Podcast 375: Evolutionaries with Carter Phipps

 

Carter PhippsI recently interviewed Carter Phipps about his new book entitled ” Evolutionaries-Unlocking the Spiritual and Cultural Potential of Science’s Greatest Ideas“.   Carter does as wonderful job of bridging the gap between faith and science throughout his book.   He has incorporated stories and interviews with some of the greatest evolutionary thinkers from current time and the past.  This allows the reader to gain a perspective about how evolution and our ability to adapt and adopt provides a new worldview and hopefully a shift in our consciousness.

Carter states that evolution embraces everything from economics to psychology, from politics to religion, from ecology to technology.  I could not agree more, and as one takes a deep introspective look at their lives they can see that where  a blur between faith and science once may have existed , it is now becoming clear and they can see the interconnection of all living things.

Carter cites the work of  biologists Lynn Marguils who discovered the first nucleated cell called eukaryote as an example of how nature is working in cooperation vs. competition.  This is a wonderful example of how our society and culture needs to evolve and is evolving into a world  model of cooperation vs. competition.  This is a significant shift in our worldview and evolution for with the new model of cooperation we will speed up the evolution of our species, and we will most certainly see breakthrough in areas of science, technology, politics, spirituality, religion, psychology and the sciences that will make our lives significantly better.

Carter cites a story about Zoltan Torey who was on the verge of death after a terrible accident in a battery factory when acid was dumped over his whole body, leaving him blind.   Torey wrote an autobiography entitled Out of Darkness and a 1999 book entitled “The Crucible of Consciousness“.   What Torey conveyed in his book was a model how the brain creates the experiences of consciousness and how the miracle of self-reflection has evolved the human animal; what  Carter conveys through Torey’s story is how a new kind of ethical context has quietly descended on human awareness over the last years and decades, almost unrecognized, like an unseen snow falling softly during the night, only to reveal a changed world in the light of the morning sun.

Truly this is what is happen, we are evolving as a species and all the support systems around us are evolving as well.  Our evolution is bringing science and faith closer together, and as it does we will start to see clearly the interconnection of all living things.  I highly recommend that you read Carter Phipps new book entitled “Evolutionaries” is will provide content for deep contemplation and reflection about who and what we are becoming.

 

For more information about Carter Phipps please click here to be directed to his website, or click here to watch a great YouTube video about the book.

 

Podcast 367: Awakening Somatic Intelligence with Risa Kaparo

Risa KaparoOur body speak to us, the question is are you listening?  In my recent interview with author Risa Kaparo we speak about her new book entitled “Awakening Somatic Intelligence“.  Risa states “This book offers a practice that brings immediacy to presencing the unbound source of all existence.

In Somatic Learning I use the term presencing as a verb to imply the embodying of spaciousness with awakened Somatic Intelligence. “Extended presence” refers to the process of living into the unknown, relaxed and curious, without efforting to grasp anything–aware of what happens in the bodymind as you ease the struggle to “wrap your mind around something”.  When we can be present or mindful as we live into the unknown, the infinite reveals itself to us so that we can come to know it intimately.

If you are experiencing any pain or discomfort in your body then “Somatic Intelligence” is a great opportunity to explore what is causing this pain and to transform it.  As Risa states the word “somatic”comes from the Greek root some, for body.  The conventional use of the word “body” in English implies an “object” observed from the outside. That is way I use the term “soma” to refer to how we sense the unfolding of life from within. And I use the term “somatic” to imply a first-person, here-now, all-at once, embodied intelligence-how we sense, feel and know ourselves on a precess level–from the inside out.

Risa says that listening to our body is the “ultimate practice”, embracing whatever is arising through our fill embodiment. As a result we “drink in” the infinite, we presence or “take up” vast spaciousness, infusing our whole being with consciousness that pervades all of existence.  And as we “kiss back”, our heartfelt savoring overflows, embuing this spaciousness with the luminosity of love. The ecstatic “practice” refers to the deepening of our capacity to bear the infinite as beloved, as intimately as our breath, bones, blood.

“Awakening Somatic Intelligence” is a book that is alive with stories, exercises and provides the reader with a whole new way to approach any dis-ease or discomfort of our body.  Is is the embodiment of years of study and blending of a innovative bodymind approach to transformative healing and self-renewal.   It teaches embodied mindfulness through breathing, sensing, movement and touch to revitalize the body’s self-organizing intelligence.

If you would like more information about “Awakening Somatic Intelligence” I recommend that you visit Risa’s website by clicking here or watch a YouTube video on Somatic Intelligence by clicking here.  Enjoy this great interview with author Risa Kapro.

Podcast 361: Birth 2012 with Barbara Marx Hubbard

Barbara Marx HubbardI recently had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Barbara Marx Hubbard about her new book entitled ” Birth 2012“.  I have interviewed Barbara before, and it is always an honor to speak with her about her passions.  Her new book “Birth 2012“is truly remarkable and a book that anyone interested in learning more about the dawning of the new era should read and actively  becoming involved in this amazing movement.

Barbara spoke with me in our interview together about how humanity’s evolution has accelerated to a point that the changes have become visible to all, and she has a passion to bring to millions of people a far greater awareness of the potential of our Planetary Birth and our emergence as a universal species.

As she writes in the Letter of Invitation at the beginning of the book–” Our current condition of over-growth in our finite Earth system is simply  not sustainable. We will either evolve toward a more sustainable , compassionate, and creative global system, or we face the real possibility of devolution’s and distraction of our life support system and of much of life on Earth–within our our own or or children’s lifetime.  This dangerous reality is motivating us to enter into what I call the first age of conscious evolution–that is, evolution by choice and not by chance.  It means that we need to be causal in the actions and directions we take in this lifetime. What is being required of us to learn to co-evolve with nature and cocreate with Spirit.

These are very important questions that we all face and are important for us all to participate in the outcome.  As Barbara stated we have a choice, and as this planet and our species evolves we need to consciously participate in transforming our world into a place where sustainability of all of our systems can be achieved.  We are all experiencing a breakdown of our existing systems, but we will shortly see a breakthrough where new and better system will evolve that will support our species in what Barbara refers to as a “Universal Humanity”.

The urgency of our problems is causing people to wake up all over the planet.  It’s dawning on us that something creative—something new–is pressing within us to emerge. What is now being born is transforming the old situation with the prospect of new solutions; and, at the same time, it is helping to create a new world–a world that we have in some respect always held in our hearts.

I encourage you to listen to the words of wisdom from a wonderfully intelligent and compassionate woman who can help to unite and transform the consciousness of our society into a place where survival and sustainability are the mantra of all.

 

If you would like more information about Barbara Marx Hubbard please click here, if you are interested in learning more about the “Birth 2012″ book please click here.

Podcast 355: Abundance, The Future Is Better Than You Think by Peter Diamandis and Steven Kotler

Steven KotlerIf you haven’t been paying much attention, “Abundance-The Future is Better Than You Think” has been on the NY Times best seller list for weeks.

In my interview with co-author Steven Kotler we explore the many topics covered in the book that are wonderfully articulated to guide the reader in understanding that we are living in unprecedented times.  Yes–we have our share to world problems, but on the flip side of the coin technology and science are moving at breakneck speeds and are solving many of these problems–and guess what?  Our standard of living is better than ever.

Steven points out that the focus of the book is to help change people mindsets. As fundamental as this sounds, it is a core problem in our society today.  Our brains are designed to be pessimistic  when it comes to getting our heads around global problems we are challenged, but we do much better and are more optimistic when it comes to issues that are in our reach.

Fueling this pessimism is our news media, as Steven states ” if it bleeds it leads” referring to how our media loves to report the doom and gloom and infrequently reports what is good about the world. Abundance certainly takes the bold contrarian and optimistic viewpoint for today’s cynical times, but the authors give proof that we are not living in such dire times.

Steven cites that poverty has decreased more in the last 50 years than in the previous 500. At a global level, the gap between wealthy nations and poorer nations continue to close.  Despite plenty of hardship we are living longer, wealthier, healthier lives.

The authors state that three (3) current forces are leading our world toward abundance.  1) A Do-It-Yourself revolution of backyard thinkers, which now extends far beyond homebrew computers and custom cars it is outdoing governments with high-impact innovationsin neuroscience, biology, genetics, nanotechnology and robotics. 2) A new source of techno-philanthropists who are dedicating their fortunes to solving grand, abundance-related challenges. 3) The poorest of the poor, the so-called “bottom-billion” have been plugged into the global economy by the internet, micro-fiance, and wireless communications.   By the end of 2013 , over 70 percent of the world’s population will have access to low-cost communications.

This perfect convergence of technology, science and communications is forging an opportunity for  abundance and equanimity worldwide.  I certainly agree with the authors viewpoint, and have seen massive changes “for the good” in our society.  If you want to get the facts, and learn more about what amazing technological and scientific advancement will change our world, then you need to read and study “Abundance“.  You will be glad that you did.

 

If you want more information the author have an amazing website, and you can click here to be directed to it.  You can also visit the Facebook page by clicking here, or watch some great YouTube videos about the book.  I hope you enjoy this great interview with a “thought leader” in the field of science, technology and spirituality–Steven Kotler.

Podcast 347: Apocalypse Not with John Michael Greer

John Michael GreerI recently interviewed author John Michael Greer about his new book entitled ” Apocalypse Not“.

John is a very fascinating and intriguing author and has a perspective about the apocalypse which will put every one at ease.

John states that a thousand years ago, the astronomers and mathematicians of another accent people worked out this same date in their own calendar, and set in motion a chain of events that made their calculations a topic of fear and fascination across most of the world today. They were the Mayans, and to them the date in questions was 4 Ahau 3 Kankin 13.0.0.0.0—the end fo the world.

John, claims that on 12/21/21 nothing is going to happen, no end of the world, no rapture– things will carry on as usual.

As for their “disappearance”, the great Mayan city-states of the southern lowlands when through a period of severe decline in the tenth century CE, involving warfare, famine, and the abandonment of most of the large urban centers, but the villagers of the countryside remained, and their descendants sill live in the same area today.  Elsewhere in the Mayan world, city-states on the classic model continued to flourish until the Spanish conquest of the Yucatan and Central America in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, and their are sill plenty of people descended from the accent Mayans, and who speak Mayan languages, throughout that part of the world. John points out that in times of severe social stress people start to focus on the possibility of an apocalypse, and that we have gone through these cycles before in history.

The first secular forms of the apocalypse meme actually began to take shape well back in the Middle Ages, with the earliest stirrings of what radicals of a later age would call “class consciousness”.  John states that throughout history we have been enamored with and apocalypse and the anti-christ, and during recorded history we have never experienced the apocalypse.

If you are interested in learning more about the history and our fascination with an apocalypse then I recommend that you read ” Apocalypse Not“.  Author John Michael Greer throughly documents why he believes that we are not going to experience the coming of the anti-christ or an apocalypse.  He states that on 12/22/12 those who are believers in the dooms day prophecy will wake up the next day and wonder why it did not occur.

 

If you would like more information about John Michael Greer please click here to be directed to his website.  I hope you enjoy my interview with John Michael Greer.

Podcast 343: Living Fully with Shyalpa Tenzin Rinpoche

Shyalpa Tenzin RinpocheWhat an amazing interview with Shyalpa Tenzin Rinpoche about his new book entitled “Living Fully“.  The essence of the Rinpoche’s book is the importance of each breath and the life force and joy in each breath.

Now I am aware that at the pace we move in the Western world, understanding the importance of our breath is so essential; but really how many of us pay attention to our breath or are aware of the gift of each breath.  When you distill the message of this book into these terms and the simplicity of what we all take for granted you begin to see the beauty and transformational power within the message of “Living Fully”.

As Rinpoche state in “Living Fully” “Whether we realize it or not, our deepest aspiration is to experience the richness and fullness of our being in every moment. Each of us has the capacity to live fully, but how do we recognize our potential? ”  In my interview with Rinpoche we discuss the many desires and attachment we have to the physical world and how these desires and attachments really are not bringing us happiness and joy and distract us from “Living Fully“.

Happiness and joy are fulfilled when we look deep inside and content with who we are regardless of all of our worldly possessions.  As Rinpoche mentions in “Living Fully” instant pleasure is not the true way to enjoy our freedom.  When we know how to surrender, we can truly appreciate our freedom. This ability to surrender comes from a disciplined approach to life.  Surrender is not submitting to a higher authority, like an army recruit saluting a drill sergeant.  Rather, we surrender when we give up trying to satisfy all of our hopes and expectations.

If we abandon our efforts to fabricate a “perfect” world, we all experience genuine freedom that is not corrupted by endless craving or something better.  Understanding the philosophy and practice of the Buddhist way is quite simple.  Finding our essence of our precious human nature is learning how to live in the moment, enjoying each and every breath and the joy that it brings.

While this might sound like utopia, because we are all aware the plethora of distractions our material world brings, it  would certainly be nice to not just capture these moments but to become one with them permanently without programming our brains to remember how to remember what it feels like.

So if you are so inclined and want to learn from a master then I would recommend that you read and emerse yourself in the teaching of Rinpoche.  His new book is delightful, and something all of us in the Western world need to become more aware of how important the aspect of something as automatic as our breath teaches us about the joys of life.

 

If you would like to learn more about the book click here to be directed to the Rinpoche’s website or listen to a YouTube interview with the publisher Marc Allen at New World Library by clicking. here. Enjoy this great and inspirational interview with a wonderfully compassionate man.