#751: Elizabeth Gilbert and Jack Kornfield

375 snips

Jul 2, 2024

Guest

Jack Kornfield

Guest

Elizabeth Gilbert

Elizabeth Gilbert, bestselling author of "Eat, Pray, Love," shares insights on creative integrity and the art of saying "No" without guilt. She discusses the power of personal boundaries and listening to one’s inner compass. Jack Kornfield, a pioneer in mindfulness, brings his experiences of trauma and spiritual awakening, emphasizing the role of compassion in healing. The conversation includes exhilarating tales of hang gliding and how mindfulness can transform relationships and societal interactions. Together, they explore ways to cultivate love and awareness.

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ANECDOTE

Rayya's Fierce Battle

Elizabeth Gilbert shares how Rayya Elias, her alpha-wolf partner, faced terminal cancer.
Rayya remained fierce and defied expectations, dying on her own terms with dark humor.

INSIGHT

Art's Impact

Great art is both surprising and inevitable, rearranging your DNA and leaving you changed.
Poetry encapsulates this, like T.S. Eliot's "East Coker", offering solace in darkness.

ANECDOTE

Inbox as Home

Gilbert now treats her inbox like her home, deleting uninvited intrusions.
She prioritizes inner compass, deleting emails that feel like a liberty.

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Bringing Home the Dharma

Daniel J. Siegel

Jack Kornfield

In 'Bringing Home the Dharma', Jack Kornfield shares simple meditation practices to awaken one's inner wisdom amidst daily life. The book explores topics like loving-kindness, conscious parenting, and forgiveness, emphasizing that inner peace can be found without leaving one's current life circumstances. It offers insights into modern Buddhist practice, drawing from Kornfield's extensive experience and studies.

Seeking the Heart of Wisdom

Jack Kornfield

Joseph Goldstein

In 'Seeking the Heart of Wisdom', Joseph Goldstein and Jack Kornfield present the central teachings and practices of insight meditation, guiding readers in understanding their bodies, minds, and lives. The book covers topics such as overcoming meditation hindrances, cultivating compassion, and integrating meditation into daily life. It provides useful exercises to deepen understanding and offers a blend of pragmatic instruction and perennial wisdom.

A lamp in the darkness

Jack Kornfield

Bury the chains

Adam Hochschild

Bury the Chains chronicles the late 18th- and early 19th-century anti-slavery movement in the British Empire, highlighting key figures like Thomas Clarkson and William Wilberforce. The book explores the campaign's tactics and setbacks, ultimately leading to the abolition of slavery in 1838. It also draws parallels with modern social justice movements, showcasing the pioneering methods used by the abolitionists.

The better angels of our nature

Why Violence Has Declined

Steven Pinker

In this book, Steven Pinker presents a detailed argument that violence has significantly decreased over the course of human history. He uses extensive data and statistical analysis to demonstrate this decline in various domains, including military conflict, homicide, genocide, torture, and the treatment of children, homosexuals, animals, and racial and ethnic minorities. Pinker identifies four key human motivations – empathy, self-control, the moral sense, and reason – as the 'better angels' that have oriented humans away from violence and towards cooperation and altruism. He also discusses historical forces such as the rise of the state (which he terms 'Leviathan'), the spread of commerce, the growth of feminist values, and the expansion of cosmopolitanism, which have contributed to this decline in violence[1][4][5].

The Book of Joy

Lasting Happiness in a Changing World

Desmond Tutu

Dalai Lama

In this book, the Dalai Lama and Desmond Tutu reflect on their long lives and share their insights on finding joy despite hardships. During a week-long visit in April 2015, they discussed the nature of true joy, confronted obstacles such as fear, stress, and grief, and outlined the Eight Pillars of Joy. The book includes stories, wisdom, and science, as well as their daily joy practices that anchor their emotional and spiritual lives.

Tribe

On Homecoming and Belonging

Sebastian Junger

In 'Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging', Sebastian Junger delves into the human desire for community and belonging. Drawing from history, psychology, and anthropology, Junger examines why many individuals, including combat veterans, often feel a stronger sense of belonging in tribal or wartime environments than in modern society. He argues that the lack of community in affluent societies can lead to feelings of isolation and depression, while disasters and wars can paradoxically bring people together and foster a sense of unity. The book challenges the notion that modern society is superior to tribal societies, highlighting the benefits of egalitarianism and community found in the latter. Junger also discusses how the absence of these communal bonds can affect veterans returning from war and suggests that societal changes could help reintegrate them and improve overall societal well-being.

Be Here Now

Ram Dass

Be Here Now is a seminal book on spirituality, yoga, and meditation written by Ram Dass. The book is divided into four sections: 'Journey', which details Ram Dass's transformation from a Harvard psychologist to a spiritual seeker; 'From Bindu to Ojas', a core section that includes spiritual themes and inspirational quotes; 'Cookbook for a Sacred Life', a manual for conscious living with practical advice on meditation, yoga, and diet; and 'Painted Cakes (Do Not Satisfy Hunger)', a list of recommended books for further spiritual exploration. The book emphasizes the importance of living in the present moment, shedding ego and material attachments, and finding unity with the divine through unconditional love and mindfulness[2][4][5].

City of Girls

Elizabeth Gilbert

In 'City of Girls', Elizabeth Gilbert tells the story of Vivian Morris, a nineteen-year-old who is sent to Manhattan in 1940 after being kicked out of Vassar College. Vivian lives with her Aunt Peg, the owner of the flamboyant Lily Playhouse theater, where she is introduced to a vibrant world of showgirls, actors, and other charismatic characters. The novel follows Vivian's journey as she navigates her new life, makes personal mistakes that lead to professional scandals, and ultimately discovers the kind of life she craves and the freedom to pursue it. The story is told from the perspective of an older Vivian looking back on her youth with both pleasure and regret, reflecting on themes of human desire, connection, and the idiosyncrasies of true love.