: 

https://www.thecenterforhas.com

 Theme music provided by:

http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> John Price/Sean Manseau Buzzsprout-11442453 Wed, 05 Oct 2022 06:00:00 -0500 6892 full true 85: Michael Winkelman – Shamanism: A Biopsychosocial Paradigm of Consciousness & Healing 85: Michael Winkelman – Shamanism: A Biopsychosocial Paradigm of Consciousness & Healing  Conversation starts @ 8:25

Dr. Michael Winkelman and Dr. John Price explore the void experience of introverted mysticism and the narratives expressed in extroverted mysticism (and what are the differences?), spiritual practice and psychedelic use in youth, recreational vs. religious use of these substances, a session with the Mazatec healer, Maria Sabina, in his youth, we discuss the tendency toward reductionism when using a physiological lens to explain the phenomenology of consciousness, describe the neurophenomonological experience of the spirit world, extrasensory perceptions and the brain, what is real?, naive materialism, group consciousness and the development of religion and the religious impulse, belonging, religion and social control, symbol use and group dynamics, religious groups and social connections, western medicine, ritual in healing, placebo effect, cross-cultural analysis of shamanism, priests & witches. 


 Bio:
 Michael Winkelman, PhD, University of California–Irvine; MPH, University of Arizona, retired from the School of Human Evolution and Social Change at Arizona State University in 2009. Winkelman has engaged in cross-cultural and interdisciplinary research on shamanism, psychedelics, and altered states of consciousness, focusing principally on the universal patterns of shamanism and identifying the associated biological bases. His publications on shamanism include Shamans, Priests and Witches (1992), which provides a cross-cultural examination of the nature of shamanism; and Shamanism: A Biopsychosocial Paradigm of Consciousness and Healing (2nd ed., 2010). Shamanism provides a biogenetic model of shamanism that explains the evolutionary origins of spiritual healing in ancient ritual capacities. This biogenetic approach is expanded in an assessment of the evolutionary origins of religion in his co-authored Supernatural as Natural. These approaches provide a framework for understanding the contribution of psychedelics to the evolution of the human mind and social relations and their continued application in healing. Winkelman served as an expert witness for the defense in the Santo Daime case against the U.S. federal government, which won their right of religious freedom to use of ayahuasca as a sacrament. Winkelman received a Fulbright Fellowship for research on the health of ayahuasca church members in Brazil during 2009.

 https://michaelwinkelman.com

 Articles:
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Michael-Winkelman
to purchase book:
http://www.abc-clio.com/ABC-CLIOCorporate/product.aspx?pc=A2593C
Referenced resources:
https://www.ligare.org
Website for The Sacred Speaks:
http://www.thesacredspeaks.com
WATCH
YouTube for The Sacred Speaks
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7R
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
@thesacredspeaks
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/
Brought to you by:
https://www.thecenterforhas.com
Theme music provided by:
http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]>  Conversation starts @ 8:25

Dr. Michael Winkelman and Dr. John Price explore the void experience of introverted mysticism and the narratives expressed in extroverted mysticism (and what are the differences?), spiritual practice and psychedelic use in youth, recreational vs. religious use of these substances, a session with the Mazatec healer, Maria Sabina, in his youth, we discuss the tendency toward reductionism when using a physiological lens to explain the phenomenology of consciousness, describe the neurophenomonological experience of the spirit world, extrasensory perceptions and the brain, what is real?, naive materialism, group consciousness and the development of religion and the religious impulse, belonging, religion and social control, symbol use and group dynamics, religious groups and social connections, western medicine, ritual in healing, placebo effect, cross-cultural analysis of shamanism, priests & witches. 


 Bio:
 Michael Winkelman, PhD, University of California–Irvine; MPH, University of Arizona, retired from the School of Human Evolution and Social Change at Arizona State University in 2009. Winkelman has engaged in cross-cultural and interdisciplinary research on shamanism, psychedelics, and altered states of consciousness, focusing principally on the universal patterns of shamanism and identifying the associated biological bases. His publications on shamanism include Shamans, Priests and Witches (1992), which provides a cross-cultural examination of the nature of shamanism; and Shamanism: A Biopsychosocial Paradigm of Consciousness and Healing (2nd ed., 2010). Shamanism provides a biogenetic model of shamanism that explains the evolutionary origins of spiritual healing in ancient ritual capacities. This biogenetic approach is expanded in an assessment of the evolutionary origins of religion in his co-authored Supernatural as Natural. These approaches provide a framework for understanding the contribution of psychedelics to the evolution of the human mind and social relations and their continued application in healing. Winkelman served as an expert witness for the defense in the Santo Daime case against the U.S. federal government, which won their right of religious freedom to use of ayahuasca as a sacrament. Winkelman received a Fulbright Fellowship for research on the health of ayahuasca church members in Brazil during 2009.

 https://michaelwinkelman.com

 Articles:
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Michael-Winkelman
to purchase book:
http://www.abc-clio.com/ABC-CLIOCorporate/product.aspx?pc=A2593C
Referenced resources:
https://www.ligare.org
Website for The Sacred Speaks:
http://www.thesacredspeaks.com
WATCH
YouTube for The Sacred Speaks
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7R
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
@thesacredspeaks
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/
Brought to you by:
https://www.thecenterforhas.com
Theme music provided by:
http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> John Price/Michael Winkelman Buzzsprout-11353435 Tue, 20 Sep 2022 11:00:00 -0500 7167 consciousness, shamanism, psychedelics, entheogens, mysticism full false 84: Bill Barnard – Liquid Light: Ayahuasca Spirituality and The Santo Daime Tradition. 84: Bill Barnard – Liquid Light: Ayahuasca Spirituality and The Santo Daime Tradition. Conversation starts @ 4:15

 The Santo Daime, a syncretistic tradition including parts of indigenous South American religion, African folk traditions, and Catholicism, is a new religion as of the early 20th century. All of this to say that in this conversation, we are invited into a deep dive to explore the nature and formation of religion in general as we look at the specifics of a sacred ayahuasca-based new religious tradition. We begin with Dr. Barnard’s first-person experience within The Santo Daime, which is a real treat given that, as a professor of religious studies, he is quite experienced evaluating, comparing, & exploring religion and religious traditions from the third person, though in Liquid Light we benefit from his history as a comparativist, who analyzes his own tradition. In modern studies we often learn of first-person experiences with ayahuasca – the images, the process, the purging, though we do not often get a glimpse into the religion itself. Today’s conversation explores these dimensions of ayahuasca and more, including the formation of the religion, the institution, the preparation of the sacramental substance, philosophical interpretations, metaphysics, an exploration of religious studies and comparativism, divinity with The Santo Daime, Christ Consciousness, panpsychism, William James, & mystical experiences - we end by briefly questioning the ontological nature of the Other, though read the book and take a deep dive into mediumship and encountering the More. 

 Bio:

G. William (Bill) Barnard is a Professor of Religious Studies, as well as a University Distinguished Teaching Professor, at Southern Methodist University, in Dallas, Texas. His primary areas of research interests are the comparative philosophy of mysticism, religion and the social sciences, contemporary spirituality, religion and healing, and consciousness studies. For over 15 years (including his ongoing study of Portuguese), Professor Barnard has researched the Santo Daime tradition, a syncretistic, entheogenically-based new religious movement that emerged in Brazil in the mid-twentieth century. Professor Barnard is the author of Living Consciousness: The Metaphysical Vision of Henri Bergson as well as Exploring Unseen Worlds: William James and the Philosophy of Mysticism, both published by State University of New York Press. In addition, Professor Barnard is the co-editor of Crossing Boundaries: Essays on the Ethical Status of Mysticism. Professor Barnard has also written many journal articles and book chapters on a variety of topics, such as pedagogy in religious studies, the nature of religious experience, issues in the psychology of religion, and most recently, entheogenic religions and spirituality.

 https://liquidlightbook.com

 Website for The Sacred Speaks: 

 http://www.thesacredspeaks.com

 WATCH:

 YouTube for The Sacred Speaks

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

 Instagram: 

https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/

@thesacredspeaks

Twitter: 

https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

Facebook: 

https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/

Brought to you by: 

https://www.thecenterforhas.com

 Theme music provided by:

http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> Conversation starts @ 4:15

 The Santo Daime, a syncretistic tradition including parts of indigenous South American religion, African folk traditions, and Catholicism, is a new religion as of the early 20th century. All of this to say that in this conversation, we are invited into a deep dive to explore the nature and formation of religion in general as we look at the specifics of a sacred ayahuasca-based new religious tradition. We begin with Dr. Barnard’s first-person experience within The Santo Daime, which is a real treat given that, as a professor of religious studies, he is quite experienced evaluating, comparing, & exploring religion and religious traditions from the third person, though in Liquid Light we benefit from his history as a comparativist, who analyzes his own tradition. In modern studies we often learn of first-person experiences with ayahuasca – the images, the process, the purging, though we do not often get a glimpse into the religion itself. Today’s conversation explores these dimensions of ayahuasca and more, including the formation of the religion, the institution, the preparation of the sacramental substance, philosophical interpretations, metaphysics, an exploration of religious studies and comparativism, divinity with The Santo Daime, Christ Consciousness, panpsychism, William James, & mystical experiences - we end by briefly questioning the ontological nature of the Other, though read the book and take a deep dive into mediumship and encountering the More. 

 Bio:

G. William (Bill) Barnard is a Professor of Religious Studies, as well as a University Distinguished Teaching Professor, at Southern Methodist University, in Dallas, Texas. His primary areas of research interests are the comparative philosophy of mysticism, religion and the social sciences, contemporary spirituality, religion and healing, and consciousness studies. For over 15 years (including his ongoing study of Portuguese), Professor Barnard has researched the Santo Daime tradition, a syncretistic, entheogenically-based new religious movement that emerged in Brazil in the mid-twentieth century. Professor Barnard is the author of Living Consciousness: The Metaphysical Vision of Henri Bergson as well as Exploring Unseen Worlds: William James and the Philosophy of Mysticism, both published by State University of New York Press. In addition, Professor Barnard is the co-editor of Crossing Boundaries: Essays on the Ethical Status of Mysticism. Professor Barnard has also written many journal articles and book chapters on a variety of topics, such as pedagogy in religious studies, the nature of religious experience, issues in the psychology of religion, and most recently, entheogenic religions and spirituality.

 https://liquidlightbook.com

 Website for The Sacred Speaks: 

 http://www.thesacredspeaks.com

 WATCH:

 YouTube for The Sacred Speaks

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

 Instagram: 

https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/

@thesacredspeaks

Twitter: 

https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

Facebook: 

https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/

Brought to you by: 

https://www.thecenterforhas.com

 Theme music provided by:

http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> John Price/Bill Barnard Buzzsprout-11090929 Sat, 06 Aug 2022 12:00:00 -0500 7327 consciousness, religion, spirituality, new religions, spiritual but not religious full false 83: Dennis McKenna – Religion, Medicine, Science, & The Brotherhood of the Screaming Abyss. 83: Dennis McKenna – Religion, Medicine, Science, & The Brotherhood of the Screaming Abyss. Conversation starts @ 7:26

This conversation begins with a discussion of the banisteriopsis vine (ayahuasca) featured in the background. We explore Dr. McKenna’s first adventure down to South America to study and explore psychedelics used in the Amazonian medico-religious process. This endeavor would eventually connect him with several elder medicine men who created mixtures for Dennis to study – “We want to learn everything that you know about ayahuasca.” We discuss how the indigenous folks of the Amazon responded to the scientists who sought to investigate their sacramental plant, the rubber boom of the early 20th century, lost aspects of the Amazonian ethnomedical tradition, the hard problem of consciousness, the limitations of reductionism, the value of science, limitations of science, an overview of the journey to La Chorrera, building the temple for “spiritual” experience, or ecstatic/mystical experience, the body as apothecary, theories of consciousness, the molecule and the “trip,” scientific bias of the west, the Default Mode Network, the value of psychedelics to the scientific community, and the McKenna Academy.

Bio:

Dennis McKenna is an American ethnopharmacologist, research pharmacognosist, lecturer and author. He is a founding board member and the director of ethnopharmacology at the Heffter Research Institute, a non-profit organization concerned with the investigation of the potential therapeutic uses of psychedelic medicines. Dennis also serves on the Advisory Board of the American Botanical Council; as Founder and Executive Director for the Institute for Natural Products Research; as an Independent Research Consultant to the Phytomedicine and Nutraceutical Industry; was formerly on the Editorial Board of Phytomedicine, International Journal of Phytotherapy and Phytopharmacology; and is an adjunct professor in the Center for Spirituality and Healing at the University of Minnesota. In that role, he has taught graduate courses in Botanical Medicines and Ethnopharmacology and an inter-session ‘intensive’ in Hawaii each January called Plants in Human Affairs. He has also taught summer field courses in Ecuador for the University of Arizona, and courses in the Amazon and Andes for Pharmacy doctoral students at the University of Kansas and the Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. 
Dr. McKenna received his Master’s Degree in Botany from the University of Hawaii in 1979, his Ph.D. in Botanical Sciences from the University of British Columbia in 1984, and continued into post-doctoral research fellowships in the Laboratory of Clinical Pharmacology, National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), and in the Department of Neurology, Stanford University School of Medicine. His research has included the pharmacology, botany, and chemistry of ayahuasca and oo-koo-hé. He has also conducted extensive ethnobotanical fieldwork in the Peruvian, Colombian, and Brazilian Amazon.

Since 2019, he has been working with colleagues to manifest a long-term dream: the McKenna Academy of Natural Philosophy, a non-profit organization founded in the spirit of the ancient Mystery Schools and dedicated to the study of plant medicines, consciousness, intelligence in nature, preservation of indigenous knowledge and a re-visioning of humanity's relationship with Nature. Dr. McKenna is author or co-author of 6 books and over 50 scientific papers in peer-reviewed journals.

mckenna.academy

Website for The Sacred Speaks:

www.thesacredspeaks.com

WATCH:

YouTube for The Sacred Speaks
www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

Instagram:

]]> Conversation starts @ 7:26

This conversation begins with a discussion of the banisteriopsis vine (ayahuasca) featured in the background. We explore Dr. McKenna’s first adventure down to South America to study and explore psychedelics used in the Amazonian medico-religious process. This endeavor would eventually connect him with several elder medicine men who created mixtures for Dennis to study – “We want to learn everything that you know about ayahuasca.” We discuss how the indigenous folks of the Amazon responded to the scientists who sought to investigate their sacramental plant, the rubber boom of the early 20th century, lost aspects of the Amazonian ethnomedical tradition, the hard problem of consciousness, the limitations of reductionism, the value of science, limitations of science, an overview of the journey to La Chorrera, building the temple for “spiritual” experience, or ecstatic/mystical experience, the body as apothecary, theories of consciousness, the molecule and the “trip,” scientific bias of the west, the Default Mode Network, the value of psychedelics to the scientific community, and the McKenna Academy.

Bio:

Dennis McKenna is an American ethnopharmacologist, research pharmacognosist, lecturer and author. He is a founding board member and the director of ethnopharmacology at the Heffter Research Institute, a non-profit organization concerned with the investigation of the potential therapeutic uses of psychedelic medicines. Dennis also serves on the Advisory Board of the American Botanical Council; as Founder and Executive Director for the Institute for Natural Products Research; as an Independent Research Consultant to the Phytomedicine and Nutraceutical Industry; was formerly on the Editorial Board of Phytomedicine, International Journal of Phytotherapy and Phytopharmacology; and is an adjunct professor in the Center for Spirituality and Healing at the University of Minnesota. In that role, he has taught graduate courses in Botanical Medicines and Ethnopharmacology and an inter-session ‘intensive’ in Hawaii each January called Plants in Human Affairs. He has also taught summer field courses in Ecuador for the University of Arizona, and courses in the Amazon and Andes for Pharmacy doctoral students at the University of Kansas and the Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. 
Dr. McKenna received his Master’s Degree in Botany from the University of Hawaii in 1979, his Ph.D. in Botanical Sciences from the University of British Columbia in 1984, and continued into post-doctoral research fellowships in the Laboratory of Clinical Pharmacology, National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), and in the Department of Neurology, Stanford University School of Medicine. His research has included the pharmacology, botany, and chemistry of ayahuasca and oo-koo-hé. He has also conducted extensive ethnobotanical fieldwork in the Peruvian, Colombian, and Brazilian Amazon.

Since 2019, he has been working with colleagues to manifest a long-term dream: the McKenna Academy of Natural Philosophy, a non-profit organization founded in the spirit of the ancient Mystery Schools and dedicated to the study of plant medicines, consciousness, intelligence in nature, preservation of indigenous knowledge and a re-visioning of humanity's relationship with Nature. Dr. McKenna is author or co-author of 6 books and over 50 scientific papers in peer-reviewed journals.

mckenna.academy

Website for The Sacred Speaks:

www.thesacredspeaks.com

WATCH:

YouTube for The Sacred Speaks
www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

Instagram:

]]> John Price/Dennis McKenna Buzzsprout-11045443 Thu, 28 Jul 2022 18:00:00 -0500 6890 ayahuasca, consciousness, psilocybin, psyche, healing, medicine full true 82: Jose Leal – Psychotherapy, Religion, & Fairytales 82: Jose Leal – Psychotherapy, Religion, & Fairytales Conversation starts @ 4:31

We begin our conversation exploring José’s background, and with the likes of Dr. Andew Samuels and Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estés as mentors, his intellectual, professional, and spiritual orientation ranges from depth psychology and meditation to attachment and spiritually integrated psychotherapy. First up is one of José’s papers on spirituality and psychotherapy wherein he takes a critical look at “Jungian” approaches and identifies some of the dangers of both ungrounded psychotherapy and spirituality. We discuss the nature of therapy, ways psychotherapy can support and transform suffering, the nature of the relationship in therapy, meditation, development of a private spiritual process, religion and defining related terms such as spirituality and mysticism, the taxonomy of healers and therapists, the shadow side of spiritual work and healing professions, shamanism, fairytales, the archetype defined, inflation in healing work, differences between mythology and fairytales, we analyze the fairytale “Sleeping Beauty,” or “Briar Rose,” and the importance of inviting the unexplored psychological aspects of self.

Bio: 
José has an M.A in Jungian and Post-Jungian Studies from the University of Essex, where Andrew Samuels was his academic supervisor, and an MSc in Systemic Psychotherapy from the Milton Erikson Institute from Monterrey. Since 2013, he has trained with Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estés. He works as a psychotherapist in private practice and writes the column ‘The Spiritually Ambivalent Therapist’ for Thresholds, a Journal of Psychotherapy and Spirituality, from the British Association of Counseling and Psychotherapy.

Class:
junghouston.org/theevents/the-sev…of-inanna-online/

Journal:
www.bacp.co.uk/bacp-journals/thresholds/

Sleeping Beauty:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleeping_Beauty
sites.pitt.edu/~dash/grimm050.html

Website for The Sacred Speaks:

www.thesacredspeaks.com

WATCH:

YouTube for The Sacred Speaks
www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

Instagram:
www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
@thesacredspeaks
Twitter:
twitter.com/thesacredspeaks
Facebook:
www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/
Brought to you by:
www.thecenterforhas.com

Theme music provided by:
www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> Conversation starts @ 4:31

We begin our conversation exploring José’s background, and with the likes of Dr. Andew Samuels and Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estés as mentors, his intellectual, professional, and spiritual orientation ranges from depth psychology and meditation to attachment and spiritually integrated psychotherapy. First up is one of José’s papers on spirituality and psychotherapy wherein he takes a critical look at “Jungian” approaches and identifies some of the dangers of both ungrounded psychotherapy and spirituality. We discuss the nature of therapy, ways psychotherapy can support and transform suffering, the nature of the relationship in therapy, meditation, development of a private spiritual process, religion and defining related terms such as spirituality and mysticism, the taxonomy of healers and therapists, the shadow side of spiritual work and healing professions, shamanism, fairytales, the archetype defined, inflation in healing work, differences between mythology and fairytales, we analyze the fairytale “Sleeping Beauty,” or “Briar Rose,” and the importance of inviting the unexplored psychological aspects of self.

Bio: 
José has an M.A in Jungian and Post-Jungian Studies from the University of Essex, where Andrew Samuels was his academic supervisor, and an MSc in Systemic Psychotherapy from the Milton Erikson Institute from Monterrey. Since 2013, he has trained with Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estés. He works as a psychotherapist in private practice and writes the column ‘The Spiritually Ambivalent Therapist’ for Thresholds, a Journal of Psychotherapy and Spirituality, from the British Association of Counseling and Psychotherapy.

Class:
junghouston.org/theevents/the-sev…of-inanna-online/

Journal:
www.bacp.co.uk/bacp-journals/thresholds/

Sleeping Beauty:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleeping_Beauty
sites.pitt.edu/~dash/grimm050.html

Website for The Sacred Speaks:

www.thesacredspeaks.com

WATCH:

YouTube for The Sacred Speaks
www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

Instagram:
www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
@thesacredspeaks
Twitter:
twitter.com/thesacredspeaks
Facebook:
www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/
Brought to you by:
www.thecenterforhas.com

Theme music provided by:
www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> John Price/José Leal Buzzsprout-11044716 Thu, 28 Jul 2022 15:00:00 -0500 6477 fairytales, Jung, Analytical Psychology, Analysis, Therapy full true 81: Sarah Kielt Costello – Ecstatic Experience in the Ancient World 81: Sarah Kielt Costello – Ecstatic Experience in the Ancient World Conversation starts @ 6:29

“Ecstasy, trance, and soul flight … these powerful and potentially transformative elements of ancient experience have long been left to the fringes of archaeological research.” 
Dr. Sarah K. Costello and John begin with a question exploring the often unconscious issue of projecting modern perspective onto antiquity to support a current argument. As an archeologist, anthropologist, & art-historian, Dr. Costello’s peak into antiquity is through the lens of the material content. We continue exploring the contributions of Dr. Costello’s various disciplines, challenges of evaluating art in antiquity, symbols, Gobekli Tepe, interpretation of antiquity, carefully approaching one’s intuitive assumptions about antiquity and the risk of projection and bias, the Transcendent as a cultural universal, challenging the idea of universals, narrativization of consciousness, cross-cultural studies, universals and the particulars, we discuss her creative process for the book, “The Routledge Companion to Ecstatic Experience in the Ancient World,” defining ecstatic experience, we discuss, The Immortality Key, & cultural containers for alternate states in antiquity.

Bio: 
Sarah Kielt Costello, Ph.D., has taught art history at UHCL since 2014. She teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in the humanities and the history of ancient art. She was the recipient of the UH Provost’s Teaching Excellence Award in 2012. Dr. Costello’s research focus is the visual culture of the early periods of the Ancient Near East.
In her writing, she investigates the social contexts of visual culture, especially how people store and communicate ideas, and how imagery relates to religion. She is a project leader of a collaborative research initiative with Houston’s Menil Collection, focused on the art of the ancient Mediterranean world. She has conducted field research in Cyprus, Turkey, Israel, and Greece, and in 2013 studied in Greece as a Fulbright Fellow in the summer session at the American School of Classical Studies.

www.routledge.com/The-Routledge-Co…ok/9780367480325

Website for The Sacred Speaks:

www.thesacredspeaks.com

WATCH:

YouTube for The Sacred Speaks
www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

Instagram:
www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
@thesacredspeaks
Twitter:
twitter.com/thesacredspeaks
Facebook:
www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/
Brought to you by:
www.thecenterforhas.com

Theme music provided by:
www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> Conversation starts @ 6:29

“Ecstasy, trance, and soul flight … these powerful and potentially transformative elements of ancient experience have long been left to the fringes of archaeological research.” 
Dr. Sarah K. Costello and John begin with a question exploring the often unconscious issue of projecting modern perspective onto antiquity to support a current argument. As an archeologist, anthropologist, & art-historian, Dr. Costello’s peak into antiquity is through the lens of the material content. We continue exploring the contributions of Dr. Costello’s various disciplines, challenges of evaluating art in antiquity, symbols, Gobekli Tepe, interpretation of antiquity, carefully approaching one’s intuitive assumptions about antiquity and the risk of projection and bias, the Transcendent as a cultural universal, challenging the idea of universals, narrativization of consciousness, cross-cultural studies, universals and the particulars, we discuss her creative process for the book, “The Routledge Companion to Ecstatic Experience in the Ancient World,” defining ecstatic experience, we discuss, The Immortality Key, & cultural containers for alternate states in antiquity.

Bio: 
Sarah Kielt Costello, Ph.D., has taught art history at UHCL since 2014. She teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in the humanities and the history of ancient art. She was the recipient of the UH Provost’s Teaching Excellence Award in 2012. Dr. Costello’s research focus is the visual culture of the early periods of the Ancient Near East.
In her writing, she investigates the social contexts of visual culture, especially how people store and communicate ideas, and how imagery relates to religion. She is a project leader of a collaborative research initiative with Houston’s Menil Collection, focused on the art of the ancient Mediterranean world. She has conducted field research in Cyprus, Turkey, Israel, and Greece, and in 2013 studied in Greece as a Fulbright Fellow in the summer session at the American School of Classical Studies.

www.routledge.com/The-Routledge-Co…ok/9780367480325

Website for The Sacred Speaks:

www.thesacredspeaks.com

WATCH:

YouTube for The Sacred Speaks
www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

Instagram:
www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
@thesacredspeaks
Twitter:
twitter.com/thesacredspeaks
Facebook:
www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/
Brought to you by:
www.thecenterforhas.com

Theme music provided by:
www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> John Price/Sarah Costello Buzzsprout-11043352 Thu, 28 Jul 2022 14:00:00 -0500 6955 art, archeology, anthropology, consciousness, ecstatic experience, medicine, antiquity full false 80: Christopher Hobbs – Medicine, Mushrooms, and Herbs 80: Christopher Hobbs – Medicine, Mushrooms, and Herbs Conversation starts 5:45
Growing up within a family lineage of community herbalists and healers, Dr. Hobbs leads us through his orientation to healing and medicine starting with an overview of medical and healing systems, in particular the intersection between eastern and western medicine. The central question that Dr. Hobbs asks is: “What is medicine?” This, an obvious question that, sadly, is not often reflected upon. Dr. Hobbs urges us to cultivate and source our own medicine within our daily lives. 
As a young man, Chris spent his time in the old forest looking for mushrooms and, given his family history and knowledge of healing modalities, he became acquainted with medicines that grow naturally. We continue with subjects ranging from the community of mycologists, mystical states through a scientific process, the religion of science, food as medicine, issues with modern medicine, factory farming, food tax, food as source of healing, medical response to Covid, vaccine rollout, the role of viruses in our biological network, humanity living out of balance, the dual split of the vaccine, understanding a vaccine and a virus, the scientific method, publication and interpretation of data, medicinal mushrooms, inviting mushrooms into your diet, the microbiome and the gut, fungi and the immune system, nutritional benefit of mushrooms, visionary mushrooms, value of subjective experience following many mushroom journeys, and the lack of cultural and ritual process to fold psychedelics and religious experience into a sacred practice.

Bio:

Dr. Christopher Hobbs is a fourth-generation, internationally renowned herbalist, licensed acupuncturist, author, clinician, botanist, mycologist, and research scientist with over 35 years of experience with herbal medicine.

Christopher has a doctorate from UC Berkeley in phylogenetics, evolutionary biology and phytochemistry. He is also a founding member of the American Herbalists Guild.

www.christopherhobbs.com

www.facebook.com/chrisrhobbs

www.tellurideinstitute.org/telluride-m…m-festival/

Website for The Sacred Speaks:

www.thesacredspeaks.com

Information for Mark Plotkin:

www.markplotkin.com

WATCH:

YouTube for The Sacred Speaks
www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

Instagram:
www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
@thesacredspeaks
Twitter:
twitter.com/thesacredspeaks
Facebook:
www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/
Brought to you by:
www.thecenterforhas.com

Theme music provided by:
www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> Conversation starts 5:45
Growing up within a family lineage of community herbalists and healers, Dr. Hobbs leads us through his orientation to healing and medicine starting with an overview of medical and healing systems, in particular the intersection between eastern and western medicine. The central question that Dr. Hobbs asks is: “What is medicine?” This, an obvious question that, sadly, is not often reflected upon. Dr. Hobbs urges us to cultivate and source our own medicine within our daily lives. 
As a young man, Chris spent his time in the old forest looking for mushrooms and, given his family history and knowledge of healing modalities, he became acquainted with medicines that grow naturally. We continue with subjects ranging from the community of mycologists, mystical states through a scientific process, the religion of science, food as medicine, issues with modern medicine, factory farming, food tax, food as source of healing, medical response to Covid, vaccine rollout, the role of viruses in our biological network, humanity living out of balance, the dual split of the vaccine, understanding a vaccine and a virus, the scientific method, publication and interpretation of data, medicinal mushrooms, inviting mushrooms into your diet, the microbiome and the gut, fungi and the immune system, nutritional benefit of mushrooms, visionary mushrooms, value of subjective experience following many mushroom journeys, and the lack of cultural and ritual process to fold psychedelics and religious experience into a sacred practice.

Bio:

Dr. Christopher Hobbs is a fourth-generation, internationally renowned herbalist, licensed acupuncturist, author, clinician, botanist, mycologist, and research scientist with over 35 years of experience with herbal medicine.

Christopher has a doctorate from UC Berkeley in phylogenetics, evolutionary biology and phytochemistry. He is also a founding member of the American Herbalists Guild.

www.christopherhobbs.com

www.facebook.com/chrisrhobbs

www.tellurideinstitute.org/telluride-m…m-festival/

Website for The Sacred Speaks:

www.thesacredspeaks.com

Information for Mark Plotkin:

www.markplotkin.com

WATCH:

YouTube for The Sacred Speaks
www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

Instagram:
www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
@thesacredspeaks
Twitter:
twitter.com/thesacredspeaks
Facebook:
www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/
Brought to you by:
www.thecenterforhas.com

Theme music provided by:
www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> John Price/Christopher Hobbs Buzzsprout-11041696 Thu, 28 Jul 2022 10:00:00 -0500 7179 mushrooms, consciousness, medicine, psilocybin, psychedelics, herbs full false 79: Bernardo Kastrup – Decoding Jung’s Metaphysics 79: Bernardo Kastrup – Decoding Jung’s Metaphysics Conversation starts 8:36

 We begin by exploring Dr. Kastrup’s history with Jung and philosophers in the 19th and 20th centuries and very quickly move into antiquity through the classicist Peter Kingsley. We discuss the layers of meaning in writing throughout our cultural history, common misunderstandings of texts, positivism of the 19th at 20th century, assumptions within systems of thought and belief, the problem of abstractions and interpretations of reality, Aristotelian logic and conflicts with abstractions, quantum systems, maps and logic, intuitionism, maintaining mystery, Pauli & Jung, synchronicity, meaning, myth and language, & reality as mind. 

Bio:

Bernardo Kastrup is the executive director of Essentia Foundation. His work has been leading the modern renaissance of metaphysical idealism, the notion that reality is essentially mental. He has a Ph.D. in philosophy (ontology, philosophy of mind) and another Ph.D. in computer engineering (reconfigurable computing, artificial intelligence). As a scientist, Bernardo has worked for the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) and the Philips Research Laboratories (where the 'Casimir Effect' of Quantum Field Theory was discovered). Formulated in detail in many academic papers and books, his ideas have been featured on 'Scientific American,' the 'Institute of Art and Ideas,' the 'Blog of the American Philosophical Association' and 'Big Think,' among others.

https://www.bernardokastrup.com

https://www.essentiafoundation.org

https://www.scientificamerican.com/author/bernardo-kastrup/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeDZCa3VrRQvzBlVR-oVVmA

John’s Workshop:

 https://www.esalen.org/workshops/exploring-the-shadow-and-the-psychology-of-fame

 Website for The Sacred Speaks: 

 http://www.thesacredspeaks.com

 WATCH:

 YouTube for The Sacred Speaks

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

 Instagram: 

https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/

@thesacredspeaks

Twitter: 

https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

Facebook: 

https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/

Brought to you by: 

https://www.thecenterforhas.com

 Theme music provided by:

http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> Conversation starts 8:36

 We begin by exploring Dr. Kastrup’s history with Jung and philosophers in the 19th and 20th centuries and very quickly move into antiquity through the classicist Peter Kingsley. We discuss the layers of meaning in writing throughout our cultural history, common misunderstandings of texts, positivism of the 19th at 20th century, assumptions within systems of thought and belief, the problem of abstractions and interpretations of reality, Aristotelian logic and conflicts with abstractions, quantum systems, maps and logic, intuitionism, maintaining mystery, Pauli & Jung, synchronicity, meaning, myth and language, & reality as mind. 

Bio:

Bernardo Kastrup is the executive director of Essentia Foundation. His work has been leading the modern renaissance of metaphysical idealism, the notion that reality is essentially mental. He has a Ph.D. in philosophy (ontology, philosophy of mind) and another Ph.D. in computer engineering (reconfigurable computing, artificial intelligence). As a scientist, Bernardo has worked for the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) and the Philips Research Laboratories (where the 'Casimir Effect' of Quantum Field Theory was discovered). Formulated in detail in many academic papers and books, his ideas have been featured on 'Scientific American,' the 'Institute of Art and Ideas,' the 'Blog of the American Philosophical Association' and 'Big Think,' among others.

https://www.bernardokastrup.com

https://www.essentiafoundation.org

https://www.scientificamerican.com/author/bernardo-kastrup/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeDZCa3VrRQvzBlVR-oVVmA

John’s Workshop:

 https://www.esalen.org/workshops/exploring-the-shadow-and-the-psychology-of-fame

 Website for The Sacred Speaks: 

 http://www.thesacredspeaks.com

 WATCH:

 YouTube for The Sacred Speaks

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

 Instagram: 

https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/

@thesacredspeaks

Twitter: 

https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

Facebook: 

https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/

Brought to you by: 

https://www.thecenterforhas.com

 Theme music provided by:

http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> John Price Buzzsprout-10135399 Thu, 24 Feb 2022 05:00:00 -0600 7193 full false 78: Jeffrey Kripal - Esalen: America & the Religion of No Religion 78: Jeffrey Kripal - Esalen: America & the Religion of No Religion Conversation starts @ 8:15

 What happens when the place where expansive, meaningful, transcendental, and just simply weird conversations becomes just as important and meaningful as the conversations that began there? Esalen. We begin our conversation exploring the birth and development of The Esalen Institute and then the boundaries of the geographical container dissolve and the ideas emerge to the foreground – religion, psychology, mysticism, & psychedelics. Jeff and I discuss the founders and the origin story of Esalen, religious comparativism, the counterculture in America, Russian & United States relations through the Cold War, diplomatic solutions through psychic research, the psychological and the social/political, the influence of Asian philosophy, Tantra, plant medicine, psychology, somatic process, Aldous Huxley, Abraham Maslow, social justice, sameness and difference, cancel culture, the need for unifying language and shared  understanding of difference, and the 5-times jacket prize. 

Bio:

Jeffrey J. Kripal is the Associate Dean of the School of Humanities and holds the J. Newton Rayzor Chair in Philosophy and Religious Thought at Rice University, where he chaired the Department of Religion for eight years and helped create the GEM Program, a doctoral concentration in the study of Gnosticism, Esotericism, and Mysticism that is the largest program of its kind in the world. He is the Associate Director of the Center for Theory and Research at the Esalen Institute in Big Sur, California, where he also serves as Chair of the Board. Jeff is the author or co-author of eleven books, seven of which are with The University of Chicago Press, including, most recently a memoir-manifestoentitled Secret Body: Erotic and Esoteric Currents in the History of Religions (Chicago, 2017). He has also served as the Editor in Chief of the Macmillan Handbook Series on Religion (ten volumes, 2015-2016). He specializes in the study of extreme religious states and the re-visioning of a New Comparativism, particularly as both involve putting “the impossible” back on the academic table again. He is presently working on a three-volume study of paranormal currents in the history of religions and the sciences for The University of Chicago Press, collectively entitled The Super Story.

 https://jeffreyjkripal.com/life/

 https://impossiblearchives.rice.edu/registration/

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8MG5gFtZ3U8&t=9428s

 John’s Workshop:

https://www.esalen.org/workshops/exploring-our-shadows-through-the-psychology-of-fame

 www.junghouston.org

 Website for The Sacred Speaks: 

 http://www.thesacredspeaks.com

 WATCH:

 YouTube for The Sacred Speaks

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

 Instagram: 

https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/

@thesacredspeaks

Twitter: 

https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

Facebook: 

https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/

Brought to you by: 

https://www.thecenterforhas.com

 Theme music provided by:

http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> Conversation starts @ 8:15

 What happens when the place where expansive, meaningful, transcendental, and just simply weird conversations becomes just as important and meaningful as the conversations that began there? Esalen. We begin our conversation exploring the birth and development of The Esalen Institute and then the boundaries of the geographical container dissolve and the ideas emerge to the foreground – religion, psychology, mysticism, & psychedelics. Jeff and I discuss the founders and the origin story of Esalen, religious comparativism, the counterculture in America, Russian & United States relations through the Cold War, diplomatic solutions through psychic research, the psychological and the social/political, the influence of Asian philosophy, Tantra, plant medicine, psychology, somatic process, Aldous Huxley, Abraham Maslow, social justice, sameness and difference, cancel culture, the need for unifying language and shared  understanding of difference, and the 5-times jacket prize. 

Bio:

Jeffrey J. Kripal is the Associate Dean of the School of Humanities and holds the J. Newton Rayzor Chair in Philosophy and Religious Thought at Rice University, where he chaired the Department of Religion for eight years and helped create the GEM Program, a doctoral concentration in the study of Gnosticism, Esotericism, and Mysticism that is the largest program of its kind in the world. He is the Associate Director of the Center for Theory and Research at the Esalen Institute in Big Sur, California, where he also serves as Chair of the Board. Jeff is the author or co-author of eleven books, seven of which are with The University of Chicago Press, including, most recently a memoir-manifestoentitled Secret Body: Erotic and Esoteric Currents in the History of Religions (Chicago, 2017). He has also served as the Editor in Chief of the Macmillan Handbook Series on Religion (ten volumes, 2015-2016). He specializes in the study of extreme religious states and the re-visioning of a New Comparativism, particularly as both involve putting “the impossible” back on the academic table again. He is presently working on a three-volume study of paranormal currents in the history of religions and the sciences for The University of Chicago Press, collectively entitled The Super Story.

 https://jeffreyjkripal.com/life/

 https://impossiblearchives.rice.edu/registration/

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8MG5gFtZ3U8&t=9428s

 John’s Workshop:

https://www.esalen.org/workshops/exploring-our-shadows-through-the-psychology-of-fame

 www.junghouston.org

 Website for The Sacred Speaks: 

 http://www.thesacredspeaks.com

 WATCH:

 YouTube for The Sacred Speaks

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

 Instagram: 

https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/

@thesacredspeaks

Twitter: 

https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

Facebook: 

https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/

Brought to you by: 

https://www.thecenterforhas.com

 Theme music provided by:

http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> John Price Buzzsprout-9955163 Wed, 26 Jan 2022 06:00:00 -0600 6163 full false 77: Miles Neale – Gradual Awakening, Jung, & Psychedelics 77: Miles Neale – Gradual Awakening, Jung, & Psychedelics Conversation starts @ 5:38

Dr. Miles Neale offers us his breadth of knowledge about psychology, Buddhism, suffering, and psychedelics. We begin this conversation with Miles describing his early training, teachers, and practice as he traces the path of his development as a psychotherapist and teacher of Buddhism. Dr. Neale emphasizes a multidisciplinary dialogic process that is necessary to address the suffering of our time. We discuss The Four Noble Truths, a foundational insight and scaffolding of Buddhism, and use this frame to describe the problem, the cause of the problem, the potential for a solution, and the path for the solution, we explore materialism as a worldview that is the problem, define materialism and nihilism, the limitations and value of materialism and the overwhelming reliance on the scientific worldview – to the exclusion of religion, Tibetan history and practice, oracles, the confluence between easter and wester traditions, the Holy Grail, the Jungian Self and Buddhist no self, metaphysics, a spiritual path, the Three Jewels, and more.

Bio: 
Dr. Miles Neale, PsyD, is a Buddhist psychotherapist in private practice and founder of the two-year online Contemplative Studies Program. Author of Gradual Awakening (Sounds True, 2018) and co-editor of Advances in Contemplative Psychotherapy (Routledge, 2017), Miles is a faculty member of Tibet House (US) and Weill Cornell Medical College. With more than twenty years integrating the mind science and meditative practices of Tibetan Buddhism with psychotherapy, trauma research and neuroscience, Miles is a forerunner in the emerging field of contemplative psychotherapy, and leads pilgrimages around the Buddhist world.

milesneale.com

John’s Class:

https://www.esalen.org/workshops/exploring-our-shadows-through-the-psychology-of-fame

www.junghouston.org

Website for The Sacred Speaks:

www.thesacredspeaks.com

WATCH:

YouTube for The Sacred Speaks
www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

Instagram:
www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
@thesacredspeaks
Twitter:
twitter.com/thesacredspeaks
Facebook:
www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/
Brought to you by:
www.thecenterforhas.com

Theme music provided by:
www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> Conversation starts @ 5:38

Dr. Miles Neale offers us his breadth of knowledge about psychology, Buddhism, suffering, and psychedelics. We begin this conversation with Miles describing his early training, teachers, and practice as he traces the path of his development as a psychotherapist and teacher of Buddhism. Dr. Neale emphasizes a multidisciplinary dialogic process that is necessary to address the suffering of our time. We discuss The Four Noble Truths, a foundational insight and scaffolding of Buddhism, and use this frame to describe the problem, the cause of the problem, the potential for a solution, and the path for the solution, we explore materialism as a worldview that is the problem, define materialism and nihilism, the limitations and value of materialism and the overwhelming reliance on the scientific worldview – to the exclusion of religion, Tibetan history and practice, oracles, the confluence between easter and wester traditions, the Holy Grail, the Jungian Self and Buddhist no self, metaphysics, a spiritual path, the Three Jewels, and more.

Bio: 
Dr. Miles Neale, PsyD, is a Buddhist psychotherapist in private practice and founder of the two-year online Contemplative Studies Program. Author of Gradual Awakening (Sounds True, 2018) and co-editor of Advances in Contemplative Psychotherapy (Routledge, 2017), Miles is a faculty member of Tibet House (US) and Weill Cornell Medical College. With more than twenty years integrating the mind science and meditative practices of Tibetan Buddhism with psychotherapy, trauma research and neuroscience, Miles is a forerunner in the emerging field of contemplative psychotherapy, and leads pilgrimages around the Buddhist world.

milesneale.com

John’s Class:

https://www.esalen.org/workshops/exploring-our-shadows-through-the-psychology-of-fame

www.junghouston.org

Website for The Sacred Speaks:

www.thesacredspeaks.com

WATCH:

YouTube for The Sacred Speaks
www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

Instagram:
www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
@thesacredspeaks
Twitter:
twitter.com/thesacredspeaks
Facebook:
www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/
Brought to you by:
www.thecenterforhas.com

Theme music provided by:
www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> John Price Buzzsprout-9954973 Wed, 26 Jan 2022 05:00:00 -0600 6942 full true 76: Mark Arey & Tony Bossis – Psychedelics and Religion: Winter Solstice Christmas Special 76: Mark Arey & Tony Bossis – Psychedelics and Religion: Winter Solstice Christmas Special Conversation starts @ 7:50
This conversation begins by exploring the ground-level of psychedelics and it broadens to other aspects of the relationship between religion and psychedelics, continuing through the psychedelic renaissance, science and the sacred, consciously bringing these sacraments into the broader culture to heal and support those who seek out these transformative, a brief history of psychedelics in the U.S., mystical experiences setting the stage, the Perennial philosophy, social control and religion, misinterpretation and the birth of harmful aspects of religious dogma, a life trajectory of ritual, death and ritual, death and psychedelics, the nature of suffering, transpersonal psychology, agape and meaning, a report from the psychedelic field, and training clinicians for psychedelic.


www.thehellenicinitiative.org


www.esalen.com
www.junghouston.org
Website for The Sacred Speaks:
www.thesacredspeaks.com
WATCH:
YouTube for The Sacred Speaks
www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg
Instagram:
www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
@thesacredspeaks
Twitter:
twitter.com/thesacredspeaks
Facebook:
www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/
Brought to you by:
www.thecenterforhas.com
WATCH
Get Centered
www.youtube.com/channel/UCdbeVcDXWXezYMkHJg-2duw
Theme music provided by:
www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> Conversation starts @ 7:50
This conversation begins by exploring the ground-level of psychedelics and it broadens to other aspects of the relationship between religion and psychedelics, continuing through the psychedelic renaissance, science and the sacred, consciously bringing these sacraments into the broader culture to heal and support those who seek out these transformative, a brief history of psychedelics in the U.S., mystical experiences setting the stage, the Perennial philosophy, social control and religion, misinterpretation and the birth of harmful aspects of religious dogma, a life trajectory of ritual, death and ritual, death and psychedelics, the nature of suffering, transpersonal psychology, agape and meaning, a report from the psychedelic field, and training clinicians for psychedelic.


www.thehellenicinitiative.org


www.esalen.com
www.junghouston.org
Website for The Sacred Speaks:
www.thesacredspeaks.com
WATCH:
YouTube for The Sacred Speaks
www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg
Instagram:
www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
@thesacredspeaks
Twitter:
twitter.com/thesacredspeaks
Facebook:
www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/
Brought to you by:
www.thecenterforhas.com
WATCH
Get Centered
www.youtube.com/channel/UCdbeVcDXWXezYMkHJg-2duw
Theme music provided by:
www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> John Price Buzzsprout-9844869 Thu, 06 Jan 2022 21:00:00 -0600 6526 full false 75: Athena Laz –The Alchemy of Your Dreams: A Guide to the Art of Lucid Dreaming and Interpretation 75: Athena Laz –The Alchemy of Your Dreams: A Guide to the Art of Lucid Dreaming and Interpretation Conversation starts @ 4:10

This conversation begins by exploring the Dr. Laz’s early history with dreams and lucid dreaming, hypnagogic dreams, why we dream, how to approach dreams and dream work, Tibetan Buddhism and dreaming, lucid dreaming and heightened consciousness, lucid dreaming and ego control, the paranormal and dreaming, symbolic and literal interpretation, archetypes and dreams, process to lucid dream, mysticism and dreams, leaning lucid dreaming, wake induced lucid dreaming, overwhelming images in the dreamscape, psychopomps, inner guides, dream and symbol dictionaries, Jung and dreams, and more.

Bio:

Athena Laz is a depth psychologist, dream teacher and 4th generation intuitive. Her debut book, The Alchemy of Your Dreams is out in the world on August 31st 2021.
Having spent over a decade working one-on-one with clients in her practice, she moved online to create her heart’s desire, which translated into www.athenalaz.com. During her time in practice, she worked extensively with trauma victims, as well as couples and individuals from all walks of life. She trained psychoanalytically with a particular interest in depth psychology. Her love has always been towards the transpersonal and symbolic aspects of life. As a natural intuitive and avid lucid dreamer; she feels the psychological aspects of life must be incorporated with the spiritual aspects of Self. To disregard one over the other is to be incomplete, and so, with any artful practice of wellness—we look to that which is wholesome—that which is whole.

www.athenalaz.com

Website for The Sacred Speaks:

www.thesacredspeaks.com

WATCH:

YouTube for The Sacred Speaks
www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

Instagram:
www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
@thesacredspeaks
Twitter:
twitter.com/thesacredspeaks
Facebook:
www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/
Brought to you by:
www.thecenterforhas.com

WATCH

Get Centered
www.youtube.com/channel/UCdbeVcDXWXezYMkHJg-2duw

Theme music provided by:
www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> Conversation starts @ 4:10

This conversation begins by exploring the Dr. Laz’s early history with dreams and lucid dreaming, hypnagogic dreams, why we dream, how to approach dreams and dream work, Tibetan Buddhism and dreaming, lucid dreaming and heightened consciousness, lucid dreaming and ego control, the paranormal and dreaming, symbolic and literal interpretation, archetypes and dreams, process to lucid dream, mysticism and dreams, leaning lucid dreaming, wake induced lucid dreaming, overwhelming images in the dreamscape, psychopomps, inner guides, dream and symbol dictionaries, Jung and dreams, and more.

Bio:

Athena Laz is a depth psychologist, dream teacher and 4th generation intuitive. Her debut book, The Alchemy of Your Dreams is out in the world on August 31st 2021.
Having spent over a decade working one-on-one with clients in her practice, she moved online to create her heart’s desire, which translated into www.athenalaz.com. During her time in practice, she worked extensively with trauma victims, as well as couples and individuals from all walks of life. She trained psychoanalytically with a particular interest in depth psychology. Her love has always been towards the transpersonal and symbolic aspects of life. As a natural intuitive and avid lucid dreamer; she feels the psychological aspects of life must be incorporated with the spiritual aspects of Self. To disregard one over the other is to be incomplete, and so, with any artful practice of wellness—we look to that which is wholesome—that which is whole.

www.athenalaz.com

Website for The Sacred Speaks:

www.thesacredspeaks.com

WATCH:

YouTube for The Sacred Speaks
www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

Instagram:
www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
@thesacredspeaks
Twitter:
twitter.com/thesacredspeaks
Facebook:
www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/
Brought to you by:
www.thecenterforhas.com

WATCH

Get Centered
www.youtube.com/channel/UCdbeVcDXWXezYMkHJg-2duw

Theme music provided by:
www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> John Price Buzzsprout-9840385 Thu, 06 Jan 2022 21:00:00 -0600 5564 full false 74: Connie Zweig – The Inner Work of Age: Shifting from Role to Soul 74: Connie Zweig – The Inner Work of Age: Shifting from Role to Soul Conversation starts @ 3:01

In this episode, John interviews author, book editor, meditation teacher, and psychotherapist, Dr. Connie Zweig. We begin by exploring Connie’s history with meditation and the value and importance that she places on maintaining a practice in order to be present with the often overwhelming affect of inner work. She cites the necessity of body practice to work with the shadow – the content, traits, memories, and affects that does not fit into the ego-ideal. Why do this? Because, as she states, “Shadow work is the process of development.” We can learn to become aware of these inner figures by personifying them to relate to them in ways that provides us an opportunity to integrate the content rather than act it out. We continue the conversation with the ways in which we identify with the shadow, the structure of the psyche, the origins of the shadow character, the protective aspects of shadow, ego development, family of origin, agism, the body/mind relationship, repression, consequences of shadow repression, identification with roles, becoming an elder, rites of passage, age as our curriculum, life completion, and more.

Bio:

Connie Zweig, Ph.D., is a retired therapist, co-author of Meeting the Shadow, Romancing the Shadow, Meeting the Shadow of Spirituality, and the novel, A Moth to the Flame: The Life of Sufi Poet Rumi. Her new book, The Inner Work of Age: Shifting from Role to Soul, extends shadow-work into late life and teaches aging as a spiritual practice. Connie has been doing contemplative practices for 50 years. She is a wife and grandmother and was initiated as an Elder by Sage-ing International in 2017. After investing in all these roles, she is practicing the shift from role to soul.

conniezweig.com

Website for The Sacred Speaks:

www.thesacredspeaks.com

WATCH:

YouTube for The Sacred Speaks
www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

Instagram:
www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
@thesacredspeaks
Twitter:
twitter.com/thesacredspeaks
Facebook:
www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/
Brought to you by:
www.thecenterforhas.com

WATCH

Get Centered
www.youtube.com/channel/UCdbeVcDXWXezYMkHJg-2duw

Theme music provided by:
www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> Conversation starts @ 3:01

In this episode, John interviews author, book editor, meditation teacher, and psychotherapist, Dr. Connie Zweig. We begin by exploring Connie’s history with meditation and the value and importance that she places on maintaining a practice in order to be present with the often overwhelming affect of inner work. She cites the necessity of body practice to work with the shadow – the content, traits, memories, and affects that does not fit into the ego-ideal. Why do this? Because, as she states, “Shadow work is the process of development.” We can learn to become aware of these inner figures by personifying them to relate to them in ways that provides us an opportunity to integrate the content rather than act it out. We continue the conversation with the ways in which we identify with the shadow, the structure of the psyche, the origins of the shadow character, the protective aspects of shadow, ego development, family of origin, agism, the body/mind relationship, repression, consequences of shadow repression, identification with roles, becoming an elder, rites of passage, age as our curriculum, life completion, and more.

Bio:

Connie Zweig, Ph.D., is a retired therapist, co-author of Meeting the Shadow, Romancing the Shadow, Meeting the Shadow of Spirituality, and the novel, A Moth to the Flame: The Life of Sufi Poet Rumi. Her new book, The Inner Work of Age: Shifting from Role to Soul, extends shadow-work into late life and teaches aging as a spiritual practice. Connie has been doing contemplative practices for 50 years. She is a wife and grandmother and was initiated as an Elder by Sage-ing International in 2017. After investing in all these roles, she is practicing the shift from role to soul.

conniezweig.com

Website for The Sacred Speaks:

www.thesacredspeaks.com

WATCH:

YouTube for The Sacred Speaks
www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

Instagram:
www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
@thesacredspeaks
Twitter:
twitter.com/thesacredspeaks
Facebook:
www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/
Brought to you by:
www.thecenterforhas.com

WATCH

Get Centered
www.youtube.com/channel/UCdbeVcDXWXezYMkHJg-2duw

Theme music provided by:
www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> John Price Buzzsprout-9840377 Thu, 06 Jan 2022 06:00:00 -0600 5424 full false 73: Mark Ryan – A Different Dimension: Reflections on the History of Transpersonal Thought 73: Mark Ryan – A Different Dimension: Reflections on the History of Transpersonal Thought Conversation starts @ 5:00

Dr. Price interviews Dr. Mark Ryan, and we begin with a quote from Dr. Ryan’s book defining transpersonal psychology. “Our individual ego, our sense of a personal self, and the psyche that sustains it, is imbedded in an interconnected cosmos; our personal psyche reaches into, and is penetrated by, a collective consciousness, a natural ambience, a spiritual foundation and context” (p. 127).  We explore the definition of transpersonal thought, meaningful perspectives at the root of religious and spiritual values,  constructivism and perennialism, William  James, Ken Wilbur, and other luminaries of religion, psychology and spirituality, North American thought and the history of mysticism  in the United  States and how this influences modern thought  in the  west, the science of the psyche, the influence of behaviorism  and  Freudian thought on religion  and  spirituality, cosmic consciousness, the science of the paranormal, psychical research, psychological reduction, materialism, a review of  the founders of modern psychology and spirituality, the conscious and the unconscious, mystical  experience, panpsychism, & psychedelics.

 Bio:

 An historian of American thought and culture, Mark Ryan was Dean of Jonathan Edwards College and a teacher of American Studies and history at Yale University for more than twenty years. Subsequently he was Titular IV Professor at the Universidad de las Américas in Puebla, Mexico, where he also served as Dean of the Colleges, Regente (Head) of José Gaos College, and Coordinator of the master’s degree program in United States Studies. He holds Ph.D. and M. Phil. degrees from Yale, an M.A. from the University of Texas at Austin, and a B.A. from the University of St. Thomas. 

 Mark is author of A Different Dimension: Reflections on the History of Transpersonal Thought (Westphalia Press, 2018), A Collegiate Way of Living (Yale University, 2001), articles in various journals on higher education, and articles in TheJournal of Transpersonal Psychology and related publications on the history of psychology. He is certified by Grof Transpersonal Training as a practitioner of Holotropic Breathwork, served for fourteen years on the Board of Trustees of Naropa University, is past chair of the Board of Directors of Wisdom University, and past chair and current trustee of the Jonathan Edwards Trust at Yale. Living now in his native city of Houston, Mark teaches and lectures at the C. G. Jung Educational Center and other venues, and is a principal facilitator of Holotropic Breathwork Houston.

https://www.holotropicbreathworkhouston.com

 Website for The Sacred Speaks: 

 http://www.thesacredspeaks.com

 WATCH:

 YouTube for The Sacred Speaks

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

 Instagram: 

https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/

@thesacredspeaks

Twitter: 

https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

Facebook: 

https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/

Brought to you by: 

https://www.thecenterforhas.com

 WATCH

 Get Centered

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdbeVcDXWXezYMkHJg-2duw

 Theme music provided by:

http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> Conversation starts @ 5:00

Dr. Price interviews Dr. Mark Ryan, and we begin with a quote from Dr. Ryan’s book defining transpersonal psychology. “Our individual ego, our sense of a personal self, and the psyche that sustains it, is imbedded in an interconnected cosmos; our personal psyche reaches into, and is penetrated by, a collective consciousness, a natural ambience, a spiritual foundation and context” (p. 127).  We explore the definition of transpersonal thought, meaningful perspectives at the root of religious and spiritual values,  constructivism and perennialism, William  James, Ken Wilbur, and other luminaries of religion, psychology and spirituality, North American thought and the history of mysticism  in the United  States and how this influences modern thought  in the  west, the science of the psyche, the influence of behaviorism  and  Freudian thought on religion  and  spirituality, cosmic consciousness, the science of the paranormal, psychical research, psychological reduction, materialism, a review of  the founders of modern psychology and spirituality, the conscious and the unconscious, mystical  experience, panpsychism, & psychedelics.

 Bio:

 An historian of American thought and culture, Mark Ryan was Dean of Jonathan Edwards College and a teacher of American Studies and history at Yale University for more than twenty years. Subsequently he was Titular IV Professor at the Universidad de las Américas in Puebla, Mexico, where he also served as Dean of the Colleges, Regente (Head) of José Gaos College, and Coordinator of the master’s degree program in United States Studies. He holds Ph.D. and M. Phil. degrees from Yale, an M.A. from the University of Texas at Austin, and a B.A. from the University of St. Thomas. 

 Mark is author of A Different Dimension: Reflections on the History of Transpersonal Thought (Westphalia Press, 2018), A Collegiate Way of Living (Yale University, 2001), articles in various journals on higher education, and articles in TheJournal of Transpersonal Psychology and related publications on the history of psychology. He is certified by Grof Transpersonal Training as a practitioner of Holotropic Breathwork, served for fourteen years on the Board of Trustees of Naropa University, is past chair of the Board of Directors of Wisdom University, and past chair and current trustee of the Jonathan Edwards Trust at Yale. Living now in his native city of Houston, Mark teaches and lectures at the C. G. Jung Educational Center and other venues, and is a principal facilitator of Holotropic Breathwork Houston.

https://www.holotropicbreathworkhouston.com

 Website for The Sacred Speaks: 

 http://www.thesacredspeaks.com

 WATCH:

 YouTube for The Sacred Speaks

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

 Instagram: 

https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/

@thesacredspeaks

Twitter: 

https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

Facebook: 

https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/

Brought to you by: 

https://www.thecenterforhas.com

 WATCH

 Get Centered

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdbeVcDXWXezYMkHJg-2duw

 Theme music provided by:

http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> John Price Buzzsprout-9840339 Thu, 06 Jan 2022 06:00:00 -0600 6428 full false 72: Mark Plotkin – Plants of the Gods; Tales of a Shaman’s Apprentice 72: Mark Plotkin – Plants of the Gods; Tales of a Shaman’s Apprentice Conversation starts at - 6:25
Dr. Price interviews Dr. Mark Plotkin, one of the world’s renowned ethnobotanists who has studied traditional indigenous plant use with elder shamans (traditional healers) of Central and South America for much of the past 30 years. In this conversation we explore traditional Amazonian medicine, the great ethnobotanist Dr. Richard Schultes, shamanism, the modern psychedelic renaissance, the ethics of entheogens, ethnobotany 101, Western and Indigenous medicine and spiritualty, the placebo effect, culture, Covid, building relationships with the indigenous community in the Amazon, conservation and the Amazon, Western prohibition on alternate states of consciousness, a brief history of substances and alternate states, and many other practices that the world may gain by studying those who have learned to live with the earth, not dominating it.

markplotkin.com

www.amazonteam.org

Dr. Plotkin’s Podcast: Plants of the Gods

podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/plan…i=1000532364213

Bio: 
Dr. Mark Plotkin is a renowned ethnobotanist who has studied traditional indigenous plant use with elder shamans (traditional healers) of Central and South America for much of the past 30 years.As an ethnobotanist—a scientist who studies how, and why, societies have come to use plants for different purposes—Dr. Plotkin carried out the majority of his research with the Trio Indians of southern Suriname, a small rainforest country in northeastern South America, but has also worked with elder shamans from Mexico to Brazil.

Dr. Plotkin served as Research Associate in Ethnobotanical Conservation at the Botanical Museum of Harvard University; Director of Plant Conservation at the World Wildlife Fund; Vice President of Conservation International; and Research Associate at the Department of Botany of the Smithsonian Institution. Dr. Plotkin is now President and Board member of the Amazon Conservation Team (ACT), a nonprofit organization he co-founded with his fellow conservationist and wife, Liliana Madrigal in 1996.

www.thesacredspeaks.com

WATCH:

YouTube for The Sacred Speaks
www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

Instagram:
www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
@thesacredspeaks
Twitter:
twitter.com/thesacredspeaks
Facebook:
www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/
Brought to you by:
www.thecenterforhas.com

WATCH

Get Centered
www.youtube.com/channel/UCdbeVcDXWXezYMkHJg-2duw

Theme music provided by:
www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> Conversation starts at - 6:25
Dr. Price interviews Dr. Mark Plotkin, one of the world’s renowned ethnobotanists who has studied traditional indigenous plant use with elder shamans (traditional healers) of Central and South America for much of the past 30 years. In this conversation we explore traditional Amazonian medicine, the great ethnobotanist Dr. Richard Schultes, shamanism, the modern psychedelic renaissance, the ethics of entheogens, ethnobotany 101, Western and Indigenous medicine and spiritualty, the placebo effect, culture, Covid, building relationships with the indigenous community in the Amazon, conservation and the Amazon, Western prohibition on alternate states of consciousness, a brief history of substances and alternate states, and many other practices that the world may gain by studying those who have learned to live with the earth, not dominating it.

markplotkin.com

www.amazonteam.org

Dr. Plotkin’s Podcast: Plants of the Gods

podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/plan…i=1000532364213

Bio: 
Dr. Mark Plotkin is a renowned ethnobotanist who has studied traditional indigenous plant use with elder shamans (traditional healers) of Central and South America for much of the past 30 years.As an ethnobotanist—a scientist who studies how, and why, societies have come to use plants for different purposes—Dr. Plotkin carried out the majority of his research with the Trio Indians of southern Suriname, a small rainforest country in northeastern South America, but has also worked with elder shamans from Mexico to Brazil.

Dr. Plotkin served as Research Associate in Ethnobotanical Conservation at the Botanical Museum of Harvard University; Director of Plant Conservation at the World Wildlife Fund; Vice President of Conservation International; and Research Associate at the Department of Botany of the Smithsonian Institution. Dr. Plotkin is now President and Board member of the Amazon Conservation Team (ACT), a nonprofit organization he co-founded with his fellow conservationist and wife, Liliana Madrigal in 1996.

www.thesacredspeaks.com

WATCH:

YouTube for The Sacred Speaks
www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

Instagram:
www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
@thesacredspeaks
Twitter:
twitter.com/thesacredspeaks
Facebook:
www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/
Brought to you by:
www.thecenterforhas.com

WATCH

Get Centered
www.youtube.com/channel/UCdbeVcDXWXezYMkHJg-2duw

Theme music provided by:
www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> John Price Buzzsprout-9840302 Thu, 06 Jan 2022 05:00:00 -0600 5113 full false 71: Claire Villarreal– Tantra, Tibetan Buddhism, & Shamanism 71: Claire Villarreal– Tantra, Tibetan Buddhism, & Shamanism Conversation starts at: 5:05

In this episode Dr. Price interviews Dr. Claire Villarreal. Claire is an expert in teaching Tibetan Buddhism, meditation, and Tantra. We discuss the relationship between the social self and the self empty of all that is not self, the connection between spiritual practice and psychedelics, what happens when the threads of our ordinary reality are “cracked open,” attachment, issues with translation in religious traditions, peak experience, obstructions and the spiritual path, repetition in spiritual practice, Dzogchen, directly looking into inner energies through Tantra, Buddha nature, Shamanic practice, and spiritual practice.
Bio:
Raised as a fundamentalist Christian in a small town in North Texas who, by the time she left for Rice University in 1995, knew that the religious tradition of her childhood did not suit her. When she stumbled across a course on East Asian civilizations co-taught by Anne Klein, she signed up with a deep curiosity of Asian religious culture.
When Anne assigned Buddhist texts for the class reading, Claire was immediately hooked on the dharma and added a Religious Studies major. When Claire started meditating with Ajahn Ken of Wat Buddhavas and sitting with Anne’s sangha, Dawn Mountain, she obsessed over Tibetan history and did a Tibetan Studies semester abroad with the School for International Training.
After graduation, Claire taught secondary English for a couple of years, trained in Wing Chun and tai chi chuan at Authentic Kung Fu for seven years, and left in 2003 for a long trip to Asia, and after returning home began formally teaching meditation.
In 2007 Claire joined the doctoral program in Rice's Department of Religion and spent the next eight years learning, writing, and teaching about Tibetan Buddhism, contemplative ways of knowing, and how those can enrich modern Western life. After earning her PhD in 2015, she joined the staff of Dawn Mountain Center for Tibetan Buddhism, where she became the Programs Director before leaving in 2019 to offer meditation and spiritual instruction online and in person.
You can learn more about Claire’s offerings at:
www.clairevillarreal.com
rice.academia.edu/ClaireVillarreal
Website for The Sacred Speaks:
www.thesacredspeaks.com
WATCH:
YouTube for The Sacred Speaks
www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg
Instagram:
www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
@thesacredspeaks
Twitter:
twitter.com/thesacredspeaks
Facebook:
www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/
Brought to you by:
www.thecenterforhas.com
WATCH
Get Centered
www.youtube.com/channel/UCdbeVcDXWXezYMkHJg-2duw
Theme music provided by:
www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> Conversation starts at: 5:05

In this episode Dr. Price interviews Dr. Claire Villarreal. Claire is an expert in teaching Tibetan Buddhism, meditation, and Tantra. We discuss the relationship between the social self and the self empty of all that is not self, the connection between spiritual practice and psychedelics, what happens when the threads of our ordinary reality are “cracked open,” attachment, issues with translation in religious traditions, peak experience, obstructions and the spiritual path, repetition in spiritual practice, Dzogchen, directly looking into inner energies through Tantra, Buddha nature, Shamanic practice, and spiritual practice.
Bio:
Raised as a fundamentalist Christian in a small town in North Texas who, by the time she left for Rice University in 1995, knew that the religious tradition of her childhood did not suit her. When she stumbled across a course on East Asian civilizations co-taught by Anne Klein, she signed up with a deep curiosity of Asian religious culture.
When Anne assigned Buddhist texts for the class reading, Claire was immediately hooked on the dharma and added a Religious Studies major. When Claire started meditating with Ajahn Ken of Wat Buddhavas and sitting with Anne’s sangha, Dawn Mountain, she obsessed over Tibetan history and did a Tibetan Studies semester abroad with the School for International Training.
After graduation, Claire taught secondary English for a couple of years, trained in Wing Chun and tai chi chuan at Authentic Kung Fu for seven years, and left in 2003 for a long trip to Asia, and after returning home began formally teaching meditation.
In 2007 Claire joined the doctoral program in Rice's Department of Religion and spent the next eight years learning, writing, and teaching about Tibetan Buddhism, contemplative ways of knowing, and how those can enrich modern Western life. After earning her PhD in 2015, she joined the staff of Dawn Mountain Center for Tibetan Buddhism, where she became the Programs Director before leaving in 2019 to offer meditation and spiritual instruction online and in person.
You can learn more about Claire’s offerings at:
www.clairevillarreal.com
rice.academia.edu/ClaireVillarreal
Website for The Sacred Speaks:
www.thesacredspeaks.com
WATCH:
YouTube for The Sacred Speaks
www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg
Instagram:
www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
@thesacredspeaks
Twitter:
twitter.com/thesacredspeaks
Facebook:
www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/
Brought to you by:
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WATCH
Get Centered
www.youtube.com/channel/UCdbeVcDXWXezYMkHJg-2duw
Theme music provided by:
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]]> John Price Buzzsprout-9335622 Fri, 08 Oct 2021 15:00:00 -0500 6519 full true 70: C. Michael Smith – Jung & Shamanism in Dialogue 70: C. Michael Smith – Jung & Shamanism in Dialogue Conversation starts at: 6:57

Dr. Price and Dr. Smith begin the conversation with the definition of shamanism, and continue with Carlos Castaneda’s influence of shamanism in North America – noting the controversy surrounding the word of Castaneda, the mystical in the literary, Toltec principals and lineage, the complexities and ultimate mystery of reality and the universe, the layers of the “knowable” and the “unknowable,” brujerio/a: sorcery from the Oaxacan and Mazatec traditions, the Spanish and Catholic influence in Mexico, psychedelics, “consciousness creating technologies,” direct perception, “seeing,” the process of socialization and the ways in which these models obstruct our direct perception of the unseen world, we discuss Michael’s history, his calling, and his initiation, precognitive visions, Jung’s Red Book as an example of a shamanic initiation, Jung’s daemon, treatment of psychotic possession, differentiating Jungian and shamanic process, prognosis of illness, and treatment, and more.

Bio: 
C. Michael Smith is an internationally recognized Jungian psychologist, medical anthropologist, and shamanic teacher who has developed a foundation for life-mentoring drawing upon his synthesis of these traditions, originating with his book Jung and Shamanism in Dialogue.

Michael draws from the best of the disciplines of Jungian psychology and cross-cultural indigenous shamanism. From them he has creatively synthesized a powerful philosophy and system Archetypal Heart Psychology which is the foundation of his work, and which employs the most potent techniques and assessment instruments for clarifying your life calling and potentiality, and has tools such as “Archetypal Diagnosis and Assessment” through a psychoshamanic technique he developed of guided “Four Archetypal Journeys” to get you cooking on all burners, so you can bring your Gifts to the world, realize your vision, or bring your creative idea into the market-place, and share it with the world. Along with this, he has developed a technology for “Locating the Little Devils,” those self-defeating tendencies and limit patterns that can disempower and keep you from manifesting your dreams. Once identified through Core Questions and Collaborative Insearching. Michael shows you how you can transmute these “little devils” into allies and resources rather than self-defeating forces that troll your best intentions.

For Info on C. Michael Smith’s Crows Nest International Seminars, Retreats and Workshops, Go to:

www.crowsnestshamanism.com

www.cmichaelsmith.com

Website for The Sacred Speaks:

www.thesacredspeaks.com

WATCH:

YouTube for The Sacred Speaks
www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

Instagram:
www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
@thesacredspeaks
Twitter:
twitter.com/thesacredspeaks
Facebook:
www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/
Brought to you by:

]]> Conversation starts at: 6:57

Dr. Price and Dr. Smith begin the conversation with the definition of shamanism, and continue with Carlos Castaneda’s influence of shamanism in North America – noting the controversy surrounding the word of Castaneda, the mystical in the literary, Toltec principals and lineage, the complexities and ultimate mystery of reality and the universe, the layers of the “knowable” and the “unknowable,” brujerio/a: sorcery from the Oaxacan and Mazatec traditions, the Spanish and Catholic influence in Mexico, psychedelics, “consciousness creating technologies,” direct perception, “seeing,” the process of socialization and the ways in which these models obstruct our direct perception of the unseen world, we discuss Michael’s history, his calling, and his initiation, precognitive visions, Jung’s Red Book as an example of a shamanic initiation, Jung’s daemon, treatment of psychotic possession, differentiating Jungian and shamanic process, prognosis of illness, and treatment, and more.

Bio: 
C. Michael Smith is an internationally recognized Jungian psychologist, medical anthropologist, and shamanic teacher who has developed a foundation for life-mentoring drawing upon his synthesis of these traditions, originating with his book Jung and Shamanism in Dialogue.

Michael draws from the best of the disciplines of Jungian psychology and cross-cultural indigenous shamanism. From them he has creatively synthesized a powerful philosophy and system Archetypal Heart Psychology which is the foundation of his work, and which employs the most potent techniques and assessment instruments for clarifying your life calling and potentiality, and has tools such as “Archetypal Diagnosis and Assessment” through a psychoshamanic technique he developed of guided “Four Archetypal Journeys” to get you cooking on all burners, so you can bring your Gifts to the world, realize your vision, or bring your creative idea into the market-place, and share it with the world. Along with this, he has developed a technology for “Locating the Little Devils,” those self-defeating tendencies and limit patterns that can disempower and keep you from manifesting your dreams. Once identified through Core Questions and Collaborative Insearching. Michael shows you how you can transmute these “little devils” into allies and resources rather than self-defeating forces that troll your best intentions.

For Info on C. Michael Smith’s Crows Nest International Seminars, Retreats and Workshops, Go to:

www.crowsnestshamanism.com

www.cmichaelsmith.com

Website for The Sacred Speaks:

www.thesacredspeaks.com

WATCH:

YouTube for The Sacred Speaks
www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

Instagram:
www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
@thesacredspeaks
Twitter:
twitter.com/thesacredspeaks
Facebook:
www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/
Brought to you by:

]]> John Price Buzzsprout-9334997 Fri, 08 Oct 2021 11:00:00 -0500 6325 full false 69: Anthony Bossis – Consciousness, Death, Meaning, & Spirituality 69: Anthony Bossis – Consciousness, Death, Meaning, & Spirituality We begin this conversation acknowledging the dynamic between biological reductionism and mystical experience within the ever-growing field of psychedelic assisted therapies. The conversation continues by exploring consciousness, spirituality, the nature of religion, the expanding field of end of life care and psychedelics, mystical experience, the history of psychedelics as a healing modality, integration of mystical experience, Aldous Huxley’s influence, death as a spiritual process, the medicalization of healthcare, we discuss Tony’s recent chapter, Utility of psychedelics in the treatment of psycho-spiritual and existential distress in palliative care: A Promising new paradigm, the research history of psychedelics, constructivism and perennialism, legalization of psychedelics, and addressing the concern for the medicalization of psychedelics.

Bio: 
Anthony P. Bossis, Ph.D. is a clinical psychologist and clinical assistant professor of psychiatry at NYU School of Medicine conducting FDA-approved clinical research with the psychedelic compound psilocybin for over a decade. Dr. Bossis was director of palliative care research and co-principal investigator on the 2016 landmark clinical trial demonstrating a significant reduction in emotional distress from a single psilocybin session in persons with cancer, specifically, a rapid decrease in depression, anxiety, hopelessness, and demoralization along with improvements in spiritual well-being and quality of life. He is study director and lead session guide on a clinical trial evaluating psilocybin-generated mystical experience upon religious leaders. His primary psychedelic research interests include the treatment of end-of-life existential distress and advancing our understanding of consciousness, meaning, and spirituality. Dr. Bossis is a training supervisor of psychotherapy at NYU-Bellevue Hospital Center and co-founder of the Bellevue Hospital Palliative Care Service. He is a faculty member for The Center for Psychedelic Therapies and Research Certificate Program at the California Institute of Integral Studies and for The Art of Dying Institute in NYC. He has a long-standing interest in comparative religion, mysticism, and the interface of psychology and spirituality. He maintains a private psychotherapy and consulting practice in NYC.

Bossis, A.P. (2021). Utility of psychedelics in the treatment of psycho-spiritual and existential distress in palliative care: A Promising new paradigm. In: C. Grob & J. Grigsby (Eds.), Handbook of Medical Hallucinogens (pp. 441-473). Guilford Press.

Bossis, A.P. (2021). Psilocybin, Spirituality, and Palliative Care: Research and Implications. Alternative and Complementary Therapies, v 27(1).

Website for The Sacred Speaks:

www.thesacredspeaks.com

WATCH:

YouTube for The Sacred Speaks
www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

Instagram:
www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
@thesacredspeaks
Twitter:
twitter.com/thesacredspeaks
Facebook:
www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/
Brought to you by:
www.thecenterforhas.com

WATCH

Get Centered

]]> We begin this conversation acknowledging the dynamic between biological reductionism and mystical experience within the ever-growing field of psychedelic assisted therapies. The conversation continues by exploring consciousness, spirituality, the nature of religion, the expanding field of end of life care and psychedelics, mystical experience, the history of psychedelics as a healing modality, integration of mystical experience, Aldous Huxley’s influence, death as a spiritual process, the medicalization of healthcare, we discuss Tony’s recent chapter, Utility of psychedelics in the treatment of psycho-spiritual and existential distress in palliative care: A Promising new paradigm, the research history of psychedelics, constructivism and perennialism, legalization of psychedelics, and addressing the concern for the medicalization of psychedelics.

Bio: 
Anthony P. Bossis, Ph.D. is a clinical psychologist and clinical assistant professor of psychiatry at NYU School of Medicine conducting FDA-approved clinical research with the psychedelic compound psilocybin for over a decade. Dr. Bossis was director of palliative care research and co-principal investigator on the 2016 landmark clinical trial demonstrating a significant reduction in emotional distress from a single psilocybin session in persons with cancer, specifically, a rapid decrease in depression, anxiety, hopelessness, and demoralization along with improvements in spiritual well-being and quality of life. He is study director and lead session guide on a clinical trial evaluating psilocybin-generated mystical experience upon religious leaders. His primary psychedelic research interests include the treatment of end-of-life existential distress and advancing our understanding of consciousness, meaning, and spirituality. Dr. Bossis is a training supervisor of psychotherapy at NYU-Bellevue Hospital Center and co-founder of the Bellevue Hospital Palliative Care Service. He is a faculty member for The Center for Psychedelic Therapies and Research Certificate Program at the California Institute of Integral Studies and for The Art of Dying Institute in NYC. He has a long-standing interest in comparative religion, mysticism, and the interface of psychology and spirituality. He maintains a private psychotherapy and consulting practice in NYC.

Bossis, A.P. (2021). Utility of psychedelics in the treatment of psycho-spiritual and existential distress in palliative care: A Promising new paradigm. In: C. Grob & J. Grigsby (Eds.), Handbook of Medical Hallucinogens (pp. 441-473). Guilford Press.

Bossis, A.P. (2021). Psilocybin, Spirituality, and Palliative Care: Research and Implications. Alternative and Complementary Therapies, v 27(1).

Website for The Sacred Speaks:

www.thesacredspeaks.com

WATCH:

YouTube for The Sacred Speaks
www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

Instagram:
www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
@thesacredspeaks
Twitter:
twitter.com/thesacredspeaks
Facebook:
www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/
Brought to you by:
www.thecenterforhas.com

WATCH

Get Centered

]]> John Price Buzzsprout-9331173 Thu, 07 Oct 2021 17:00:00 -0500 6983 full false 68: Mark Arey – The Book of Revelation & Answer to Job 68: Mark Arey – The Book of Revelation & Answer to Job We begin the interview by exploring Mark’s work as a translator and the artfulness of translation by grounding our discussion in one of his books, Apocalypse: The Book of Revelation, originally written in Greek. Within minutes, Mark states that religion fulfills one or two purposes: to control or to transform – our conversation explores the latter. We discuss the psychedelic nature of the Book of Revelation, the nuances of translation, living texts, Mark’s unpublished translation of the entire new testament, modern Christianity, defining “truth” (as in, “the way, the truth, and the life”) …” – a/letheia: non/forgetting, the Answer to Job found in The Book of Revelation, the conflict in dualism, reconciling dualism, critique of the institutional church, Dionysus and Christ, love, ritual, and more.

BIO:
Born in Richmond, VA (1954) and raised outside Washington DC, Arey converted to Orthodox Christianity from the Episcopal Church when he was 22 years old. He graduated in 1975 from the University of Maryland (cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa) with a BA in Latin Language and Literature. In 1976, he matriculated at the Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology in Brookline MA. He graduated in 1979 receiving a M.Div. (with distinction) and was subsequently ordained both deacon and presbyter in October 1979. In the intervening 34 years, Arey served six parishes (last as interim Dean of the Archdiocesan Cathedral in New York City), as well as parishes in Baltimore, MD, New Haven, CT, Nashville, TN (twice), Frederick, MD and New York City. In 2006 he was awarded the rank of Economos and in 2007 that of Protopresbyter. In 2013, he asked to return to the ranks of the laity in order to marry, and did so, marrying Lyn Cameron Hayes on December 9, 2013. Arey has one grown daughter, Zoë Arey, who lives in New York City with her three daughters, Lillian, Beatrice, and Evelyn.

IN 2014, Arey was invited to be Executive Director of The Hellenic Initiative, Inc. (www.thehellenicinitiative.org), a global venture philanthropy organization that does economic development in Greece. In 2019, Arey took a six-month sabbatical to travel on pilgrimage to India, after which he began working as a private consultant in both the fields of venture philanthropy and communications.

www.thehellenicinitiative.org
NANINE EWING INTERVIEW
Thesacredspeaks – 17-the-body-the-unconscious-life-death-a-conversation-with-nanine-ewing
CLASS:
junghouston.org/program-offering-…b993-02dbb43a0b10

Website for The Sacred Speaks:

www.thesacredspeaks.com

WATCH:

YouTube for The Sacred Speaks
www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

Instagram:
www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
@thesacredspeaks
Twitter:
twitter.com/thesacredspeaks
Facebook:
www.facebook.co

]]> We begin the interview by exploring Mark’s work as a translator and the artfulness of translation by grounding our discussion in one of his books, Apocalypse: The Book of Revelation, originally written in Greek. Within minutes, Mark states that religion fulfills one or two purposes: to control or to transform – our conversation explores the latter. We discuss the psychedelic nature of the Book of Revelation, the nuances of translation, living texts, Mark’s unpublished translation of the entire new testament, modern Christianity, defining “truth” (as in, “the way, the truth, and the life”) …” – a/letheia: non/forgetting, the Answer to Job found in The Book of Revelation, the conflict in dualism, reconciling dualism, critique of the institutional church, Dionysus and Christ, love, ritual, and more.

BIO:
Born in Richmond, VA (1954) and raised outside Washington DC, Arey converted to Orthodox Christianity from the Episcopal Church when he was 22 years old. He graduated in 1975 from the University of Maryland (cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa) with a BA in Latin Language and Literature. In 1976, he matriculated at the Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology in Brookline MA. He graduated in 1979 receiving a M.Div. (with distinction) and was subsequently ordained both deacon and presbyter in October 1979. In the intervening 34 years, Arey served six parishes (last as interim Dean of the Archdiocesan Cathedral in New York City), as well as parishes in Baltimore, MD, New Haven, CT, Nashville, TN (twice), Frederick, MD and New York City. In 2006 he was awarded the rank of Economos and in 2007 that of Protopresbyter. In 2013, he asked to return to the ranks of the laity in order to marry, and did so, marrying Lyn Cameron Hayes on December 9, 2013. Arey has one grown daughter, Zoë Arey, who lives in New York City with her three daughters, Lillian, Beatrice, and Evelyn.

IN 2014, Arey was invited to be Executive Director of The Hellenic Initiative, Inc. (www.thehellenicinitiative.org), a global venture philanthropy organization that does economic development in Greece. In 2019, Arey took a six-month sabbatical to travel on pilgrimage to India, after which he began working as a private consultant in both the fields of venture philanthropy and communications.

www.thehellenicinitiative.org
NANINE EWING INTERVIEW
Thesacredspeaks – 17-the-body-the-unconscious-life-death-a-conversation-with-nanine-ewing
CLASS:
junghouston.org/program-offering-…b993-02dbb43a0b10

Website for The Sacred Speaks:

www.thesacredspeaks.com

WATCH:

YouTube for The Sacred Speaks
www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

Instagram:
www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
@thesacredspeaks
Twitter:
twitter.com/thesacredspeaks
Facebook:
www.facebook.co

]]> John Price Buzzsprout-9327295 Thu, 07 Oct 2021 17:00:00 -0500 7281 68 full true 67: Thomas Hatsis – The Witches’ Ointment: The Secret History of Psychedelic Magic 67: Thomas Hatsis – The Witches’ Ointment: The Secret History of Psychedelic Magic Through this conversation, Thomas and John discuss ego loss, a historical overview of witches, the sociological aspects of witches, the science of history, anachronism, the history of the devil, interpreting ancient texts and techniques to filter modern bias, demons of antiquity, illness and the spiritual, syncretism defined, goddess worship in antiquity, the shift from polytheism to monotheism, and more.

Bio:
Thomas Hatsis is an author, lecturer, and historian of witchcraft, magic, Western religions, contemporary psychedelia, entheogens, and medieval pharmacopeia.
psychedelichistorian.com
www.psanctum.org
www.patreon.com/m/psychedelichistorian
CLASS:
junghouston.org/program-offering-…b993-02dbb43a0b10
Website for The Sacred Speaks:
www.thesacredspeaks.com
WATCH:
YouTube for The Sacred Speaks
www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg
This episode: youtu.be/9SclEixv4rI
Instagram:
www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
@thesacredspeaks
Twitter:
twitter.com/thesacredspeaks
Facebook:
www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/
Brought to you by:
www.thecenterforhas.com
WATCH
Get Centered
www.youtube.com/channel/UCdbeVcDXWXezYMkHJg-2duw
Theme music provided by:
www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> Through this conversation, Thomas and John discuss ego loss, a historical overview of witches, the sociological aspects of witches, the science of history, anachronism, the history of the devil, interpreting ancient texts and techniques to filter modern bias, demons of antiquity, illness and the spiritual, syncretism defined, goddess worship in antiquity, the shift from polytheism to monotheism, and more.

Bio:
Thomas Hatsis is an author, lecturer, and historian of witchcraft, magic, Western religions, contemporary psychedelia, entheogens, and medieval pharmacopeia.
psychedelichistorian.com
www.psanctum.org
www.patreon.com/m/psychedelichistorian
CLASS:
junghouston.org/program-offering-…b993-02dbb43a0b10
Website for The Sacred Speaks:
www.thesacredspeaks.com
WATCH:
YouTube for The Sacred Speaks
www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg
This episode: youtu.be/9SclEixv4rI
Instagram:
www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
@thesacredspeaks
Twitter:
twitter.com/thesacredspeaks
Facebook:
www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/
Brought to you by:
www.thecenterforhas.com
WATCH
Get Centered
www.youtube.com/channel/UCdbeVcDXWXezYMkHJg-2duw
Theme music provided by:
www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> John Price Buzzsprout-9327230 Thu, 07 Oct 2021 06:00:00 -0500 7083 67 full true 66: Marguerite Mary Rigoglioso – The Mystery Tradition of Miraculous Conception 66: Marguerite Mary Rigoglioso – The Mystery Tradition of Miraculous Conception Through this conversation Dr. Rigoglioso and John discuss subjects ranging from the myth and history of immaculate conception, the goddess and the underworld, the autonomy of the archetype, various consciousnesses, living the archetypal journey of the gods, the literal and the symbolic, the ontological reality of the gods, the nature of divine birth, how “Mother Mary” became a lesser known character in the bible, the campaign to disempower women, The Mysteries, the sacred and the secret, lineages of female healers through antiquity, medicated dildos in Mystery rites, initiation of priestesses, and more. 

BIO: 

Marguerite Rigoglioso, Ph.D., is the founding director of Seven Sisters Mystery School and a scholar/practitioner of the ancient Mediterranean mystery traditions. She is the author of The Cult of Divine Birth in Ancient Greece and Virgin Mother Goddesses of Antiquity, pioneering volumes emerging from her doctoral dissertation at the California Institute of Integral Studies that explore women's shamanic abilities in a (r)evolutionary new light. 

She teaches unique and leading-edge courses on the sacred feminine and women's spiritual leadership at the California Institute of Integral Studies, Sofia University (formerly Institute of Transpersonal Psychology), and Dominican University of California.

Her research on female deities and women’s religious leadership in the ancient Mediterranean world and beyond has appeared in anthologies and journals,
including Feminist Theology, The Encyclopedia of Religion and Nature, Societies of Peace, She Is Everywhere, Trivia, and the Journal of Feminist Studies in Religion, where her paper on the cult of Demeter and Persephone in Sicily received an honorable mention for the New Scholar Award. She is also the editor of Where to Publish Articles on Women’s Studies, Feminist Religious Studies, and Feminist/Womanist Topics 2008.

A speaker at conferences and numerous public venues around the world, in 2009 she delivered a James C. Loeb Classical lecture at Harvard University on her research. She is also a featured interviewee in the films The Vanishing of the Bees and The Search for Local Honey. 

Marguerite combines lifelong study of the religious history of the ancient Mediterranean world and beyond with her own spiritual growth work and intuitional skills, which have been cultivated through years of ceremonial practice as well as intensive study at the Foundation for Spiritual Development in San Rafael, CA. She has been a professional freelance writer for the past 25 years, as well, working for clients such as 

Harvard, Stanford, UC Berkeley, Boston University, and numerous nonprofits, businesses, and authors. 

CLASS:

http://junghouston.org/program-offering-detail/?id=dfb2b6b6-4eb0-11eb-b993-02dbb43a0b10

Website for The Sacred Speaks: 

http://www.thesacredspeaks.com

WATCH:

YouTube for The Sacred Speaks

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

This episode: https://youtu.be/9SclEixv4rI

Instagram: 

https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/

@thesacredspeaks

Twitter: 

https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

Facebook: 

https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/

Brought to you by: 

https://www.thecenterforhas.com

WATCH

Get Centered

]]> Through this conversation Dr. Rigoglioso and John discuss subjects ranging from the myth and history of immaculate conception, the goddess and the underworld, the autonomy of the archetype, various consciousnesses, living the archetypal journey of the gods, the literal and the symbolic, the ontological reality of the gods, the nature of divine birth, how “Mother Mary” became a lesser known character in the bible, the campaign to disempower women, The Mysteries, the sacred and the secret, lineages of female healers through antiquity, medicated dildos in Mystery rites, initiation of priestesses, and more. 

BIO: 

Marguerite Rigoglioso, Ph.D., is the founding director of Seven Sisters Mystery School and a scholar/practitioner of the ancient Mediterranean mystery traditions. She is the author of The Cult of Divine Birth in Ancient Greece and Virgin Mother Goddesses of Antiquity, pioneering volumes emerging from her doctoral dissertation at the California Institute of Integral Studies that explore women's shamanic abilities in a (r)evolutionary new light. 

She teaches unique and leading-edge courses on the sacred feminine and women's spiritual leadership at the California Institute of Integral Studies, Sofia University (formerly Institute of Transpersonal Psychology), and Dominican University of California.

Her research on female deities and women’s religious leadership in the ancient Mediterranean world and beyond has appeared in anthologies and journals,
including Feminist Theology, The Encyclopedia of Religion and Nature, Societies of Peace, She Is Everywhere, Trivia, and the Journal of Feminist Studies in Religion, where her paper on the cult of Demeter and Persephone in Sicily received an honorable mention for the New Scholar Award. She is also the editor of Where to Publish Articles on Women’s Studies, Feminist Religious Studies, and Feminist/Womanist Topics 2008.

A speaker at conferences and numerous public venues around the world, in 2009 she delivered a James C. Loeb Classical lecture at Harvard University on her research. She is also a featured interviewee in the films The Vanishing of the Bees and The Search for Local Honey. 

Marguerite combines lifelong study of the religious history of the ancient Mediterranean world and beyond with her own spiritual growth work and intuitional skills, which have been cultivated through years of ceremonial practice as well as intensive study at the Foundation for Spiritual Development in San Rafael, CA. She has been a professional freelance writer for the past 25 years, as well, working for clients such as 

Harvard, Stanford, UC Berkeley, Boston University, and numerous nonprofits, businesses, and authors. 

CLASS:

http://junghouston.org/program-offering-detail/?id=dfb2b6b6-4eb0-11eb-b993-02dbb43a0b10

Website for The Sacred Speaks: 

http://www.thesacredspeaks.com

WATCH:

YouTube for The Sacred Speaks

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

This episode: https://youtu.be/9SclEixv4rI

Instagram: 

https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/

@thesacredspeaks

Twitter: 

https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

Facebook: 

https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/

Brought to you by: 

https://www.thecenterforhas.com

WATCH

Get Centered

]]> Marguerite Mary Rigoglioso Buzzsprout-8746507 Tue, 22 Jun 2021 14:00:00 -0500 6031 myth, history, immaculate conception, the goddess, the underworld, archetype, consciousness, the literal, the symbolic, divine birth, Mother Mary, women, The Mysteries, the sacred, lineages of female healers through antiquity, medicated dildos in Myster full false 65: Carl A. P. Ruck – The Road to Eleusis; The Myth of Christ 65: Carl A. P. Ruck – The Road to Eleusis; The Myth of Christ Dr. Carl Ruck and I begin our conversation discussing the book The Road to Eleusis, wherein “the classist” Dr. Ruck and coauthors R. Gordon Wasson, “the mycologist,” and Dr. Albert Hoffman, “the chemist,” released a controversial theory that psychoactive entheogenic sacramental ceremonies are often discovered at the root of many religious and spiritual traditions throughout history – and especially within the Greek Eleusinian Mystery tradition that lasted around 2000 years. Throughout the interview we explore subjects including classical sources, interpretation of ancient texts, religion and consciousness, entheogens and psychedelics, the political difficulty of the psychedelic sacrament, academia and censorship, drugs and cult ritual practices, the nature of myth, drugs and addiction, polyethnicity, myth and metaphor, consciousness, and our symbiotic relationship to the earth.  

BIO: 

Carl A.P. Ruck is an authority on the ecstatic rituals of the god Dionysus. With the ethno-mycologist R. Gordon Wasson and Albert Hofmann, he identified the secret psychoactive ingredient in the visionary potion that was drunk by the initiates at the Eleusinian Mystery. In Persephone’s Quest: Entheogens and the Origins of Religion, he proclaimed the centrality of psychoactive sacraments at the very beginnings of religion, employing the neologism “entheogen” to free the topic from the pejorative connotations for words like drug or hallucinogen.

Check out Prof. Ruck’s latest project: https://www.dropbox.com/s/cgiwjbne3bj7c24/CarlRuck.mp4

Research Interests: 

Greek drama, Dionysian festivals and rituals, ancient Mystery religions, Orphism, Zoroaster, Mithraism, ancient Christian heretical sects, the role of entheogens in the evolution of human consciousness and religions, Mythology, secret sacraments in medieval and Renaissance art, ancient and medieval eschatology, fairy-tales and European folklore, secret societies and craft guilds, prehistoric rock art, Greek epigraphy, structural linguistics, Latin and Greek grammar, Mesoamerican shamanism.

https://www.bu.edu/classics/faculty-profiles/carl-ruck/

http://wassonwest.com

https://entheomedia.net

CLASS:

http://junghouston.org/program-offering-detail/?id=dfb2b6b6-4eb0-11eb-b993-02dbb43a0b10

Website for The Sacred Speaks: 

http://www.thesacredspeaks.com

WATCH:

YouTube for The Sacred Speaks

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

Instagram: 

https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/

@thesacredspeaks

Twitter: 

https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

Facebook: 

https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/

Brought to you by: 

https://www.thecenterforhas.com

WATCH

Get Centered

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdbeVcDXWXezYMkHJg-2duw

Theme music provided by:

http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> Dr. Carl Ruck and I begin our conversation discussing the book The Road to Eleusis, wherein “the classist” Dr. Ruck and coauthors R. Gordon Wasson, “the mycologist,” and Dr. Albert Hoffman, “the chemist,” released a controversial theory that psychoactive entheogenic sacramental ceremonies are often discovered at the root of many religious and spiritual traditions throughout history – and especially within the Greek Eleusinian Mystery tradition that lasted around 2000 years. Throughout the interview we explore subjects including classical sources, interpretation of ancient texts, religion and consciousness, entheogens and psychedelics, the political difficulty of the psychedelic sacrament, academia and censorship, drugs and cult ritual practices, the nature of myth, drugs and addiction, polyethnicity, myth and metaphor, consciousness, and our symbiotic relationship to the earth.  

BIO: 

Carl A.P. Ruck is an authority on the ecstatic rituals of the god Dionysus. With the ethno-mycologist R. Gordon Wasson and Albert Hofmann, he identified the secret psychoactive ingredient in the visionary potion that was drunk by the initiates at the Eleusinian Mystery. In Persephone’s Quest: Entheogens and the Origins of Religion, he proclaimed the centrality of psychoactive sacraments at the very beginnings of religion, employing the neologism “entheogen” to free the topic from the pejorative connotations for words like drug or hallucinogen.

Check out Prof. Ruck’s latest project: https://www.dropbox.com/s/cgiwjbne3bj7c24/CarlRuck.mp4

Research Interests: 

Greek drama, Dionysian festivals and rituals, ancient Mystery religions, Orphism, Zoroaster, Mithraism, ancient Christian heretical sects, the role of entheogens in the evolution of human consciousness and religions, Mythology, secret sacraments in medieval and Renaissance art, ancient and medieval eschatology, fairy-tales and European folklore, secret societies and craft guilds, prehistoric rock art, Greek epigraphy, structural linguistics, Latin and Greek grammar, Mesoamerican shamanism.

https://www.bu.edu/classics/faculty-profiles/carl-ruck/

http://wassonwest.com

https://entheomedia.net

CLASS:

http://junghouston.org/program-offering-detail/?id=dfb2b6b6-4eb0-11eb-b993-02dbb43a0b10

Website for The Sacred Speaks: 

http://www.thesacredspeaks.com

WATCH:

YouTube for The Sacred Speaks

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

Instagram: 

https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/

@thesacredspeaks

Twitter: 

https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

Facebook: 

https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/

Brought to you by: 

https://www.thecenterforhas.com

WATCH

Get Centered

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdbeVcDXWXezYMkHJg-2duw

Theme music provided by:

http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> https://www.thesacredspeaks.com Carl Ruck Buzzsprout-8746082 Tue, 22 Jun 2021 13:00:00 -0500 6617 Eleusis, Greek Mysteries, Mushrooms, Entheogens, Psychedelics, Religion, Classics, Spirituality full false 64: Mackenzie Amara – Dreams, Psychedelics, & the Underworld 64: Mackenzie Amara – Dreams, Psychedelics, & the Underworld Join John in his interview with Mackenzie Amara - known to many as the “inked shrink” - as they explore the relationship between trauma and healing, psychedelics and psychosis, and dreams and the underworld. Mackenzie, an early initiate into both psychedelics and psychosis, endured a challenge to her worldview, which subsequently opened the next stage in her life. We discuss Jung’s struggle with psychedelics, repression of moment-to-moment authenticity and spontaneity, psychoanalysis as an acid trip, psychedelic assisted psychotherapy, dreams and waking fantasies, Mackenzie provides a personal example of taking a dream seriously and the impact of that attitude and decision making, rational thinking as a means of defense, trigger warnings and cancel culture, the underworld, and the rational, irrational & reason.

Bio: 

By trade Mackenzie is a writer, coach, & 5Rhythms® teacher. By vocation she is a Jungian analyst-in-training & Clinical Psychology doctoral student. By design she is a collection of fractal, holographic cells dancing around some strange attractor for the sake of who knows what to live an insignificant, mythic life reflective of the mysterious vital spark within her. She identifies as a series of memories & unverifiable subjective experiences of self-hood to which she is rather fondly attached. She has a penchant for scholarship, the occult, pedantic erudition, morbid humor, grandiosity, nihilism, & semi-responsible hedonism. Born in the shadow of New Age culture into a fractured family system & the subjective experiencer of (arguably) extreme early childhood trauma, her life’s work is to heal psychic wounds—her’s & other’s—that she & others become strong enough to contend with the unconscious quicksands & transpersonal abysses which lap at the periphery of developing consciousness. She is an emergent property of Being playing at becoming sovereign. She really, really loves butter. 

https://www.mackenzieamara.com

Makenzie’s YouTube lecture: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYR9JtlWCHE&t=23s

CLASS:

http://junghouston.org/program-offering-detail/?id=dfb2b6b6-4eb0-11eb-b993-02dbb43a0b10

Website for The Sacred Speaks: 

http://www.thesacredspeaks.com

WATCH:

YouTube for The Sacred Speaks

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

Instagram: 

https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/

@thesacredspeaks

Twitter: 

https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

Facebook: 

https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/

Brought to you by: 

https://www.thecenterforhas.com

WATCH

Get Centered

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdbeVcDXWXezYMkHJg-2duw

Theme music provided by:

http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> Join John in his interview with Mackenzie Amara - known to many as the “inked shrink” - as they explore the relationship between trauma and healing, psychedelics and psychosis, and dreams and the underworld. Mackenzie, an early initiate into both psychedelics and psychosis, endured a challenge to her worldview, which subsequently opened the next stage in her life. We discuss Jung’s struggle with psychedelics, repression of moment-to-moment authenticity and spontaneity, psychoanalysis as an acid trip, psychedelic assisted psychotherapy, dreams and waking fantasies, Mackenzie provides a personal example of taking a dream seriously and the impact of that attitude and decision making, rational thinking as a means of defense, trigger warnings and cancel culture, the underworld, and the rational, irrational & reason.

Bio: 

By trade Mackenzie is a writer, coach, & 5Rhythms® teacher. By vocation she is a Jungian analyst-in-training & Clinical Psychology doctoral student. By design she is a collection of fractal, holographic cells dancing around some strange attractor for the sake of who knows what to live an insignificant, mythic life reflective of the mysterious vital spark within her. She identifies as a series of memories & unverifiable subjective experiences of self-hood to which she is rather fondly attached. She has a penchant for scholarship, the occult, pedantic erudition, morbid humor, grandiosity, nihilism, & semi-responsible hedonism. Born in the shadow of New Age culture into a fractured family system & the subjective experiencer of (arguably) extreme early childhood trauma, her life’s work is to heal psychic wounds—her’s & other’s—that she & others become strong enough to contend with the unconscious quicksands & transpersonal abysses which lap at the periphery of developing consciousness. She is an emergent property of Being playing at becoming sovereign. She really, really loves butter. 

https://www.mackenzieamara.com

Makenzie’s YouTube lecture: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYR9JtlWCHE&t=23s

CLASS:

http://junghouston.org/program-offering-detail/?id=dfb2b6b6-4eb0-11eb-b993-02dbb43a0b10

Website for The Sacred Speaks: 

http://www.thesacredspeaks.com

WATCH:

YouTube for The Sacred Speaks

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

Instagram: 

https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/

@thesacredspeaks

Twitter: 

https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

Facebook: 

https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/

Brought to you by: 

https://www.thecenterforhas.com

WATCH

Get Centered

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdbeVcDXWXezYMkHJg-2duw

Theme music provided by:

http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> https://www.thesacredspeaks.com Mackenzie Amara Buzzsprout-8744031 Tue, 22 Jun 2021 07:00:00 -0500 6372 psychedelics, underworld, psychology, Jungian, Analytical Psychology, religion, spirituality full false 63: Ammon Hillman - Jesus, Sex, Drugs, & Mystery Cults of Antiquity 63: Ammon Hillman - Jesus, Sex, Drugs, & Mystery Cults of Antiquity This is one of the most controversial podcasts in the history of The Sacred Speaks; though controversy is familiar territory for the participant, Dr. DAC Hillman. Dr. Hillman began his doctoral research in the middle of a controversy that threatened him with a conflict between the choice of censuring his research to graduate with his doctorate or not pass. So, he did what any self-respecting doctoral student would do - remove the controversial work from his dissertation, and the write a book about it. The Chemical Muse is the book whose central thesis circulates within and through the heart of the “offensive” content – the recreational and sacred use of drugs in classical antiquity. Though his advisors denied that people in classical antiquity used drugs both recreationally and within religious rites, the evidence currently underway confirms his censured thesis. But he did not stop there. Dr. Hillman’s research investigates practices by religious Mystery cults in the classic age who participated in the unimaginable, by modern standards. Have you ever imagined that the human body could or would be used as a pharmacy to produce antidotes to drugs and venoms administered to initiates of sacred Mysteries traditions; and that without those human produced antidotes, the initiate’s body would begin to fail? What if the bodies of both adults and children were used in such ways? Dr. Hillman and Dr. Price discuss ancient religion, translating ancient texts, hidden language, image, magic, witches, sexual abuse of children, Jesus and St. John, obscured practices within ancient Mystery cults, Magi, the body as pharmacy, Gnostics, heresy, censorship by those in power, homosexuality, the patriarchy, priestesses, myth, & Magic.  

Bio:

Dr. DC Ammon Hillman earned his MS in Bacteriology and Ph.D. in Classics from the University of Wisconsin Madison, where he specialized in Ancient Greek and Roman medicine and pharmacy.  His first book, The Chemical Muse, was published with St. Martin’s Press immediately after his dissertation committee forced him to delete all references to recreational drugs from his thesis.  Dr. Hillman also wrote Original Sin, a work about the use of drug-induced child rape in early Christian ritual.   The publication of The Chemical Muse inspired the production of a lengthy History Chanel documentary on the history of drug use in the ancient world. After an official inquiry by the Catholic Church into allegations of demon possession, Dr. Hillman was fired from St. Mary’s University of Minnesota.  He continues to write about the use of drugs in ancient mystery cults and tutors ancient Greek online.

 

https://www.amazon.com/Chemical-Muse-Roots-Western-Civilization/dp/0312352492

CLASS:

http://junghouston.org/program-offering-detail/?id=dfb2b6b6-4eb0-11eb-b993-02dbb43a0b10

Website for The Sacred Speaks: 

http://www.thesacredspeaks.com

WATCH:

YouTube for The Sacred Speaks

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

Instagram: 

https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/

@thesacredspeaks

Twitter: 

https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

Facebook: 

https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/

Brought to you by: 

https://www.thecenterforhas.com

WATCH

Get Centered

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdbeVcDXWXezYMkHJg-2duw<

]]> This is one of the most controversial podcasts in the history of The Sacred Speaks; though controversy is familiar territory for the participant, Dr. DAC Hillman. Dr. Hillman began his doctoral research in the middle of a controversy that threatened him with a conflict between the choice of censuring his research to graduate with his doctorate or not pass. So, he did what any self-respecting doctoral student would do - remove the controversial work from his dissertation, and the write a book about it. The Chemical Muse is the book whose central thesis circulates within and through the heart of the “offensive” content – the recreational and sacred use of drugs in classical antiquity. Though his advisors denied that people in classical antiquity used drugs both recreationally and within religious rites, the evidence currently underway confirms his censured thesis. But he did not stop there. Dr. Hillman’s research investigates practices by religious Mystery cults in the classic age who participated in the unimaginable, by modern standards. Have you ever imagined that the human body could or would be used as a pharmacy to produce antidotes to drugs and venoms administered to initiates of sacred Mysteries traditions; and that without those human produced antidotes, the initiate’s body would begin to fail? What if the bodies of both adults and children were used in such ways? Dr. Hillman and Dr. Price discuss ancient religion, translating ancient texts, hidden language, image, magic, witches, sexual abuse of children, Jesus and St. John, obscured practices within ancient Mystery cults, Magi, the body as pharmacy, Gnostics, heresy, censorship by those in power, homosexuality, the patriarchy, priestesses, myth, & Magic.  

Bio:

Dr. DC Ammon Hillman earned his MS in Bacteriology and Ph.D. in Classics from the University of Wisconsin Madison, where he specialized in Ancient Greek and Roman medicine and pharmacy.  His first book, The Chemical Muse, was published with St. Martin’s Press immediately after his dissertation committee forced him to delete all references to recreational drugs from his thesis.  Dr. Hillman also wrote Original Sin, a work about the use of drug-induced child rape in early Christian ritual.   The publication of The Chemical Muse inspired the production of a lengthy History Chanel documentary on the history of drug use in the ancient world. After an official inquiry by the Catholic Church into allegations of demon possession, Dr. Hillman was fired from St. Mary’s University of Minnesota.  He continues to write about the use of drugs in ancient mystery cults and tutors ancient Greek online.

 

https://www.amazon.com/Chemical-Muse-Roots-Western-Civilization/dp/0312352492

CLASS:

http://junghouston.org/program-offering-detail/?id=dfb2b6b6-4eb0-11eb-b993-02dbb43a0b10

Website for The Sacred Speaks: 

http://www.thesacredspeaks.com

WATCH:

YouTube for The Sacred Speaks

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

Instagram: 

https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/

@thesacredspeaks

Twitter: 

https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

Facebook: 

https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/

Brought to you by: 

https://www.thecenterforhas.com

WATCH

Get Centered

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdbeVcDXWXezYMkHJg-2duw<

]]> https://www.thesacredspeaks.com Ammon Hillman Buzzsprout-8743916 Tue, 22 Jun 2021 06:00:00 -0500 6572 Christian, controversy, consciousness, cults, mysteries full false 62: William Richards - Sacred Knowledge 62: William Richards - Sacred Knowledge What is a religious experience? Really. How does one define a religious event? Why do we keep reading from figures who report life-affirming, transformation-inducing, and worldview-shattering experiences that we, if we are honest, evoke the  tension between both fascination and anxious avoidance? Today’s episode may provide a life raft - though the storm approaches regardless. Tune in as Dr. William Richards, a psychologist in the Psychiatry Department of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, and Dr. John Price discuss the definition of terms such as mystic and religious events, they explore subject ranging from the early application of psychedelics in a clinical context, the current and historical government regulation of psychedelics - or entheogens, if you will - clinical examples of the transformations that many have experienced during and after the use of these medicines, current studies, the collective unconscious, the embarrassment felt by the military’s attempts to use these substances, morality and entheogens, identity, the ethics of entheogens in a clinical setting, getting “high,” spiritual by-passing, the nature of nature summarized in the familiar refrain that love is underneath it all, and more.  

 

 

Bio:

William A. Richards (Bill) is a psychologist in the Psychiatry Department of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Bayview Medical Center, a consultant/trainer at sites of psychedelic research internationally, a teacher in the Program of Psychedelic Therapy and Research at the California Institute of Integral Studies, and also a clinician in private practice in Baltimore. His graduate degrees include M.Div. from Yale Divinity School, S.T.M. from Andover-Newton Theological School and Ph.D. from Catholic University, as well as studies with Abraham Maslow at Brandeis University and with Hanscarl Leuner at Georg-August University in Göttingen, Germany, where his involvement with psilocybin research originated in 1963. From 1967 to 1977, he pursued psychotherapy research with LSD, DPT, MDA and  psilocybin at the Maryland Psychiatric Research Center, including protocols designed to investigate the promise of psychedelic substances in the treatment of alcoholism, depression, narcotic addiction and the psychological distress associated with terminal cancer, and also their use in the training of religious and mental-health professionals. From 1977-1981, he was a member of the psychology faculty of Antioch University in Maryland. In 1999 at Johns Hopkins, he and Roland Griffiths launched the rebirth of psilocybin research after a 22-year period of dormancy in the United States. His publications began in 1966 with “Implications of LSD and Experimental Mysticism,” coauthored with Walter Pahnke. His book, Sacred Knowledge: Psychedelics and Religious Experiences was released in English by Columbia University Press in 2015 and has since been translated into four additional languages.

https://hopkinspsychedelic.org/richards

https://hopkinspsychedelic.org

https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/home

The Jung Center Houston

https://junghouston.org

CLASS:

http://junghouston.org/program-offering-detail/?id=dfb2b6b6-4eb0-11eb-b993-02dbb43a0b10

Website for The Sacred Speaks: 

http://www.thesacredspeaks.com

WATCH:

YouTube for The Sacred Speaks

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

Instagram: 

https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/

@thesacredspeaks

]]> What is a religious experience? Really. How does one define a religious event? Why do we keep reading from figures who report life-affirming, transformation-inducing, and worldview-shattering experiences that we, if we are honest, evoke the  tension between both fascination and anxious avoidance? Today’s episode may provide a life raft - though the storm approaches regardless. Tune in as Dr. William Richards, a psychologist in the Psychiatry Department of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, and Dr. John Price discuss the definition of terms such as mystic and religious events, they explore subject ranging from the early application of psychedelics in a clinical context, the current and historical government regulation of psychedelics - or entheogens, if you will - clinical examples of the transformations that many have experienced during and after the use of these medicines, current studies, the collective unconscious, the embarrassment felt by the military’s attempts to use these substances, morality and entheogens, identity, the ethics of entheogens in a clinical setting, getting “high,” spiritual by-passing, the nature of nature summarized in the familiar refrain that love is underneath it all, and more.  

 

 

Bio:

William A. Richards (Bill) is a psychologist in the Psychiatry Department of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Bayview Medical Center, a consultant/trainer at sites of psychedelic research internationally, a teacher in the Program of Psychedelic Therapy and Research at the California Institute of Integral Studies, and also a clinician in private practice in Baltimore. His graduate degrees include M.Div. from Yale Divinity School, S.T.M. from Andover-Newton Theological School and Ph.D. from Catholic University, as well as studies with Abraham Maslow at Brandeis University and with Hanscarl Leuner at Georg-August University in Göttingen, Germany, where his involvement with psilocybin research originated in 1963. From 1967 to 1977, he pursued psychotherapy research with LSD, DPT, MDA and  psilocybin at the Maryland Psychiatric Research Center, including protocols designed to investigate the promise of psychedelic substances in the treatment of alcoholism, depression, narcotic addiction and the psychological distress associated with terminal cancer, and also their use in the training of religious and mental-health professionals. From 1977-1981, he was a member of the psychology faculty of Antioch University in Maryland. In 1999 at Johns Hopkins, he and Roland Griffiths launched the rebirth of psilocybin research after a 22-year period of dormancy in the United States. His publications began in 1966 with “Implications of LSD and Experimental Mysticism,” coauthored with Walter Pahnke. His book, Sacred Knowledge: Psychedelics and Religious Experiences was released in English by Columbia University Press in 2015 and has since been translated into four additional languages.

https://hopkinspsychedelic.org/richards

https://hopkinspsychedelic.org

https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/home

The Jung Center Houston

https://junghouston.org

CLASS:

http://junghouston.org/program-offering-detail/?id=dfb2b6b6-4eb0-11eb-b993-02dbb43a0b10

Website for The Sacred Speaks: 

http://www.thesacredspeaks.com

WATCH:

YouTube for The Sacred Speaks

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg

Instagram: 

https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/

@thesacredspeaks

]]> https://www.thesacredspeaks.com William Richards Buzzsprout-8743854 Tue, 22 Jun 2021 05:00:00 -0500 6001 psychedelics, consciousness, spirituality, medicine full false 61: Brian Muraresku - The Immortality Key 61: Brian Muraresku - The Immortality Key In this episode, John interviews Brian Muraresku, author of New York Times Bestseller, The Immortality Key: The Secret History of The Religion with No Name. On an average day back in 2007, Muraresku’s life changed after reading the Economist’s article reviewing the research underway at Johns Hopkins investigating the clinical use of psilocybin mushrooms. Thus, Brian’s twelve-year study of a controversial theory was born. The theory positions psychedelics at the root of early the Christian Eucharist, and beyond that, at the root of religion as a whole. Through this conversation, Brian and John explore the psychedelic theory of religion, “graveyard beer” - a psychedelic brew used as a sacrament to commune with the dead 10,000 years ago, the mysteries of Eleusis – a Greek religious, esoteric tradition, literalism, the need for all of us to study the classics, healthy skepticism, Christ as a Dionysus figure, the relationship between blood and wine, the kingdom of heaven (not in the afterlife, but present day), the technology and science that is providing insight into our religious traditions, and the powers that seek to erase those histories – spoiler alert: for the Roman Catholic Church this was women and drugs. Referencing The Immortality Key, Jeff Kripal writes, “Buckle up tight, Toto. You were never in Kansas. It’s Oz everywhere and always."
BRIAN C. MURARESKU graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Brown University with a degree in Latin, Greek and Sanskrit. As an alumnus of Georgetown Law and a member of the New York Bar, he has been practicing law internationally for fifteen years. He lives outside Washington D.C. with his wife and two daughters.
In 2016, Muraresku became the founding executive director of Doctors for Cannabis Regulation. Their work has been featured on CNN and ESPN, as well as The Washington Post and San Francisco Chronicle. In arbitration with the NFL in 2018, Muraresku represented the first professional athlete in the United States to seek a therapeutic use exemption for cannabis.
The Immortality Key is his debut book.
www.brianmuraresku.com/author
Website for The Sacred Speaks:
www.thesacredspeaks.com
WATCH:
YouTube for The Sacred Speaks
www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg
Instagram:
www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
@thesacredspeaks
Twitter:
twitter.com/thesacredspeaks
Facebook:
www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/
Brought to you by:
www.thecenterforhas.com
WATCH
Get Centered
www.youtube.com/channel/UCdbeVcDXWXezYMkHJg-2duw
Theme music provided by:
www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> In this episode, John interviews Brian Muraresku, author of New York Times Bestseller, The Immortality Key: The Secret History of The Religion with No Name. On an average day back in 2007, Muraresku’s life changed after reading the Economist’s article reviewing the research underway at Johns Hopkins investigating the clinical use of psilocybin mushrooms. Thus, Brian’s twelve-year study of a controversial theory was born. The theory positions psychedelics at the root of early the Christian Eucharist, and beyond that, at the root of religion as a whole. Through this conversation, Brian and John explore the psychedelic theory of religion, “graveyard beer” - a psychedelic brew used as a sacrament to commune with the dead 10,000 years ago, the mysteries of Eleusis – a Greek religious, esoteric tradition, literalism, the need for all of us to study the classics, healthy skepticism, Christ as a Dionysus figure, the relationship between blood and wine, the kingdom of heaven (not in the afterlife, but present day), the technology and science that is providing insight into our religious traditions, and the powers that seek to erase those histories – spoiler alert: for the Roman Catholic Church this was women and drugs. Referencing The Immortality Key, Jeff Kripal writes, “Buckle up tight, Toto. You were never in Kansas. It’s Oz everywhere and always."
BRIAN C. MURARESKU graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Brown University with a degree in Latin, Greek and Sanskrit. As an alumnus of Georgetown Law and a member of the New York Bar, he has been practicing law internationally for fifteen years. He lives outside Washington D.C. with his wife and two daughters.
In 2016, Muraresku became the founding executive director of Doctors for Cannabis Regulation. Their work has been featured on CNN and ESPN, as well as The Washington Post and San Francisco Chronicle. In arbitration with the NFL in 2018, Muraresku represented the first professional athlete in the United States to seek a therapeutic use exemption for cannabis.
The Immortality Key is his debut book.
www.brianmuraresku.com/author
Website for The Sacred Speaks:
www.thesacredspeaks.com
WATCH:
YouTube for The Sacred Speaks
www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg
Instagram:
www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
@thesacredspeaks
Twitter:
twitter.com/thesacredspeaks
Facebook:
www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/
Brought to you by:
www.thecenterforhas.com
WATCH
Get Centered
www.youtube.com/channel/UCdbeVcDXWXezYMkHJg-2duw
Theme music provided by:
www.modernnationsmusic.com

]]> https://www.thesacredspeaks.com Brian Muraresku Buzzsprout-8743791 Tue, 22 Jun 2021 05:00:00 -0500 6464 consciousness, psychedelics, mystery, Eleusis, religion, Greek Mysteries full false 47: Patrick Summers - Music and Spirit 47: Patrick Summers - Music and Spirit Music offers one of the most potent spiritual metaphors that exists, and Patrick Summers, the artistic and music director of the Houston Grand Opera, has plenty to say about the subject of spirituality and music. He positions the operatic voice as the expression of a unique sonic vocal print that vibrates atoms between the singer and the listener’s ears. In his book, The Spirit of This Place: How Music Illuminates the Human Spirit, he writes, “But precisely because music is both an intellectual and an aesthetic pursuit, it is the perfect metaphor for how I believe one must live: with vast respect for provable knowledge and genuine expertise, but never at the expense of the deep joy and wonder of that knowledge, using what can be learned to marvel at what can never be explained” (2018, p. 147). The science and theory of music notes that an E flat played anywhere at any time in the world is still an E flat, but the infinite ways in which this note can be contextualized and performed open the notes, timbre, rhythm, beat, and melody to communicate that which cannot be reduced to the former collection of sounds and spaces. Patrick is a champion for struggling against the dominance of our culture’s tendency to force art and aesthetic practices into a transactional container. As it would appear that the only justification for an arts program today is the capacity to measure the ways in which art increases math skills, which it does; but I would argue that nobody brought to tears listening to a piece of music or by reading a beautiful poem considers the utility of the quadratic formula in that moment. We discuss the fact that while the arts in education may not teach a person how to get a job, they may, and often do, help a person discover who they are and how to be in the world.

Summers graduated from the Jacobs School of Music of Indiana University with a bachelor’s degree in music in 1986. Upon graduation, he participated in the San Francisco Opera’s Merola Opera Program as an apprentice coach in 1986 and 1987, and won the Otto Guth Memorial Award for excellence in vocal coaching both years. Summers’ first professional engagement, with San Francisco Opera’s Western Opera Theater, was conducting La bohème in their 1986/87 season. In 1989, Summers began his tenure as the music director of the San Francisco Opera Center, a training program for young singers; his first mainstage production, Die Fledermaus, was in 1990. In 1998, Summers was made Music Director of Houston Grand Opera, a position he has held since. 1998 also saw Summers’ Metropolitan Opera conducting debut in Johann Strauss’s Die Fledermaus. As Music Director of Houston Grand Opera, Summers oversaw the foundation and development of the HGO Orchestra. Prior to the orchestra’s foundation, HGO hired outside orchestras for its productions. Since 1998, Summers has conducted over 50 productions at Houston Grand Opera, including seven world premieres (notably Carlisle Floyd’s Cold Sassy Tree in 2000). In 2011, following Anthony Freud’s move to Chicago Lyric Opera, Summers was named Houston Grand Opera’s Artistic and Music Director.
In 2002, he won a Grammy Award for his audio recording Bel Canto, with soprano Renée Fleming and the Orchestra of St. Luke’s. Summers's book The Spirit of This Place: How Music Illuminates the Human Spirit released in 2018 from University of Chicago Press.

www.houstongrandopera.org
Theme music provided by:
www.modernnationsmusic.com
Band of the Week: Renee Fleming and Patrick Summers, Bel Canto
Music Page:
music.apple.com/us/album/ren%C3%A…scenes/1

]]> Music offers one of the most potent spiritual metaphors that exists, and Patrick Summers, the artistic and music director of the Houston Grand Opera, has plenty to say about the subject of spirituality and music. He positions the operatic voice as the expression of a unique sonic vocal print that vibrates atoms between the singer and the listener’s ears. In his book, The Spirit of This Place: How Music Illuminates the Human Spirit, he writes, “But precisely because music is both an intellectual and an aesthetic pursuit, it is the perfect metaphor for how I believe one must live: with vast respect for provable knowledge and genuine expertise, but never at the expense of the deep joy and wonder of that knowledge, using what can be learned to marvel at what can never be explained” (2018, p. 147). The science and theory of music notes that an E flat played anywhere at any time in the world is still an E flat, but the infinite ways in which this note can be contextualized and performed open the notes, timbre, rhythm, beat, and melody to communicate that which cannot be reduced to the former collection of sounds and spaces. Patrick is a champion for struggling against the dominance of our culture’s tendency to force art and aesthetic practices into a transactional container. As it would appear that the only justification for an arts program today is the capacity to measure the ways in which art increases math skills, which it does; but I would argue that nobody brought to tears listening to a piece of music or by reading a beautiful poem considers the utility of the quadratic formula in that moment. We discuss the fact that while the arts in education may not teach a person how to get a job, they may, and often do, help a person discover who they are and how to be in the world.

Summers graduated from the Jacobs School of Music of Indiana University with a bachelor’s degree in music in 1986. Upon graduation, he participated in the San Francisco Opera’s Merola Opera Program as an apprentice coach in 1986 and 1987, and won the Otto Guth Memorial Award for excellence in vocal coaching both years. Summers’ first professional engagement, with San Francisco Opera’s Western Opera Theater, was conducting La bohème in their 1986/87 season. In 1989, Summers began his tenure as the music director of the San Francisco Opera Center, a training program for young singers; his first mainstage production, Die Fledermaus, was in 1990. In 1998, Summers was made Music Director of Houston Grand Opera, a position he has held since. 1998 also saw Summers’ Metropolitan Opera conducting debut in Johann Strauss’s Die Fledermaus. As Music Director of Houston Grand Opera, Summers oversaw the foundation and development of the HGO Orchestra. Prior to the orchestra’s foundation, HGO hired outside orchestras for its productions. Since 1998, Summers has conducted over 50 productions at Houston Grand Opera, including seven world premieres (notably Carlisle Floyd’s Cold Sassy Tree in 2000). In 2011, following Anthony Freud’s move to Chicago Lyric Opera, Summers was named Houston Grand Opera’s Artistic and Music Director.
In 2002, he won a Grammy Award for his audio recording Bel Canto, with soprano Renée Fleming and the Orchestra of St. Luke’s. Summers's book The Spirit of This Place: How Music Illuminates the Human Spirit released in 2018 from University of Chicago Press.

www.houstongrandopera.org
Theme music provided by:
www.modernnationsmusic.com
Band of the Week: Renee Fleming and Patrick Summers, Bel Canto
Music Page:
music.apple.com/us/album/ren%C3%A…scenes/1

]]> http://www.thesacredspeaks.com Patrick Summers Buzzsprout-8087503 Sat, 06 Mar 2021 12:00:00 -0600 5002 opera, Houston Grand Opera, music, depth, psychology, religion, creativity full false 46: Tanya Lurhmann - Culture and religious practice 46: Tanya Lurhmann - Culture and religious practice Dr. Lurhmann, professor and psychological anthropologist at Stanford University, begins our conversation defining the term culture. She answers the question: What are the patterns of culture that inform how we should think and behave, and what happens when our individuality and the culture are at odds? Dr. Lurhmann is interested in the power of the mind and how certain aspects of the imagination and one’s intentions inform their experience of the world. She posits that our emotions – the inner world of an individual – can influence the experience of the outer world. We discuss the underlying social and relational structures of various cultures and how these universal patterns reflect for all of us hidden and inner aspects of each of us. Dr. Lurhmann is interested in the power of our human experience. We explore her early work with witchcraft in England as an entry into her current work as presented in her book, When God Talks Back, wherein she engages an evangelical Christian community to understand their relationship with God. She notes that throughout the book, she is trying to figure out how Jesus becomes a relatable person for those practitioners who seek a personal relationship with the divine. We discuss the formation of modern Christianity in the west and explore the changing definition of the term belief – obviously, how we define this term has a massive influence on our modern notion of religion. One particular aspect of the evangelical community that Dr. Lurhmann is interested in is the practice of prayer as an active experience, wherein the individual acts “as if” God is present – this has reportable and noticeable consequences for the individual and the community at large. 
Bio: 
Tanya Marie Luhrmann is the Watkins University Professor in the Stanford Anthropology Department, with a courtesy appointment in Psychology. Her work focuses on the edge of experience: on voices, visions, the world of the supernatural and the world of psychosis. She has done ethnography on the streets of Chicago with homeless and psychotic women, and worked with people who hear voices in Chennai, Accra and the South Bay. She has also done fieldwork with evangelical Christians who seek to hear God speak back, with Zoroastrians who set out to create a more mystical faith, and with people who practice magic. She uses a combination of ethnographic and experimental methods to understand the phenomenology of unusual sensory experiences, the way they are shaped by ideas about minds and persons, and what we can learn from this social shaping that can help us to help those whose voices are distressing.

She was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2003 and received a John Guggenheim Fellowship award in 2007. When God Talks Back was named a NYT Notable Book of the Year and a Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year, and received the 2014 Grawemeyer Award for Religion, a prize that carries $100,000. She has published over thirty OpEds in The New York Times, and her work has been featured in The New Yorker, The New York Review of Books, The Times Literary Supplement, Science News, and many other publications. Her new book, Our Most Troubling Madness: Schizophrenia and Culture, was published by the University of California Press in October 2016.
Stanford profile:
profiles.stanford.edu/tanya-luhrmann
news.stanford.edu/2014/07/16/voice…luhrmann-071614/
Theme music provided by:
www.modernnationsmusic.com
Band of the Week: Polydogs
Music Page:

]]> Dr. Lurhmann, professor and psychological anthropologist at Stanford University, begins our conversation defining the term culture. She answers the question: What are the patterns of culture that inform how we should think and behave, and what happens when our individuality and the culture are at odds? Dr. Lurhmann is interested in the power of the mind and how certain aspects of the imagination and one’s intentions inform their experience of the world. She posits that our emotions – the inner world of an individual – can influence the experience of the outer world. We discuss the underlying social and relational structures of various cultures and how these universal patterns reflect for all of us hidden and inner aspects of each of us. Dr. Lurhmann is interested in the power of our human experience. We explore her early work with witchcraft in England as an entry into her current work as presented in her book, When God Talks Back, wherein she engages an evangelical Christian community to understand their relationship with God. She notes that throughout the book, she is trying to figure out how Jesus becomes a relatable person for those practitioners who seek a personal relationship with the divine. We discuss the formation of modern Christianity in the west and explore the changing definition of the term belief – obviously, how we define this term has a massive influence on our modern notion of religion. One particular aspect of the evangelical community that Dr. Lurhmann is interested in is the practice of prayer as an active experience, wherein the individual acts “as if” God is present – this has reportable and noticeable consequences for the individual and the community at large. 
Bio: 
Tanya Marie Luhrmann is the Watkins University Professor in the Stanford Anthropology Department, with a courtesy appointment in Psychology. Her work focuses on the edge of experience: on voices, visions, the world of the supernatural and the world of psychosis. She has done ethnography on the streets of Chicago with homeless and psychotic women, and worked with people who hear voices in Chennai, Accra and the South Bay. She has also done fieldwork with evangelical Christians who seek to hear God speak back, with Zoroastrians who set out to create a more mystical faith, and with people who practice magic. She uses a combination of ethnographic and experimental methods to understand the phenomenology of unusual sensory experiences, the way they are shaped by ideas about minds and persons, and what we can learn from this social shaping that can help us to help those whose voices are distressing.

She was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2003 and received a John Guggenheim Fellowship award in 2007. When God Talks Back was named a NYT Notable Book of the Year and a Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year, and received the 2014 Grawemeyer Award for Religion, a prize that carries $100,000. She has published over thirty OpEds in The New York Times, and her work has been featured in The New Yorker, The New York Review of Books, The Times Literary Supplement, Science News, and many other publications. Her new book, Our Most Troubling Madness: Schizophrenia and Culture, was published by the University of California Press in October 2016.
Stanford profile:
profiles.stanford.edu/tanya-luhrmann
news.stanford.edu/2014/07/16/voice…luhrmann-071614/
Theme music provided by:
www.modernnationsmusic.com
Band of the Week: Polydogs
Music Page:

]]> http://www.thesacredspeaks.com Tanya Lurhmann Buzzsprout-8087494 Sat, 06 Mar 2021 05:00:00 -0600 4110 culture, witches, god, religion, spiritual, depth, anthropology, sociology, belief, Christianity full false 45: Deborah “D.E.E.P.” Mouton - Poetry and Power 45: Deborah “D.E.E.P.” Mouton - Poetry and Power Deborah holds the honorable position as the poet laureate of Houston nominated by Mayor Sylvester Turner, and her presence is known any time she is around. This conversation explores aspects of her background that are necessary threads to the formation of her current self. Her poetry ranges from the profoundly contemplative to the deeply expressive – an evocative and challenging pairing for both herself and anyone who listens. She addresses themes of race, blackness, womanhood, black-womanhood, power, culture, development, and the like with a presence ranging from the emotionally vulnerable to the humorous. Her sharp wit is the wrapping that often delivers difficult conversations, and she demonstrates a way to wrestle with words and ideas that draw in any onlooker. This conversation will make you reflect. Deborah asks us all to celebrate our differences, reflect on our struggles, contemplate our existence in both private and social spaces, and connect, deeply, with each other.
Bio:
Deborah D.E.E.P. Mouton an internationally known Poet, Singer, Actress, Photographer, Wife, Mother, and the first Black, Poet Laureate for the City of Houston. Heralded as a "Literary Genius" by Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, this California native was formerly ranked the #2 Best Female Poet in the World. D.E.E.P. has established herself as a notable force in the Performance and Literary World.
She published her first collection of poetry at the tender age of 19. From there, she went onto compete at CUPSI as a member of the 2004 University of Michigan Slam Team while simultaneously touring with the WordWorks Poetry Troupe across the Midwest.
She released her first full-length album in 2009 titled "The Unfinished Work of a Genius". It is a collection of original songs and poems that explore ideas around spirituality and personal growth. Her sophomore album, "Beautiful Rebellion" is available now. It explores more socially themed poems. She has been featured on BBC, NPR, Upworthy, Blavity, Tedx, Button Poetry, Write About Now, and the opening video of the 2017-2018 Houston Rockets Season. Her collaboration with the Houston Ballet celebrated Houston's resilience and provided hope for the City after Hurricane Harvey.
She has also shared stages with Nikki Giovanni, Talib Kweli, MC Lyte, Amiri Baraka, John Legend, Slick Rick, Slum Village, Karen Clark-Shield, Raheem Devaughn, Trae Tha Truth, Devin the Dude, Def Poet Sunni Patterson, Def Comedy Jam's Rodman, Regie Gibson, Buddy Wakefield, Danez Smith, Roxane Gay, and multiple local and national political figures.
Her newest collection, Newsworthy, examines incidents with police brutality and the Black body and how the media chooses to report them. Her up and coming projects include an opera, Marian's Song, in collaboration with The Houston Grand Opera, and a regional tour as part of the Texas Commission on the Arts touring roster. She currently serves as the Senior Editor of Relationships for Raising Mothers Magazine.
Deborah Mouton website:
www.livelifedeep.com
Theme music provided by:
www.modernnationsmusic.com
Band of the Week: DJ Shadow featuring De La Soul
Music Page:
music.apple.com/us/album/rocket-f…1626?i=1472791631
Website:
djshadow.com
Learn more about this project at:
www.thesacredspeaks.com
Instagram:

]]> Deborah holds the honorable position as the poet laureate of Houston nominated by Mayor Sylvester Turner, and her presence is known any time she is around. This conversation explores aspects of her background that are necessary threads to the formation of her current self. Her poetry ranges from the profoundly contemplative to the deeply expressive – an evocative and challenging pairing for both herself and anyone who listens. She addresses themes of race, blackness, womanhood, black-womanhood, power, culture, development, and the like with a presence ranging from the emotionally vulnerable to the humorous. Her sharp wit is the wrapping that often delivers difficult conversations, and she demonstrates a way to wrestle with words and ideas that draw in any onlooker. This conversation will make you reflect. Deborah asks us all to celebrate our differences, reflect on our struggles, contemplate our existence in both private and social spaces, and connect, deeply, with each other.
Bio:
Deborah D.E.E.P. Mouton an internationally known Poet, Singer, Actress, Photographer, Wife, Mother, and the first Black, Poet Laureate for the City of Houston. Heralded as a "Literary Genius" by Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, this California native was formerly ranked the #2 Best Female Poet in the World. D.E.E.P. has established herself as a notable force in the Performance and Literary World.
She published her first collection of poetry at the tender age of 19. From there, she went onto compete at CUPSI as a member of the 2004 University of Michigan Slam Team while simultaneously touring with the WordWorks Poetry Troupe across the Midwest.
She released her first full-length album in 2009 titled "The Unfinished Work of a Genius". It is a collection of original songs and poems that explore ideas around spirituality and personal growth. Her sophomore album, "Beautiful Rebellion" is available now. It explores more socially themed poems. She has been featured on BBC, NPR, Upworthy, Blavity, Tedx, Button Poetry, Write About Now, and the opening video of the 2017-2018 Houston Rockets Season. Her collaboration with the Houston Ballet celebrated Houston's resilience and provided hope for the City after Hurricane Harvey.
She has also shared stages with Nikki Giovanni, Talib Kweli, MC Lyte, Amiri Baraka, John Legend, Slick Rick, Slum Village, Karen Clark-Shield, Raheem Devaughn, Trae Tha Truth, Devin the Dude, Def Poet Sunni Patterson, Def Comedy Jam's Rodman, Regie Gibson, Buddy Wakefield, Danez Smith, Roxane Gay, and multiple local and national political figures.
Her newest collection, Newsworthy, examines incidents with police brutality and the Black body and how the media chooses to report them. Her up and coming projects include an opera, Marian's Song, in collaboration with The Houston Grand Opera, and a regional tour as part of the Texas Commission on the Arts touring roster. She currently serves as the Senior Editor of Relationships for Raising Mothers Magazine.
Deborah Mouton website:
www.livelifedeep.com
Theme music provided by:
www.modernnationsmusic.com
Band of the Week: DJ Shadow featuring De La Soul
Music Page:
music.apple.com/us/album/rocket-f…1626?i=1472791631
Website:
djshadow.com
Learn more about this project at:
www.thesacredspeaks.com
Instagram:

]]> http://www.thesacredspeaks.com Deborah Mouton Buzzsprout-8087485 Sat, 06 Mar 2021 05:00:00 -0600 5892 black, blackness, poet, peace, art, creativity, meaning, depth psychology full false 44: Justin Stewart - Creativity through Music 44: Justin Stewart - Creativity through Music A week or so before recording this episode I asked Justin if he would lead a poetry workshop during the conversation. In a few words, what came out was raw and real. Justin is one of the better songwriters I know, not only because of his gift with language, but also because he approaches the craft with reverence and respect. He seeks to deepen his practice with each pass and he has a gift of a sharp wit that I find myself enjoying through each of our exchanges. “What better person to speak to the craft of creativity?” was my thought, and I was right. This episode explores the craft of poetry, songwriting and performing. The conversation invites welcomed interruptions in the form of Justin’s songs. In fact, in preparation for this episode, Justin wrote the first part of a song that he work shopped throughout the conversation – the episode finishes with the complete song that Justin shared with me a few weeks after the recording. Justin shares personal stories with a degree of vulnerability that, no doubt, infuses his whole process.
Bio:
Texas born, and Austin-based, Justin Stewart tends to write about the places he inhabits. He grew up splitting his time between Houston and Galveston Island. Family vacations were not to Colorado like many Texans, but to the more "modest" Austin, which his mother liked best because “the air and water were cleaner.” From an early age, Justin knew he would never leave Texas and likely land in Austin.
Stewart's first solo record, Flagship (2013) was produced by Kevin Russell (Shinyribs/Gourds). A bit of intimidating praise came Stewart's way when Russell called the record "remarkable or extraordinary," Stewart's response: "That kinda scared me because I did not have my process down to maintain such vulnerability."
Stewart's sophomore album, City Fox (2015) was produced by George Reiff (Joe Walsh, Jacob Dylan, Chris Robinson), and is the gem that came from a 2014 west Texas residency. Stewart lived and wrote in the dusty border town of Presidio.
Stewart's third record, Renaissance was produced by Stephen Belans (Radney Foster, Billy Cassis). Players include Bukka Allen on keys (Ryan Bingham, Jack Ingram), Chris Searles on drums (Alejandro Escovedo, Shawn Colvin), Geoff Queen on guitars and pedal steel (Kelly Willis, Randy Rodgers), and John Mike on bass (Hayes Carll, Ray Wylie Hubbard). The February 2017 session was held at Ronjo Studio. Jim Vollentine was on engineering. The record was released in the spring of 2018.
Theme music provided by:
www.modernnationsmusic.com
Band of the week: Justin Stewart
Music Page:
music.apple.com/us/artist/justin-…tewart/1464710413
Website:
www.justinstewartmusic.com
Learn more about this project at:
www.thesacredspeaks.com
Instagram:
www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
Twitter:
twitter.com/thesacredspeaks
Facebook:
www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/

]]> A week or so before recording this episode I asked Justin if he would lead a poetry workshop during the conversation. In a few words, what came out was raw and real. Justin is one of the better songwriters I know, not only because of his gift with language, but also because he approaches the craft with reverence and respect. He seeks to deepen his practice with each pass and he has a gift of a sharp wit that I find myself enjoying through each of our exchanges. “What better person to speak to the craft of creativity?” was my thought, and I was right. This episode explores the craft of poetry, songwriting and performing. The conversation invites welcomed interruptions in the form of Justin’s songs. In fact, in preparation for this episode, Justin wrote the first part of a song that he work shopped throughout the conversation – the episode finishes with the complete song that Justin shared with me a few weeks after the recording. Justin shares personal stories with a degree of vulnerability that, no doubt, infuses his whole process.
Bio:
Texas born, and Austin-based, Justin Stewart tends to write about the places he inhabits. He grew up splitting his time between Houston and Galveston Island. Family vacations were not to Colorado like many Texans, but to the more "modest" Austin, which his mother liked best because “the air and water were cleaner.” From an early age, Justin knew he would never leave Texas and likely land in Austin.
Stewart's first solo record, Flagship (2013) was produced by Kevin Russell (Shinyribs/Gourds). A bit of intimidating praise came Stewart's way when Russell called the record "remarkable or extraordinary," Stewart's response: "That kinda scared me because I did not have my process down to maintain such vulnerability."
Stewart's sophomore album, City Fox (2015) was produced by George Reiff (Joe Walsh, Jacob Dylan, Chris Robinson), and is the gem that came from a 2014 west Texas residency. Stewart lived and wrote in the dusty border town of Presidio.
Stewart's third record, Renaissance was produced by Stephen Belans (Radney Foster, Billy Cassis). Players include Bukka Allen on keys (Ryan Bingham, Jack Ingram), Chris Searles on drums (Alejandro Escovedo, Shawn Colvin), Geoff Queen on guitars and pedal steel (Kelly Willis, Randy Rodgers), and John Mike on bass (Hayes Carll, Ray Wylie Hubbard). The February 2017 session was held at Ronjo Studio. Jim Vollentine was on engineering. The record was released in the spring of 2018.
Theme music provided by:
www.modernnationsmusic.com
Band of the week: Justin Stewart
Music Page:
music.apple.com/us/artist/justin-…tewart/1464710413
Website:
www.justinstewartmusic.com
Learn more about this project at:
www.thesacredspeaks.com
Instagram:
www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
Twitter:
twitter.com/thesacredspeaks
Facebook:
www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/

]]> http://www.thesacredspeaks.com Justin Stewart Buzzsprout-8087477 Sat, 06 Mar 2021 05:00:00 -0600 7962 song writing, music, creativity, depth, depth psychology, art, poetry, psychology full false 43: Mauro Ferrari: Emotions of Math 43: Mauro Ferrari: Emotions of Math Dr. Ferrari, one of the trailblazers of nanotechnology, the current President Designate of the European Research Council of the E.U., and the recently retired President and CEO of Houston Methodist Research Institute begins by explaining how he views math as a creative art. He maps theorem and proof onto the creative endeavor and posits that in the same way that the artist envisions the work, a mathematician envisions or intuits the theorem and then has to discover how to get there. He argues that this process of intuition provides the map, and the proof is the, potentially, frustrating process of bringing the inner world into the outer world. Dr. Ferrari, a medical doctor and engineer speaks of concepts such as awe, infinity, creativity, intuition, and dreams. This conversation explores what Dr. Ferrari identifies as the three phases of his life – his training and early history, the many academic languages that he speaks, the descent into personal chaos, and how dark moments such as these paved the way for him to seek to join in the fight for humanity as we seek to end the power that cancer has had over our lives. 
Bio: 
Mauro Ferrari, Ph.D. – Biosketch (Updated June 2, 2019)
Current Positions (Selected): President Designate, European Research Council of the European Union (primary funding agency for research in the 28 member Countries of EU); Director, Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:ARWR); Executive Vice President for Strategic Initiatives and Community Partnerships, and Professor, University of St. Thomas; Advisor, Houston Methodist Hospital and Research Institute.
Education: Mathematics (Padova, Italy, 1985, Dottore); Mechanical Engineering (University of California Berkeley, 1987, MS and 1989, PhD); Medicine (Ohio State University, 2002-2003, no degree); Business Administration (Wharton, 2016, Harvard Business School, 2017, no degree).
Professional History (Selected): 1988-1990 Universita’ di Udine, Italy (Ricercatore, Assistant Professor Civil Engineering); 1991-1998 University of California Berkeley (Assistant and Associate Professor with tenure, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Materials Science and Engineering, Bioengineering); 1998-2006 The Ohio State University (Full Professor with tenure and endowed chair, Biomedical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Internal Medicine, Director of Biomedical Engineering, Associate Director Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute, Associate Vice President Health Science Technology Commercialization); 2003-2005 National Cancer Institute (Special Expert on Nanomedicine and Advisor to Director, concurrent with OSU); 2006-2010 University of Texas Medical School Houston, and MD Anderson Cancer Center (Full Professor with tenure and endowed chair, Internal Medicine, Experimental Therapeutics, Biomedical Engineering and Nanomedicine); 2010-2019 Houston Methodist Hospital (HMH) and Research Institute (HMRI) (Full professor with presidential endowed chair, President and CEO of HMRI, Executive Vice President of HMH, Chief Commercialization Officer).
Publications: About 500 publications in leading archival journals, including 27 primary papers, reviews, and features in Nature journals (4 covers). Bibliometrics as of February 6, 2019: 57471 citations, h-index = 107, i10-index = 836 (Google Scholar); 21699 citations, h-index = 69 (SCOPUS); 22546 citations, h-index = 72 (ISI Web of Science).

Theme music provided by:
www.modernnationsmusic.com
Band of the week: Alan
Album: Alan, the Universal answer is both
music.apple.com/us/album/alan-the…is-both/425467149
Learn more about this project at:

]]> Dr. Ferrari, one of the trailblazers of nanotechnology, the current President Designate of the European Research Council of the E.U., and the recently retired President and CEO of Houston Methodist Research Institute begins by explaining how he views math as a creative art. He maps theorem and proof onto the creative endeavor and posits that in the same way that the artist envisions the work, a mathematician envisions or intuits the theorem and then has to discover how to get there. He argues that this process of intuition provides the map, and the proof is the, potentially, frustrating process of bringing the inner world into the outer world. Dr. Ferrari, a medical doctor and engineer speaks of concepts such as awe, infinity, creativity, intuition, and dreams. This conversation explores what Dr. Ferrari identifies as the three phases of his life – his training and early history, the many academic languages that he speaks, the descent into personal chaos, and how dark moments such as these paved the way for him to seek to join in the fight for humanity as we seek to end the power that cancer has had over our lives. 
Bio: 
Mauro Ferrari, Ph.D. – Biosketch (Updated June 2, 2019)
Current Positions (Selected): President Designate, European Research Council of the European Union (primary funding agency for research in the 28 member Countries of EU); Director, Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:ARWR); Executive Vice President for Strategic Initiatives and Community Partnerships, and Professor, University of St. Thomas; Advisor, Houston Methodist Hospital and Research Institute.
Education: Mathematics (Padova, Italy, 1985, Dottore); Mechanical Engineering (University of California Berkeley, 1987, MS and 1989, PhD); Medicine (Ohio State University, 2002-2003, no degree); Business Administration (Wharton, 2016, Harvard Business School, 2017, no degree).
Professional History (Selected): 1988-1990 Universita’ di Udine, Italy (Ricercatore, Assistant Professor Civil Engineering); 1991-1998 University of California Berkeley (Assistant and Associate Professor with tenure, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Materials Science and Engineering, Bioengineering); 1998-2006 The Ohio State University (Full Professor with tenure and endowed chair, Biomedical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Internal Medicine, Director of Biomedical Engineering, Associate Director Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute, Associate Vice President Health Science Technology Commercialization); 2003-2005 National Cancer Institute (Special Expert on Nanomedicine and Advisor to Director, concurrent with OSU); 2006-2010 University of Texas Medical School Houston, and MD Anderson Cancer Center (Full Professor with tenure and endowed chair, Internal Medicine, Experimental Therapeutics, Biomedical Engineering and Nanomedicine); 2010-2019 Houston Methodist Hospital (HMH) and Research Institute (HMRI) (Full professor with presidential endowed chair, President and CEO of HMRI, Executive Vice President of HMH, Chief Commercialization Officer).
Publications: About 500 publications in leading archival journals, including 27 primary papers, reviews, and features in Nature journals (4 covers). Bibliometrics as of February 6, 2019: 57471 citations, h-index = 107, i10-index = 836 (Google Scholar); 21699 citations, h-index = 69 (SCOPUS); 22546 citations, h-index = 72 (ISI Web of Science).

Theme music provided by:
www.modernnationsmusic.com
Band of the week: Alan
Album: Alan, the Universal answer is both
music.apple.com/us/album/alan-the…is-both/425467149
Learn more about this project at:

]]> http://www.thesacredspeaks.com Maurio Ferrari Buzzsprout-8087461 Sat, 06 Mar 2021 05:00:00 -0600 4685 math, emotions, nanotech, science, religion, spirituality, depth, depth psychology, full false 42: Stuart Kauffman: Reinventing the Sacred 42: Stuart Kauffman: Reinventing the Sacred Dr. Kauffman, theoretical biologist, complex systems researcher, author of six books and numerous papers, begins the conversation recalling the ancient world and how the original split between the religions and the sciences influences the struggles and projections between the sciences and the arts/humanities today. Stuart begins this by providing scientific reasons why the possibilities of the world and our evolution are indefinite and anything that comes next in this evolution cannot be prestated – and he offers fascinating insight as to why this makes sense. He makes the case that any attempt to find a theory of everything or a final theory is false. Therefore, he connects this with the argument that reductionism, from an evolutionary perspective, fails – including Newton’s laws. Next, we move into how philosophers, beginning with Descartes’ notion of substance dualism, have made sense of reality, from Stuart’s perspective, dual nature – mind stuff and matter stuff. Here we use dual-aspect theory to begin to bring together the split that has permeated philosophy, religion, science, and even human biology, thus starting what we call today “the mind-body problem” – how mind stuff and matter stuff can interact. Dr. Kauffman suggests a new, quantum answer for this mind/body problem in a paper he titles, Beyond the Stalemate: Conscious Mind-Body - Quantum Mechanics - Free Will - Possible Panpsychism - Possible Interpretation of Quantum Enigma. He explains what is meant by the term “quantum mind” and its relationship to private experience termed “qualia.” Stuart posits that his definition for the term “god” is not the creator of the universe but creativity as a force and infinite pattern of the universe.
www.amazon.com/s?k=stuart+kauffm…f=nb_sb_ss_c_2_10

Books by Dr. Stuart Kauffman
YouTube links: “The Shape of History” Evolution of Human Culture and Technology
www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9Mn1bppV7U
A Simple Combinatorial Model of Economic History
Papers: Res potentia and Res extensa, non-locality - Taking Heisenberg’s Potentia Seriously
arxiv.org/abs/1811.04502

Theme music provided by:
www.modernnationsmusic.com
Band of the week: Bob Schneider
Music page: www.bobschneider.com
Learn more about this project at:
www.thesacredspeaks.com
Instagram:
www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
Twitter:
twitter.com/thesacredspeaks
Facebook:
www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/

]]> Dr. Kauffman, theoretical biologist, complex systems researcher, author of six books and numerous papers, begins the conversation recalling the ancient world and how the original split between the religions and the sciences influences the struggles and projections between the sciences and the arts/humanities today. Stuart begins this by providing scientific reasons why the possibilities of the world and our evolution are indefinite and anything that comes next in this evolution cannot be prestated – and he offers fascinating insight as to why this makes sense. He makes the case that any attempt to find a theory of everything or a final theory is false. Therefore, he connects this with the argument that reductionism, from an evolutionary perspective, fails – including Newton’s laws. Next, we move into how philosophers, beginning with Descartes’ notion of substance dualism, have made sense of reality, from Stuart’s perspective, dual nature – mind stuff and matter stuff. Here we use dual-aspect theory to begin to bring together the split that has permeated philosophy, religion, science, and even human biology, thus starting what we call today “the mind-body problem” – how mind stuff and matter stuff can interact. Dr. Kauffman suggests a new, quantum answer for this mind/body problem in a paper he titles, Beyond the Stalemate: Conscious Mind-Body - Quantum Mechanics - Free Will - Possible Panpsychism - Possible Interpretation of Quantum Enigma. He explains what is meant by the term “quantum mind” and its relationship to private experience termed “qualia.” Stuart posits that his definition for the term “god” is not the creator of the universe but creativity as a force and infinite pattern of the universe.
www.amazon.com/s?k=stuart+kauffm…f=nb_sb_ss_c_2_10

Books by Dr. Stuart Kauffman
YouTube links: “The Shape of History” Evolution of Human Culture and Technology
www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9Mn1bppV7U
A Simple Combinatorial Model of Economic History
Papers: Res potentia and Res extensa, non-locality - Taking Heisenberg’s Potentia Seriously
arxiv.org/abs/1811.04502

Theme music provided by:
www.modernnationsmusic.com
Band of the week: Bob Schneider
Music page: www.bobschneider.com
Learn more about this project at:
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]]> http://www.thesacredspeaks.com Stuart Kauffman Buzzsprout-8087454 Sat, 06 Mar 2021 05:00:00 -0600 6739 Conscious Mind-Body - Quantum Mechanics, Free Will, Possible Panpsychism, Possible Interpretation of Quantum Enigma, qualia, quantum physics, religion, spirituality, depth psychology, science, math, language, philosophy full false 41: Barbara Brown Taylor: Holy Envy 41: Barbara Brown Taylor: Holy Envy In this episode, Episcopal priest, Barbara Brown Taylor, and John explore the ideas that she has been working through in her books Learning to Walk in the Dark (2015) and Holy Envy (2019). She eloquently guides the listener through many of the hurdles that one encounters when grounding one’s self in a particular religious tradition. She encourages all of us to not only look on the other side of the fence over at another tradition but to experience the freedom one may acquire once we open ourselves to the other and see our own worldviews anew. Barbara has a gentle ability to challenges one’s assumptions about the world and her books provide a pathway to learn how to love more and also how to connect with and challenge those aspects of each of us that we often choose not to see.
Bio:
Barbara Brown Taylor is a best-selling author, teacher, and Episcopal priest. Her first memoir, Leaving Church, won an Author of the Year award from the Georgia Writers Association in 2006. Her next two books, An Altar in the World (2010) and Learning to Walk in the Dark (2015), earned places on the New York Times bestseller list. She has served on the faculties of Piedmont College, Columbia Theological Seminary, Candler School of Theology at Emory University, McAfee School of Theology at Mercer University, and the Certificate in Theological Studies program at Arrendale State Prison for Women in Alto, Georgia. In 2014 TIME included her on its annual list of Most Influential People; in 2015 she was named Georgia Woman of the Year; in 2016 she received the President’s Medal at the Chautauqua Institution in New York. Her fourteenth book, Holy Envy, was released by HarperOne in March 2019.
barbarabrowntaylor.com
Theme music provided by:
www.modernnationsmusic.com
Band of the week: Patrice Pike
Music page: www.patricepike.com
Learn more about this project at:
www.thesacredspeaks.com
Instagram:
www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
Twitter:
twitter.com/thesacredspeaks
Facebook:
www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/

]]> In this episode, Episcopal priest, Barbara Brown Taylor, and John explore the ideas that she has been working through in her books Learning to Walk in the Dark (2015) and Holy Envy (2019). She eloquently guides the listener through many of the hurdles that one encounters when grounding one’s self in a particular religious tradition. She encourages all of us to not only look on the other side of the fence over at another tradition but to experience the freedom one may acquire once we open ourselves to the other and see our own worldviews anew. Barbara has a gentle ability to challenges one’s assumptions about the world and her books provide a pathway to learn how to love more and also how to connect with and challenge those aspects of each of us that we often choose not to see.
Bio:
Barbara Brown Taylor is a best-selling author, teacher, and Episcopal priest. Her first memoir, Leaving Church, won an Author of the Year award from the Georgia Writers Association in 2006. Her next two books, An Altar in the World (2010) and Learning to Walk in the Dark (2015), earned places on the New York Times bestseller list. She has served on the faculties of Piedmont College, Columbia Theological Seminary, Candler School of Theology at Emory University, McAfee School of Theology at Mercer University, and the Certificate in Theological Studies program at Arrendale State Prison for Women in Alto, Georgia. In 2014 TIME included her on its annual list of Most Influential People; in 2015 she was named Georgia Woman of the Year; in 2016 she received the President’s Medal at the Chautauqua Institution in New York. Her fourteenth book, Holy Envy, was released by HarperOne in March 2019.
barbarabrowntaylor.com
Theme music provided by:
www.modernnationsmusic.com
Band of the week: Patrice Pike
Music page: www.patricepike.com
Learn more about this project at:
www.thesacredspeaks.com
Instagram:
www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
Twitter:
twitter.com/thesacredspeaks
Facebook:
www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/

]]> http://www.thesacredspeaks.com Barbara Brown Taylor Buzzsprout-8087444 Sat, 06 Mar 2021 05:00:00 -0600 5350 consciousness, holy envy, learning to walk in the dark, religion, spirituality, Jung, Jungian, Depth Psychology, full false 40: Moving through the dark night of the soul. A conversation with Juanita Rasmus. 40: Moving through the dark night of the soul. A conversation with Juanita Rasmus. Pastor Juanita Rasmus recounts a life of service to others and then the reality that no one is free from being drawn into a fight for their life. This fight felt more like a decent which landed in a depressive episode that she describes in great detail. Juanita recounts how she was able to both emerge from the depths and work to make sense of how her mind and body could have been so completely taken over by this decent. She could not laugh, get out of bed, or take care of herself, and while she had already been leading the life of someone who had committed her life to help those in need, this reality has provided her with a life-changing orientation. She was learning to take care of her soul. After laying out her personal experiences through this conversation, she begins to explain some of the contemplative practices that have clarified her thinking and have become reflections of her heart. Following Pastor Juanita's move through her depression, she became more connected with her environment and the act of contemplation as a means by which she can engage in a more profound and more mystical presence with her life and God. She discusses the mystical teaching of Jesus and also a few black mystics that have been omitted from the general history of Christianity. 
Bio:
Juanita Rasmus is a pastor, Spiritual Director, and contemplative with a passion for outreach to our world’s most impoverished citizens. Pastor Juanita co-pastors the St. John’s United Methodist Church located in Downtown Houston with her husband Rudy. In 2009, Juanita was diagnosed with kidney cancer, but she wasn’t afraid. Instead, she waited to see what lesson the disease would bring. 

Years later Juanita and Rudy have continued their mission of bringing life to those who struggle on a daily basis and they created a nonprofit called The Bread of Life which has changed the landscape of Downtown Houston providing an array of services to families in peril and homeless individuals. The project also distributes over 9 tons of fresh produce weekly to hungry families.  The project has been on the forefront of HIV/AIDS prevention, providing solutions to food insufficiency, housing the homeless, and disaster relief. Today, with a focus on social impact investing, the Bread of Life owns and operates Eco Life Employment LLC, a digital employment and staffing agency for men and women with troubled past lives and the Amazing KMAZ 102.5fm radio station

Thanks to generous support from a collaboration of government agencies and a significant donation from Tina, Beyoncé, and Solange Knowles the St. John’s Downtown campus includes the Knowles-Temenos Apartments, a 43-unit Single Room Occupancy development designed to provide permanent living accommodations for formerly homeless women and men. Temenos CDC portfolio also includes an 80-unit apartment community to meet the growing need for permanent supportive housing for the previously homeless in Houston, Texas and a 15-unit apartment project for chronic inebriates and the most vulnerable homeless individuals in the Houston community. Eighteen years ago Kelly Rowland teamed up with Beyoncé and Tina Knowles to build the Knowles-Rowland Center for Youth where community empowerment activities for the young and old take place every week. The facility is currently serving as the base of operations for Hurricane Harvey relief efforts.

https://www.stjohnsdowntown.org
https://breadoflifeinc.org

Theme music provided by:
http://www.modernnationsmusic.com
Band of the week: Todd Pipes 
Music page: https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/todd-pipes/26246004
Learn more about this project at: 
http://www.thesacredspeaks.com
Instagram: 
https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
Twitter: 
https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks
Facebook: 
https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/

]]> Pastor Juanita Rasmus recounts a life of service to others and then the reality that no one is free from being drawn into a fight for their life. This fight felt more like a decent which landed in a depressive episode that she describes in great detail. Juanita recounts how she was able to both emerge from the depths and work to make sense of how her mind and body could have been so completely taken over by this decent. She could not laugh, get out of bed, or take care of herself, and while she had already been leading the life of someone who had committed her life to help those in need, this reality has provided her with a life-changing orientation. She was learning to take care of her soul. After laying out her personal experiences through this conversation, she begins to explain some of the contemplative practices that have clarified her thinking and have become reflections of her heart. Following Pastor Juanita's move through her depression, she became more connected with her environment and the act of contemplation as a means by which she can engage in a more profound and more mystical presence with her life and God. She discusses the mystical teaching of Jesus and also a few black mystics that have been omitted from the general history of Christianity. 
Bio:
Juanita Rasmus is a pastor, Spiritual Director, and contemplative with a passion for outreach to our world’s most impoverished citizens. Pastor Juanita co-pastors the St. John’s United Methodist Church located in Downtown Houston with her husband Rudy. In 2009, Juanita was diagnosed with kidney cancer, but she wasn’t afraid. Instead, she waited to see what lesson the disease would bring. 

Years later Juanita and Rudy have continued their mission of bringing life to those who struggle on a daily basis and they created a nonprofit called The Bread of Life which has changed the landscape of Downtown Houston providing an array of services to families in peril and homeless individuals. The project also distributes over 9 tons of fresh produce weekly to hungry families.  The project has been on the forefront of HIV/AIDS prevention, providing solutions to food insufficiency, housing the homeless, and disaster relief. Today, with a focus on social impact investing, the Bread of Life owns and operates Eco Life Employment LLC, a digital employment and staffing agency for men and women with troubled past lives and the Amazing KMAZ 102.5fm radio station

Thanks to generous support from a collaboration of government agencies and a significant donation from Tina, Beyoncé, and Solange Knowles the St. John’s Downtown campus includes the Knowles-Temenos Apartments, a 43-unit Single Room Occupancy development designed to provide permanent living accommodations for formerly homeless women and men. Temenos CDC portfolio also includes an 80-unit apartment community to meet the growing need for permanent supportive housing for the previously homeless in Houston, Texas and a 15-unit apartment project for chronic inebriates and the most vulnerable homeless individuals in the Houston community. Eighteen years ago Kelly Rowland teamed up with Beyoncé and Tina Knowles to build the Knowles-Rowland Center for Youth where community empowerment activities for the young and old take place every week. The facility is currently serving as the base of operations for Hurricane Harvey relief efforts.

https://www.stjohnsdowntown.org
https://breadoflifeinc.org

Theme music provided by:
http://www.modernnationsmusic.com
Band of the week: Todd Pipes 
Music page: https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/todd-pipes/26246004
Learn more about this project at: 
http://www.thesacredspeaks.com
Instagram: 
https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
Twitter: 
https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks
Facebook: 
https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/

]]> http://www.thesacredspeaks.com Juanita Rasmus Buzzsprout-7762117 Tue, 09 Feb 2021 06:00:00 -0600 8258 religion, mystic, mystical, Leaning to Be, Black Mystic, spirituality, consciousness, love, depression, psychology full false 39: Metamodernism, popular culture, mysticism, & Russell Brand. A conversation with Linda Ceriello. 39: Metamodernism, popular culture, mysticism, & Russell Brand. A conversation with Linda Ceriello. This podcast episode explores how one mystical experience can bring an individual to question the nature of reality enough so that they devote their life to answering questions that often time seem unanswerable: What is the nature of reality? What is a self? What is identity? Also, how do people approach their lives after they have an experience that challenges the way they see the world; yet because that same experience seems so outside of their cultural norms, they keep it to themselves? Although with that said, Dr. Linda Ceriello began to notice that at the turn of the millennium many more people seemed free to start a public discussion about these radical personal experiences that seem to shatter and destabilize one’s worldview. We discuss the millennials and the plural generations as challenging the boundaries of these cultural identities, and how these younger generations are dealing with the grand narratives, they have been provided — the birth of the “spiritual but not religious” movement. We explore the differences between modernism, postmodernism, and the development of what some call metamodern; popular culture and the various depictions of mystical narratives; and she examines how Russell Brand has become such a significant figure in popular culture, fulfilling roles ranging from social advocate to spiritual teacher, and comedian. Bio:
Linda Ceriello is a scholar of religions, specializing in Asian religions in America, mystical experience, contemplative studies, and critical theory of popular culture. She recently received her Ph.D. in Religion from Rice University, and also has a Master's degree in Education from Antioch University Seattle. Some of her favorite lecture topics include awe and wonder, the history of yoga, metamodern monsters, and the gnostic attributes of transgressive comedy. Publications include “Encoded Ambiguities, Embodied Ontologies: The Transformative Speech of Transgressive Female Figures in Gnosticism and Tantra” in (European Journal of Esotericism) La Rosa di Paracelso, and the forthcoming chapters, “Toward a Metamodern Reading of Spiritual-but-Not-Religious Mysticisms” in Being Spiritual But Not Religious: Past, Present, Future(s), and “"The Big Bad and the Big “Aha!”: Metamodern Monsters as Transformational Figures of Instability" in Holy Monsters, Sacred Grotesques: Monstrosity and Religion in Europe and the U.S. She is co-founder and editor, with Greg Dember, of the website, What Is Metamodern? www.whatismetamodern.com.
Theme music provided by:
www.modernnationsmusic.com
Band of the week: Greg Dember
Music page: itunes.apple.com/us/artist/greg-dember/292921755
Learn more about this project at:
www.thesacredspeaks.com
Instagram:
www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
Twitter:
twitter.com/thesacredspeaks
Facebook:
www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/

]]> This podcast episode explores how one mystical experience can bring an individual to question the nature of reality enough so that they devote their life to answering questions that often time seem unanswerable: What is the nature of reality? What is a self? What is identity? Also, how do people approach their lives after they have an experience that challenges the way they see the world; yet because that same experience seems so outside of their cultural norms, they keep it to themselves? Although with that said, Dr. Linda Ceriello began to notice that at the turn of the millennium many more people seemed free to start a public discussion about these radical personal experiences that seem to shatter and destabilize one’s worldview. We discuss the millennials and the plural generations as challenging the boundaries of these cultural identities, and how these younger generations are dealing with the grand narratives, they have been provided — the birth of the “spiritual but not religious” movement. We explore the differences between modernism, postmodernism, and the development of what some call metamodern; popular culture and the various depictions of mystical narratives; and she examines how Russell Brand has become such a significant figure in popular culture, fulfilling roles ranging from social advocate to spiritual teacher, and comedian. Bio:
Linda Ceriello is a scholar of religions, specializing in Asian religions in America, mystical experience, contemplative studies, and critical theory of popular culture. She recently received her Ph.D. in Religion from Rice University, and also has a Master's degree in Education from Antioch University Seattle. Some of her favorite lecture topics include awe and wonder, the history of yoga, metamodern monsters, and the gnostic attributes of transgressive comedy. Publications include “Encoded Ambiguities, Embodied Ontologies: The Transformative Speech of Transgressive Female Figures in Gnosticism and Tantra” in (European Journal of Esotericism) La Rosa di Paracelso, and the forthcoming chapters, “Toward a Metamodern Reading of Spiritual-but-Not-Religious Mysticisms” in Being Spiritual But Not Religious: Past, Present, Future(s), and “"The Big Bad and the Big “Aha!”: Metamodern Monsters as Transformational Figures of Instability" in Holy Monsters, Sacred Grotesques: Monstrosity and Religion in Europe and the U.S. She is co-founder and editor, with Greg Dember, of the website, What Is Metamodern? www.whatismetamodern.com.
Theme music provided by:
www.modernnationsmusic.com
Band of the week: Greg Dember
Music page: itunes.apple.com/us/artist/greg-dember/292921755
Learn more about this project at:
www.thesacredspeaks.com
Instagram:
www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
Twitter:
twitter.com/thesacredspeaks
Facebook:
www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/

]]> http://www.thesacredspeaks.com John Price Buzzsprout-7762087 Tue, 09 Feb 2021 06:00:00 -0600 6252 metamodernism, postmodern, psychology, religion, depth psychology, consciousness, gnostic, gnosticism, Russell Brand full false 5: Psychology and Religion. A Conversation with Pittman McGehee 5: Psychology and Religion. A Conversation with Pittman McGehee In today’s episode, Pittman unpacks the definition of religion and broadens the traditional limiting assumptions many immediately experience in relationship to religion. We discuss how many of the actions that have been in the name of religion are not religious. We begin by defining religion, the philosophy of materialism, psychological wholeness, good and evil, individuation, and the Self. Pittman discusses where religion goes wrong and how the human stewards of the various traditions affect the search for wholeness with human impulses, ideologies, and dominance. He defines spirituality as the deep human longing to transfer the transcendent into the immanent through experience and reflection upon it. We explore the profoundly powerful sacred aspects of human sexuality and the assault by the organize structures and the misinterpretation of each tradition that has been destructive of sexuality.

Biography: 
Pittman became was ordained as a priest in the Episcopal Church in 1969, The Very Reverend J. Pittman McGehee served, for 11 years, as Dean of Christ Church Cathedral, located in the center of downtown Houston. Since moving to Houston in 1980, Mr. McGehee has been in demand as a lecturer and speaker in the fields of psychology and religion. He lectures regularly at the C. G. Jung Center and has published two papers through that Center: “Water as a Symbol of Transformation” (1985), and “The Healing Wound and the Wounded Healer” (1986). He is a regular book reviewer for The Living Church.
Dr. McGehee has held many distinguished lectureships, including the 1987 Harvey Lecture at the Episcopal Seminary of the Southwest in Austin, where he received an honorary Doctorate of Divinity; the 1988 Perkins Lecture in Wichita Falls; the 1990 Woodhull Lectures in Dayton, Ohio, and the 1991 St. Luke’s Lectures in Birmingham. He was the 1994 Rockwell visiting Theologian at the University of Houston and 1996 Carolyn Fay Lecturer in Analytical Psychology also at the University of Houston. He is an Adjunct Lecturer at the University of Texas, an Adjunct Instructor at Saybrook University, and a Faculty Member of the C. G. Jung Institute in Zurich, Switzerland. His books are: The Invisible Church: Finding Spirituality Where You Are, Praeger Press, 2008; Raising Lazarus: The Science of Healing the Soul, 2009; Words Made Flesh: Selected Sermons by The Very Reverend J. Pittman McGehee, D.D., 2011; The Paradox of Love, (available 10/1/2011); and Slender Threads: An Interview with Robert Johnson (DVD).
In addition to his teaching and prose writing, Mr. McGehee is known for his poetry. His work has been chosen for the juried Houston Poetry Fest (1985, 1987, 1988), and his poems “Ash Wednesday,” “Pegasus,” and “Semination” were published in the Poetry Fest Anthology. His poems also have appeared in the Cimarron Review, the Anglican Theological Review, the St. Luke’s Journal, In Art magazine, Cite magazine, Windhover, and New Texas magazine.
In 1991, Dr. McGehee resigned from Christ Church Cathedral to become the director of The Institute for the Advancement of Psychology and Spirituality. The Institute joins the disciplines of psychology and religion by exploring the concept that mental health comes with the integration of the biological, psychological, and spiritual elements of the human condition. In 1996, the C. G. Jung Institute of Dallas awarded him a diploma in Analytical Psychology. In addition, he is currently in private practice as a priest/psychoanalyst and teacher/lecturer.

www.jpittmanmcgehee.com

Music provided by:
www.modernnationsmusic.com

Learn more about this project at:
www.thesac

]]> In today’s episode, Pittman unpacks the definition of religion and broadens the traditional limiting assumptions many immediately experience in relationship to religion. We discuss how many of the actions that have been in the name of religion are not religious. We begin by defining religion, the philosophy of materialism, psychological wholeness, good and evil, individuation, and the Self. Pittman discusses where religion goes wrong and how the human stewards of the various traditions affect the search for wholeness with human impulses, ideologies, and dominance. He defines spirituality as the deep human longing to transfer the transcendent into the immanent through experience and reflection upon it. We explore the profoundly powerful sacred aspects of human sexuality and the assault by the organize structures and the misinterpretation of each tradition that has been destructive of sexuality.

Biography: 
Pittman became was ordained as a priest in the Episcopal Church in 1969, The Very Reverend J. Pittman McGehee served, for 11 years, as Dean of Christ Church Cathedral, located in the center of downtown Houston. Since moving to Houston in 1980, Mr. McGehee has been in demand as a lecturer and speaker in the fields of psychology and religion. He lectures regularly at the C. G. Jung Center and has published two papers through that Center: “Water as a Symbol of Transformation” (1985), and “The Healing Wound and the Wounded Healer” (1986). He is a regular book reviewer for The Living Church.
Dr. McGehee has held many distinguished lectureships, including the 1987 Harvey Lecture at the Episcopal Seminary of the Southwest in Austin, where he received an honorary Doctorate of Divinity; the 1988 Perkins Lecture in Wichita Falls; the 1990 Woodhull Lectures in Dayton, Ohio, and the 1991 St. Luke’s Lectures in Birmingham. He was the 1994 Rockwell visiting Theologian at the University of Houston and 1996 Carolyn Fay Lecturer in Analytical Psychology also at the University of Houston. He is an Adjunct Lecturer at the University of Texas, an Adjunct Instructor at Saybrook University, and a Faculty Member of the C. G. Jung Institute in Zurich, Switzerland. His books are: The Invisible Church: Finding Spirituality Where You Are, Praeger Press, 2008; Raising Lazarus: The Science of Healing the Soul, 2009; Words Made Flesh: Selected Sermons by The Very Reverend J. Pittman McGehee, D.D., 2011; The Paradox of Love, (available 10/1/2011); and Slender Threads: An Interview with Robert Johnson (DVD).
In addition to his teaching and prose writing, Mr. McGehee is known for his poetry. His work has been chosen for the juried Houston Poetry Fest (1985, 1987, 1988), and his poems “Ash Wednesday,” “Pegasus,” and “Semination” were published in the Poetry Fest Anthology. His poems also have appeared in the Cimarron Review, the Anglican Theological Review, the St. Luke’s Journal, In Art magazine, Cite magazine, Windhover, and New Texas magazine.
In 1991, Dr. McGehee resigned from Christ Church Cathedral to become the director of The Institute for the Advancement of Psychology and Spirituality. The Institute joins the disciplines of psychology and religion by exploring the concept that mental health comes with the integration of the biological, psychological, and spiritual elements of the human condition. In 1996, the C. G. Jung Institute of Dallas awarded him a diploma in Analytical Psychology. In addition, he is currently in private practice as a priest/psychoanalyst and teacher/lecturer.

www.jpittmanmcgehee.com

Music provided by:
www.modernnationsmusic.com

Learn more about this project at:
www.thesac

]]> http://www.thesacredspeaks.com Pittman McGehee Buzzsprout-7762060 Tue, 09 Feb 2021 06:00:00 -0600 3827 religion, spirituality, Jung, Jungian, Analytical psychology, consciousness, mystic full false 38: The Flip. A conversation with Jeffrey J. Kripal 38: The Flip. A conversation with Jeffrey J. Kripal This podcast episode explores the stories that help us understand our reality, our place in that reality, and how humans both cling to and challenge these same stories. Jeffrey Kripal has been a keeper of many extraordinary stories, and as a professor of religion, he is positioned to question the stories that we believe serve us, but the reality is that we often serve the story. This conversation is anchored in Dr. Kripal’s newest book, The Flip, wherein he challenges many of the assumptions of materialist science and posits that the sciences are not wrong, but that they are incomplete and therefore we need a change in our worldview. His arguments are well articulated and well informed by many scientists, including neuroscientists and physicists, who have, as a result of their research into reality, moved away from the materialist worldview into an approach to reality that chips away at many of the assumptions in which many of us have been educated – for example, the fact that we don’t really know what matter and consciousness are in the first place. Really.
From Jeff’s book:
A “flip,” writes Jeffrey J. Kripal, is “a reversal of perspective,””a new real,” often born of an extreme, life-changing experience. The Flip is Kripal’s ambitious, visionary program for unifying the sciences and the humanities to expand our minds, open our hearts, and negotiate a peaceful resolution to the culture wars. Combining accounts of rationalists’ spiritual awakenings and consciousness explorations by philosophers, neuroscientists, and mystics within a framework of history of science and religion, Kripal compellingly signals a path to mending our fractured world.
Bio:
Jeffrey J. Kripal holds the J. Newton Rayzor Chair in Philosophy and Religious Thought at Rice University, where he chaired the Department of Religion for eight years and helped create the GEM Program, a doctoral concentration in the study of Gnosticism, Esotericism, and Mysticism that is the largest program of its kind in the world. He is the Associate Director of the Center for Theory and Research at the Esalen Institute in Big Sur, California, where he also serves as Chair of the Board. Jeff is the author of numerous books, seven of which are with The University of Chicago Press, including, most recently a memoir-manifesto entitled Secret Body: Erotic and Esoteric Currents in the History of Religions(Chicago, 2017). He has also served as the Editor-in-Chief of the Macmillan Handbook Series on Religion (ten volumes, 2015-2016). He specializes in the study of extreme religious states and the re-visioning of a New Comparativism, particularly as both involve putting “the impossible” back on the academic table again. He is presently working on a three-volume study of paranormal currents in the history of religions and the sciences for The University of Chicago Press, collectively entitled The Super Story.
jeffreyjkripal.com
Theme music provided by:
www.modernnationsmusic.com
Band of the week: Chomsky
Music page:
itunes.apple.com/us/artist/chomsky/5662475
Learn more about this project at:
www.thesacredspeaks.com
Instagram:
www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
Twitter:
twitter.com/thesacredspeaks
Facebook: 

]]> This podcast episode explores the stories that help us understand our reality, our place in that reality, and how humans both cling to and challenge these same stories. Jeffrey Kripal has been a keeper of many extraordinary stories, and as a professor of religion, he is positioned to question the stories that we believe serve us, but the reality is that we often serve the story. This conversation is anchored in Dr. Kripal’s newest book, The Flip, wherein he challenges many of the assumptions of materialist science and posits that the sciences are not wrong, but that they are incomplete and therefore we need a change in our worldview. His arguments are well articulated and well informed by many scientists, including neuroscientists and physicists, who have, as a result of their research into reality, moved away from the materialist worldview into an approach to reality that chips away at many of the assumptions in which many of us have been educated – for example, the fact that we don’t really know what matter and consciousness are in the first place. Really.
From Jeff’s book:
A “flip,” writes Jeffrey J. Kripal, is “a reversal of perspective,””a new real,” often born of an extreme, life-changing experience. The Flip is Kripal’s ambitious, visionary program for unifying the sciences and the humanities to expand our minds, open our hearts, and negotiate a peaceful resolution to the culture wars. Combining accounts of rationalists’ spiritual awakenings and consciousness explorations by philosophers, neuroscientists, and mystics within a framework of history of science and religion, Kripal compellingly signals a path to mending our fractured world.
Bio:
Jeffrey J. Kripal holds the J. Newton Rayzor Chair in Philosophy and Religious Thought at Rice University, where he chaired the Department of Religion for eight years and helped create the GEM Program, a doctoral concentration in the study of Gnosticism, Esotericism, and Mysticism that is the largest program of its kind in the world. He is the Associate Director of the Center for Theory and Research at the Esalen Institute in Big Sur, California, where he also serves as Chair of the Board. Jeff is the author of numerous books, seven of which are with The University of Chicago Press, including, most recently a memoir-manifesto entitled Secret Body: Erotic and Esoteric Currents in the History of Religions(Chicago, 2017). He has also served as the Editor-in-Chief of the Macmillan Handbook Series on Religion (ten volumes, 2015-2016). He specializes in the study of extreme religious states and the re-visioning of a New Comparativism, particularly as both involve putting “the impossible” back on the academic table again. He is presently working on a three-volume study of paranormal currents in the history of religions and the sciences for The University of Chicago Press, collectively entitled The Super Story.
jeffreyjkripal.com
Theme music provided by:
www.modernnationsmusic.com
Band of the week: Chomsky
Music page:
itunes.apple.com/us/artist/chomsky/5662475
Learn more about this project at:
www.thesacredspeaks.com
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]]> https://www.thesacredspeaks.com Jeffrey Kripal Buzzsprout-7761868 Tue, 09 Feb 2021 05:00:00 -0600 5955 consciousness, spirituality, podcast, religion, jung, jungian, philosophy 38 full true 37: The Mind-Body Problems. A Conversation with John Horgan. 37: The Mind-Body Problems. A Conversation with John Horgan. The title of the John Horgan’s book, The Mind-Body Problems, with the addition of the “s”articulates the core of the mind-body problem – that it is plural. John Horgan is not content with one story that solves for the myriad problems we humans encounter when we explore reality and hunt to discover who we are and what matters most. John has been a scientific journalist for over 35 years and as someone who is paid to be curious he has commented on, written about, queried, and learned about some of the most ubiquitous and obscure scientific theories and discoveries science and human thought have brought to the foreground.
Bio:
John Horgan is a science journalist and Director of the Center for Science Writings at Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, New Jersey. A former senior writer at Scientific American (1986-1997), he has also written for The New York Times, National Geographic, Time, Newsweek, The Washington Post, Slate and other publications. He writes the "Cross-check" blog for Scientific American and produces "Mind-Body Problems" for the online talk show Bloggingheads.tv. He tweets as @horganism.
Horgan's most recent book, Mind-Body Problems: Science, Subjectivity and Who We Really Are, takes a radical new approach to the deepest and oldest of all mysteries, the mind-body problem. Published in September 2018, it is available for free online at mindbodyproblems.com, for $5 as an Amazon e-book and for $15 as a paperback.
Horgan's first book was The End of Science: Facing the Limits of Science in the Twilight of the Scientific Age, which was republished with a new preface in 2015 by Basic Books. Originally published in 1996, it became a U.S. bestseller and was translated into 13 languages.
Horgan's other books include The Undiscovered Mind: How the Human Brain Defies Replication, Medication, and Explanation, 1999, translated into eight languages; Rational Mysticism: Spirituality Meets Science in the Search for Enlightenment, 2003, which The New York Times called "marvelous" (see outtakes from the book posted on this site); and The End of War, published in paperback in 2014, which novelist Nicholson Baker described as "thoughtful, unflappable, closely argued."
Horgan's publications have received international coverage. He has been interviewed hundreds of times for print, radio, and television media, including The Lehrer News Hour, Charlie Rose, and National Public Radio's Science Friday. He has lectured at dozens of institutions in North America and Europe, including MIT, Caltech, Princeton, Dartmouth, McGill, the University of Amsterdam, and England's National Physical Laboratory.
His awards include the 2005 Templeton-Cambridge Journalism Fellowship in Science and Religion; the American Psychiatric Association Certificate of Commendation for Outstanding Reporting on Psychiatric Issues (1997); the Science Journalism Award of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (1992 and 1994); and the National Association of Science Writers Science-in-Society Award (1993). His articles have been selected for the anthologies The Best American Science and Nature Writing and The Best American Science Writing.
Horgan was an associate editor at IEEE Spectrum, the journal of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, from 1983 to 1986. He received a B.A. in English from Columbia University's School of General Studies in 1982 and an M.S. from Columbia's School of Journalism in 1983.
www.johnhorgan.org
meaningoflife.tv/programs/current…nd-body-problems
mindbodyproblems.com
Theme music provided

]]> The title of the John Horgan’s book, The Mind-Body Problems, with the addition of the “s”articulates the core of the mind-body problem – that it is plural. John Horgan is not content with one story that solves for the myriad problems we humans encounter when we explore reality and hunt to discover who we are and what matters most. John has been a scientific journalist for over 35 years and as someone who is paid to be curious he has commented on, written about, queried, and learned about some of the most ubiquitous and obscure scientific theories and discoveries science and human thought have brought to the foreground.
Bio:
John Horgan is a science journalist and Director of the Center for Science Writings at Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, New Jersey. A former senior writer at Scientific American (1986-1997), he has also written for The New York Times, National Geographic, Time, Newsweek, The Washington Post, Slate and other publications. He writes the "Cross-check" blog for Scientific American and produces "Mind-Body Problems" for the online talk show Bloggingheads.tv. He tweets as @horganism.
Horgan's most recent book, Mind-Body Problems: Science, Subjectivity and Who We Really Are, takes a radical new approach to the deepest and oldest of all mysteries, the mind-body problem. Published in September 2018, it is available for free online at mindbodyproblems.com, for $5 as an Amazon e-book and for $15 as a paperback.
Horgan's first book was The End of Science: Facing the Limits of Science in the Twilight of the Scientific Age, which was republished with a new preface in 2015 by Basic Books. Originally published in 1996, it became a U.S. bestseller and was translated into 13 languages.
Horgan's other books include The Undiscovered Mind: How the Human Brain Defies Replication, Medication, and Explanation, 1999, translated into eight languages; Rational Mysticism: Spirituality Meets Science in the Search for Enlightenment, 2003, which The New York Times called "marvelous" (see outtakes from the book posted on this site); and The End of War, published in paperback in 2014, which novelist Nicholson Baker described as "thoughtful, unflappable, closely argued."
Horgan's publications have received international coverage. He has been interviewed hundreds of times for print, radio, and television media, including The Lehrer News Hour, Charlie Rose, and National Public Radio's Science Friday. He has lectured at dozens of institutions in North America and Europe, including MIT, Caltech, Princeton, Dartmouth, McGill, the University of Amsterdam, and England's National Physical Laboratory.
His awards include the 2005 Templeton-Cambridge Journalism Fellowship in Science and Religion; the American Psychiatric Association Certificate of Commendation for Outstanding Reporting on Psychiatric Issues (1997); the Science Journalism Award of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (1992 and 1994); and the National Association of Science Writers Science-in-Society Award (1993). His articles have been selected for the anthologies The Best American Science and Nature Writing and The Best American Science Writing.
Horgan was an associate editor at IEEE Spectrum, the journal of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, from 1983 to 1986. He received a B.A. in English from Columbia University's School of General Studies in 1982 and an M.S. from Columbia's School of Journalism in 1983.
www.johnhorgan.org
meaningoflife.tv/programs/current…nd-body-problems
mindbodyproblems.com
Theme music provided

]]> http://www.thesacredspeaks.com John Horgan Buzzsprout-2712796 Tue, 11 Feb 2020 04:00:00 -0600 6290 consciousness, mind and body, religion, spirituality, science, depth psychology, jung, jungian full true 36: The Gnostic New Age. A conversation with April DeConick. 36: The Gnostic New Age. A conversation with April DeConick. We begin this conversation with Dr. April DeConick’s first exposure to Gnostic literature when she was a young student, without any real idea of what it is she was going to do with her life. The question for her was, “Why are these Gnostic texts not included in the New Testament?” This question sent her on the path of discovery, as she devoured literature from near-eastern and biblical studies. Dr. DeConick's particular interests include those aspects of the religious traditions that fell through the cracks of social, religious, and spiritual norms, while despite this still maintain a considerable influence on the dominant traditions of our current religious worldview. This conversation explores subjects ranging from early Christianity to Gnostic, Mystic, and Shamanic thought, ritual, and literature. These early communities were in large part quite transgressive; therefore much of the conversation is oriented towards understanding the nature of culture, power, societies, and the various ways that people throughout time have made meaning of the mysterious nature of reality.
Bio:
April DeConick holds the Isla Carroll and Percy E. Turner Professorship in New Testament and Early Christianity at Rice University, and is Chair of the Department of Religion. She received her Ph.D. from the University of Michigan in 1994 in the Department of Near Eastern Studies. Since then, she has studied, written and taught on a range of topics revolving around the silenced voices of religious people and the communities that were left behind or discarded when Christianity emerged in the first four centuries CE as a new religion. She is the co-founder and executive editor of a new academic journal called Gnosis: Journal of Gnostic Studies published by a very prestigious publishing house in Europe. She founded and chaired for years the Mysticism, Esotericism and Gnosticism group in the Society of Biblical Literature and is now Chair of the Nag Hammadi and Gnosticism group. She is most noted for her writing on the Gospel of Judas when she challenged sensationalism generated by the National Geographic Society that wrongly claimed that Judas is a gnostic hero in this text and that his heroics would rewrite our understanding of early Christianity. Instead, her work shows that Judas remains demonic in the Gospel of Judas, just as he is in the New Testament gospels. Her work on this text was so instrumental that she appeared in CNN’s documentary on the Gospel of Judas that premiered in 2015 on the TV series "Finding Jesus". Her most recent book, The Gnostic New Age, has won an award from the Figure Foundation for the best book to be published by an university press in philosophy and religion. It is tradition that the Figure Foundation composes a koan for each book to receive this award and publishes it on the front page. The koan for The Gnostic New Age reads: “that square be squared”. If you have any insight into the meaning of this koan, she would love to hear it.
reli.rice.edu/people/faculty/april-deconick
aprildeconick.com
Theme music provided by:
www.modernnationsmusic.com
Learn more about this project at:
www.thesacredspeaks.com
Instagram:
www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
Twitter:
twitter.com/thesacredspeaks
Facebook:

]]> We begin this conversation with Dr. April DeConick’s first exposure to Gnostic literature when she was a young student, without any real idea of what it is she was going to do with her life. The question for her was, “Why are these Gnostic texts not included in the New Testament?” This question sent her on the path of discovery, as she devoured literature from near-eastern and biblical studies. Dr. DeConick's particular interests include those aspects of the religious traditions that fell through the cracks of social, religious, and spiritual norms, while despite this still maintain a considerable influence on the dominant traditions of our current religious worldview. This conversation explores subjects ranging from early Christianity to Gnostic, Mystic, and Shamanic thought, ritual, and literature. These early communities were in large part quite transgressive; therefore much of the conversation is oriented towards understanding the nature of culture, power, societies, and the various ways that people throughout time have made meaning of the mysterious nature of reality.
Bio:
April DeConick holds the Isla Carroll and Percy E. Turner Professorship in New Testament and Early Christianity at Rice University, and is Chair of the Department of Religion. She received her Ph.D. from the University of Michigan in 1994 in the Department of Near Eastern Studies. Since then, she has studied, written and taught on a range of topics revolving around the silenced voices of religious people and the communities that were left behind or discarded when Christianity emerged in the first four centuries CE as a new religion. She is the co-founder and executive editor of a new academic journal called Gnosis: Journal of Gnostic Studies published by a very prestigious publishing house in Europe. She founded and chaired for years the Mysticism, Esotericism and Gnosticism group in the Society of Biblical Literature and is now Chair of the Nag Hammadi and Gnosticism group. She is most noted for her writing on the Gospel of Judas when she challenged sensationalism generated by the National Geographic Society that wrongly claimed that Judas is a gnostic hero in this text and that his heroics would rewrite our understanding of early Christianity. Instead, her work shows that Judas remains demonic in the Gospel of Judas, just as he is in the New Testament gospels. Her work on this text was so instrumental that she appeared in CNN’s documentary on the Gospel of Judas that premiered in 2015 on the TV series "Finding Jesus". Her most recent book, The Gnostic New Age, has won an award from the Figure Foundation for the best book to be published by an university press in philosophy and religion. It is tradition that the Figure Foundation composes a koan for each book to receive this award and publishes it on the front page. The koan for The Gnostic New Age reads: “that square be squared”. If you have any insight into the meaning of this koan, she would love to hear it.
reli.rice.edu/people/faculty/april-deconick
aprildeconick.com
Theme music provided by:
www.modernnationsmusic.com
Learn more about this project at:
www.thesacredspeaks.com
Instagram:
www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
Twitter:
twitter.com/thesacredspeaks
Facebook:

]]> http://www.thesacredspeaks.com April DeConick Buzzsprout-2712598 Mon, 10 Feb 2020 21:00:00 -0600 5950 gnostic, gnosis, religion, spirituality, jung, jungian, depth psychology, psychology full false 35: Minding The Self. A conversation with Murray Stein. 35: Minding The Self. A conversation with Murray Stein. We begin our conversation with Dr. Stein explaining initiation and “The Spirit of the Depths,” as the dance between reason and the inevitable call that each of us hears from our soul – that unique part of us that is outside of culture. Dr. Stein differentiates between directed thinking and nondirected thinking – causality-based, rational thinking and the spontaneous emergence of images that seem to come from beyond our conscious control. The former helps each of us “get from A to B,” while the latter operates with imagination as the presenter of the subjective content. He locates the consequence of the growth of rational thinking, as pushing out the relationship we each have with the symbol and the imagination. Noting that this produced a materially dominant culture, although the sacrifice is our disconnection from the immaterial. We conclude by discussing the tension of opposites. 
Bio: 
Dr. Stein is a graduate of Yale University (B.A. and M.Div.), the University of Chicago (Ph.D.), and the C.G. Jung Institut-Zurich (Diploma). He is a founding member of the Inter-Regional Society of Jungian Analysts and of the Chicago Society of Jungian Analysts. He has been the president of the International Association for Analytical Psychology (2001-4), and the President of The International School of Analytical Psychology-Zurich (2008-2012). 
http://murraystein.com
Theme music provided by:
http://www.modernnationsmusic.com
Band of the week: Halou
http://www.halou.com 
Music page:  
https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/halou/2602748
Learn more about this project at: 
http://www.thesacredspeaks.com
Instagram: 
https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
Twitter: 
https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks
Facebook: 
https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/

]]> We begin our conversation with Dr. Stein explaining initiation and “The Spirit of the Depths,” as the dance between reason and the inevitable call that each of us hears from our soul – that unique part of us that is outside of culture. Dr. Stein differentiates between directed thinking and nondirected thinking – causality-based, rational thinking and the spontaneous emergence of images that seem to come from beyond our conscious control. The former helps each of us “get from A to B,” while the latter operates with imagination as the presenter of the subjective content. He locates the consequence of the growth of rational thinking, as pushing out the relationship we each have with the symbol and the imagination. Noting that this produced a materially dominant culture, although the sacrifice is our disconnection from the immaterial. We conclude by discussing the tension of opposites. 
Bio: 
Dr. Stein is a graduate of Yale University (B.A. and M.Div.), the University of Chicago (Ph.D.), and the C.G. Jung Institut-Zurich (Diploma). He is a founding member of the Inter-Regional Society of Jungian Analysts and of the Chicago Society of Jungian Analysts. He has been the president of the International Association for Analytical Psychology (2001-4), and the President of The International School of Analytical Psychology-Zurich (2008-2012). 
http://murraystein.com
Theme music provided by:
http://www.modernnationsmusic.com
Band of the week: Halou
http://www.halou.com 
Music page:  
https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/halou/2602748
Learn more about this project at: 
http://www.thesacredspeaks.com
Instagram: 
https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
Twitter: 
https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks
Facebook: 
https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/

]]> http://www.thesacredspeaks.com Murray Stein Buzzsprout-2703886 Mon, 10 Feb 2020 07:00:00 -0600 3937 jung, jungian, depth psychology, The Red Book. Carl Jung, psychology, religion, spirituality full false 34: Spiritual Medicine. A conversation with Joseph Tafur. 34: Spiritual Medicine. A conversation with Joseph Tafur. After struggling through depression during medical school, Dr. Joseph Tafur was introduced to peyote by a friend who was researching psychedelics as a medical intervention. He reports that he quickly realized the connection between modern medical interventions, such as anti-depressants and psychedelics. In 2007 Dr. Tafur traveled to the Amazon and began his exploration of Ayahuasca and later began his training in Shipibo shamanism. Dr. Tafur’s medical background and his training as a Shipibo shaman position him to articulately explain the Western understanding of this spiritually-based approach to healing. Dr. Tafur’s book is full of case studies, and his use of these examples provide a first-hand account of what many know to be true: that many individuals do not feel adequately understood by the traditional western medicine. We discuss epigenetics, specifically how researchers are beginning to understand how trauma can be passed down from one generation to the other. We frame depression and other psychological issues as a disorder of the imagination, wherein the individual is cut off from their sense of creativity, and which cuts the individual off from imagining other possibilities in their life, and therefore they suffer under the burden of the discomfort and belief that change is not possible. Although Dr. Tafur can use modern medical language, he prefers to speak about love and broke-heartedness as it relates to what is missing in modern medicine. 

Bio:

Dr. Tafur has been an Integrative Medicine activist throughout his medical career, while in medical school at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) School of Medicine, and during his Family Medicine Residency at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). He has collaborated on research projects with the UCLA Center for East-West Medicine and the Scripps Center for Integrative Medicine.  After residency, Dr. Tafur subsequently completed a two-year Post-Doctoral Research Fellowship at the UCSD Department of Psychiatry under psychoneuroimmunology expert Dr. Paul Mills. While in San Diego, he also served on the board for the Alternative Healing Network and the Steering Committee for the UCSD Center for Integrative Medicine.

Dr. Tafur is also dedicated to education. At Nihue Rao Centro Espiritual, Dr. Tafur supervised traditional training for allopathic medical students and medical student groups from the Southwestern College of Naturopathic Medicine and Bastyr College of Naturopathic Medicine. He has also worked as a professor for the Pacific College of Oriental Medicine’s online doctoral program. He is now developing new educational programs for Modern Spirit.

Since 2007, Dr. Tafur, a has been traveling to Peru to work with Traditional Amazonian Plant Medicine and to study with Master Shipibo Healers. He has completed his shamanic initiation under Maestro Ricardo Amaringo and worked alongside him for years in ayahuasca healing ceremony at Nihue Rao Centro Espiritual.

Here in the United States, he is working to promote the value of spiritual healing in modern healthcare and to demonstrate the intersection between traditional healing and allopathic medicine

.https://drjoetafur.com

https://modernspirit.org

Theme music provided by:

http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

Band of the week: Black Tie Dynasty 

Music page:  

https://www.facebook.com/blacktiedynasty/

https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/black-tie-dynasty/41368471

Learn more about this project at: 

http://www.thesacredspeaks.com

Instagram: 

]]> After struggling through depression during medical school, Dr. Joseph Tafur was introduced to peyote by a friend who was researching psychedelics as a medical intervention. He reports that he quickly realized the connection between modern medical interventions, such as anti-depressants and psychedelics. In 2007 Dr. Tafur traveled to the Amazon and began his exploration of Ayahuasca and later began his training in Shipibo shamanism. Dr. Tafur’s medical background and his training as a Shipibo shaman position him to articulately explain the Western understanding of this spiritually-based approach to healing. Dr. Tafur’s book is full of case studies, and his use of these examples provide a first-hand account of what many know to be true: that many individuals do not feel adequately understood by the traditional western medicine. We discuss epigenetics, specifically how researchers are beginning to understand how trauma can be passed down from one generation to the other. We frame depression and other psychological issues as a disorder of the imagination, wherein the individual is cut off from their sense of creativity, and which cuts the individual off from imagining other possibilities in their life, and therefore they suffer under the burden of the discomfort and belief that change is not possible. Although Dr. Tafur can use modern medical language, he prefers to speak about love and broke-heartedness as it relates to what is missing in modern medicine. 

Bio:

Dr. Tafur has been an Integrative Medicine activist throughout his medical career, while in medical school at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) School of Medicine, and during his Family Medicine Residency at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). He has collaborated on research projects with the UCLA Center for East-West Medicine and the Scripps Center for Integrative Medicine.  After residency, Dr. Tafur subsequently completed a two-year Post-Doctoral Research Fellowship at the UCSD Department of Psychiatry under psychoneuroimmunology expert Dr. Paul Mills. While in San Diego, he also served on the board for the Alternative Healing Network and the Steering Committee for the UCSD Center for Integrative Medicine.

Dr. Tafur is also dedicated to education. At Nihue Rao Centro Espiritual, Dr. Tafur supervised traditional training for allopathic medical students and medical student groups from the Southwestern College of Naturopathic Medicine and Bastyr College of Naturopathic Medicine. He has also worked as a professor for the Pacific College of Oriental Medicine’s online doctoral program. He is now developing new educational programs for Modern Spirit.

Since 2007, Dr. Tafur, a has been traveling to Peru to work with Traditional Amazonian Plant Medicine and to study with Master Shipibo Healers. He has completed his shamanic initiation under Maestro Ricardo Amaringo and worked alongside him for years in ayahuasca healing ceremony at Nihue Rao Centro Espiritual.

Here in the United States, he is working to promote the value of spiritual healing in modern healthcare and to demonstrate the intersection between traditional healing and allopathic medicine

.https://drjoetafur.com

https://modernspirit.org

Theme music provided by:

http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

Band of the week: Black Tie Dynasty 

Music page:  

https://www.facebook.com/blacktiedynasty/

https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/black-tie-dynasty/41368471

Learn more about this project at: 

http://www.thesacredspeaks.com

Instagram: 

]]> http://www.thesacredspeaks.com Joseph Tafur Buzzsprout-2703832 Mon, 10 Feb 2020 06:00:00 -0600 5250 shaman, mystic, medicine, depth psychology, jung, jungian, religion, plant medicine, epigenetic full true 33: Genesis & Jewish Mysticism. A conversation with Jeff Roth. 33: Genesis & Jewish Mysticism. A conversation with Jeff Roth. Many people make mystical claims about their worldview, but few can articulate their view in the way similar to Rabbi Jeff Roth. In this episode Rabbi Roth explains what he views as the fundamental problem of human existence and the rift between the human being and the divine that has perpetuated through time and continued to create the ground of what we call evil. Rabbi Roth locates the origin point of the split between the divine and the human as the formation of the conceptual, thinking mind and language. He draws from mystical Jewish and Buddhist practice. Rabbi Roth’s understanding of the various problems with different translations of the original stories from the Torah supports his approach of deconstructing the original language used in both The Torah and The Zohar. This process of understanding and deconstruction takes an act of awareness, contemplation, and a handle on the original language systems used to communicate foundational stories in, not only the Judeo-Christian myth, but also any story that human beings have identified that reflects the origins of creation.  

Bio

Rabbi Jeff Roth is the founder and Director of The Awakened Heart Project for Contemplative Judaism. He was the co-founder of Elat Chayyim where he served as Executive Director and Spiritual Director for 13 years. He is the co-leader of the Jewish Mindfulness Teacher Training program and has facilitated of over 190 Jewish meditation retreats. He is the author of, Jewish Meditation Practices for Everyday Life and Me, Myself and God, both from Jewish lights Publishing.

https://www.awakenedheartproject.org

Theme music provided by:

http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

Band of the week: 

Music page:  

Learn more about this project at: 

http://www.thesacredspeaks.com

Instagram: 

https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/

Twitter: 

https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

]]> Many people make mystical claims about their worldview, but few can articulate their view in the way similar to Rabbi Jeff Roth. In this episode Rabbi Roth explains what he views as the fundamental problem of human existence and the rift between the human being and the divine that has perpetuated through time and continued to create the ground of what we call evil. Rabbi Roth locates the origin point of the split between the divine and the human as the formation of the conceptual, thinking mind and language. He draws from mystical Jewish and Buddhist practice. Rabbi Roth’s understanding of the various problems with different translations of the original stories from the Torah supports his approach of deconstructing the original language used in both The Torah and The Zohar. This process of understanding and deconstruction takes an act of awareness, contemplation, and a handle on the original language systems used to communicate foundational stories in, not only the Judeo-Christian myth, but also any story that human beings have identified that reflects the origins of creation.  

Bio

Rabbi Jeff Roth is the founder and Director of The Awakened Heart Project for Contemplative Judaism. He was the co-founder of Elat Chayyim where he served as Executive Director and Spiritual Director for 13 years. He is the co-leader of the Jewish Mindfulness Teacher Training program and has facilitated of over 190 Jewish meditation retreats. He is the author of, Jewish Meditation Practices for Everyday Life and Me, Myself and God, both from Jewish lights Publishing.

https://www.awakenedheartproject.org

Theme music provided by:

http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

Band of the week: 

Music page:  

Learn more about this project at: 

http://www.thesacredspeaks.com

Instagram: 

https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/

Twitter: 

https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

]]> http://www.thesacredspeaks.com Rabbi Jeff Roth Buzzsprout-2703724 Mon, 10 Feb 2020 06:00:00 -0600 7719 jewish mysticism, mystic, meditation, religion, spirituality, interpretation, jewish, depth psychology, jung, jungian full true 32: Psychological Type. A conversation with John Beebe. 32: Psychological Type. A conversation with John Beebe. The discussion today centers on Dr. John Beebe’s ideas about psychological types as inspired by Jung’s understanding and articulation of this theory of personality. Dr. John Beebe is the leading expert on the subject, so much so that in the forthcoming release of Jung’s collected works on Psychological Type will include an introduction by Dr. Beebe – an honor of the utmost order. Dr. Beebe and I explore how the psychological types show up in film and how viewing films through this lens may enable someone to understand the various types and the dynamics between them better. John explains how our early history provides the framework for our attitudes for organizing themselves in service to making sense of the world. Conflicts between each other and ourselves are usually, in part, a consequence of the different attitudes and functions of the personality misunderstanding each other given their differences between how each of these comes to experience and know what it experiences. John identifies Hamlet as a means by which we may see the personality types play out. 

Theme music provided by:

http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

Band of the week: 

The Chemistry Set

Learn more about this project at: 

http://www.thesacredspeaks.com

Instagram: 

https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/

Twitter: 

https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

]]> The discussion today centers on Dr. John Beebe’s ideas about psychological types as inspired by Jung’s understanding and articulation of this theory of personality. Dr. John Beebe is the leading expert on the subject, so much so that in the forthcoming release of Jung’s collected works on Psychological Type will include an introduction by Dr. Beebe – an honor of the utmost order. Dr. Beebe and I explore how the psychological types show up in film and how viewing films through this lens may enable someone to understand the various types and the dynamics between them better. John explains how our early history provides the framework for our attitudes for organizing themselves in service to making sense of the world. Conflicts between each other and ourselves are usually, in part, a consequence of the different attitudes and functions of the personality misunderstanding each other given their differences between how each of these comes to experience and know what it experiences. John identifies Hamlet as a means by which we may see the personality types play out. 

Theme music provided by:

http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

Band of the week: 

The Chemistry Set

Learn more about this project at: 

http://www.thesacredspeaks.com

Instagram: 

https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/

Twitter: 

https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

]]> http://www.thesacredspeaks.com John Beebe Buzzsprout-2703688 Mon, 10 Feb 2020 05:00:00 -0600 4019 typology, jung, jungian, science, religion, psychology, depth psychology, personality, attitudes full true 31: Culture & Religion. A conversation with Cleve Tinsley. 31: Culture & Religion. A conversation with Cleve Tinsley. How does a young man growing up in an “under resourced” community make sense of the mystical experiences that began at the age of 14 years old spending time with friends? By making his exploration of African American religion and theology the center point of his spiritual and academic development – and helping others through the process. This episode explores Cleve’s development and the dissertation that has provided him the container to examine his thinking as it relates to those thoughts and thinkers who have influenced him. At Princeton Theological Seminary, Cleve, began to expand his understanding of the great thinkers within Black Theology and African American Cultural studies including people such as Hortense Spillers, W.E.B. Du Bois, Cornell West, James Cone, Martin Luther King Jr, and others. Cleve provides a deeper understanding of Black critical thought, and how this intellectual tradition has influenced religion and culture. Interwoven into this rich conversation, we also discuss personal symbols for Cleve such as how N.W.A provided a means by which Cleve, as a young guy, began to understand his cultural upbringing and the basic struggle as an adolescent boy – in particular what factors shaped his understanding of himself, of his religion, and of his community.  

 Bio:

Cleve V. Tinsley IV is an ordained Baptist minister, scholar of religion and African American culture, and community social justice strategist based in Houston, TX. He is currently the Co-Managing Partner of projectCURATE—a non-profit social impact enterprise and intersectional justice collaborative—and a PhD candidate in the Department of Religion at Rice University. Cleve’s research focuses on critical understandings of the wider social scientific and historical approaches to the study of religion in general and African-American religion in particular. His current research explores the relationship between religion, black freedom struggles, and African-American formations in America and argues for more expansive sociological approaches to studying the meaning and nature of black religious identity given the complexity of religion and spirituality in the lives of African Americans today. Cleve also works as a research fellow in the Religion and Public Life Program (RPLP) at Rice and, prior to his doctoral training, earned his Master of Divinity (MDiv) at Princeton Theological Seminary. Cleve has worked in the past as a pastor and consultant for several churches and educational non-profit organizations in the US South and on the East Coast. 

www.projectcurate.org

Theme music provided by:

http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

Band of the week: 

Abstract Rude and Tribe Unique 

https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/p-a-i-n-t/306865459

Learn more about this project at: 

http://www.thesacredspeaks.com

Instagram: 

https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/

Twitter: 

https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

]]> How does a young man growing up in an “under resourced” community make sense of the mystical experiences that began at the age of 14 years old spending time with friends? By making his exploration of African American religion and theology the center point of his spiritual and academic development – and helping others through the process. This episode explores Cleve’s development and the dissertation that has provided him the container to examine his thinking as it relates to those thoughts and thinkers who have influenced him. At Princeton Theological Seminary, Cleve, began to expand his understanding of the great thinkers within Black Theology and African American Cultural studies including people such as Hortense Spillers, W.E.B. Du Bois, Cornell West, James Cone, Martin Luther King Jr, and others. Cleve provides a deeper understanding of Black critical thought, and how this intellectual tradition has influenced religion and culture. Interwoven into this rich conversation, we also discuss personal symbols for Cleve such as how N.W.A provided a means by which Cleve, as a young guy, began to understand his cultural upbringing and the basic struggle as an adolescent boy – in particular what factors shaped his understanding of himself, of his religion, and of his community.  

 Bio:

Cleve V. Tinsley IV is an ordained Baptist minister, scholar of religion and African American culture, and community social justice strategist based in Houston, TX. He is currently the Co-Managing Partner of projectCURATE—a non-profit social impact enterprise and intersectional justice collaborative—and a PhD candidate in the Department of Religion at Rice University. Cleve’s research focuses on critical understandings of the wider social scientific and historical approaches to the study of religion in general and African-American religion in particular. His current research explores the relationship between religion, black freedom struggles, and African-American formations in America and argues for more expansive sociological approaches to studying the meaning and nature of black religious identity given the complexity of religion and spirituality in the lives of African Americans today. Cleve also works as a research fellow in the Religion and Public Life Program (RPLP) at Rice and, prior to his doctoral training, earned his Master of Divinity (MDiv) at Princeton Theological Seminary. Cleve has worked in the past as a pastor and consultant for several churches and educational non-profit organizations in the US South and on the East Coast. 

www.projectcurate.org

Theme music provided by:

http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

Band of the week: 

Abstract Rude and Tribe Unique 

https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/p-a-i-n-t/306865459

Learn more about this project at: 

http://www.thesacredspeaks.com

Instagram: 

https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/

Twitter: 

https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

]]> https://www.thesacredspeaks.com John Price Buzzsprout-2703622 Mon, 10 Feb 2020 05:00:00 -0600 7410 makingblacklivesmatter, black theology, consciousness, spirituality, religion, jung, jungian, psychology, depth psychology full true 30: Love. A conversation with Rudy Rasmus. 30: Love. A conversation with Rudy Rasmus. This conversation does not begin with any theory; it begins with racism, violence, and fear – all within the first decade of the life of today’s participant, Pastor Rudy Rasmus – to which he concludes, ultimately, the centrality of love. How he did this is the core theme of our conversation and what he has made primary in his mission of life - that he truly lives out on a daily basis. Rudy positions his early childhood trauma as a prerequisite for wisdom and his capacity to see through the masks that many people wear so that he can teach people how to love and accept themselves and others. This conversation will invite you to investigate how you love, how you are loved, and how you could express love for others. 
Bio:
Rudy Rasmus is a pastor, author, and a humanitarian with a passion for outreach to the world’s most challenged communities. From Rudy’s previous life of owning and operating a “borderline bordello,” today he co-pastors the St. John’s Church in Downtown Houston with his wife Juanita. A church that began with 9 existing members in 1992, St. John’s has grown to thousands where every week people of every social and economic background share the same pew. He attributes the success of the church to a compassionate group of people who have embraced the vision of tearing down the walls of classism, sexism, and racism and building bridges of unconditional love, universal recovery, and unprecedented hope.
Thanks to generous support from a collaboration of government agencies and a significant donation from Tina, Beyoncé, and Solange Knowles the St. John’s Downtown campus includes the Knowles-Temenos Apartments, a 43-unit Single Room Occupancy development designed to provide permanent living accommodations for formerly homeless women and men. Temenos CDC portfolio also includes an 80-unit apartment community to meet the growing need for permanent supportive housing for the previously homeless in Houston, Texas and a 15-unit apartment project for chronic inebriates and the most vulnerable homeless individuals in the Houston community. 
Pastors Rudy and Juanita founded the Bread of Life, Inc. (a not for profit corporation) in December of 1992 and began serving 500 meals per day to the homeless in the sanctuary at St. John’s. Years later the Bread of Life has changed the landscape of Downtown Houston providing an array of services to homeless men and women. The project also distributes over 9 tons of fresh produce weekly to hungry families. St. John’s is one of few faith communities in the U.S. providing HIV/AIDS testing to churchgoers on Sundays through the innovative “Get Tested Project.” For many years Pastor Rudy has coordinated domestic and global anti-hunger initiatives in conjunction with Beyoncé’s concert tours and travels extensively developing and supporting programs around the world for people experiencing poverty. Today, with a focus on social impact investing, the Bread of Life owns and operates Eco Life Employment LLC, a digital employment and staffing agency for men and women with troubled past lives and the Amazing KMAZ 102.5fm radio station.
Rudy and Juanita have been married for 32 years and are the proud parents of two outstanding daughters, Morgan and Ryan, a phenomenal Son-in-Law, Hamilton, and an amazing grandson

Website:
www.pastorrudy.net
Theme music provided by:
www.modernnationsmusic.com
Band of the week:
BADBADNOTGOOD
badbadnotgood.com
itunes.apple.com/us/album/confes

]]> This conversation does not begin with any theory; it begins with racism, violence, and fear – all within the first decade of the life of today’s participant, Pastor Rudy Rasmus – to which he concludes, ultimately, the centrality of love. How he did this is the core theme of our conversation and what he has made primary in his mission of life - that he truly lives out on a daily basis. Rudy positions his early childhood trauma as a prerequisite for wisdom and his capacity to see through the masks that many people wear so that he can teach people how to love and accept themselves and others. This conversation will invite you to investigate how you love, how you are loved, and how you could express love for others. 
Bio:
Rudy Rasmus is a pastor, author, and a humanitarian with a passion for outreach to the world’s most challenged communities. From Rudy’s previous life of owning and operating a “borderline bordello,” today he co-pastors the St. John’s Church in Downtown Houston with his wife Juanita. A church that began with 9 existing members in 1992, St. John’s has grown to thousands where every week people of every social and economic background share the same pew. He attributes the success of the church to a compassionate group of people who have embraced the vision of tearing down the walls of classism, sexism, and racism and building bridges of unconditional love, universal recovery, and unprecedented hope.
Thanks to generous support from a collaboration of government agencies and a significant donation from Tina, Beyoncé, and Solange Knowles the St. John’s Downtown campus includes the Knowles-Temenos Apartments, a 43-unit Single Room Occupancy development designed to provide permanent living accommodations for formerly homeless women and men. Temenos CDC portfolio also includes an 80-unit apartment community to meet the growing need for permanent supportive housing for the previously homeless in Houston, Texas and a 15-unit apartment project for chronic inebriates and the most vulnerable homeless individuals in the Houston community. 
Pastors Rudy and Juanita founded the Bread of Life, Inc. (a not for profit corporation) in December of 1992 and began serving 500 meals per day to the homeless in the sanctuary at St. John’s. Years later the Bread of Life has changed the landscape of Downtown Houston providing an array of services to homeless men and women. The project also distributes over 9 tons of fresh produce weekly to hungry families. St. John’s is one of few faith communities in the U.S. providing HIV/AIDS testing to churchgoers on Sundays through the innovative “Get Tested Project.” For many years Pastor Rudy has coordinated domestic and global anti-hunger initiatives in conjunction with Beyoncé’s concert tours and travels extensively developing and supporting programs around the world for people experiencing poverty. Today, with a focus on social impact investing, the Bread of Life owns and operates Eco Life Employment LLC, a digital employment and staffing agency for men and women with troubled past lives and the Amazing KMAZ 102.5fm radio station.
Rudy and Juanita have been married for 32 years and are the proud parents of two outstanding daughters, Morgan and Ryan, a phenomenal Son-in-Law, Hamilton, and an amazing grandson

Website:
www.pastorrudy.net
Theme music provided by:
www.modernnationsmusic.com
Band of the week:
BADBADNOTGOOD
badbadnotgood.com
itunes.apple.com/us/album/confes

]]> Rudy Rasmus Buzzsprout-2212844 Tue, 03 Dec 2019 07:00:00 -0600 7922 religion, spirituality, love, relationship, church full true 29: Living Consciousness. A conversation with G. William Barnard. 29: Living Consciousness. A conversation with G. William Barnard. In today’s episode Dr. Bill Barnard and John explore some of the fundamental definitions and aspects of consciousness and the study of consciousness. Bill is a professor of religious studies and passionately studies William James and Henri Bergson – both early thinkers in the world of religion, psychology and consciousness. The conversation touches upon some of the basic overview of the study of consciousness including materialism, idealism, determinism, dual and non-dual traditions, psychedelics, and meanders through the dynamic between the materialist reductive thinking about consciousness juxtaposed with the non-dual traditions. Dr. Barnard also discusses his study of entheogens in religious contexts, primarily as sourced by the Santo Daime tradition.
Bio:
Dr. G. William Barnard, (B.A. Antioch University; M.A. Temple University; Ph.D. University of Chicago) is a Professor of Religious Studies, as well as a University Distinguished Teaching Professor. His primary areas of research interests are the comparative philosophy of mysticism, religion and the social sciences, contemporary spirituality, religion and healing, and consciousness studies. Professor Barnard is currently researching the Santo Daime tradition, a syncretistic, entheogenically-based new religious movement that emerged in Brazil in the mid-twentieth century. He teaches a variety of courses: Magic, Myth, and Religion; Mysticism: East and West; Understanding the Self: East and West; Introduction to Primal Religions; Wholeness and Holiness: Religion and Healing Across Cultures; Waking Up: The Philosophy of Yoga and the Practice of Meditation; Ways of Being Religious; Living from the Heart (of it All): An Exploration of Mystical/Spiritual Ethics; Plants of the Gods: Religion and Psychedelics; and a graduate core seminar: History, Theory, and Method in Religious Studies. Professor Barnard is the author of Living Consciousness: The Metaphysical Vision of Henri Bergson as well as Exploring Unseen Worlds: William James and the Philosophy of Mysticism, both published by State University of New York Press. In addition, Professor Barnard is the co-editor of Crossing Boundaries: Essays on the Ethical Status of Mysticism. Professor Barnard has also written many journal articles and book chapters on a variety of topics, such as pedagogy in religious studies, the nature of religious experience, and issues in the psychology of religion. He is a member of the Academy of Distinguished Teachers and has received the Godbey Lecture Series Authors’ Award for both Living Consciousness and Exploring Unseen Worlds. He has also received the Golden Mustang Outstanding Faculty Award for teaching and scholarship as well as the SMU Mortar Board Honor Society Award for teaching excellence. He was also awarded an American Academy of Religion Individual Research grant.
Website:
www.smu.edu/Dedman/Academics/De…acultyStaff/Barnard
Music provided by:
www.modernnationsmusic.com
Learn more about this project at:
www.thesacredspeaks.com
Instagram:
www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
Twitter:
twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

]]> In today’s episode Dr. Bill Barnard and John explore some of the fundamental definitions and aspects of consciousness and the study of consciousness. Bill is a professor of religious studies and passionately studies William James and Henri Bergson – both early thinkers in the world of religion, psychology and consciousness. The conversation touches upon some of the basic overview of the study of consciousness including materialism, idealism, determinism, dual and non-dual traditions, psychedelics, and meanders through the dynamic between the materialist reductive thinking about consciousness juxtaposed with the non-dual traditions. Dr. Barnard also discusses his study of entheogens in religious contexts, primarily as sourced by the Santo Daime tradition.
Bio:
Dr. G. William Barnard, (B.A. Antioch University; M.A. Temple University; Ph.D. University of Chicago) is a Professor of Religious Studies, as well as a University Distinguished Teaching Professor. His primary areas of research interests are the comparative philosophy of mysticism, religion and the social sciences, contemporary spirituality, religion and healing, and consciousness studies. Professor Barnard is currently researching the Santo Daime tradition, a syncretistic, entheogenically-based new religious movement that emerged in Brazil in the mid-twentieth century. He teaches a variety of courses: Magic, Myth, and Religion; Mysticism: East and West; Understanding the Self: East and West; Introduction to Primal Religions; Wholeness and Holiness: Religion and Healing Across Cultures; Waking Up: The Philosophy of Yoga and the Practice of Meditation; Ways of Being Religious; Living from the Heart (of it All): An Exploration of Mystical/Spiritual Ethics; Plants of the Gods: Religion and Psychedelics; and a graduate core seminar: History, Theory, and Method in Religious Studies. Professor Barnard is the author of Living Consciousness: The Metaphysical Vision of Henri Bergson as well as Exploring Unseen Worlds: William James and the Philosophy of Mysticism, both published by State University of New York Press. In addition, Professor Barnard is the co-editor of Crossing Boundaries: Essays on the Ethical Status of Mysticism. Professor Barnard has also written many journal articles and book chapters on a variety of topics, such as pedagogy in religious studies, the nature of religious experience, and issues in the psychology of religion. He is a member of the Academy of Distinguished Teachers and has received the Godbey Lecture Series Authors’ Award for both Living Consciousness and Exploring Unseen Worlds. He has also received the Golden Mustang Outstanding Faculty Award for teaching and scholarship as well as the SMU Mortar Board Honor Society Award for teaching excellence. He was also awarded an American Academy of Religion Individual Research grant.
Website:
www.smu.edu/Dedman/Academics/De…acultyStaff/Barnard
Music provided by:
www.modernnationsmusic.com
Learn more about this project at:
www.thesacredspeaks.com
Instagram:
www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
Twitter:
twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

]]> William Barnard Buzzsprout-2212796 Tue, 03 Dec 2019 07:00:00 -0600 6444 consciousness, religion, spirituality, depth psychology, jung, jungian psychology, Henri Bergson, William James, psychotherapy full true 28: The Internet of Free and the Economy of Creativity. A conversation with Count 28: The Internet of Free and the Economy of Creativity. A conversation with Count This episode begins with Count explaining his professional background in the music business as a musician, producer, engineer, & writer. Considering that his career spans both pre and post internet revolution, he is well placed to critique the positive aspects of the internet and also the dark side of the “internet of free.” We explore the economics of creativity on the internet and how this new economy has transformed the music industry in particular, but also how this process bleeds into arenas such as journalism and retail. Count works to debunk a number of the common misunderstandings of the freedom of the internet. Count has created part one of the three part documentary which has received critical acclaim. Those interviewed within the documentary include David Byrne, Noam Chomsky, US Congressman Jerrold Nadler, Jonathan Taplin (Bob Dylan, Martin Scorsese), Steve Knopper (Rolling Stone), Rob Levine (Billboard magazine), Matt Mason (Bit Torrent), John Perry Barlow, Lawrence Lessig, and other key voices, alongside personal stories from musicians, filmmakers, authors, and creators of all kinds.
Bio:
San Francisco based producer, Count [AKA Mikael Eldridge], has been involved in just about every aspect of the music business. He has worked for indie and major labels, scored films, and has worked as producer, engineer, mixer, and remixer for artists such as DJ Shadow, Frank Sinatra, Radiohead, John Cale [Velvet Underground], No Doubt, New Order, RUN DMC, Tycho, Zoe Keating, Galactic, Trombone Shorty, The Bee Gees, Thievery Corporation, and many more. With his own bands Inu and Halou, Count has toured the US and performed live at shows such as Seattle's Bumbershoot festival, The San Francisco International Film Festival, the SF Museum of Modern Art, Filter Magazine's Culture Collides Festival and more. Count is currently directing the documentary Unsound, which is about the impact that internet revolution is having on all creators. He has become a vocal advocate on artist rights issues, speaking at The Future of Music Summit, C2SV, SXSW, Grammys on the Hill, and several international summits. Count is also currently involved in the C3 (Content Creators Coalition), which is helping to organize a collective voice to deal with issues affecting creators in the Internet age.
Website:
www.unsoundthemovie.com
www.vertebraeproductions.com
Theme music provided by:
www.modernnationsmusic.com
Band of the week: Inu and Tycho
Inu:
www.vertebraeproductions.com
itunes.apple.com/us/album/not-for-anyone/373655312
Tycho:
www.tychomusic.com
itunes.apple.com/us/album/epoch/1154577700
itunes.apple.com/us/album/awake/793928184
Learn more about this project at:
www.thesacredspeaks.com
Instagram:
www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
Twit

]]> This episode begins with Count explaining his professional background in the music business as a musician, producer, engineer, & writer. Considering that his career spans both pre and post internet revolution, he is well placed to critique the positive aspects of the internet and also the dark side of the “internet of free.” We explore the economics of creativity on the internet and how this new economy has transformed the music industry in particular, but also how this process bleeds into arenas such as journalism and retail. Count works to debunk a number of the common misunderstandings of the freedom of the internet. Count has created part one of the three part documentary which has received critical acclaim. Those interviewed within the documentary include David Byrne, Noam Chomsky, US Congressman Jerrold Nadler, Jonathan Taplin (Bob Dylan, Martin Scorsese), Steve Knopper (Rolling Stone), Rob Levine (Billboard magazine), Matt Mason (Bit Torrent), John Perry Barlow, Lawrence Lessig, and other key voices, alongside personal stories from musicians, filmmakers, authors, and creators of all kinds.
Bio:
San Francisco based producer, Count [AKA Mikael Eldridge], has been involved in just about every aspect of the music business. He has worked for indie and major labels, scored films, and has worked as producer, engineer, mixer, and remixer for artists such as DJ Shadow, Frank Sinatra, Radiohead, John Cale [Velvet Underground], No Doubt, New Order, RUN DMC, Tycho, Zoe Keating, Galactic, Trombone Shorty, The Bee Gees, Thievery Corporation, and many more. With his own bands Inu and Halou, Count has toured the US and performed live at shows such as Seattle's Bumbershoot festival, The San Francisco International Film Festival, the SF Museum of Modern Art, Filter Magazine's Culture Collides Festival and more. Count is currently directing the documentary Unsound, which is about the impact that internet revolution is having on all creators. He has become a vocal advocate on artist rights issues, speaking at The Future of Music Summit, C2SV, SXSW, Grammys on the Hill, and several international summits. Count is also currently involved in the C3 (Content Creators Coalition), which is helping to organize a collective voice to deal with issues affecting creators in the Internet age.
Website:
www.unsoundthemovie.com
www.vertebraeproductions.com
Theme music provided by:
www.modernnationsmusic.com
Band of the week: Inu and Tycho
Inu:
www.vertebraeproductions.com
itunes.apple.com/us/album/not-for-anyone/373655312
Tycho:
www.tychomusic.com
itunes.apple.com/us/album/epoch/1154577700
itunes.apple.com/us/album/awake/793928184
Learn more about this project at:
www.thesacredspeaks.com
Instagram:
www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
Twit

]]> Count Buzzsprout-2212715 Tue, 03 Dec 2019 06:00:00 -0600 8572 music, economy, music business, internet, religion, psychology, psychotherapy, consciousness, awareness, full true 27: Listening to Ayahuasca. A conversation with Rachel Harris. 27: Listening to Ayahuasca. A conversation with Rachel Harris. In this episode of The Sacred Speaks, John Price speaks with Dr. Rachel Harris about her book, Listening To Ayahuasca, and other related topics. Following her early experience in meditation and body practices at Esalen and with Suzuki Roshi, Dr. Harris formalized her interest in research focusing on the various ways that we may treat human suffering and then she experienced Ayahuasca in the rainforests of Costa Rica. Following her personal experience, she wanted to research “religious experience” as it manifests within the various reports that people provide following their own Ayahuasca journey. She explains the design of her studies and explores aspects of the biology of psychedelics, in particular, a network of the brain called the Default Mode Network, a network of brain structures “quieted” during psychedelic experience and meditation. The DMN is the “generator of our ego” it maintains the constructed world and self. Not only does Dr. Harris speak to the western approach to both the research-based use of psychedelics and the recreational use, but she also speaks to the worldview of indigenous cultures and how this metaphysical view that sees the world as alive has influenced and conflicted with the typical western worldview. While grounding her work in the Ayahuasca, her research reaches far beyond the experiences of Psychonauts and into the minds and homes of each and every one of us who seeks to transform the daily and the mundane. 
Bio: 
Psychologist Rachel Harris, Ph.D. is the author of Listening to Ayahuasca: New Hope for Depression, Addiction, PTSD and Anxiety. She was in private practice for thirty-five years working with people interested in psychospiritual development. During a decade working in research, Rachel received a National Institutes of Health New Investigator’s Award and published more than forty scientific studies in peer-reviewed journals. She has also consulted to Fortune 500 companies and the United Nations.
Rachel was in the 1968 Esalen Residential Program, Big Sur, CA. This intensive six-month program focused on meditation and bodywork. In the early seventies, Rachel studied with Dorothy Nolte in the movement system, Structural Awareness, based on Dr. Ida Rolf’s Structural Integration (Rolfing). Rachel also co-edited the Journal of the American Dance Therapy Association for three years. Awareness of how people live and move in their bodies has always been an aspect of Rachel’s approach to psychotherapy.
During the mid-eighties into the early aughts, Rachel led workshops at Omega Institute, NY and Esalen Institute, CA. She wrote Twenty Minute Retreats: Revive Your Spirit in Just Minutes a Day with Simple, Self-Led Practices (NY: Holt, 2000). This book describes many of the psychological, meditative and body awareness exercises she taught in her workshops.
In 2005 Rachel traveled to a retreat center in Costa Rica and serendipitously found herself with the opportunity to drink ayahuasca with Ecuadorian shamans. The morning after her first ceremony, Rachel began asking questions about the therapeutic potential of this medicine. She conducted a three-year research project with Lee Gurel, Ph.D. that resulted in “A Study of Ayahuasca Use in North America,” published in the Journal of Psychoactive Drugs (Summer, 2012).

Website:
www.listeningtoayahuasca.com

Theme music provided by:
www.modernnationsmusic.com

Band of the week: Taylor Young
www.dallasobserver.com/music/taylor-…n-me-11178400

]]> In this episode of The Sacred Speaks, John Price speaks with Dr. Rachel Harris about her book, Listening To Ayahuasca, and other related topics. Following her early experience in meditation and body practices at Esalen and with Suzuki Roshi, Dr. Harris formalized her interest in research focusing on the various ways that we may treat human suffering and then she experienced Ayahuasca in the rainforests of Costa Rica. Following her personal experience, she wanted to research “religious experience” as it manifests within the various reports that people provide following their own Ayahuasca journey. She explains the design of her studies and explores aspects of the biology of psychedelics, in particular, a network of the brain called the Default Mode Network, a network of brain structures “quieted” during psychedelic experience and meditation. The DMN is the “generator of our ego” it maintains the constructed world and self. Not only does Dr. Harris speak to the western approach to both the research-based use of psychedelics and the recreational use, but she also speaks to the worldview of indigenous cultures and how this metaphysical view that sees the world as alive has influenced and conflicted with the typical western worldview. While grounding her work in the Ayahuasca, her research reaches far beyond the experiences of Psychonauts and into the minds and homes of each and every one of us who seeks to transform the daily and the mundane. 
Bio: 
Psychologist Rachel Harris, Ph.D. is the author of Listening to Ayahuasca: New Hope for Depression, Addiction, PTSD and Anxiety. She was in private practice for thirty-five years working with people interested in psychospiritual development. During a decade working in research, Rachel received a National Institutes of Health New Investigator’s Award and published more than forty scientific studies in peer-reviewed journals. She has also consulted to Fortune 500 companies and the United Nations.
Rachel was in the 1968 Esalen Residential Program, Big Sur, CA. This intensive six-month program focused on meditation and bodywork. In the early seventies, Rachel studied with Dorothy Nolte in the movement system, Structural Awareness, based on Dr. Ida Rolf’s Structural Integration (Rolfing). Rachel also co-edited the Journal of the American Dance Therapy Association for three years. Awareness of how people live and move in their bodies has always been an aspect of Rachel’s approach to psychotherapy.
During the mid-eighties into the early aughts, Rachel led workshops at Omega Institute, NY and Esalen Institute, CA. She wrote Twenty Minute Retreats: Revive Your Spirit in Just Minutes a Day with Simple, Self-Led Practices (NY: Holt, 2000). This book describes many of the psychological, meditative and body awareness exercises she taught in her workshops.
In 2005 Rachel traveled to a retreat center in Costa Rica and serendipitously found herself with the opportunity to drink ayahuasca with Ecuadorian shamans. The morning after her first ceremony, Rachel began asking questions about the therapeutic potential of this medicine. She conducted a three-year research project with Lee Gurel, Ph.D. that resulted in “A Study of Ayahuasca Use in North America,” published in the Journal of Psychoactive Drugs (Summer, 2012).

Website:
www.listeningtoayahuasca.com

Theme music provided by:
www.modernnationsmusic.com

Band of the week: Taylor Young
www.dallasobserver.com/music/taylor-…n-me-11178400

]]> Dr. Rachel Harris Buzzsprout-2212694 Tue, 03 Dec 2019 06:00:00 -0600 7154 consciousness, religion, spirituality, enthogens, ayahauasca, psychedelics, shaman, mindfulness, anxiety, depression, psychotherapy full true 26: Music Therapy; Music as Therapy. A conversation with Jennifer Townsend. 26: Music Therapy; Music as Therapy. A conversation with Jennifer Townsend. In this episode, John Price speaks with music therapist, Jennifer Townsend, about music and music therapy. We discuss the definition of music therapy, the biological aspects of performing and listening to music, how concepts from physics have informed the connecting and healing processes of music therapy, the uses of music therapy as an aid in brain development following a trauma, relationship bonding when coming together on the “beat”, and other topics. Jennifer offers the listener stories of the healing aspects of music within populations ranging from those affected by acute psychosis, and non-responsiveness, she explains the rapport building dimensions of music in relationship and notes how music can reduce anxiety amongst those who have been traumatized. While listening to this episode, one thing becomes clear: that there are profound reasons why many of us will spend more of our time and money on music than sex and drugs (medical and otherwise).
Bio: 
Jennifer Townsend, MMT, MT-BC, is the Program Manager for Music Therapy at Houston Methodist. In this capacity, she has overseen the growth of music therapy across the system of Houston Methodist hospitals, led research initiatives in music therapy and music medicine, and provides clinical supervision to the Houston Methodist creative arts therapy team of eight. She has published articles on technology in music therapy, music therapy in epilepsy treatment, music therapy in NICU, and published a chapter on Medically Fragile Children in Guidelines for Music Therapy Practice in Pediatrics.

Website:
www.musictherapy.org
www.cbmt.org

Theme music provided by:
www.modernnationsmusic.com

Band of the week: Grace Kali
gracekali.com
twitter.com/thegracekali

Music page:
itunes.apple.com/us/artist/grace-kali/1396993208
@gracekali
www.amazon.com/Sign-Times-Grace-Kali/dp/B07DMGDTY7

Learn more about this project at:
www.thesacredspeaks.com

Instagram:
www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/

Twitter:
twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

]]> In this episode, John Price speaks with music therapist, Jennifer Townsend, about music and music therapy. We discuss the definition of music therapy, the biological aspects of performing and listening to music, how concepts from physics have informed the connecting and healing processes of music therapy, the uses of music therapy as an aid in brain development following a trauma, relationship bonding when coming together on the “beat”, and other topics. Jennifer offers the listener stories of the healing aspects of music within populations ranging from those affected by acute psychosis, and non-responsiveness, she explains the rapport building dimensions of music in relationship and notes how music can reduce anxiety amongst those who have been traumatized. While listening to this episode, one thing becomes clear: that there are profound reasons why many of us will spend more of our time and money on music than sex and drugs (medical and otherwise).
Bio: 
Jennifer Townsend, MMT, MT-BC, is the Program Manager for Music Therapy at Houston Methodist. In this capacity, she has overseen the growth of music therapy across the system of Houston Methodist hospitals, led research initiatives in music therapy and music medicine, and provides clinical supervision to the Houston Methodist creative arts therapy team of eight. She has published articles on technology in music therapy, music therapy in epilepsy treatment, music therapy in NICU, and published a chapter on Medically Fragile Children in Guidelines for Music Therapy Practice in Pediatrics.

Website:
www.musictherapy.org
www.cbmt.org

Theme music provided by:
www.modernnationsmusic.com

Band of the week: Grace Kali
gracekali.com
twitter.com/thegracekali

Music page:
itunes.apple.com/us/artist/grace-kali/1396993208
@gracekali
www.amazon.com/Sign-Times-Grace-Kali/dp/B07DMGDTY7

Learn more about this project at:
www.thesacredspeaks.com

Instagram:
www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/

Twitter:
twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

]]> Jennifer Townsend Buzzsprout-2212661 Tue, 03 Dec 2019 06:00:00 -0600 7130 consciousness, music, religion, spirituality, music therapy, psychotherapy full false 25: Irreverent Reverence in Religion. A conversation with Matt Russell. 25: Irreverent Reverence in Religion. A conversation with Matt Russell. This episode begins with Matthew and I exploring his history growing up with the fundamentalist wing of religion in Christianity. Matt’s story is one of coming to terms and wrestling with the religion of his youth and through that process asking challenging to grapple with questions. We discuss power structures within and between groups ranging from economically bound systems to geographically connected and disconnected networks. Matt’s dissertation looked at trauma and the narrative that five women maintained about their religious and philosophical worldview following overwhelming trauma. Matt offers a perspective on religion that is often not included in many religious and academic circles, atheist or theist alike.
Bio:
Matt is currently on staff at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church in Houston Texas as the Senior Associate Pastor, is the Co-Managing Director of projectCURATE, a social action and racial equity non-profit, Executive Director of Iconoclast Artists, a creative arts program in Houston and Galveston’s urban schools that has over 600 weekly participants and is Assistant Professor of Recovery Ministry at Fuller Theological Seminary. Prior to this he was on faculty at Duke Divinity School as professor of Practical Theology and Community Development. In 2013, he completed a two-year postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Cambridge’s Psychology and Religion Research Group (PRRG) where he explored redemptive narratives and models of social justice movements rooted in religious communities. He received his Masters of Divinity from Fuller Theological Seminary and completed his PhD at Texas Tech University in 2010. His dissertation explored how women construct alternative narratives of redemption from years of sustained trauma and abuse. While at Texas Tech he was the Associate Director at The Center for the Study of Addiction, responsible for the replication model helping to establish collegiate recovery communities in campuses across the United States. From 1996-2008 he was Associate Pastor of Houston’s Chapelwood United Methodist Church and founding pastor of Mercy Street. Matt is married to his best friend Michele and they have 3 crazy boys: Miguel (15), Lucas (14) and Gabriel (11).

Website:
www.projectcurate.org
www.stpaulshouston.org/staff/
Theme music provided by:
www.modernnationsmusic.com
Band of the week: Ghostface Killah and BADBADNOTGOOD
www.facebook.com/GhostfaceKillahOfficial/
badbadnotgood.com
Music page:
itunes.apple.com/us/album/sour-soul/952769969
Learn more about this project at:
www.thesacredspeaks.com
Instagram:
www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
Twitter:
twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

]]> This episode begins with Matthew and I exploring his history growing up with the fundamentalist wing of religion in Christianity. Matt’s story is one of coming to terms and wrestling with the religion of his youth and through that process asking challenging to grapple with questions. We discuss power structures within and between groups ranging from economically bound systems to geographically connected and disconnected networks. Matt’s dissertation looked at trauma and the narrative that five women maintained about their religious and philosophical worldview following overwhelming trauma. Matt offers a perspective on religion that is often not included in many religious and academic circles, atheist or theist alike.
Bio:
Matt is currently on staff at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church in Houston Texas as the Senior Associate Pastor, is the Co-Managing Director of projectCURATE, a social action and racial equity non-profit, Executive Director of Iconoclast Artists, a creative arts program in Houston and Galveston’s urban schools that has over 600 weekly participants and is Assistant Professor of Recovery Ministry at Fuller Theological Seminary. Prior to this he was on faculty at Duke Divinity School as professor of Practical Theology and Community Development. In 2013, he completed a two-year postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Cambridge’s Psychology and Religion Research Group (PRRG) where he explored redemptive narratives and models of social justice movements rooted in religious communities. He received his Masters of Divinity from Fuller Theological Seminary and completed his PhD at Texas Tech University in 2010. His dissertation explored how women construct alternative narratives of redemption from years of sustained trauma and abuse. While at Texas Tech he was the Associate Director at The Center for the Study of Addiction, responsible for the replication model helping to establish collegiate recovery communities in campuses across the United States. From 1996-2008 he was Associate Pastor of Houston’s Chapelwood United Methodist Church and founding pastor of Mercy Street. Matt is married to his best friend Michele and they have 3 crazy boys: Miguel (15), Lucas (14) and Gabriel (11).

Website:
www.projectcurate.org
www.stpaulshouston.org/staff/
Theme music provided by:
www.modernnationsmusic.com
Band of the week: Ghostface Killah and BADBADNOTGOOD
www.facebook.com/GhostfaceKillahOfficial/
badbadnotgood.com
Music page:
itunes.apple.com/us/album/sour-soul/952769969
Learn more about this project at:
www.thesacredspeaks.com
Instagram:
www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
Twitter:
twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

]]> John Price Buzzsprout-2212646 Tue, 03 Dec 2019 06:00:00 -0600 7085 consciousness, religion, spirituality, depth psychology, jung, jungian psychology full true 24: Religion & Psychology. A conversation with Ken Pargament. 24: Religion & Psychology. A conversation with Ken Pargament. This conversation explores the research into religion. Ken began his academic search when he started to ask deeper question about the nature of human experience such as morality, values, how people can live better lives, and he is a skeptic and seeking to ground his work in empirical research. Dr. Pargament discusses the relationship between attachment and religion - how one’s developmental history and environment interrelate and often informs one’s relationship with “God.” Dr. Parament’s work involves looking at each person’s religious experience and asking them questions about the nature of that relationship to the sacred in their lives. How have they come to relate to the divine – theist and atheist alike? His research helps us understand not only the nature of the relationship but also the outcome of the relationship. One question he asks is: How has one's relationship to the divine impacted how that individual copes with suffering? “From a talk presented at Harvard: Empirical studies indicate that people attribute sacred qualities to many aspects of life, such as relationships, nature, work, virtues, and the body. Perceptions of sacredness have important implications for health and well-being. A growing body of research indicates that people are more likely to: (a) organize their lives around sacred goals and values; (b) preserve and protect aspects of life they hold sacred; and (c) invest more of their resources into and derive greater satisfaction and meaning from sanctified objects. However, perceptions of sacredness can be problematic when: (a) people experience the loss or violation of what they hold sacred; (b) when they imbue inappropriate objects (e.g., drugs, violence, despots) with sacred qualities; and (c) when people are intolerant of divergent views of the sacred.” (projects.iq.harvard.edu/rshm/event/dr…nd-well-being).
Bio:
Dr. Pargament's nationally and internationally known research addresses religious beliefs and health. His current research program addresses how elderly people who struggle with their religious beliefs and hold negative perceptions about their relationships with God and life meaning have an increased risk of death, even after controlling for physical and mental health and demographic characteristics. He also studies the process by which people create perceptions about the sanctity of aspects of their life activities and the beneficial effects of "sanctification" for individual and interpersonal well-being. A strong emphasis on this work is how individuals and couples "sanctify" their marriage and how that sanctification is a strong predictor of marital quality and stability. Dr. Pargament won the 2000 Virginia Staudt Sexton Mentoring Award from the American Psychological Association for his generous work in encouraging both faculty, undergraduate, and graduate research in the psychology of religion.
Website:
www.bgsu.edu/arts-and-sciences/…h-i-pargament.html
Theme music provided by:
www.modernnationsmusic.com
Band of the week: The Hundred Inevitables
www.facebook.com/thehundredinevitables/
Music page:
itunes.apple.com/us/album/decade-…ntime/1017437376
Learn more about this project at:
www.thesacredspeaks.com
Instagram:

]]> This conversation explores the research into religion. Ken began his academic search when he started to ask deeper question about the nature of human experience such as morality, values, how people can live better lives, and he is a skeptic and seeking to ground his work in empirical research. Dr. Pargament discusses the relationship between attachment and religion - how one’s developmental history and environment interrelate and often informs one’s relationship with “God.” Dr. Parament’s work involves looking at each person’s religious experience and asking them questions about the nature of that relationship to the sacred in their lives. How have they come to relate to the divine – theist and atheist alike? His research helps us understand not only the nature of the relationship but also the outcome of the relationship. One question he asks is: How has one's relationship to the divine impacted how that individual copes with suffering? “From a talk presented at Harvard: Empirical studies indicate that people attribute sacred qualities to many aspects of life, such as relationships, nature, work, virtues, and the body. Perceptions of sacredness have important implications for health and well-being. A growing body of research indicates that people are more likely to: (a) organize their lives around sacred goals and values; (b) preserve and protect aspects of life they hold sacred; and (c) invest more of their resources into and derive greater satisfaction and meaning from sanctified objects. However, perceptions of sacredness can be problematic when: (a) people experience the loss or violation of what they hold sacred; (b) when they imbue inappropriate objects (e.g., drugs, violence, despots) with sacred qualities; and (c) when people are intolerant of divergent views of the sacred.” (projects.iq.harvard.edu/rshm/event/dr…nd-well-being).
Bio:
Dr. Pargament's nationally and internationally known research addresses religious beliefs and health. His current research program addresses how elderly people who struggle with their religious beliefs and hold negative perceptions about their relationships with God and life meaning have an increased risk of death, even after controlling for physical and mental health and demographic characteristics. He also studies the process by which people create perceptions about the sanctity of aspects of their life activities and the beneficial effects of "sanctification" for individual and interpersonal well-being. A strong emphasis on this work is how individuals and couples "sanctify" their marriage and how that sanctification is a strong predictor of marital quality and stability. Dr. Pargament won the 2000 Virginia Staudt Sexton Mentoring Award from the American Psychological Association for his generous work in encouraging both faculty, undergraduate, and graduate research in the psychology of religion.
Website:
www.bgsu.edu/arts-and-sciences/…h-i-pargament.html
Theme music provided by:
www.modernnationsmusic.com
Band of the week: The Hundred Inevitables
www.facebook.com/thehundredinevitables/
Music page:
itunes.apple.com/us/album/decade-…ntime/1017437376
Learn more about this project at:
www.thesacredspeaks.com
Instagram:

]]> Ken Pargament Buzzsprout-1036229 Thu, 11 Apr 2019 23:00:00 -0500 6537 religion, spirituality, attachment, jung, carl jung, depth psychology, full true 23: Spiritual Business. A conversation with Henry Richardson. 23: Spiritual Business. A conversation with Henry Richardson. In this episode, Henry Richardson, owner, and CEO of DEFINE body and mind, and I sit down to explore how to run what he refers to as a “spiritual business.” He uses terms such as “appreciative inquiry” and speaks of breathing life into not only a bottom line but also the inner and outer community of the business. He states that how the model of the business is structured will influence how each employee views their presence at the business, which then impacts how the customer and the community the business serves, feels about themselves and their interactions with the business. Henry outlines how to make this possible, and with a successful and growing business of 23 facilities in the U.S. and one open in Dubai, along with two graduate degrees, one MBA from Rice University and another master's degree from University of Pennsylvania in positive psychology, he can speak to both how he manages the business and how his story informs his higher purpose. Website:
definebody.com
Theme music provided by:
www.modernnationsmusic.com
Band of the week: John Evans
johnevansband.com
Music page:
itunes.apple.com/us/album/polyester/1103330346
Learn more about this project at:
www.thesacredspeaks.com
Instagram:
www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
Twitter:
twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

]]> In this episode, Henry Richardson, owner, and CEO of DEFINE body and mind, and I sit down to explore how to run what he refers to as a “spiritual business.” He uses terms such as “appreciative inquiry” and speaks of breathing life into not only a bottom line but also the inner and outer community of the business. He states that how the model of the business is structured will influence how each employee views their presence at the business, which then impacts how the customer and the community the business serves, feels about themselves and their interactions with the business. Henry outlines how to make this possible, and with a successful and growing business of 23 facilities in the U.S. and one open in Dubai, along with two graduate degrees, one MBA from Rice University and another master's degree from University of Pennsylvania in positive psychology, he can speak to both how he manages the business and how his story informs his higher purpose. Website:
definebody.com
Theme music provided by:
www.modernnationsmusic.com
Band of the week: John Evans
johnevansband.com
Music page:
itunes.apple.com/us/album/polyester/1103330346
Learn more about this project at:
www.thesacredspeaks.com
Instagram:
www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
Twitter:
twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

]]> Henry Richardson Buzzsprout-1036219 Thu, 11 Apr 2019 23:00:00 -0500 7015 business, spiritual business, carl jung, jungian, religion, positive psychology full true 22. Initiation, Liberation, & The Journey. A conversation with Kate Burns 22. Initiation, Liberation, & The Journey. A conversation with Kate Burns This conversation favors the irrational over the rational. Kate has made it her mission, both in her professional life and personal life to study the pathways on which people travel through their lives. She states, “The paths that people are called to are often socially unacceptable.” She is referencing how often each of us has to sacrifice either a part of ourselves for the security of the outer world or the security of the outer world so that one can “live on the edge” and discover who they are and what really matters to that individual. When Kate was 4 years old, a poisonous snake bit her, a story that had not entered into her awareness until she was much older and in analysis herself. Once she recalled the event she began to have dreams that included snake motifs and she began to study rites of passage, initiation, and rituals that people had been writing about throughout human history. We discuss the seven aspects she identifies and articulates through her book. Kate has made it her mission to help people place their struggles and conflicts into meaningful narratives. And, how is one to know the direction that the narrative is providing?
Bio:
Kate Burns is a Jungian analyst with a private practice in Houston, Texas. She earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics, she worked as a geophysicist until a downturn in the oil industry sent her back to school for an MBA from Rice University. A desire to explore spiritual issues led her to pursue a master’s degree in counseling, followed by studies at the International School of Analytical Psychology, Zurich. She has taught classes at the Jung Center in Houston since 2005 and has devoted herself to the practice of yoga since 2000. She serves on the board of directors for Jungians in Training Zurich, an organization raising awareness about C.G. Jung, his life and work. Kate is the author of "Paths to Transformation: From Initiation to Liberation and "Soul's Desire to Become New" in Jung's Red Book for Our Time, volume 2.
Website:
Theme music provided by:
www.modernnationsmusic.com
Band of the week: Lauren Fine
Music page:
itunes.apple.com/us/artist/lauren-fine/30889026
Learn more about this project at:
www.thesacredspeaks.com
Instagram:
www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
Twitter:
twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

]]> This conversation favors the irrational over the rational. Kate has made it her mission, both in her professional life and personal life to study the pathways on which people travel through their lives. She states, “The paths that people are called to are often socially unacceptable.” She is referencing how often each of us has to sacrifice either a part of ourselves for the security of the outer world or the security of the outer world so that one can “live on the edge” and discover who they are and what really matters to that individual. When Kate was 4 years old, a poisonous snake bit her, a story that had not entered into her awareness until she was much older and in analysis herself. Once she recalled the event she began to have dreams that included snake motifs and she began to study rites of passage, initiation, and rituals that people had been writing about throughout human history. We discuss the seven aspects she identifies and articulates through her book. Kate has made it her mission to help people place their struggles and conflicts into meaningful narratives. And, how is one to know the direction that the narrative is providing?
Bio:
Kate Burns is a Jungian analyst with a private practice in Houston, Texas. She earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics, she worked as a geophysicist until a downturn in the oil industry sent her back to school for an MBA from Rice University. A desire to explore spiritual issues led her to pursue a master’s degree in counseling, followed by studies at the International School of Analytical Psychology, Zurich. She has taught classes at the Jung Center in Houston since 2005 and has devoted herself to the practice of yoga since 2000. She serves on the board of directors for Jungians in Training Zurich, an organization raising awareness about C.G. Jung, his life and work. Kate is the author of "Paths to Transformation: From Initiation to Liberation and "Soul's Desire to Become New" in Jung's Red Book for Our Time, volume 2.
Website:
Theme music provided by:
www.modernnationsmusic.com
Band of the week: Lauren Fine
Music page:
itunes.apple.com/us/artist/lauren-fine/30889026
Learn more about this project at:
www.thesacredspeaks.com
Instagram:
www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
Twitter:
twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

]]> Kate Burns Buzzsprout-1036212 Thu, 11 Apr 2019 23:00:00 -0500 5768 jung, carl jung, religion, shaman, rites of passage, ritual, snake, dream, mystic, jungian full true 21: Science, Religion, Power, & Love. A conversation with Tom Cheetham 21: Science, Religion, Power, & Love. A conversation with Tom Cheetham As a scientist, Tom’s insight into religion and psychology balances his worldview given that he matriculated through both the sciences and philosophy. He says, that as soon as he began to see the world through a hand-lens, he was sold on physics, biology, entomology, evolution and ecology, and vertebrate zoology, but landed squarely in biology. Tom’s primary area of interest began in complex systems. Access to an electron microscope in the biochemistry lab opened up Tom’s understanding of the microscopic world that is within, around, and through us. He defines “complex systems” and uses this interest to look at religion and psychology. Tom asks why no one can predict what the Dow Jones is going to do tomorrow?” Because the economy is a complex system. Tom’s “naïve love of biology” was the attitude that bade him leave the early movement in bioengineering, which he deemed as morally repugnant, and sent him onto a path of recollecting his interests in philosophy and religion primarily to the work of Carl Jung, James Hillman, and Henry Corbin. Tom’s love for Hillman is expressed from his seeking psychological diversity and Corbin for his grounding in the imagination. Tom departed from reductive science because his brain began to feel like a machine, cranking out facts, and this landed him in the exploration of the imagination. With this in mind, Tom recognizes the battle within him between the “humanist” and the “scientist.” He believes on some level that adopting an easy pluralism as a means for us each to deal with our tendency toward fundamentalist thinking and behaving. He has been actively undermining the tendency for any human to be motivated by any fundamentalism – which both Henry Corbin and James Hillman do. Good on you, Tom!
Bio:
Tom graduated from Connecticut College in 1974 with a B.A. in philosophy, magna cum laude, with coursework in history and the history of art, and received the Susanne Langer Award for Achievement in Philosophy. Among the most long-lasting influences were my reading of Hegel, Heidegger, Ernst Cassirer, and Erwin Panofsky, as well as the ideas and the teaching of historian F. Edward Cranz.
In 1997 Tom resigned from my teaching position and my family moved to Maine. He then began writing in earnest. Tom's first essay on Corbin was among those selected to receive a John Templeton Foundation Exemplary Essay Award in the “Expanding Humanity’s Vision of God” Program in 2000. The following year he was one of six invited speakers at the Eranos Conference in Ascona, Switzerland, where Corbin had been a leading figure for many years. Tom's first book on Corbin, the imagination and related themes was published in 2003, and others followed in 2005, 2007, 2012 and 2015. In 2004 he was invited for the first of a series of lectures for the Temenos Academy in London. In the summer of 2007, Tom was honored to be elected a Fellow of the Temenos Academy.
Website:
sites.google.com/view/tom-cheetham/home?authuser=0
Theme music provided by:
www.modernnationsmusic.com
Band of the week: Centro-matic
Music page:
itunes.apple.com/us/artist/centro-matic/6557444
Will Johnson:
www.will-johnson.com
Learn more about this project at:
www.thesacredspeaks.com
Instagram:
www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
Twitter:
twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

]]> As a scientist, Tom’s insight into religion and psychology balances his worldview given that he matriculated through both the sciences and philosophy. He says, that as soon as he began to see the world through a hand-lens, he was sold on physics, biology, entomology, evolution and ecology, and vertebrate zoology, but landed squarely in biology. Tom’s primary area of interest began in complex systems. Access to an electron microscope in the biochemistry lab opened up Tom’s understanding of the microscopic world that is within, around, and through us. He defines “complex systems” and uses this interest to look at religion and psychology. Tom asks why no one can predict what the Dow Jones is going to do tomorrow?” Because the economy is a complex system. Tom’s “naïve love of biology” was the attitude that bade him leave the early movement in bioengineering, which he deemed as morally repugnant, and sent him onto a path of recollecting his interests in philosophy and religion primarily to the work of Carl Jung, James Hillman, and Henry Corbin. Tom’s love for Hillman is expressed from his seeking psychological diversity and Corbin for his grounding in the imagination. Tom departed from reductive science because his brain began to feel like a machine, cranking out facts, and this landed him in the exploration of the imagination. With this in mind, Tom recognizes the battle within him between the “humanist” and the “scientist.” He believes on some level that adopting an easy pluralism as a means for us each to deal with our tendency toward fundamentalist thinking and behaving. He has been actively undermining the tendency for any human to be motivated by any fundamentalism – which both Henry Corbin and James Hillman do. Good on you, Tom!
Bio:
Tom graduated from Connecticut College in 1974 with a B.A. in philosophy, magna cum laude, with coursework in history and the history of art, and received the Susanne Langer Award for Achievement in Philosophy. Among the most long-lasting influences were my reading of Hegel, Heidegger, Ernst Cassirer, and Erwin Panofsky, as well as the ideas and the teaching of historian F. Edward Cranz.
In 1997 Tom resigned from my teaching position and my family moved to Maine. He then began writing in earnest. Tom's first essay on Corbin was among those selected to receive a John Templeton Foundation Exemplary Essay Award in the “Expanding Humanity’s Vision of God” Program in 2000. The following year he was one of six invited speakers at the Eranos Conference in Ascona, Switzerland, where Corbin had been a leading figure for many years. Tom's first book on Corbin, the imagination and related themes was published in 2003, and others followed in 2005, 2007, 2012 and 2015. In 2004 he was invited for the first of a series of lectures for the Temenos Academy in London. In the summer of 2007, Tom was honored to be elected a Fellow of the Temenos Academy.
Website:
sites.google.com/view/tom-cheetham/home?authuser=0
Theme music provided by:
www.modernnationsmusic.com
Band of the week: Centro-matic
Music page:
itunes.apple.com/us/artist/centro-matic/6557444
Will Johnson:
www.will-johnson.com
Learn more about this project at:
www.thesacredspeaks.com
Instagram:
www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
Twitter:
twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

]]> Tom Cheetham Buzzsprout-1036198 Thu, 11 Apr 2019 23:00:00 -0500 10035 science, religion, complexity, complex systems, jung, corbin, hillman, depth psychology, jungian, carl jung, full true 20: Matter and Psyche. A conversation with J. Gary Sparks 20: Matter and Psyche. A conversation with J. Gary Sparks The discussion begins with a question about duality in the structure of human consciousness (up/down, sacred/profane, subject/object, yin/yang, psyche/soma). Gary maintains a longstanding interest in explorations of matter and psyche. His book borrows from the conversations and ideas exchanged between Carl Jung and Wolfgang Pauli, one of the men responsible for the discovery of quantum physics. For Jung the opposites are primary therefore the conversation expands on this idea throughout the exchange. Further, Gary defines spiritual and synchronicity, noting how often “science” or the material and spiritual are not interpreted in the way that may be of more service to us all. He provides examples of synchronicity and helps the listener understand the concept of synchronicity. Jung and Pauli converse because of the strange behavior of the electron in the atom and how causality breaks down when we try to understand the individual – less about causality than about a teleological structure of the individual’s life. 
Technology is questioned and viewed as a phenomenon that has drastically changed the relationship that we have with ourselves and created us into distracted individuals who struggle to sit with ourselves. 
Gary discusses his understanding of the religious task and defines this process as “learning whom we are born to be and making it real in time and space.” We finish on the subject of numbers and the archetypal background of numbers as qualities and not only quantities. 
Bio: 
J. Gary Sparks, B.Sc., M.Div., M.A., is a graduate of Bucknell University in Lewisburg, PA; the Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, CA; and the C.G. Jung Institute of Zurich, Switzerland. He is a former Peace Corps Korea Volunteer during the early 1970s and co-editor of Edward F. Edinger’s Science of the Soul (2002) and Ego and Self: The Old Testament Prophets (2000). He is widely known in North America for his lectures and seminars on the significance and application of Jungian psychology.

Completing eight years of training in 1982, Gary graduated from the C.G. Jung Institute in Zürich and presently makes his living as a Jungian analyst. The Jungian approach observes that the personality spontaneously produces images which symbolically communicate the means of resolving a given impasse and—more generally—the unique life course for each individual in pursuit of meaning and satisfaction to follow. In practical terms the Jungian focus studies dreams as a way of getting at this deeper source of knowledge. Such has been Gary’s enduring fascination: to learn the nature of our symbolic language, to understand its value in the therapeutic setting and to discover its relevance to solving human problems in general.

Website:
www.jgsparks.net
Theme music provided by:
www.modernnationsmusic.com
Band of the week: BADBADNOTGOOD
badbadnotgood.com
Music page:
itunes.apple.com/us/artist/badbadnotgood/505464105
Learn more about this project at:
www.thesacredspeaks.com
Instagram:
www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
Twitter:
twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

]]> The discussion begins with a question about duality in the structure of human consciousness (up/down, sacred/profane, subject/object, yin/yang, psyche/soma). Gary maintains a longstanding interest in explorations of matter and psyche. His book borrows from the conversations and ideas exchanged between Carl Jung and Wolfgang Pauli, one of the men responsible for the discovery of quantum physics. For Jung the opposites are primary therefore the conversation expands on this idea throughout the exchange. Further, Gary defines spiritual and synchronicity, noting how often “science” or the material and spiritual are not interpreted in the way that may be of more service to us all. He provides examples of synchronicity and helps the listener understand the concept of synchronicity. Jung and Pauli converse because of the strange behavior of the electron in the atom and how causality breaks down when we try to understand the individual – less about causality than about a teleological structure of the individual’s life. 
Technology is questioned and viewed as a phenomenon that has drastically changed the relationship that we have with ourselves and created us into distracted individuals who struggle to sit with ourselves. 
Gary discusses his understanding of the religious task and defines this process as “learning whom we are born to be and making it real in time and space.” We finish on the subject of numbers and the archetypal background of numbers as qualities and not only quantities. 
Bio: 
J. Gary Sparks, B.Sc., M.Div., M.A., is a graduate of Bucknell University in Lewisburg, PA; the Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, CA; and the C.G. Jung Institute of Zurich, Switzerland. He is a former Peace Corps Korea Volunteer during the early 1970s and co-editor of Edward F. Edinger’s Science of the Soul (2002) and Ego and Self: The Old Testament Prophets (2000). He is widely known in North America for his lectures and seminars on the significance and application of Jungian psychology.

Completing eight years of training in 1982, Gary graduated from the C.G. Jung Institute in Zürich and presently makes his living as a Jungian analyst. The Jungian approach observes that the personality spontaneously produces images which symbolically communicate the means of resolving a given impasse and—more generally—the unique life course for each individual in pursuit of meaning and satisfaction to follow. In practical terms the Jungian focus studies dreams as a way of getting at this deeper source of knowledge. Such has been Gary’s enduring fascination: to learn the nature of our symbolic language, to understand its value in the therapeutic setting and to discover its relevance to solving human problems in general.

Website:
www.jgsparks.net
Theme music provided by:
www.modernnationsmusic.com
Band of the week: BADBADNOTGOOD
badbadnotgood.com
Music page:
itunes.apple.com/us/artist/badbadnotgood/505464105
Learn more about this project at:
www.thesacredspeaks.com
Instagram:
www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
Twitter:
twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

]]> J. Gary Sparks Buzzsprout-1036188 Thu, 11 Apr 2019 23:00:00 -0500 8238 consciousness, spirituality, religion, depth psychology, Jung, quantum physics, Pauli full true 19: Tibetan meditation and spiritual practice. A conversation with Alejandro Chaoul 19: Tibetan meditation and spiritual practice. A conversation with Alejandro Chaoul In this episode, Alejandro’s knowledge provides a guide rail down into the parts of meditation that are not just about feeling calm and blissful, but the meditation that brings the “gunk” to the surface so that one can be more present with it, work with it and transform it. He discusses how valuable it is that a meditation practice helps increase feelings of relaxation and calm, although he also recognizes that we often need to bring our “shit to the cushion,” and ask difficult questions about where that pain is coming from and how we keep falling for the same patterns. We talk about religion as containing helpful tools, whose value can often be overtaken by people misusing the potential of each tradition. Dr. Chaoul defines enlightenment (if such a thing can be defined) and carefully articulates his words to help the listener begin to understand what it means to be present. Further, he defines spirit and discusses different ways to enhance one’s “spiritual connection,” with one’s life. How we find ways to support our connection with self, world, and the meaning of life. 
Bio:
Dr. Alejandro Chaoul is a Senior Teacher of The 3 Doors, an international organization founded by Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche with the goal of transforming lives through meditation. Alejandro has studied in the Tibetan tradition since 1989, and for over 20 years with Yongdzin Tenzin Namdak and Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche, completing the 7-year training at Ligmincha Institute in 2000. He also holds a Ph.D. in Tibetan religions from Rice University.
Since 1995, he has been teaching meditation classes, and Tibetan Yoga (Tsa Lung & Trul Khor) workshops nationally and internationally under the auspices of Ligmincha Institute and is on the Board of the Ligmincha Texas Institute for the Tibetan meditative and healing arts.
In 1999 he began teaching these techniques at the Integrative Medicine Program of the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, TX, where he holds a faculty position and for the last fifteen years conducts research on the effect of these practices in people with cancer. He is also an associate faculty member at The University of Texas’ McGovern Center for Humanities and Ethics, where he teaches medical students in the areas of spirituality, complementary and integrative medicine, and end of life care. Alejandro is also the author of Chod Practice in the Bon Tradition (Snow Lion, 2009).

Website:
alechaoul.com
junghouston.org/about-the-center/…spirit-institute/

Theme music provided by:
www.modernnationsmusic.com

Song of the week: Bleeding
itunes.apple.com/us/album/bleedin…33875?i=20833857

Flickerstick’s music:
itunes.apple.com/us/artist/flickerstick/473740

Learn more about this project at:

www.thesacredspeaks.com

Instagram:
www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/

Twitter:
twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

]]> In this episode, Alejandro’s knowledge provides a guide rail down into the parts of meditation that are not just about feeling calm and blissful, but the meditation that brings the “gunk” to the surface so that one can be more present with it, work with it and transform it. He discusses how valuable it is that a meditation practice helps increase feelings of relaxation and calm, although he also recognizes that we often need to bring our “shit to the cushion,” and ask difficult questions about where that pain is coming from and how we keep falling for the same patterns. We talk about religion as containing helpful tools, whose value can often be overtaken by people misusing the potential of each tradition. Dr. Chaoul defines enlightenment (if such a thing can be defined) and carefully articulates his words to help the listener begin to understand what it means to be present. Further, he defines spirit and discusses different ways to enhance one’s “spiritual connection,” with one’s life. How we find ways to support our connection with self, world, and the meaning of life. 
Bio:
Dr. Alejandro Chaoul is a Senior Teacher of The 3 Doors, an international organization founded by Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche with the goal of transforming lives through meditation. Alejandro has studied in the Tibetan tradition since 1989, and for over 20 years with Yongdzin Tenzin Namdak and Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche, completing the 7-year training at Ligmincha Institute in 2000. He also holds a Ph.D. in Tibetan religions from Rice University.
Since 1995, he has been teaching meditation classes, and Tibetan Yoga (Tsa Lung & Trul Khor) workshops nationally and internationally under the auspices of Ligmincha Institute and is on the Board of the Ligmincha Texas Institute for the Tibetan meditative and healing arts.
In 1999 he began teaching these techniques at the Integrative Medicine Program of the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, TX, where he holds a faculty position and for the last fifteen years conducts research on the effect of these practices in people with cancer. He is also an associate faculty member at The University of Texas’ McGovern Center for Humanities and Ethics, where he teaches medical students in the areas of spirituality, complementary and integrative medicine, and end of life care. Alejandro is also the author of Chod Practice in the Bon Tradition (Snow Lion, 2009).

Website:
alechaoul.com
junghouston.org/about-the-center/…spirit-institute/

Theme music provided by:
www.modernnationsmusic.com

Song of the week: Bleeding
itunes.apple.com/us/album/bleedin…33875?i=20833857

Flickerstick’s music:
itunes.apple.com/us/artist/flickerstick/473740

Learn more about this project at:

www.thesacredspeaks.com

Instagram:
www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/

Twitter:
twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

]]> Alejandro Chaoul Buzzsprout-916966 Fri, 11 Jan 2019 23:00:00 -0600 7208 tibet, meditation, mindfulness, religion, consciousness, open-hearted, jungian, depth psychology, jung full false 18: The Divine, Mindfulness, & Interpretation. A conversation with Rabbi Ariel Sholklapper 18: The Divine, Mindfulness, & Interpretation. A conversation with Rabbi Ariel Sholklapper Rabbi Sholklapper may speak and read enough languages to make anyone jealous. This multi-lingual blessing allows him the unique gift of investigating ancient religious texts to deconstruct them and explore meaning lost over the passing of time and that has often been injected with interpretations based on ulterior motives. This fact makes him an exceptionally fun person with whom to share a coffee and conversation. One of the most influential and life-changing moments in Ariel’s life involved his experience of arriving on the scene as a first responder following a bomb exploding on a bus in Israel. This trauma sent him into enough of a blunted state of numbness that he began exploring meditation and mindfulness. He is now a teacher of both. Through this conversation, Ariel answers the question, “What is Judaism?” His answer: that each of us has a divine spark and our lives are about getting closer to that spark. The consequences of this understanding from his perspective is one of the goals of the work: becoming kinder to others, more compassionate, and also more settled, and in life. A necessary and honorable goal indeed. Bio: 
Rabbi Ariel Sholklapper is a mindfulness practitioner who got his start under the guidance of Rabbis Jeff Roth, James Jacobson Maisels, and Joanna Katz in 2011. Since then he has attended, managed, and facilitated retreats and mindfulness meditation groups all over the world. He was recently appointed Director of the Jewish Mindfulness Center of Houston at Congregation Beth Yeshurun, the largest Conservative Jewish congregation in the United States. He earned a degree in philosophy and Jewish studies at UCLA, was ordained at the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies, and holds an MBA in nonprofit management.

Learn more about this project at:
www.thesacredspeaks.com

Instagram:
www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/

Twitter:
twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

Theme music provided by:
www.modernnationsmusic.com

Song of the week: Fireproof on Mingo Fishtrap’s album “On Time” 
lyrics and music by Treson Scipio and Roger Blevins Jr. 

]]> Rabbi Sholklapper may speak and read enough languages to make anyone jealous. This multi-lingual blessing allows him the unique gift of investigating ancient religious texts to deconstruct them and explore meaning lost over the passing of time and that has often been injected with interpretations based on ulterior motives. This fact makes him an exceptionally fun person with whom to share a coffee and conversation. One of the most influential and life-changing moments in Ariel’s life involved his experience of arriving on the scene as a first responder following a bomb exploding on a bus in Israel. This trauma sent him into enough of a blunted state of numbness that he began exploring meditation and mindfulness. He is now a teacher of both. Through this conversation, Ariel answers the question, “What is Judaism?” His answer: that each of us has a divine spark and our lives are about getting closer to that spark. The consequences of this understanding from his perspective is one of the goals of the work: becoming kinder to others, more compassionate, and also more settled, and in life. A necessary and honorable goal indeed. Bio: 
Rabbi Ariel Sholklapper is a mindfulness practitioner who got his start under the guidance of Rabbis Jeff Roth, James Jacobson Maisels, and Joanna Katz in 2011. Since then he has attended, managed, and facilitated retreats and mindfulness meditation groups all over the world. He was recently appointed Director of the Jewish Mindfulness Center of Houston at Congregation Beth Yeshurun, the largest Conservative Jewish congregation in the United States. He earned a degree in philosophy and Jewish studies at UCLA, was ordained at the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies, and holds an MBA in nonprofit management.

Learn more about this project at:
www.thesacredspeaks.com

Instagram:
www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/

Twitter:
twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

Theme music provided by:
www.modernnationsmusic.com

Song of the week: Fireproof on Mingo Fishtrap’s album “On Time” 
lyrics and music by Treson Scipio and Roger Blevins Jr. 

]]> Rabbi Ariel Sholklapper Buzzsprout-916926 Fri, 11 Jan 2019 23:00:00 -0600 7253 rabbi, judaism, consciousness, religion, depth psychology, jung, jungian full false 17: The Body, The Unconscious, Life, & Death. A conversation with Nanine Ewing 17: The Body, The Unconscious, Life, & Death. A conversation with Nanine Ewing This conversation explores some of the basic foundations for depth psychology; in particular, how paying attention to the body provides a ground for any individual to come to know their intuitive center point. Dr. Nanine Ewing surveys the body and the unconscious and the various pressures on how one should view each of these concepts in today’s culture. Nanine explains “the psychology of beauty” through both her academic study of attractiveness and the body, and also her experience as a woman in a culture that both subtly, and not, so subtlety emphasizes looks, pressuring women to change, alter, and value her looks and presentation. She discusses death and aging with a grace that is contagious. An underlying theme of this conversation is that if we but have these conversations more and more, may we all come to learn the gifts that life, death, aging, and impermanence conceal beneath our initial fears of coming to term with these inevitabilities.
Bio:
Nanine Ewing, Ph.D., F.A.G.P.A., GGP, L.M.F.T, BC-DMT is a clinical psychologist in private practice in Houston, Texas for the past 33 years. She is a Fellow of the American Group Psychotherapy Association and a Certified Group Psychotherapist and a Dance Movement therapist. She has spoken nationally and internationally on the subjects of nonverbal communication, Jungian theory, Group process, Group dynamics, Psyche and Soma, Countertransference, the Anti-group, and many other topics. She teaches in an alternate training route for dance movement therapists in Embodied Neurobiology for advanced clinical training at Experiential Therapies in Austin, Texas. She has a private practice in Houston, Texas and runs 3 groups a week for clinicians and private clients. She does in depth individual work with a Jungian orientation focusing on dream work and symbolic work in the body and psyche. Her clientele includes a large percentage of her fellow clinicians. She has a Ph.D. in clinical psychology and a Masters in counseling psychology and is a certified Adlerian and has studied hypnotherapy to the consultant level. She believes deeply in the work of the therapist's inner life and has been committed to her own therapy and analysis for the entire spectrum of her clinical work and dedicates herself to encouraging other clinicians to do the same.
www.nanineewing.com
Learn more about this project at:
www.thesacredspeaks.com
Instagram:
www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
Twitter:
twitter.com/thesacredspeaks
Theme music provided by:
www.modernnationsmusic.com
Song of the week: Bitta Honey (live) by Mingo Fishtrap
www.mingofishtrap.com

]]> This conversation explores some of the basic foundations for depth psychology; in particular, how paying attention to the body provides a ground for any individual to come to know their intuitive center point. Dr. Nanine Ewing surveys the body and the unconscious and the various pressures on how one should view each of these concepts in today’s culture. Nanine explains “the psychology of beauty” through both her academic study of attractiveness and the body, and also her experience as a woman in a culture that both subtly, and not, so subtlety emphasizes looks, pressuring women to change, alter, and value her looks and presentation. She discusses death and aging with a grace that is contagious. An underlying theme of this conversation is that if we but have these conversations more and more, may we all come to learn the gifts that life, death, aging, and impermanence conceal beneath our initial fears of coming to term with these inevitabilities.
Bio:
Nanine Ewing, Ph.D., F.A.G.P.A., GGP, L.M.F.T, BC-DMT is a clinical psychologist in private practice in Houston, Texas for the past 33 years. She is a Fellow of the American Group Psychotherapy Association and a Certified Group Psychotherapist and a Dance Movement therapist. She has spoken nationally and internationally on the subjects of nonverbal communication, Jungian theory, Group process, Group dynamics, Psyche and Soma, Countertransference, the Anti-group, and many other topics. She teaches in an alternate training route for dance movement therapists in Embodied Neurobiology for advanced clinical training at Experiential Therapies in Austin, Texas. She has a private practice in Houston, Texas and runs 3 groups a week for clinicians and private clients. She does in depth individual work with a Jungian orientation focusing on dream work and symbolic work in the body and psyche. Her clientele includes a large percentage of her fellow clinicians. She has a Ph.D. in clinical psychology and a Masters in counseling psychology and is a certified Adlerian and has studied hypnotherapy to the consultant level. She believes deeply in the work of the therapist's inner life and has been committed to her own therapy and analysis for the entire spectrum of her clinical work and dedicates herself to encouraging other clinicians to do the same.
www.nanineewing.com
Learn more about this project at:
www.thesacredspeaks.com
Instagram:
www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/
Twitter:
twitter.com/thesacredspeaks
Theme music provided by:
www.modernnationsmusic.com
Song of the week: Bitta Honey (live) by Mingo Fishtrap
www.mingofishtrap.com

]]> Dr. Nanine Ewing Buzzsprout-916900 Fri, 11 Jan 2019 23:00:00 -0600 5612 consciousness, religion, spirituality, depth psychology, body, dance, death, jung, jungian psychology full false 16: Philosophy, Psychology, & Human Development. A conversation with David Cross. 16: Philosophy, Psychology, & Human Development. A conversation with David Cross. This episode of the podcast begins with Dr. Cross discussing how his history influences the work that he has been doing with families and children “from hard places” for almost 40 years. This conversation explores David’s philosophical orientation as informed by the work of philosopher Benedict De Spinoza. David cites that Spinoza served as close to a philosophical “North Star” as anyone could get. David sees Spinoza as an ascetic, and one aspect of his life is the “honest work” that grounds us. Doing the real work of trying to make a difference. This conversation touches upon human growth and development, trauma and trauma-informed care, Eastern and Western philosophy, attachment, culture, and politics. Our conversation deconstructs the essence of the trust-based connection that Dr. Cross and his partner in the creation of the Karyn Purvis Institute of Child Development, Dr. Karyn Purvis, have worked to help bring to families and kids of the world. 

Bio: 

Dr. David Cross is the Rees-Jones Director of the Karyn Purvis Institute of Child Development and a Professor in the TCU Department of Psychology. Dr. Cross leads the Institute in its triple mission of research, education and outreach to improve the lives of children who have experienced abuse, neglect, and/or trauma. He has authored many peer-reviewed publications about issues regarding at-risk children.

Dr. Cross earned his B.S. from California State University Fresno with a major in Psychology, and then attended The University of Michigan in Ann Arbor for graduate study, beginning in 1980.  He earned an M.A. in Psychology and an M.A. in Statistics. He later earned a Ph.D. in Education and Psychology.  In 1985, he accepted a position as Assistant Professor in TCU’s Department of Psychology.

Dr. Cross, with his former colleague Dr. Karyn Purvis, co-authored “The Connected Child: Bringing Hope and Healing to Your Adoptive Family” to help adoptive parents understand the needs of children from hard places. “The Connected Child” continues to be a best-seller among adoption books. Together, Drs. Purvis and Cross created Trust-Based Relational Intervention® (TBRI®), a holistic, attachment-based, trauma-informed, and evidence-based intervention for children who have experienced relational trauma.

Dr. Cross and his staff at the Institute regularly train professionals from around the world in TBRI®. The Institute is actively engaged in research that not only demonstrates the efficacy of TBRI® as an evidence-based intervention but also in research about how to grow trauma-informed organizations and communities.

In addition to his responsibilities at the Institute, Dr. Cross teaches many TCU courses including Case Studies in Child Development, Generalized Linear Models, and Graduate Developmental Psychology.

Dr. Cross’s wife, Trudy, is a retired Kindergarten teacher and a practicing Grandmother.  His daughter, Jennifer, graduated from TCU in 2003 and is an environmental project manager for CB&I.  His son, Nathan, is a former USMC Captain and is now studying history at UTA.

https://child.tcu.edu

Learn more about this project at: 

www.thesacredspeaks.com

Instagram: 

https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/    

Twitter: 

https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

Theme music provided by:

www.modernnationsmusic.com 

Song of the week: My 66 by Shadows of Jets

https://www.facebook.com/ShadowsOfJets/

]]> This episode of the podcast begins with Dr. Cross discussing how his history influences the work that he has been doing with families and children “from hard places” for almost 40 years. This conversation explores David’s philosophical orientation as informed by the work of philosopher Benedict De Spinoza. David cites that Spinoza served as close to a philosophical “North Star” as anyone could get. David sees Spinoza as an ascetic, and one aspect of his life is the “honest work” that grounds us. Doing the real work of trying to make a difference. This conversation touches upon human growth and development, trauma and trauma-informed care, Eastern and Western philosophy, attachment, culture, and politics. Our conversation deconstructs the essence of the trust-based connection that Dr. Cross and his partner in the creation of the Karyn Purvis Institute of Child Development, Dr. Karyn Purvis, have worked to help bring to families and kids of the world. 

Bio: 

Dr. David Cross is the Rees-Jones Director of the Karyn Purvis Institute of Child Development and a Professor in the TCU Department of Psychology. Dr. Cross leads the Institute in its triple mission of research, education and outreach to improve the lives of children who have experienced abuse, neglect, and/or trauma. He has authored many peer-reviewed publications about issues regarding at-risk children.

Dr. Cross earned his B.S. from California State University Fresno with a major in Psychology, and then attended The University of Michigan in Ann Arbor for graduate study, beginning in 1980.  He earned an M.A. in Psychology and an M.A. in Statistics. He later earned a Ph.D. in Education and Psychology.  In 1985, he accepted a position as Assistant Professor in TCU’s Department of Psychology.

Dr. Cross, with his former colleague Dr. Karyn Purvis, co-authored “The Connected Child: Bringing Hope and Healing to Your Adoptive Family” to help adoptive parents understand the needs of children from hard places. “The Connected Child” continues to be a best-seller among adoption books. Together, Drs. Purvis and Cross created Trust-Based Relational Intervention® (TBRI®), a holistic, attachment-based, trauma-informed, and evidence-based intervention for children who have experienced relational trauma.

Dr. Cross and his staff at the Institute regularly train professionals from around the world in TBRI®. The Institute is actively engaged in research that not only demonstrates the efficacy of TBRI® as an evidence-based intervention but also in research about how to grow trauma-informed organizations and communities.

In addition to his responsibilities at the Institute, Dr. Cross teaches many TCU courses including Case Studies in Child Development, Generalized Linear Models, and Graduate Developmental Psychology.

Dr. Cross’s wife, Trudy, is a retired Kindergarten teacher and a practicing Grandmother.  His daughter, Jennifer, graduated from TCU in 2003 and is an environmental project manager for CB&I.  His son, Nathan, is a former USMC Captain and is now studying history at UTA.

https://child.tcu.edu

Learn more about this project at: 

www.thesacredspeaks.com

Instagram: 

https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/    

Twitter: 

https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

Theme music provided by:

www.modernnationsmusic.com 

Song of the week: My 66 by Shadows of Jets

https://www.facebook.com/ShadowsOfJets/

]]> Dr. David Cross Buzzsprout-881511 Thu, 06 Dec 2018 07:00:00 -0600 7832 attachment, development, consciousness, Jung, trauma, spirituality, religion full false 15: Buddhism, Psychology, & Culture. A conversation with Harvey Aronson. 15: Buddhism, Psychology, & Culture. A conversation with Harvey Aronson. Harvey is a psychotherapist and a teacher of Tibetan Buddhism, who received the title of Lama, Vajra Master from his teacher in 2010 and in a teaching context is known as Lama Namgyal Dorje.  Dr. Aronson’s academic and spiritual path places him in an informed position to speak about the intersection of the both Buddhism and psychology; so much so that his book, Buddhist Practice On Western Ground, does just that. His treatment of culture, in general, and the differences between Tibetan and “Western” culture is an enlightening endeavor for any reader of his work, as it calls the reader to interrogate the patterns of their culture. For example, as Harvey suggests, in therapy Western’s are taught to fully express their emotions and to “work through” the defensive structures of the personality, as opposed to the “Easter” mind who is taught restraint and to be nonattached to the contents of their emotional body.  Any participant of therapy will often hear their therapist urge them to “feel their feelings” with the implication that they have been “cut off” from their ability to be informed and signaled by one means the psyche communicates – through the body and with the feelings. He states that much of what the psychotherapist is working to do is to invite the individual to feel and experience what they were denied the validity of experiencing through their development.  Harvey roots his exploration of the differences between Buddhism and Western psychology within a transformation that occurred in his life while teaching as a professor of Buddhist studies. As a young professor, Dr. Aronson learned that he would not get tenure and then began to experience a series of panic attacks, which sent him seeking a therapist. This process brought to the foreground the differences between the two and also sent him down the path of psychotherapeutic practice. Another core aspect of Harvey’s work is developmental theory as it relates to the Western practices of child-rearing and the implications that the cultural approach to parenting may appears to contribute and inform both how Westerners begin to understand themselves and also express their feelings and also how therapy treats the potential injuries that occur as a consequence – noting that, no matter the culture in which we develop, there will usually be some kind of wound as a result. Harvey states that many of the wounds that we endure through life are relational in nature and therefore the relational aspect of psychotherapy may meet the wound on the ground of its origin.

Bio: 

Harvey B. Aronson, holds a BA in Chemistry from Brooklyn College, an MSW from Boston University, and a Ph.D. in Buddhist Studies from the University of Wisconsin. He has studied extensively with prominent teachers in the Geluk, Dzogchen and Theravada traditions in India, Nepal and the United States. Harvey is the author of Buddhist Practice on Western Ground and Love and Sympathy in Theravada Buddhism, and a recognized scholar of the intersections between traditional Buddhist practice and Western therapeutic modalities.

Harvey and his wife Anne C. Klein, both hold PhDs in Buddhist Studies with a long, shared history of learning from the highest lamas of Tibetan traditions, and they founded Dawn Mountain in 1996.  As practitioners, scholars, translators and gifted teachers, they serve Western seekers of all stripes and have fostered a strong community of advanced students that reaches from Houston to Portland, Oregon; Berkeley, California; Bloomington, Indiana; Ithaca, New York; Copenhagen, Denmark and beyond

Harvey and Anne have been practicing and studying together in Asia and the west since 1970. They received the title of Lama, Vajra Master from their teacher in 2010 and in teaching context are known respectively as Lama Rigzin Drolma and Lama Namgyal Dorje.  

www.dawnmountain.org

Lear

]]> Harvey is a psychotherapist and a teacher of Tibetan Buddhism, who received the title of Lama, Vajra Master from his teacher in 2010 and in a teaching context is known as Lama Namgyal Dorje.  Dr. Aronson’s academic and spiritual path places him in an informed position to speak about the intersection of the both Buddhism and psychology; so much so that his book, Buddhist Practice On Western Ground, does just that. His treatment of culture, in general, and the differences between Tibetan and “Western” culture is an enlightening endeavor for any reader of his work, as it calls the reader to interrogate the patterns of their culture. For example, as Harvey suggests, in therapy Western’s are taught to fully express their emotions and to “work through” the defensive structures of the personality, as opposed to the “Easter” mind who is taught restraint and to be nonattached to the contents of their emotional body.  Any participant of therapy will often hear their therapist urge them to “feel their feelings” with the implication that they have been “cut off” from their ability to be informed and signaled by one means the psyche communicates – through the body and with the feelings. He states that much of what the psychotherapist is working to do is to invite the individual to feel and experience what they were denied the validity of experiencing through their development.  Harvey roots his exploration of the differences between Buddhism and Western psychology within a transformation that occurred in his life while teaching as a professor of Buddhist studies. As a young professor, Dr. Aronson learned that he would not get tenure and then began to experience a series of panic attacks, which sent him seeking a therapist. This process brought to the foreground the differences between the two and also sent him down the path of psychotherapeutic practice. Another core aspect of Harvey’s work is developmental theory as it relates to the Western practices of child-rearing and the implications that the cultural approach to parenting may appears to contribute and inform both how Westerners begin to understand themselves and also express their feelings and also how therapy treats the potential injuries that occur as a consequence – noting that, no matter the culture in which we develop, there will usually be some kind of wound as a result. Harvey states that many of the wounds that we endure through life are relational in nature and therefore the relational aspect of psychotherapy may meet the wound on the ground of its origin.

Bio: 

Harvey B. Aronson, holds a BA in Chemistry from Brooklyn College, an MSW from Boston University, and a Ph.D. in Buddhist Studies from the University of Wisconsin. He has studied extensively with prominent teachers in the Geluk, Dzogchen and Theravada traditions in India, Nepal and the United States. Harvey is the author of Buddhist Practice on Western Ground and Love and Sympathy in Theravada Buddhism, and a recognized scholar of the intersections between traditional Buddhist practice and Western therapeutic modalities.

Harvey and his wife Anne C. Klein, both hold PhDs in Buddhist Studies with a long, shared history of learning from the highest lamas of Tibetan traditions, and they founded Dawn Mountain in 1996.  As practitioners, scholars, translators and gifted teachers, they serve Western seekers of all stripes and have fostered a strong community of advanced students that reaches from Houston to Portland, Oregon; Berkeley, California; Bloomington, Indiana; Ithaca, New York; Copenhagen, Denmark and beyond

Harvey and Anne have been practicing and studying together in Asia and the west since 1970. They received the title of Lama, Vajra Master from their teacher in 2010 and in teaching context are known respectively as Lama Rigzin Drolma and Lama Namgyal Dorje.  

www.dawnmountain.org

Lear

]]> Harvey Aronson Buzzsprout-881502 Thu, 06 Dec 2018 05:00:00 -0600 5701 consciousness, religion, spirituality, Buddhism, depth psychology, Tibet, mindfulness, psychology, Jung full false 14: Transcendental Meditation. A conversation with Bob Roth. 14: Transcendental Meditation. A conversation with Bob Roth. 14: Transcendental Meditation. A conversation with Bob Roth. 

We begin our conversation with Bob joking that, as a young boy growing up in the San Francisco Bay area, he knew he was a Democrat before he knew he was Jewish. Bob was deeply influenced by Robert “Bobby” Kennedy’s position as an agent of change so much so that he began working with the Kennedy campaign early in his life; and considering that Bobby Kennedy was a hero figure for Bob, Kennedy’s death greatly impacted him so much so that he continued the work of activism for collective change. When he was a young man, Bob embarked on a path into education, and as a self-professed skeptic, he hesitantly began a meditation practice at 18 years old although that was soon overwhelmed by the profound experience that transcendental meditation brought into his life. With the seeds of desire to educate children, Bob began teaching and educating inner-city youth and inmates about the benefits of meditation. He has continued along this path ever since. 

Bob and David Lynch began the nonprofit The David Lynch Foundation and have since offered scholarships to seek to teach over one million children the transformative value of meditation. The results of these interventions are astounding.  To cite one example, within a year or two, following learning meditation some of the most underperforming schools in the bay area elevated the ranks to become among some of the higher performing schools in the area. 

Bob discusses three forms of meditation and provides a little background on each, and expands on the practice of Transcendental Meditation. Bob draws from ancient practice to modern neuroscience to back up his claims of how revolutionary a meditation practice can be for your life – and, as he frames it, it is more accessible than you may think. 

Bio: 

Bob Roth is one of the most experienced and sought-after meditation leaders in America. Over the past 45 years, Bob has taught Transcendental Meditation to many thousands of people and is the author of the forthcoming authoritative book on the subject, entitled "Strength in Stillness: The Power of Transcendental Meditation", which will be published internationally by Simon & Schuster in February 2018. Bob Currently serves as the CEO of the David Lynch Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charity which has brought meditation to over 500,000 inner-city youth in underserved schools in 35 countries, to veterans and their families who suffer from post-traumatic stress, and women and children who are survivors of domestic violence. Bob also directs the Center for Leadership Performance, another nonprofit, which is bringing meditation to Fortune 100 companies, government organizations, and nonprofit charities. Bob is the host of the SiriusXM radio show, "Success Without Stress" and has spoken about meditation to industry leaders at such gatherings as Google Zeitgeist, Aspen Ideas Festival, Aspen Brain Conference, Wisdom2.0, and Summit.

https://www.davidlynchfoundation.org

Learn more about this project at: 

http://www.thesacredspeaks.com

Instagram: 

https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/    

Twitter: 

https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

Theme music provided by:

http://www.modernnationsmusic.com 

Song of the week: Jeff Price 

https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/mississippi-lights/1393868655

]]> 14: Transcendental Meditation. A conversation with Bob Roth. 

We begin our conversation with Bob joking that, as a young boy growing up in the San Francisco Bay area, he knew he was a Democrat before he knew he was Jewish. Bob was deeply influenced by Robert “Bobby” Kennedy’s position as an agent of change so much so that he began working with the Kennedy campaign early in his life; and considering that Bobby Kennedy was a hero figure for Bob, Kennedy’s death greatly impacted him so much so that he continued the work of activism for collective change. When he was a young man, Bob embarked on a path into education, and as a self-professed skeptic, he hesitantly began a meditation practice at 18 years old although that was soon overwhelmed by the profound experience that transcendental meditation brought into his life. With the seeds of desire to educate children, Bob began teaching and educating inner-city youth and inmates about the benefits of meditation. He has continued along this path ever since. 

Bob and David Lynch began the nonprofit The David Lynch Foundation and have since offered scholarships to seek to teach over one million children the transformative value of meditation. The results of these interventions are astounding.  To cite one example, within a year or two, following learning meditation some of the most underperforming schools in the bay area elevated the ranks to become among some of the higher performing schools in the area. 

Bob discusses three forms of meditation and provides a little background on each, and expands on the practice of Transcendental Meditation. Bob draws from ancient practice to modern neuroscience to back up his claims of how revolutionary a meditation practice can be for your life – and, as he frames it, it is more accessible than you may think. 

Bio: 

Bob Roth is one of the most experienced and sought-after meditation leaders in America. Over the past 45 years, Bob has taught Transcendental Meditation to many thousands of people and is the author of the forthcoming authoritative book on the subject, entitled "Strength in Stillness: The Power of Transcendental Meditation", which will be published internationally by Simon & Schuster in February 2018. Bob Currently serves as the CEO of the David Lynch Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charity which has brought meditation to over 500,000 inner-city youth in underserved schools in 35 countries, to veterans and their families who suffer from post-traumatic stress, and women and children who are survivors of domestic violence. Bob also directs the Center for Leadership Performance, another nonprofit, which is bringing meditation to Fortune 100 companies, government organizations, and nonprofit charities. Bob is the host of the SiriusXM radio show, "Success Without Stress" and has spoken about meditation to industry leaders at such gatherings as Google Zeitgeist, Aspen Ideas Festival, Aspen Brain Conference, Wisdom2.0, and Summit.

https://www.davidlynchfoundation.org

Learn more about this project at: 

http://www.thesacredspeaks.com

Instagram: 

https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/    

Twitter: 

https://twitter.com/thesacredspeaks

Theme music provided by:

http://www.modernnationsmusic.com 

Song of the week: Jeff Price 

https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/mississippi-lights/1393868655

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